In April 2011, the Irish Times reported that a “supergroup” made up of some of the biggest names in traditional Irish music had met for a collaborative session at Grouse Lodge Studios where material had also been demoed and recorded. A live date at Dublin's National Concert Hall was also billed for August of that year which would sell out before the group had released any music. Following more highly subscribed live outings in late 2011 and early 2012, the band entered Grouse Lodge Studios for a two-week period in August 2012 to record definitive versions of pieces they had been performing live up to that point, with a view to completing an album. While a couple of tracks had been earmarked for inclusion, there was a degree of flexibility from the band over the ultimate tracklisting. A recording of "Samhradh Samhradh" made during those very first Grouse Lodge sessions in early 2011 was used in the final cut of the record. As has become a signature of The Gloaming's music, several of the ten tracks that comprise the record consist of traditional material originating decades or even centuries ago that has been arranged by the group using a modern palette. For example, album opener "Song 44" features lyrics adapted by vocalist Iarla Ó Lionáird from original poem No. 44 by poet Domhnall Mac Cárthaigh. "Saoirse", meanwhile, has lyrics adapted by from the 1952 poem of the same name by Seán Ó Ríordáin,. One track, "Opening Set", includes a series of seven individual traditional tunes within the one composition, one of which, "An Chúil Daigh Ré", is from the singing of Conchúbhar Ó Cochláin, Doire Na Sagart, Ballyvourney, Co Cork. Production duties were carried out by pianist Thomas Bartlett and The Gloaming, while Patrick Dillett engineered and mixed the record at his studio in New York. It was mastered by UE Nastasi at Sterling Sound. The album sleeve was designed by Marc Bessant, with the cover art image – entitled 'Passage' – created by US conceptual photography duo Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison.
Release and reception
The Gloaming was completed in the summer of 2013 before the band returned to the road for a sell-out tour stopping off at London, Amsterdam, Paris and New York. It was released on January 20, 2014 on Real World Records, and on Brassland Records in America, Justin Time Records in Canada, and Planet Records in Australia. The album received extremely positive reviews from critics. The Guardian described the record as “exquisite”, while Uncut called the debut collection of songs “a magisterial set”. In their five-star review, the Irish Times said the album was “contemporary music making at its very best: unself-conscious, freewheeling and yet deeply thoughtful, revealing layer upon layer with each listening”. Music magazine Mojo’s verdict was that The Gloaming was “a very organic, modern album. And it's brilliant”, while the Boston Globe noted the record's “energizing tension” and “the pull of the past and the call of what's to come” present in the music. NPR Music, meanwhile, named it "One of the Year's Best Albums" and called it "astonishingly beautiful”. Following the quintet's sold-out three-night run at Dublin's National Concert Hall in February 2015, their debut album won the Meteor Choice Music Prize for Album of the Year, beating competition from acts such as Hozier, U2, Damien Rice and Sinead O'Connor. That same year, album track "Samhradh Samhradh" was named Best Traditional Track at the 2015 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
Use in other media
"Allistrum's March" was used in episode four of the first season of British comedy-drama Fleabag.
Track listing
Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes. Information in brackets indicates individual tunes featured on a track.
