Jim McHugh has released his new single ‘Can’t Feel Anymore’.This is the second single from Jim’s upcoming fourth album ‘I Whisper to the Dawn’. ‘Can’t Feel Anymore’ was recorded, produced and mixed by Alex Borwick (Niamh Reagan, James Vincent McMorrow) at Transmission Rooms Studios, Drumlish, Longford and The Stables Studio, Castleblayney, Monaghan. It was mastered by Fergal Davis (Sinéad O’Connor/Muse). ‘Can’t Feel Anymore’ features Jim McHugh on Vocals/Backing Vocals, Electric Guitar, Paul McCabe on Bass/ Backing Vocals, Paul Sherry on Electric Guitar, James ‘Butch’ McNeill on Drums, Alex Borwick on Trombone and Ronan Morgan on Backing Vocals.
Riding on a relentless buzz of biting guitars and punchy rhythms, ‘Can’t Feel Anymore’ is a fiery anthem from Jim McHugh. Showcasing the artist’s powerful indie rock in all its glory the track discusses social media influencers and the artist’s disdain for the power they yield and their negative influence on society, “Do your followers conform?Oh yeah, they’re all under control with a flick of my hand, But your selling lies online, Oh yeah, I’m an influencer and I’m influencing you”.With swaggering rock bravado, infectious melodies and invigorating soundscapes ‘Can’t Feel Anymore’ is a catchy musical delight from Jim McHugh.
Jim McHugh is set to release his new single ‘On My Life’ on July 1st. The track is the first single from Jim’s upcoming fourth album ‘I Whisper to the Dawn’. ‘On My Life’ was recorded, produced and mixed by Alex Borwick (Niamh Reagan, James Vincent McMorrow) at Transmission Rooms Studios, Drumlish, Longford and The Stables Studio, Castleblayney, Monaghan. It was mastered by Fergal Davis (Sinéad O’Connor/Muse).
Jim McHugh delivers a tender and emotive display with ‘On My Life’. He gracefully blends soulful tones with indie rock to create a compelling soundscape filled with gentle guitar melodies and a beautifully cinematic crescendo. McHugh is an enchanting artist, each note and musical element within his music adds character and richness to each arrangement creating spectacularly emotive songs for listeners to enjoy again and again. ‘On My Life’ is a fine example of this and a mesmerising display of musicianship from Jim McHugh.
Monaghan singer-songwriter Jim McHugh has released his third album ‘Pretending To Wake Up’. McHugh’s previous releases have been added to RTE 1’s Recommends list, been Album of The Week at KCLR, been All Out Local Song Choice at LMFM and had extensive regional, national and international airplay.
‘Pretending To Wake Up’ is a fascinating collection that showcases McHugh’s most compelling work to date. The gobsmacking singles ‘Dave’ and ‘Hey Jimbo’ only give a glimpse of the treasure that ‘Pretending To Wake Up’ has to offer. Gems like the emotive ‘Her Love’ is a joy to the ears and boasts the artist’s fine musical prowess –the track’s dark tribal beat exudes hypnotic qualities that brood and simmer beneath McHugh’s deep vocals. This mysterious tune glimmers with a sense of innocence as McHugh slips into his falsetto while a supple twinkle on guitar adorns the backdrop in a tender lament. It’s within the deep yearning and minimalist instrumentation that we see the true beauty of the song before it erupts into a cinematic and passionate crescendo. The track is simply divine and quite the emotive masterpiece.
McHugh’s artistic talent is on full display within ‘Pretending To Wake Up’ as he takes us from the lush ‘Her Love’ to the gritty, dark ‘Virtual Bomb Drop’,an alternative rock smasher. This riff-heavy banger drives along a foundation of pounding drums, slithering grooves on bass and angular guitars that ooze swagger and gusto throughout. The track is a wonderful contrast to ‘Her Love’ that pulls the listener further into McHugh’s vibrant musicianship.
All over the album, we see McHugh blending musical genres – something the artist does with deft skill and enviable ease. From the panache dipped rock n’ roll of ‘Dave’ and ‘ Hey Jimbo’ to the jazz hues within ‘Shut Your Mouth’ and reggae rhythmic elements in ‘Mo Stór ’, McHugh invites listeners to indulge in the myriad of unique sounds within each satisfying and richly textured track. McHugh knows when to blast his tunes with ballsy rock and heavy instrumentation and when to tease, lure and create brooding tension within his music. This skill provides refreshing jolts throughout the album, with raw crescendo’s erupting from seemingly tender and pining tunes. This is aptly shown in ‘Mo Stór ’ which sees McHugh movingly lay his heart on his sleeve “I was born to be alive, with you” over a buoyant guitar, and soft instrumentation that becomes more expressive with indie rock elements for the crescendo.
Lyrical honesty and storytelling is something McHugh has become known for. Most notably in ‘Such A Cow’. McHugh exclaims “you’re such a cow” over jagged guitar and punchy drums. He’s not one to mince his word. However, there is plenty of witty insights and thought-provoking idioms within his lyrics that leaves much to be admired about the artist’s talent as a songwriter.
‘Pretending To Wake Up’ is a fantastic and cohesive collection of tracks that marks McHugh as an artist to keep an eye on. The diverse blend of instrumentation teamed with catchy sweeping melodies and lyrical content makes ‘Pretending To Wake Up’ an exciting record ready for repeat plays.
