Holy Innocents share their new '˜Fortune'

Ballymena band Holy Innocents are set to release their new album '˜Fortune' and singer Eammon will be giving fans a sneak preview when he performs at Tracks Records, Hill Street, Ballymena on Saturday November 12 at 1.30pm.

Following the success of their critically acclaimed debut, 2013’s Letter to Lone Ridge, The Holy Innocents founder, songwriter and frontman Eamonn McNamee knew that he had to get on the road to track his spiritual roots.

So, from Ballymena, with a scuffed suitcase and a beaten old guitar, he took to the US, crisscrossing the southern states, from east to west, searching for real country, searching for the soul and the heart of Saturday night, searching for the essence of the music he wanted to make. On this trip he travelled until he found the source of the sounds he sought – from Hank to Tom Waits and king Johnny Cash – and deep into the blue, blue bayou.

The result is Fortune, an album loaded with the yearning, quiet regret of Orbison, the open vistas of Springsteen, Hank (of course) even a glimpse of the Everlys and finished with a slap of Lou Reed-infused aggressive energy. It is a country album. It is not a country album. It’s The Holy Innocents making a record of swagger and melancholia. With simple assurance, it demands to be heard.

From the opening single, ‘Master of Disguise’, the temper evokes vintage Hank Williams with its slow and easy melody that sticks around and knocks again when the music stops.

The title track ‘Fortune’, is a 4am whiskey soaked forlorn but resolute love-note with echoes of Jimmy Webb’s Wichita Lineman.

The wide open road, lost loves and the simple pleasures in life are writ large throughout this album and there are echoes of Warren Zevon, more Hank and even some Bruce but ultimately this is a Holy Innocents sound, it’s a bit rock and roll, it’s a bit country.

A three track album sampler is available to listen to on Soundcloud.

And if you want to get up close and personal, Holy Innocents will be playing at Fealty’s in Bangor on November 12 and the Eg in Belfast on Saturday December 17.

Tickets are on sale now from the venues and online at www.theholyinnocents.com.

Related topics: