In perhaps the most personal release from the Mayo singer/songwriter, Maria Kelly uses her latest from her two-track AA side as a vehicle for discussion of mental health and social anxiety.
Sit back and listen to this gentle voice. Kelly's dulcet tones allow her words to take the spotlight on "Dark Places," as they rightly should. Speaking on everything from fear of being alone with your thoughts to having trouble talking to other people, Kelly goes to a deep place. She sings "I've twisted my mouth, painted my eyes/I am still sleeping in dark places." It is a track that feels personal and also able to resonate with so many people.
Subdued guitars give Kelly's flighty vocal something to ground itself in, and beyond that the instrumentation is minimal. On the meaning behind the track, Maria elaborates:
"Last year in particular, I was suffering quite badly. I found it so difficult to make eye contact with anyone and near impossible to express my thoughts. I felt incredibly alert and painfully aware of myself. Halfway through the writing process, I decided to reach out to my Instagram following for inspiration. The amount of messages I received was overwhelming. It made me realise how effective it can be to actually ask about people’s experiences of these issues.”
The acoustic gives her a familiar feel, like a conversation with an old friend. There will be a "Dark Places"/"Small Talk" AA side vinyl launch happening at the Workman’s Club, Dublin on April 25th, in association with Homebeat. Tickets are available from Eventbrite.ie.