I caught up with Monaghan singer-songwriter, Jim McHugh to have a chat about his upcoming album, ‘Pretending to Wake Up’ which is set for release on May 28th. We discussed the striking honesty within the lyrics, McHugh’s knack with catchy melodies and his fantastic and relatable storytelling within the songs.
Jim McHugh has released his new single ‘Hey Jimbo’. The track is the second offering from his forthcoming third album ‘Pretending to Wake Up’ due May 28th. With two albums already under his belt, McHugh has garnered an impressive list of supporters with multiple singles added to the RTE 1 Recommends list and being chosen as the ‘LMFM All Out Local Song Choice’ as well as Roddie Cleere’s ‘Song of the Week’.’Hey Jimbo’ was recorded, produced and mixed by Alex Borwick (Parliament Funkadelic, Catfish & The Bottlemen, Niamh Regan, Sput Searight, Lankum) at Black Mountain Studios, Jenkinstown and Wynne Wynne Studio, Dundalk. It was mastered by Fergal Davis (Sinéad O’Connor/Muse) and features Paul McCabe on bass, Butch McNeill on drums and Alex Borwick on trombone.
’Hey Jimbo’ is a lively, gritty tune as McHugh propels raw riffs over a thunderous drum display to create his punchy rock backdrop. Following on from his tantalising release, ‘Dave’, the song continues McHugh’s venture into a darker, more raw rock aesthetic. Brimming with energy and a relentless percussive onslaught, ‘Hey Jimbo’ spirals into motion as the clamorous drums lead into the bluesy soaked riffs and beefy bass lines, creating a thrilling soundscape for the listener to indulge in. Throughout the song, themes of desperation, tension and yearning come to the fore and are deftly expressed through biting arrangements and instrumental embellishments. However, it is through the lyrics and McHugh’s expressive vocal delivery where the themes truly hit home. McHugh sings “Hey Jimbo She don’t love you, Hey Jimbo you’ll see, In the morning, she will leave you.” – the hard-hitting, earnest lyrics skillfully express the distress and uncertainty within the song which is greatly enhanced by the instrumental backdrop.
McHugh is developing his passionate and edgy sound superbly, creating tunes that exude an infectious swagger and anthemic might. Boasting an impressive full-bodied sound and slick musicianship, ‘Hey Jimbo’ is a lean, mean well-orchestrated tune from Jim McHugh. Love it.
Monaghan singer-songwriter Jim McHugh is back with his new single ‘Dave’ and a first taste of what’s to come from his upcoming third album ‘Pretending To Wake Up’, due for release May 28th. Working alongside producer Alex Borwick (Parliament Funkadelic, Catfish & The Bottlemen, Niamh Regan, Lankum) and session musicians Paul McCabe (bass) Paul Sherry (Electric Guitar) and Butch McNeill (Drums), McHugh brings a new dynamic and alluring sound to the rock genre.
‘Dave’ is a rousing rock number showcasing a darker side to Jim McHugh’s sound. Spreading bluesy guitar riffs over a hip seducing rhythm ‘Dave’ is a wild, infectious banger. The verse wriggles with rich percussion, dark bass rumbles, and deep vocals from McHugh hooking the listener instantly. Then without any warning, the chorus swarms in on a wave of rock n roll bravado. Clamorous guitars, punchy drums, and a thrilling vocal display from McHugh ensure the chorus isn’t leaving your head anytime soon. Blending funky guitar elements, with mosh ready frenzy, ‘Dave’ is a blazing new single from McHugh. Love it.
About ‘Dave’ Jim says….“In an original story of misspent youth, Dave unveils my interactions with a friend who was known for being on the wrong side of the law on numerous occasions.”
Jim McHugh has released the new video for his single ‘Should Have Lied’. A native of Castleblayney Co Monaghan Ireland, Jim McHugh’s music is rooted in the worlds of Atmospheric Folk and Melodic Indie. The roots of this original music stretch back to Jim’s time performing and writing for many years with his band The Mandalas, previously known as Unaware.
Oozing the irresistable charm of Jim McHugh and his skillful songwriting, his new single ‘Should Have Lied’ is a hearty catchy tune filled with foot tapping rhythms and buoyant guitar melodies. The video was filmed at Black Mountain Studios and shows Jim and his band performing the track.
About the video Jim says “The video was shot in Blackmountain Studios Co. Louth after we finished up 2 days of recording for the new album and encapsulates the great camaraderie and laid back feel to the session. The intro includes the beautiful setting of the studio in the Cooley mountains overlooking Dundalk bay. It was filmed by Brendan McElroy and includes the contributors to Should Have Lied single, Jim on lead vocal/guitar, Butch McNeill on Drums, Paul McCabe on bass and Alex Borwich producer.”
A native of Castleblayney Co Monaghan Ireland, Jim McHugh’s music is rooted in the worlds of Atmospheric Folk and Melodic Indie. The roots of this original music stretch back to Jim’s time performing and writing for many years with his band The Mandalas, previously known as Unaware.
Jim McHugh’s buoyant and foot tapping tunes are filled with warmth and heartfelt passion and his blend of rock, indie and traditional styles is sure to make for a vibrant live stream.
Check out Jim McHugh’s recent single ‘Should Have Lied’ below
Author : Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
