. . .Julie Feeney
Girl's own: Ireland has produced some distinctive female voices - Sinéad, Dolores, Cathy Davey - but the voice is only one of many instruments which Julie Feeney utilises on her debut album, 13 Songs. The Galway girl has not only written, played, produced and even financed the record, she also plays no less than 11 different instruments, including a xylophone belonging to Newtown Girls' School in Tuam, and a harmonium borrowed from composer Micheal Ó Suilleabhain. The multi-talented Feeney also plays keyboards, recorder, accordion, violin, harmonica and melodica, but leaves the cello playing to Diane O'Keefe, the drums to Robbie Casserly, trumpet to Hugh O'Neill and bass clarinet to Ruth Hickey. Over all this self-recorded bedrock dances Feeney's voice, as crystal clear as springwater, with a mischievous intimacy that suggests a touch of fairy magic in her muse.
Chamber lady: Feeney is not just another indie girl with dreams of becoming the next Björk or Goldfrapp. With a Masters in Music and Media Technologies in Trinity, Feeney takes her sound very seriously; she studied at the Royal Conservatory in the Hague, sang with the National Chamber Choir, and is an accomplished choral singer and composer who has performed her own works all over the world. She composed the soundtrack for Nun, which premiered at the Venice film festival, and has also got a foot in the dance genre, working closely with choreographer Fergus Ó Conchuir on the music for contemporary dance piece Cosan Dearg.
Nouvelle vogue: Listening to the distinctly un-rocky tunes on 13 Songs, it's plain that Feeney has an eclectic approach to her music. You can hear echoes of experimental jazz, edgy classical, dark cabaret, ambient lounge and even medieval music in such songs as Judas, Wind Out of My Sails, You Broke the Magic and Fictitious Richard. If it takes a little time for Feeney's singular music to seep into the public consciousness, no matter: she's got the part-time modelling work to keep her going, although who could resist her seductive mix of good looks, artistry and superb lip-work? Not The Ticket, which hailed 13 Songs as "a wonderful, wistful collection".
Good timing: The album was recorded at Joe's Garage in Stepaside, the studio run by Def Leppard man Joe Elliot. That's his clock you hear ticking on Autopilot. Other "found sounds" include the unmistakeable trundle of the Galway to Dublin train as it whizzes past. But the most impressive sound is Julie's sustained vocal note on Aching, which clocks in at a lung-bursting 28 seconds. 13 Songs is available at many independent record shops in Dublin and Galway, and also through her website at www.juliefeeney.com. She launched the album with a gig at the Sugar Club earlier this week, and will be performing at the Spiegeltent on October 1st.
