Monorail

Monorail. Monorail. Monorail. No this post is not about the rail system that Lyle Langley brought to Springfield. It's about an excellent band from Co. Tipperary.

The band apparently started out as a solo project of Seamus Hennessy. But like a lot of these things, he ended up recruiting David Murphy (guitar and pedal guitar), Don Rothwell (bass) and Dave Tate (drums) into a formidable americana band. The band released their debut album, titled Sleepers in June 2011. When I actually listened to them first I wasn't sure if they were an entirely alt-country/americana band but the more you let the music seep through, the more obvious it becomes. The music is laid back alt-country. Superbly paced, expertly assembled country rock. This shines through in the track "Lost to You".

The band are from Ballyporeen, (the same town as Gemma Hayes). That's a lot of talent for one small place. The band recorded a track with Gemma for this album. Showcasing a softer side here, the duet would suggest obvious comparisons with a duet from the 1970's laurel canyon country rock scene. The voices do blend perfectly here. The soft acoustic sits on the rhythm section but it is the beautiful steel guitar that makes the song. Covering the song with a blanket of mellow-paced licks, it makes the song an addictive sorrowful piece.

You should also check out "The Universe" on their Reverb Nation page for some more excellent slide guitar. The Facebook has all the information you need on Monorail. You can buy the album on Itunes and on Amazon. Get cracking!