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about
The latest fruits of Bren’s latent songwriting spree is Hairpin Bends, a song which reflects lyrically on fate and mortality. For someone who has approached songwriting tentatively, experimenting with humble lo-fi home demos, the finished recording is a lush and lavish wrap-a-round pop song, awash with strings and harmonies. Just like its predecessor, Bren’s great strength here is tenderness. It also features stellar production from Gavin Glass and another magnificent string arrangement from Cormac Curran, performed by the Orphan Quartet.
“I wrote Hairpin Bends following coronary heart surgery and I would like to think that it shines with a sense of conviction and triumph and the absolute pleasure that I feel to be back making music. It is a celebration of resilience and recovery and reflects on sadness, self-doubt, dead ends and turning points with a bitter-sweet sense of optimism and hope. Sometimes we have to walk away from things, but we can also find our way back, even the longest way - in my case, I’ve come back to making music over 20 years after I walked away!”
The accompanying video features the work of one of Bren’s favourite artists, Steve Simpson. “I first fell in love with Steve Simpson's art when I discovered his work ‘On Raglan Road’ through the good people at Dublin's Damn Fine Print. I'm really drawn to the ‘heart’ imagery that is a regular feature in his work and really felt it would be the perfect visual representation of the song. I am beyond grateful to Steve for giving me permission to use his stunning trilogy called ‘A Journey To Mindfulness’, which is centred around the ‘palpitating heart’ and is about personal turmoil, the search for answers and healing. I’m also extremely grateful to James Hyland & Mark Rizzo at Global Tour Creatives for producing such a stunning video.”
lyrics
HAIRPIN BENDS - LYRICS
SOMETIMES THE HEART LIES LOW
READS THE DANGER IN THE UNDERTOW
YOU FROZE AT A HAIRPIN BEND
YOU TOOK FOR A DEAD END
YOU GOT OUT AND WALKED AWAY
TOOK A CHANCE ON A PASSING TRAIN
SOMETIMES THE BODY KNOWS
WHAT ANYBODY ELSE CAN SEE, YOU KNOW IT SHOWS
YOU FROZE AT A HAIRPIN BEND
YOU TOOK FOR A DEAD END
YOU GOT OUT AND WALKED AWAY
TOOK A CHANCE ON A PASSING TRAIN
YOU GOT OUT AND WALKED AWAY
JUMPED ON A PASSING TRAIN
CAME BACK ANOTHER DAY
SOMETIMES THE HEART NEEDS TO KNOW
WHY THERE’S SORROW EVERYWHERE IT GOES
YOU ROSE THROUGH HAIRPIN BENDS
TO GO WHERE THE SKYLINE ENDS
YOU KNEW THAT YOU COULDN’T STAY
CAME BACK THE LONGEST WAY
SOMETIMES THE HEART LIES LOW
SOMETIMES THE BODY KNOWS
SOMETIMES THE HEART LIES LOW
SOMETIMES THE BODY KNOWS
credits
released January 2, 2024
BREN BERRY - Vocals, Guitars, Backing Vocals, Glocks & Vibes
GAVIN GLASS – Guitars, Piano, Lap Steel, Keyboards, Glocks & Vibes
PAUL 'BINZER' BRENNAN - Drums & Percussion
CIARAN TALLON - Guitar
SIMON FARRELL – Bass Guitar
RACHEL GRACE - Backing Vocals
Strings arranged by CORMAC CURRAN
Strings performed by THE ORPHAN QUARTET:
LYNDA O'CONNOR - Violin.
PAUL O'HANLON - Violin.
GERALD PEREGRINE - Cello.
CARLA VEDRES - Viola.
Produced by GAVIN GLASS & BREN BERRY @ ORPHAN RECORDING STUDIOS.
Mixed by GAVIN GLASS @ ORPHAN RECORDING STUDIOS.
Mastered by DANIEL JAMES GOODWIN @ THE ISOKON, NY.
Photography - FIONA MORGAN.
Cover art - COLM NOONE.
Video art - STEVE SIMPSON - “JOURNEY TO MINDFULNESS” trilogy.
Video produced by MARK RIZZO at GLOBAL TOURING CREATIVES.
Following the majestic Winter Song, comes another richly woven earworm entitled Hairpin Bends. The evidence is mounting,
Bren is a hopeless Rickenbacker romantic, a true believer who has spent a lifetime as a musician & concert promoter, soaking up inspiration from the artists he’s worked so closely with. Hairpin Bends reflects on fate & mortality & is awash with lush strings and harmonies....more
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