Irish artist Niall McNamee releases debut album + New Video
NIALL MCNAMEE RELEASES DEBUT ALBUM
GLASS AND MIRRORS
OUT NOW
LISTEN HERE
24-DATE UK & IRELAND TOUR ANNOUNCED
NEW VIDEO OUT TODAY
“A voice & lyricism that reaches deep into the past and drags it rough & tumble into the modern day” - Neil McCormick (Daily Telegraph)
“A natural storyteller with the gift of connecting with you immediately” - Hot Press
“The biggest redefinition of Irishness since Jack Charlton in the 90s” - Irish World
“Passionate, thoughtful and full-blooded … traditional Irish heritage pushing into contemporary rock and pop territory.” - American Songwriter
With a string of acting credits to his name, multi-talented artist Niall McNamee steps back into the spotlight - this time with guitar in hand to release his long-awaited debut album Glass and Mirrors out now via his own label, Wellboy, distributed by Absolute.
Influenced by the likes The Pogues and Christy Moore but equally Oasis, Coldplay, Paul Brady and even Brian Wilson, Niall puts a modern twist on his Irish heritage, mixing the best of Celtic post-punk passion with a 21st century alt-rock perspective. “I’m a romantic football fan who writes songs,” says Niall, “Lyrically I often think to myself ‘this is what want to say, but how would Shane MacGown say it.”
The result is a soaring, melodic collection shaped by the chaos, charm, and contradictions of Niall’s life as a struggling artist living in London.
“Hearing love stories from the traditional music I always listened to made life feel poetic”’ Niall explains. “The world is a tough place, so finding people who change it for the better is kind of remarkable. But also, there’s the backdrop of a big, loud, London, building sites, pints and parties. London’s a struggle, but it’s also epic. And I think there’s an epicness to Irishness and London that defines this album.”
The album opens with recent single ‘Clapham Wine,’ written for a friend following a horrendous breakup - right away, the music bares pure Celtic soul, from Niall’s brogue to the stomping rhythm and gorgeous guitars. Another previous single ‘Falling In Love for the Day’ similarly does so with the wild romance of planning a future with someone you’ve just met, and the pounding ‘Magpie With a Mullet’ is ready made for ceilidhs everywhere, complete with fiddle, bodhrán and penny whistle. Check out the new video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhqY48dJjHc
Niall’s songwriting has crafted some beautiful ballads dotted throughout the album; ‘Another Life,’ dramatically picks apart the what-ifs and could’ve-beens of a fractured romance, and the 90s-reminiscent title track reflects a dark period for Niall - ‘I was doubting everything. Wandering if I’d wasted or fucked up my life… And can people tell that I’m miserable? Can they smell it on me?’
There’s also the deeply personal ‘Leave My Home’ which features some stunning falsetto from Niall, the pain of revisiting old memories in ‘Donegal Hill,’ and one his earliest songs ‘Clones Fireman,’ written when he was 17 and inspired by the story of his grandparents. “They met a week before my grandmother moved to England. They were pen pals for 5 years until my grandad decided to go over after they lost touch. He didn’t know if she was in London or Birmingham, so he flipped a coin at Holyhead and fate brought him to the West Midlands, where he bumped into her very quickly and they proceeded to live a long life with each other.”
For all of the album’s meticulous piecing together, songs like the boisterous ‘Wokingham’ and the rollicking ‘Man Complete’ turn up the noise and are full of life. So is ‘Moon Belongs To You,’ but it’s presented with a calmer and reflective sway - ‘Different places feel like they belong to old flames from your life,’ says Niall. ‘But what if you're reminded of someone when you see the moon? As soon as night arrives, you’re fucked.’
Towards the album’s end, the final song ‘Rose Of Marylebone’ ends on a hopeful and happy note, feeling like a song only Niall McNamee could have written. “I fell in love with a girl from a really wealthy background,” he explains. “And truthfully, I liked the disparity between us, I liked driving this princess in my shit van. I think I was her bit of rough for a bit.”
This debut album doesn’t just launch Niall’s music career it also brings a poignant close to his formative chapter, “I can almost trace my entire adult life through these songs. It’s been a long journey,” says Niall. “The scrapes and scratches, the ups and downs of being young and living in London. I sometimes wonder how many of my memories are so clear because I have songs about them. Would certain people and events be lost if I hadn’t written a song about it.”
After moving to London at 17, Niall worked on building sites whilst auditioning and playing live in Irish pubs to pay the rent. His irrepressible personality, songwriting ability and charismatic live shows quickly built him a devoted fan base, as well as a role in the West End as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet. Film and TV parts followed, including starring opposite Pierce Brosnan and a major fight scene with Jackie Chan in The Foreigner. He took the lead in award-winning feature film Love Without Walls, for which he also wrote the original soundtrack.
This Autumn sees Niall feature in two brand new films: Niall plays Irish world cup team goalkeeper Alan Kelly in the feature film ‘Saipan,’ starring Steve Coogan and Éanna Hardwicke. Niall also plays the lead in the romantic comedy ‘One Night in Bath.’
Playing live is still a massive driving force for Niall. 2024 included a run of sold-out headline shows, as well as supporting slots for Melissa Etheridge, Louis Dunford and The Dubliners and festival appearances at Isle of Wight and Cambridge Folk Festival. Shortly after the album’s release will be a mammoth 24-date full-band tour of the UK and Ireland, beginning in Leicester on 16th October and finishing in London on 6th December.
“Between recording, writing and all the other aspects of being an artist, it’s the live shows I enjoy the most, and truthfully where I’m at my best. Myself and my band love the adventure of it. And we go at it hard, that’s what it was all for ultimately, to play music, travel about with your pals and have as much fun as possible.”
Niall McNamee’s debut album Glass and Mirrors is out now listen here.
October.
17. Chester. Live Rooms.
19. Edinburgh. Cabaret Voltaire.
23 - Dublin. Whelans main room.
24 - Kilkenny. Cleere's.
25 - Ballycotton. Sea Church.
30 - Galway. Monroes.
November.
1st - Belfast. Oh Yeah Centre.
6. St Albans. The Horn.
8. Southampton. Heartbreakers.
14. Guildford. The Star.
22. Exeter. The Phoenix (studio).
26. Sheffield. The Greystones.
27. Nottingham. Billy Bootleggers.
28. Leeds. Oporto.
December
4. Manchester. Night & Day.
5. Birmingham. Castle & Falcon.
6. London. Oslo.
January
22. Bristol. The Louisiana.
23. Norwich. The Waterfront.
24. Brighton. The Folklore Rooms.
28. Newcastle. The Cumberland Arms.
29. Leicester. Duffys.
February
6. Donegal. The Social.
FIND NIALL MCNAMEE ONLINE:
FACEBOOK │ INSTAGRAM │ X │ YOUTUBE │ SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC │ STORE │ WEBSITE
