Originally formed as a quartet in 2013, Hvmmingbyrd released a well received album but broke up soon after. Founding member Deborah Byrne refused to let the dream die and teamed up with Suzette Das to resurrect the band. The pair have released two singles this year 'Out Of My Head' and the brilliant 'If Love Was Enough' with its accompanying video directed by Crooked Gentlemen. Hvmmingbyrd have spoken about the difficulty they have in classifying their music. They combine the vocal interplay of traditional and modern folk, minimalist electronica, and the intensity and honesty of singer/songwriters. With their debut EP due out next month, Musos' Guide spoke to Deborah about the new setup.

DB: Hvmmingbyrd used to be a folky four piece. Then we split and reformed in January, it’s now myself and Suzette. We hadn’t released music together before and we were determined to get something out this year to show the new direction that we are taking. It’s much easier to show that through new music as opposed to just saying it. We released our first single, and that’s on the EP.

We have five songs on it and lots of little interludes as well. Like a 30 second clip and then the song, just to keep it interesting. I will be interested to hear what people think when they’ve heard it because we’ve spoken before about how hard it is to categorise our music. We’re pop, we’re alt-pop, they are the ones that keep coming up, but some of the music has a dark theme. ‘If Love Was Enough’ had a dark theme but a bright sound whereas some songs on the EP are a bit darker and edgier. They explore relationships and loss, the pressures of significance. We wanted a happy, party song too and that’s kind of different. I don’t like to specify too much on the themes so you can leave it open to people to take whatever they want. I know that’s a cliché…

The EP is called Know My Name. The title is taken from one of the songs on it called ‘Legacy’. It’s about wanting to leave your stamp, the human search for significance. I’m not a shy person but on stage I am. It’s hard to put yourself out there. We feel confident in the quality of the music and in the songs. We really believe in them while simultaneously dealing with the shyness and stuff like that.

It's making a statement, mostly to ourselves, that what we are doing is actually good and we should be proud of it. That’s where we came up with the name. We wanted something bold. And the photo we have on the EP is quite bold and different from the direction and the kind of photos that we would have been comfortable with before. We’re just staring at the camera. For women in music there’s pressure to look pretty and pose but in this one I’m not even smiling, which is weird for me in a photo. That’s where the EP is coming from.

I wrote an article about that for Irish Central, a site for Irish Americans when our single was chosen as Track of the Week in the Irish Times. I wrote in that about my struggle to feel confident. Once we’re on stage I have a good time, as you can probably tell. It’s everything else, the lead up, actually putting yourself on stage. Once you’re up there, you have done most of the work. It just becomes about relating to people and enjoying your own music and enjoying the crowd.

In the article I was saying that I had struggled with stage fright and things like that and worrying about getting everything musically perfect. I talked with Moya Brennan from Clannad, who is our producer’s mum. She’s a veteran of the Irish music industry. I talked to her about that. She said that if people want musical perfection they can sit at home and listen to your CD but when they come to your gig they want a connection. They don’t want perfection, they want connection.

That flipped a switch for me because I connect with people easily. I’m naturally a warm, friendly person with a sense of humour so I can just use those things on stage and stop worrying about it. That helped a lot. I imagine that if people were more confident you would see more music out there. A lot of creative people keep their stuff to themselves because they are afraid.

MG: And for the launch, you’re going to be playing with a full band.

DB: Helen Lane was the drummer in our previous incarnation and she’s going to play with us, and Neil from BARQ playing bass. At the moment there are the four of us and there might be someone else but it’s not confirmed yet. On the EP the music is so heavily produced that we want to get across as much of the richness of sound in a live performance as we can. We’re a bit nervous because the time leading up to it is quite busy. We’re playing the Hardly Strictly Acoustic festival on Saturday, next Tuesday we’re going to Norway and Sweden, playing a festival there. And then we’re playing the Body and Soul stage at Electric Picnic and Culture Night in the Hugh Lane Gallery. But we’ve sent off the music and it is being duplicated as we speak. Helen is off travelling but once we’re back from Sweden rehearsals will start.

MG: One of the highlights of your show is the mashups that you do.

DB: We get mixed feedback on those. We’ve been told that they’re too different to our other stuff but I like them. I especially like the Madonna and Massive Attack one. They’re two really good songs and to bring them together and make them sound different is interesting. We get bored very easily so we jig things up all the time. Often the stuff you hear on one night will be very different from what you hear the next night. We change the arrangements and stuff like that. Sometimes Suzette improvises one of the songs and I really like it. She has a great voice.

MG: Was it strange for you starting over as a duo?

