Captain Kennedy | ru

Captain Kennedy, a 7-piece folk rock band from Northern Ireland, are earthy, their music visceral. The past couple of years have seen the band establish their position on the Irish music scene with gigs in high profile venues across the country, including a sold-out Mandela Hall. Support slots for the likes of ‘The Broken Family Band’ and appearances at the Out To Lunch Arts Festival, Belfest, The Gasyard Feile, Vibefest 2008 and Gifted at The Empire have helped develop Captain Kennedy’s reputation as an unmissable live act.

The band have received regular airplay on both local and national radio and appeared on BBC 2’s Blas Ceoil programme in October of last year. Captain Kennedy also made an appearance on Irish TV station TG4’s Deis Roc programme featuring some of the best unsigned talent from these shores. With a number of high profile gigs and a debut album due out before the end of the year, expect to see a lot more from Captain Kennedy in 2009.

The band have just released their second 4-track EP Factory Whistle Call in early January through Vinnie Lovelace Records. “Factory Whistle Call”, recorded at the Start Together Studios at Belfast’s new Oh Yeah Centre, is not smooth, controlled, or delivered with the glossy perfection of much modern pop music. This is cracked, rootsy material. Their harmonies are sometimes crooked, and singer Ciaran Lavery’s voice can get gravelly to the point of death-rattle. The EP, which has already received airplay national and local radio, captures the true spirit of Captain Kennedy’s live sound.

What the Press have said…

AU Magazine: “This is preternaturally aged music, ready to caress your heart with its dusky fingers.”

Americana-UK: “There's something instantly attractive about their obvious belief and capturing of the redemptive power and soul of music.”

Stuart Bailie, BBC: "From Lurgan, Captain Kennedy are well immersed in the "old weird America" that writer Greil Marcus covered in his book Invisible Republic. They take their name from a Neil Young song but they're also fit to sing old Dixie down. Excellent vocals. I likes 'em."

The Irish News: “Sweetest Friend walks a fine line between pop balladry and indie soul and would be playing on daytime radio stations right now if there was any justice in the world.”

BBC Across the Line: “When you’ve got the Americana sound as polished as these guys do, it’s no surprise it goes down as well as a Mississippi Mud Pie!”

Sounds XP: “If you’re into anthemic, bluesy rock then you’ll be hard pressed to find much better than this.”
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