The song to set your summer free: CALIFORNIA IRISH deliver Laurel Canyon classic, ‘Julie Ann’

Cormac Neeson’s CALIFORNIA IRISH release heavenly new single ‘Julie Ann,’ ahead of next month’s ‘The Mountains Are My Friends’ album, via 7hz Productions. 

“We wanted ‘Julie Ann’ to sound like The Byrds, hence the jangly twelve-string guitar and the thick four-part harmonies,” said Neeson. “Listen out for the psychedelic cow bell solo in middle, and if you’ve been looking for your new soundtrack of the summer, then congratulations to you!”

Speaking of the new album, Neeson added, “We’ve had to put the release date of the record back by three weeks due to damaged stock. So, on July 18 ‘The Mountains Are My Friends’ will come out in digital and CD form, the vinyl is going to take a few weeks longer than that – because it’s vinyl, so apologies for the further delay but we of course want your record to be in impeccable condition.

“And the album is the opposite of boring AI generated, no soul perfection. We recorded it in a room together over four days allowing the music to breathe when it needed to, looking at each other for our cues and feeding off each other’s energy. It felt like a dream, but it’s the most real thing I’ve ever done in music.

“That Laurel Canyon sound of the late ‘60s, epitomised by the early Crosby Stills Nash and Young stuff, and the first few Joni Mitchell records, has always felt otherworldly and magical. On our album we’ve tried to access some of that beauty and create our own magic by combining brand new music with an old school recording process.”

The Belfast-based band comprises Neeson, Susy Coyle (vocs/percussion), Donal Scullion (acoustic/electric guitar/vocs), Chris Kelly (lap steel/mandolin/acoustic/electric guitar/vocs), James Doone (bass), Simon Templeton (piano/Hammond/Wurlitzer), and Conor McCauley (drums).

Connect online HERE