All Smiles Tonight

Description

Poor Creature is made up of Ruth Clinton, Cormac MacDiarmada and John Dermody, all three members of other groups (Landless and Lankum respectively) who have gained great popularity by reinterpreting songs from the past. Songs that have existed for centuries can seem immutable and rooted in time. A new generation of Irish musicians is keen to acknowledge this musical heritage, while reimagining the songs in a contemporary context. The sound of Poor Creature - especially in the context of contemporary Irish folk - offers something unique. There are the misty, underwater, almost psychedelic strands of “Bury Me Not” and “Adieu Lovely Erin”. All Smiles Tonight and “Hicks' Farewell” evoke the influence of American folk/bluegrass groups such as Doc Watson and the Louvin Brothers. These shifting sounds are made possible by producer John “Spud” Murphy, who produced all of Lankum’s albums and has worked with Junior Brother, OXN, Pretty Happy, Ye Vagabonds as well as The Jimmy Cake’s last two albums, with whom John played for more than 20 years. “There is something in the intertwining of the everyday and the fantastic, which Irish music does so well in my opinion.” This also sums up All Smiles Tonight, which moves through stories, loss and history to create an otherworldly, timeless album for centuries to come.