Cork six-piece Pebbledash have released their new single, Slowly Slowly, and have announced Irish and UK gigs. We asked Asha and Cormac of the band the BIG questions . . .
The track is the final single to be taken from their upcoming EP Four Portraits of the Same Ugly House, which is out on 31 January.
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Speaking about Slowly Slowly, the band say: "It's a song about the desire to belong, be seen, and in many ways the selfishness of needing recognition."
Four Portraits of the Same Ugly House is named after the band’s time spent in Cork city, referred to as "Ugly House" in the title.
"It’s just, I suppose, a term of endearment from us to refer to the charm of Cork taking in its beauty but also the imperfections," says Cormac.
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"A house is where we all feel most safe and able to express ourselves and I think this 'ugly’ imperfection is what gives Cork the allure and allows the freedom of expression we get when writing and recording."
The EP was produced by Aidan Mahoney at Kitten Lane Studios and mastered by Pete Maher, who is known for his work with U2, Nick Cave, and Pixies.
Talking about Four Portraits of the Same Ugly House, the band add: "It’s an exploration of my time in Cork city. Written at a time where music had become my main focus in life and all experiences both negative and positive were growing from this.
"Encased in this small city I found myself becoming familiar with its places and people and these four songs are the portraits of the most impactful moments and feelings.
"Although many of the songs were started in Cork they were finished when I had to move away for a significant period of time and this feeling of missing friends and spaces I had come to love informed the melancholy of the EP, the songs are quite dynamic and reflected the changing emotions I was feeling at the time."
Pebbledash play: The Next Big Thing Festival, Workman’s Club, Dublin on 22 January. The Social, London (with So Young) on 29 January. The Hope & Amp; Ruin, Brighton on 9 February. The Elephants Head, London on 10 February. Dolans, Limerick (supporting Howlers) on 28 March. Whelan’s, Dublin (supporting Howlers) on 29 March. Ulster Sport’s Club, Belfast (supporting Howlers) on 30 March.
Tell us three things about yourself…
I have a degree in Criminology, Schuch (drums) is a black belt, and Asha (vocals) recently spent a good long stretch in a Buddhist commune in West Cork.
How would you describe your music?
Noisy banshee cowboy rock 'n' roll.
Who are your musical inspirations?
We all come from quite distinct places musically, although there’s overlap – a lot of the melodic/noise sound we’ve been pursuing is informed by Yo La Tengo, Wilco, and early Sonic Youth, and the really cool Chicago bands Horsegirl and Lifeguard. There’s a mutual appreciation for folk singer-songwriters as well, the likes of Dylan and Cohen and Adrianne Lenker.
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We’re massively inspired by bands from Irish scene and especially Cork - The Altered Hours, Flywheel, Pot-Pot, Ana Palindrome, and Fixity are all brilliant. It’s great to be part of a scene with so many sound heads like Cliffords, Mossy, I Dreamed I Dream and Mirrors, to name a few.
I adore electronic/ambient artists like Aphex Twin and Natalia Beylis, Jack (bass) likes his MF DOOM, Schuch is a big fan of Fishmans and Nujabes; Fionnbharr (lead vocals/guitar) and Asha are steeped in trad, and that does shine through not only on tracks like Carraig Aonair, but in the melody lines and guitar playing. Relatedly, RÓIS is an incredible artist that a few of us are liking; her album MO LÉAN from last year is great.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
If memory serves, Aslan. They’re my dad’s favourite band and myself and my brother were initiated early; when I was younger, I saw them about five times, so it’s hard to recall which was the first – I feel like it was inside in Cork Opera House when I was maybe six or seven. I’ve vivid memories of seeing them do Pretty Thing, a great bit of pop existential dread - ‘half your life is wasted/the rest does not exist.’ Lovely stuff.
What was the first record you ever bought?
The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle, by Bruce Springsteen, in Bunker Vinyl, Cork; sound, John, thanks.
What’s your favourite song at the moment?
There’s a song that was released by the wonderful Cork band Ana Palindrome, called Lovecry, as part of a brilliant fundraiser compilation on Bandcamp in aid of people of the Lebanon from Moot Tapes; just this wonderful sea of roiling, droning strings and synths.
Favourite lyric of all time?
Asha: The first thing that comes to mind is some lines in True Love Leaves No Traces by Leonard Cohen. I love the way he maps desire onto landscapes of the body and also onto nature - 'As the mist leaves no scar/On the dark green hill/So my body leaves no scar/On you and never will.’ It just makes perfect sense to me.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Song for Mary Black, by Elaine Howley.
Where can you find your music/more information?
We’re @pebbledashband on Instagram, so that’s the main place I’d be looking for in terms of our upcoming gigs; we have a good few English dates that we’re really looking forward to. Our music is on all your streaming services and whatnot, but Bandcamp is also a great place to check out our stuff and support independent artists generally.
Alan Corr
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