Co Leitrim’s THE VIBES announce reflective debut album “A quiet mix of loss, memory, and hope”

TOGETHER since 2019, Co. Leitrim-based THE VIBES end the year with release of debut album ‘Penny For Your Thoughts,’ available digitally, and on vinyl courtesy Clane’s Anthem Vinyl.

The long player – including focus track ‘Battle Scars’ – was produced by Ger McDonnell and multi-Grammy Award-winning producer Greg Wells (Adele, John Legend, Twenty One Pilots), a heady combination producing a sound perhaps best described as a thinking man’s Mumford & Sons.

“To be described as the “thinking man’s Mumford & Sons” is a real honour for us,” said frontman, Leo Logan. “They’re one of our favourite bands, and their songs are truly iconic, so to even be mentioned in the same conversation is something we’re hugely grateful for.

“But it’s been a real journey getting to this point. Being based in Leitrim definitely comes with its challenges when it comes to getting heard. So much of the music scene is centred around who you know and being close to cities like Dublin, Cork, Limerick, or Galway. For us, that often means four or five hours of travelling and the added expense of accommodation just to get to gigs or events.

“That said, being from the west has huge positives too. There’s an incredible sense of support here, particularly in Drumshanbo, where we’re from. It’s a town full of people who genuinely want to see you do well, and a place rich with musicians we can look up to and learn from, people like Charlie McGettigan who’s always been a great source of inspiration and advice.”

‘Penny For Your Thoughts’ received its unveiling last week at a sold-out The Workman’s Club in Dublin.

“The launch was incredible, we honestly couldn’t have hoped for a better night. The room was packed, the atmosphere was electric, and it genuinely blew us away. The level of support we felt was overwhelming, and we’re still trying to figure out how we can properly thank everyone who came out and backed us.”

“The cover of ‘Penny For Your Thoughts’ comes from a very personal moment for me. A few years after her brother passed away my then girlfriend – now my wife – went to Killiney Hill on what would have been his birthday. She brought a helium ‘Happy Birthday’ balloon to let go, and binoculars to watch it float up into the sky.

“Without her knowing, I snapped a photo while she was sitting there waiting, and the image stayed with me. Fourteen years later I dug it out and realized it perfectly captured the feeling of the album. It’s a quiet mix of loss, memory, and hope, and became the inspiration for both the album’s cover and its title.”

Completing the lineup are Joanne Logan (vocs), Gerard Bracken (bass), Martin Raftery (drums), Kiev Reynolds (guitar/vocs), Sinead Keaveney (piano/ vocs), and Eoin Reynolds (banjo/mandolin).

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