Myles McCormack

Myles McCormack occupies a unique space within the music scene of the North of Ireland. Alongside his work with forward-pushing trad/folk group Lonesome George, the songwriter and multi-instrumentalist crafts careful, considered tales under his own name. Last year the band released a song in aid of the refugee charity ‘Care4Calais’ and have since been known as much for the cutting social commentary of their music as for the galvanising energy of their performances. 

This year, on top of having toured Germany twice with the band, and performing at Electric Picnic, Latitude and Isle of Wight festivals, Myles is for the first time revealing his solo project. The album ’Real Talk’ is a collection of introspective songs, touching on the universal and ineffable. Similarly to Lonesome George there is an acute awareness to the writing that permeates each piece, but with a more melancholic sound which meanders into the ethereal.

Real Talk came about after Myles did a gig with Belfast’s The Emerald Armada, after which members of the audience convinced him it was time to record something. Initially intending to put one song down as an experiment, he worked so fast that it became clear a larger project was underway, and in 4 sessions the album was done. He then sold out his first show as a solo artist when he launched the album in The Duncairn, Belfast’s most prestigious arts and music centre.

Although known in Belfast for playing mandolin in traditional sessions, this album represents a marked diversion from anything that has come out of the trad scene before. It has the tact and social conscience of the most ubiquitous folk music, whilst also turning it’s nose up at genre definitions and exploring new territory in a multitude of directions. On top of that the songs are each individually memorable and unique, creating a record packed with emotion and guarenteed to reward on repeated listens.