Ultan Conlan, “The Old Songs” – ISOTW – 24/04/23

Irish singer-songwriter Ultan Conlon found a haven for his unique sound and sensibility in Los Angeles, California, with Grammy Award- winning David Garza (Fiona Apple) producing Ultan’s fifth record, The Starlight Ballroom, which drops on September 13th, 2023.

The Old Songs is written by Ultan Conlon and David Garza.

Conceived during pre-production in Los Angeles when Garza came up with the rousing balladeer chorus “Who’s gonna sing the old songs, when all the old timers are gone?’ Ultan got to thinking about the sessions in his cousin’s pub JJ Hough’s in Banagher, Co Offaly. Everyone would get up and sing, sometimes badly but it all sounded magnificent.

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No song was discriminated against, if it was catchy it would be sung and all present would join in.

The song represents community and connection with a dollop of humour thrown in for good measure.

David Garza, a big fan of Fairground Attraction, discovered that Ultan knew Eddi Reader and immediately asked if they could get her to add her voice to the track.

The bar room scene was lacking a female voice. Eddi added her magnificent brogue, feisty character and trademark theatrical voice to the track which further enriches this symbolic song.

Ultan first met David in LA in 2017 while playing some shows with him at Largo, the nightclub where Sean and Sara Watkins host The Watkins Family Hour. Ultan says: “When I met David and we played some songs together I saw his unbridled energy and talent and knew I wanted to work with him” Fast forward 6 years and The Starlight Ballroom is born.

The formidable group of musicians includes producer and co-writer Garza on numerous instruments, Amy Wood— Drums (Fiona Apple, Iggy Pop, St Vincent) Sebastian Steinberg

Double Bass (Fiona Apple, Iron and Wine, Neil Diamond, KD Lang) Dave Curtis – Strings and Programming (Aj Croce).