DB: I didn’t know Suzette very well when we started. She was a friend of my sisters. That’s how I met her. I talked to her in December. I said “I’m in this band and we’re looking at the future. We’re not sure if we’ll continue but I want to keep going. And I heard some of your stuff and I really like it.” I presumed she wouldn’t be interested. I don’t know why I thought that, the confidence thing again.

Suzette is extremely gifted but quite shy. With music if you want to make it you need to network. You’ve to put yourself out there and she hates doing that. Whereas I’m quite happy to do that. She saw it as a way to create music without having to get into the other side of things. So it works very well.

There have been adjustments. It’s a very different vibe to what it was before. We did it before and all of us worked full time. We had a lot of other commitments. So it was a side project. We’d meet every few weeks to practice. We just took it very casually. We did so well. We released the album and got really good feedback. We had fun. When you have four people and it’s kind of relaxed, there’s a lot more fun to it. You can share the workload a lot easier. But then it’s logistically difficult to get everyone together. So then myself and Suzette had to get to know each other. We’re taking it up a notch, taking it more seriously, working a lot harder. There isn’t as much time for faffing about, partying and things like that, which we would have before but the reward is also there.

MG: Were the mashups like a musical bonding thing?

DB: It wasn't an easy transition. Songwriting or co-songwriting, especially when you are writing about your own personal experiences. You’re not just writing for someone else. It’s a very intimate relationship. You’re making yourself vulnerable. The potential to be embarrassed or ashamed is quite high. It’s quite difficult with someone you don’t really know to delve in to your feelings like that and start playing around with melodies. There is the potential to sound stupid. But it was a nice transition to get to know each other’s voices and to create songs together.

You have to feel really safe with the other person so when they are giving a critique of a song they are not criticising you as a person. They like you and they respect you. Whereas if you are not really sure where you stand with somebody and they are giving you all this feedback it can come across combative. The more Suzette and I get to know each other, the more we care about each other, the more you respect each other as musicians and songwriters, it is easier to give feedback and receive it because you’re secure in your relationship. Suzette was quite polite, she still is. I’m more likely to be blunt. It’s an interesting process.

Hvmmingbyrd launch the Know My Name EP in the Grand Social, Dublin on Thursday September 29.

Four albums into their recording career and Uncle Lucius have shown us that the Texans are only growing better and better with each release. Ahead of their UK tour later this year, we caught up with the band to learn a little more.

MG: Uncle Lucius! Introduce yourselves...

UL: We are a collection of thirty-somethings with no sense of fashion and a drive to remain afloat financially by creating and performing music. We're averse to the rat race and remain steadfast in our determination to never have a “straight job” again. For the last ten years the band has toured the States extensively and released four studio albums along the way. You could say we are jaded by the business side of the music industry, but move forward despite that. Deep down we hold to the belief that as long as we pursue our bliss, everything else will take care of itself.

MG: Your latest record is The Light. Tell us about it.

UL: This one is a culmination of our ten years as a band. It reflects our musical influences and delves into the question of self and the journey toward understanding.

MG: Tell us a secret from the songwriting sessions.

UL: No matter how complete a song may seem, it doesn’t make the cut unless we are all in agreement that it passes muster.

MG: How does your songwriting process play out?

UL: There’s no set formula. Sometimes we collaborate, sometimes songs are brought to the table fully written. Once it’s on the table, though, everyone has free reign to edit.

MG: The current single is "Age of Reason". What is the age of reason for you?

UL: A time and space in which common sense takes centre stage.

MG: What inspired the song?

UL: I didn’t write it, but a very close friend of mine did. I am honoured to be the voice through which this message is delivered, and agree with every word of it. I would venture to guess that current culture of fear, the twenty-four hour news cycle and the hateful rhetoric so prevalent in society may have inspired the song.

MG: How did you select it as a single?

UL: This one’s timely. It was almost a no brainer. The fact that we enjoy playing it so much didn’t hurt! 

MG: Do you each have a favourite song on the album?

UL: Not really. The answer to that is constantly in flux.

MG: What is the best feedback you have received to date?

UL: We’ve had a few people tell us it’s difficult to classify our sound.

MG: And the funniest?

UL: From a first time Uncle Lucius live show attendant: “You’re like a mix of Pearl Jam and Dolly Parton!”

MG: Comparisons in the industry are inevitable, aren't they? Who are you compared to most often?
most frequently?

UK: Dolly Parton! Just kidding. The Band seems to come up quite a bit. That’s pretty humbling.

MG: If you had to file yourself between two artists, who would they be? The Band and The Temptations.

