David Keenan is raw in Strip Me Bare, Vol. 2 EP

As a new follower of David Keenan, we're struck while listening to his work. We wonder how we have gone this long without this sound and spirit in our lives? The Irish singer-songwriter has released the highly anticipated EP Strip Me Bare, Vol. 2, a collection of tracks all pure and soul-baring in their own way. The project is the latest out of Keenan’s own Barrack Street Records.

Following the first released Strip Me Bare, Vol. 1, this next instalment sees Keenan, as predicted, stripping himself to the bare bones in his music and words in acoustic fashion. Armed with raw guitar and one-of-a-kind voice, each song has its own magic. “James Dean”, a wholesomely strummed piece, illustrates Keenan’s full being: free spirited and tied to the stories of his Irish homeland. “Matchbox” is a painting of that melodic and expressive voice that shocked me to silence when I first heard it. “Rise Up”, the beautifully crafted piece which has a feeling slowly growing throughout the song, is a portrayal of Keenan’s vocal and instrumental passion. And finally, “Nazareth House” is the honest, touching story from the poet that is Keenan.

Keenan dances his beautiful accent through high and low tones on this project, singing both softly and powerfully on each track. Each song’s aura is present and it’s content relatable, while still faintly echoing traditional folk sounds. There is something truly timeless about Keenan’s style. In conclusion, speaking about the collection, Keenan explains the intimacy of his work, saying:

“To me, these recordings are open doors to dreams, to hallucinations and to memory. In these recordings, I have tried to capture the absolute rawness in me, the same headspace that I swam in when they came to me first. To me, they are diary entries laid bare for all to see in an act of creative therapy. Take my hand and follow, we have much to discuss.”

Live dates:

Set to join Hozier as his special guest at Dublin’s Olympia Theatre on December 15th, you can also catch David Keenan at these upcoming shows:

5th October 2018 – Ma Avec Granit, Montbeliard, FR

20th October 2018 – Roisin Dubh, Galway, IE

21st October 2018 – Gallery Cafe, Gort Galway, IE

19th October 2018 – Bardot Theatre, Los Angeles, US

9th November 2018 – RNCM Concert Hall, Manchester, GB

11th November 2018 – City Varieties Music Hall, Leeds, GB