Rosie Carney, whether you realize it or not, stands at the very forefront of Folk music in recent years. Her debut album, 2019’s Bare, slotted comfortably alongside the likes of Julie Byrne, serene, intricate, and deeply felt. The following year, she took a surprising – but equally brilliant – detour with a full-length cover album of Radiohead’s The Bends. A bold, even brazen, move to be sure, and one that would surely have misfired in just about anyone’s hands. Yet, somehow, Carney mined the material and revealed new sides to the beloved classic via her stark, stripped back, gorgeous renditions. Suffice to say, she made something that untouchable her own.
Now, she’s finally set to return with her proper sophomore album, the perfectly titled i wanna feel happy. The experience and process of recording her tribute to Radiohead had an impact on her own songwriting and confidence, as she explains, “Once I started playing around with The Bends songs, I realised I was pretty capable of taking my music in whichever direction I wanted to. I’ve always been a fan of shoegaze, lofi, indie and classic rock music, I just didn’t think it was possible to combine those sounds with my own music. Besides Radiohead I listened to a lot of Big Thief, FKA Twigs, Foglake, Slowdive, David Bowie to name a few while I was making my demos for this album.“
To get the show moving, she’s shared the project’s first single, “dad”. Again something of an unexpected departure, the track retains Carney’s knack for bracing lyrics and her ever-present vocals, but the musical largely leaves behind the delicate folk of the majority of her past work, instead opting for a fuzzy, jagged guitar for backing. It’s another tactful, impactful left turn for the Irish singer-songwriter.
It also comes complete with a video featuring John Bell, known for Outlander, and in Carney’s own words, her, “muse and best friend.”
Check it out below or find it on streaming platforms.
Rosie Carney’s i wanna feel happy comes out on May 27 through Color Study. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
