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Beoga to feature on new Ed Sheehan album

We are delighted to announce that RedBox Music PR clients Beoga will feature on Ed Sheeran’s new album.

Co-hosting the BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show on Friday, Sheeran described the album as “schizophrenic” with “lots of different sounds” and confirmed to host Scott Mills that an Irish folk group feature on the record.

“They’re called Beoga,” said Sheeran. “They’re from Northern Ireland; they are really, really talented. They came to my house to stay and we made some songs. Two of them have made the record. It’s jammy, it’s folky.”

This is fantastic news for fans of contemporary traditional Irish music as Ed Sheeran is regarded as one of the biggest selling artists in the world at this time.

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“The best new traditional band to emerge from Ireland this century” Wall Street Journal

“Top-drawer… some of the best music in the world today” Irish Music Magazine

Returning centre stage with a more mature and rounded effort, Beoga break off the shackles of rising stars tag to produce a record that will surely position them at the arc of Irish traditional music’s new wave. Whilst achieving the difficult feat of gratifying their burgeoning band of avid followers, Before We Change Our Mind will unquestionably entice new disciples aboard the good ship Beoga.

Under the stewardship of producer Michael Keeney (Foy Vance & Ed Sheeran, Lisa Hannigan & Bonnie Rait), recording was undertaken with live takes where possible, resulting in a refreshing and ebullient feel, whilst losing none of the polish or veracity of previous efforts.

“After playing together for 13 years, we tried a new creative process this time and it worked great… we’re delighted with the whole album” – Niamh Dunne

Confirming their reputation for innovation, all seven instrumentals on the album are original compositions from the band.  In a departure from previous recordings the songs draw more on the folk song tradition with The Bonny Ship, The Diamond drawn from the vast repository of the godfather of folk Ewan McColl, alongside the Tommy Makem classic Farewell to Carlingford and Wexford Town, a song long associated with the travelling singer Pecker Dunne, incidentally a relative of Niamh’s.

“It’s five years since our last studio album and the material feels strong with a new sense of balance” – Eamon Murray

With guest appearances from such luminaries as Stephen McCartney & Rachel Coulter (Farriers) and The Arco String Quartet (Villagers, Duke Special) it’s no surprise that the sound that has been achieved is euphonic, tuneful, cinematic, even symphonic at times, yet it never loses that unique Beoga voice which was forged all those years ago at the Fleadhs and sessions in County Antrim and further afield.

The bedrock of the Beoga sound lies firmly within the Irish tradition. However, they are not afraid to incorporate other genres’ nuances into their music. From bluesy riffs to Astor Piazzola style  jazz, to a raunchy New Orleans jamboree vibe, their music always returns to a wonderfully bouncy Irish sound.  The result is traditional, with a huge sense of fun and adventure. Before We Change Our Mind is their 5th studio album coming on the back of critically acclaimed and chart topping previous releases; Live at 10 (2013), How to tune a Fish (2011), The Incident (2009), Mischief (2007), A lovely Madness (2004).

PRESS CONTACT – Oonagh Derby – oonagh@redboxrecording.com

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