MG: We've heard that the Uncle Lucius live show is something to behold. What does it consist of?

UL: I’ll start by telling you what you won’t see. There are no choreographed moves, matching outfits, smoke or mirrors. What you will find is a band that is comfortable with each other. You’ll find a level of tightness that comes only by playing so many shows together. You’ll see five men who enjoy and believe in what they do.

MG: Are you a band who prefers life on the road or in the studio?

UL: We prefer a balance of both. The road builds your chops, the studio gives you the creative outlet.

MG: Lastly, if you could collaborate with one artist, who would it be?

UL: Quincy Jones, obviously.

*** 

To keep up with Uncle Lucius, keep an eye on their website and social media. You can download The Light on iTunes. 

Samuel Jack is clearly an artist to keep a close eye on. Not long after deciding on a career in music, he landed a gig at Glastonbury. All this before any material was even recorded. A year later, he is ready to get his career into the next gear and we absolutely love his soul drive on lead single ‘Let It All Out’. We decided it was high time to catch up by the man who is on a well-balanced midpoint between Sam Smith and Hozier...

MG: Hi Samuel. For those that know nothing about you, tell us three interesting facts…

SJ: Other than music I've only ever had one other profession: I was a chef for nine years and had my first job in a kitchen at 13. I can sing the South African national anthem in Zulu. I'm a movie geek.

MG: We hear that your first gig was at Glastonbury. How did that come about?

SJ: I was playing a little gig in a pop up restaurant, fortunately one of the stage programmers was in the audience and offered me a slot at Glasto straight after my set. Only two weeks before! There was a mad dash to finish some of my songs that I wanted in the set. Looking back, that was an important two weeks for me.

MG: Given the fact that you had such a high profile first gig, how have those afterwards lived up to Glasto?

SJ: Glasto is incomparable really. Not just for its size but just the vibe there. It's a special festival and on my doorstep. I've had equally as brilliant, but very different, gigs on other stages. Glasto is a one in a million type affair.

MG: What is the Samuel Jack live experience?

SJ: I guess my job is to entertain and captivate in a nutshell. I like to take the audience on a journey with me. Ups, downs, and those comfy middle places. I want to tell my stories. I like to think of the Samuel Jack experience as being an energetic, raw and importantly, honest performance - with me and my friends.

MG: We spotted a co-headline show with Beth Rowley on your schedule. How did that come about?

SJ: Our eyes met across a crowded room...kiddin'! I met Beth at one of my shows and our paths have crossed a couple of times since. Recently we were on the same bill at Innocent Festival. I've always been a fan of hers and I can't wait for our first show together! 

MG: Any plans for a collaboration?

SJ: Well, we've been in the studio together recently, so you'll have to come along and find out for yourselves!

MG: Beth Rowley aside, are there any artists you dream or performing or collaborating with?

SJ: I'd love to get in a room with Foy Vance, who is just an incredible storyteller and generally just pretty amazing. Also Jessie Ware, I love her voice, I'd love to duet with her. I'd have to check my diary but I could probably make time for Adele too.

MG: Now to your music - tell us about the track ‘Let It All Out’…

SJ: ‘Let It All Out’ is about release. It's about making mistakes, moving past them, being together, loving each other and having a good ol' sing song.

MG: Was there a particular situation you had to let out of your system?

SJ: If I'm honest, no there wasn't. The song came about from a conversation I was having with a friend about getting things off your chest. About being honest and about being you. 

MG: It’s lifted from the 'Live From My Caravan' EP. What can we expect from the it? 

SJ: I'm so excited to get my first music out there! Expect smiles, swagger and tears..

MG: Who would you say were the key influences sonically?

SJ: I love all roots based music, blues licks, gospel choirs, thumping bass lines. I was raised on soul, Motown and blues and have grown up listening to iconic writers like Lennon and McCartney, Simon and Garfunkel, James Taylor and loads, loads more.

MG: Can you tell us a little about your creative process?

SJ: It either starts with a bunch of words or phrases and I'll sit down at the piano with them, or more recently I've been playing the piano in 'vibe'. I'll have a sing over that vibe, then go from there. But I've written songs in lots of other ways too.

MG: Lastly, tell us the best or worst piece of feedback you have ever received.

SJ: I think the worst so far was someone telling me 'I've got weird Joe Cocker hands' - the thing is, I quite like Joe Cocker and so having similar hands is cool with me!

***

Samuel's first EP, 'Live From My Caravan', is available now. Buy it on iTunes or give it a spin on Spotify. To keep up with future releases and live shows, check out his website.