Alt-folk musician Mark McConville, performing as Rodney Owl, has this month released his second album Truth Is Broken on the Black Gate label. The twelve-track record is the second release on the label following singer-songwriter Niamh Regan’s RTÉ Choice Music Prize nominated debut album Hemet (2020). Featuring chirpy indie-pop such as ‘Truth is Broken’ and ‘Modern Superstition’ with folksy ballads ‘A Life Misleading’ and ‘Love Is’, the album was recorded at Black Gate Studios in Galway by Liam King and produced by Alex Borwick.

Painted Glass is the debut solo EP from All The Brave Hunters – the moniker for multi-instrumentalist Alain McFadden who also performs with Ye Vagabonds. The record draws on folk influences and features collaborating musicians Brían Mac Gloinn and Elva Carroll. 

Junior Brother has recently released a new EP Junior Brother’s Favourite – a twenty-minute song serving as the final chapter of the artist’s work to this point, encompassing his previous two albums Pull the Right Rope (2019) and The Great Irish Famine (2022). Released on the Strange Brew label and recorded by John ‘Spud’ Murphy at Hellfire Studios in the Dublin Mountains, the EP also includes a five-minute abridged version of the track. Junior Brother is currently on tour across the UK. 

Dundalk singer-songwriter, poet and performer Jinx Lennon’s latest album Walk Lightly When the Jug is Full was released this month on the artist’s label Septic Tiger Records. Following previous records Liferafts For Latchicos (2021) and Border Schizo FFFolk Songs For The Fuc​*​*​d (2020), this new 16-track album is built around the sound of open-tuned guitar and features ‘Pregnancy Test Kit’, ‘The Man Who Loved Abba’ and ‘Celibate Rifle Day’ with guest vocals by David Keenan.

Clare-based musician Cinder Well will release a new album Cadence via Dirt Free Records tomorrow (21 April), following the release of singles ‘Overgrown’ and ‘A Scorched Lament’.

Pop singer-songwriter and winner of this year’s RTÉ Choice Music Prize Album of the Year Award CMAT has this week released new single ‘Whatever’s Inconvenient’, and indie-pop band HamsandwicH celebrate 20 years together this week and have now released their debut album Carry the Meek on streaming services. 

Other recent releases include The Burren – the new album by multi-genre artist East Forest and singer-songwriter and composer Peter Broderick; and ‘Teasgal’, an Irish-language track from fiddle player and singer-songwriter Clare Sands collaborating with Mayo alt-folk artist I Have a Tribe.

Singer-songwriter and producer David Kitt has shared his ninth studio album Idiot Check, out on the RE:WARM label; pianist, composer and technologist Zubin Kanga’s latest album Machine Dreams – inspired by cyborgs and other sci-fi themes – is out today (20 April) on Nonclassical; and British lo-fi, post-rock band The Declining Winter have released Really Early, Really Late on Galway indie label Rusted Rail. 

Dundalk singer-songwriter David Keenan has released a new EP Crude Boyo on his own label Barrack Street Records, including a new recording of one of Keenan’s earliest songs ‘El Paso’. Dublin post-folk band Slow Moving Clouds have announced that they will release their third studio album Kolmas on 19 May and have shared the lead single ‘The Longest Lie’; singer-songwriter Ultan Conlon has released ‘The Old Songs ft. Eddi Reader’ – the first single from his upcoming album The Starlight Ballroom, due for release in September; producer and musician Chris Kabs has released a new EP Y Not; and Cork folk trio Greenshine have released a new album New Moon on Friday. 

Listen to a playlist of all recent releases below. To submit your release, email newreleases [at] journalofmusic.com.

Subscribe to our newsletter here.