Inspired folk...

When discussing song lyrics, Steve Earle once declared that country-folk artist Townes Van Zandt was "the best songwriter in the whole world... and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that." This reporter doesn't own a pair of cowboy boots, but when listening to Athlone folk act The Driftwood Manor I am inclined to make a declaration of my own: This is one of the most creative, distinctive and downright soulful groups operating in Ireland today. Based around songwriter and lead performer Eddie Keenan, The Driftwood Manor can also feature contributions from an array of local musicians such as Anne Marie Hynes, Neil Fitzgibbon, Brian 'Bean' Dolan, David Colohan and others. Last month, a performance at Athlone's Passionfruit Theatre launched its second album, The Same Figure (Leaving), which was released by independent labels Slow Loris and Rusted Rail. The album launch was coupled with the release of an EP, Shelter, and the screening of a video for one of the album's tracks, That Lasting Final Hurt. In the interest of full disclosure, I must mention that Eddie Keenan is a friend and former work colleague at the Westmeath Independent. But if it's perceived that this connection has unduly amplified my appreciation for his music, consider the following 'album of the week' review which The Same Figure (Leaving) received on UK website Norman Records. "What we have here is a truly excellent folk album which I played 3 times in a row the other morning before anyone else got to work," the review states. "'On A Corner of Athlone' destroys me every time I hear it. It's one of the best songs I've heard in ages and it's so simple it makes me feel angry for not thinking of it first. The whole album is genius and it gets my 100% total and utter recommendation." Meanwhile, the Terrascope music reviews website felt that last year's Holy Ghost EP contained "a sweet folk feel, that heady mix of sadness and melody, all topped off with the wonderful voice of Eddie Keenan." When reviews such as these are mentioned, Eddie is typically modest in his response. "It's always nice when you get a good review, but you can't get too excited either way because it's only one person's opinion," he says. Originally from Tang, he attended Tang National School before going on to Ballymahon Secondary School. His musical involvement started in his mid-teens when a friend encouraged him to take up bass and play in his band. He began writing original material when he was part of Ebow, "an indie, Radiohead, Nirvana-type teen band. Everyone was in one at some stage," he says. Eddie went on to spend several years fronting My Fallen Empire, an Athlone group which featured up to seven or eight members at various stages. After My Fallen Empire broke up, he "spent a couple of years basically just floating around, playing the occasional solo gig, and writing songs. The songs started developing a momentum of their own and they were different from the type of music I had been writing before. They were a bit left of centre, a bit more experimental." After a number of friends came on board, these songs formed the basis for The Driftwood Manor's superb debut album, A Gathering, which was released in 2008. Eddie's musical influences are varied and include the Irish and American folk traditions, along with alternative rock acts. "I like to try to keep things interesting if at all possible. "I get bored quickly, so I like to try and mix things up and experiment if I can." Instrumentally, he describes himself as "a jack of all trades and a master of none." With the band he mostly plays bouzouki and guitar, although he has played piano, banjo, and cuatro on various releases. "I'm a big believer that you should never be afraid to try anything. Just pick it up and have a go. "If it sounds good, it sounds good." The name 'The Driftwood Manor' was suggested by a friend. "It had a sort of melancholy edge to it that suited the music," he comments. Since 2008 The Driftwood Manor has released two albums and four EPs of original material, a fact which indicates that Eddie is quite a prolific songwriter. "For every one song that people hear there are another five that I'll have dumped," he explains. "I keep notes constantly. I have a notebook with me at all times to keep note of random thoughts and observations. Occasionally they will naturally weave themselves together into a song almost unknown to myself. "Other times I'll sit down with a specific thought in mind and I'll write a song from scratch. "I don't really have a set method and I know it's a cliché but sometimes the song writes itself." A number of the songs are woven around themes of death and loss. "I try to mix it up, and some of my newer songs are more positive, but in general I find it very hard to write a song when I'm in a really good mood," he says. "I suppose the darkness is as relevant as the light. "I've always been interested in the idea of rebirth and death and the cycle of existence. I don't think the music is as dark as other people seem to think it is." This has been a productive year for The Driftwood Manor, with the release of an album and an EP, and there's more to come. "I have two albums and one EP that are ready to record, and I'm currently finishing off an instrumental album that I recorded with a friend, Shane Tivenan of The Old Soul Brigade, here in Athlone. That's called A Cross Atop a Hill and it's the third part of an instrumental trilogy." One of the albums he intends to record in the near future will be called Constantinople and will feature songs he wrote while travelling in Australia last year. Another interesting project is the release of three videos of songs from the album The Same Figure (Leaving). A Galway film production company, tinyEPICs, is behind the trilogy. The first video - for That Lasting Final Hurt - can be viewed on Youtube while the second, for Blackbirds Are Screaming, is due to appear on that site from today (Wednesday August 24). The second video has "a dark, zombie-esque, slightly camp vibe to it," Eddie laughs. In the first video he had the novel experience of being buried alive, on camera, repeatedly during a two-day shoot in Galway. "That was an odd one alright," he says. "It was great fun though. There was a very positive energy around it, and the tinyEPICs crew are phenomenal. "Having a camera in my face for two days wasn't something I'd ever experienced before but it was a good laugh. Once you make something like that fun it's half the battle." * The Driftwood Manor will be performing as part of the Local Heroes music showcase which takes place at Suede, Athlone, this Friday. A number of the songs can be heard online at www.soundcloud.com/the-driftwood-manor/ or to purchase Driftwood Manor CDs go to: www.rustedrail.com