This week's track is a little different in that it isn't what you would typically call a sad song - but then not every track on the Music to Grieve To playlist is going to be morose or downbeat. Tracks make this list because they're great at evoking emotion - the songs on Cathal Flaherty's recent EP The Head & Heart are brilliant at this.
These are the kind of songs you fall in love with - that you fall in love to - that you share with your partner as they become the soundtrack to your romance. But - if you're unlucky - they're also the songs you'll listen to at the end - when you're remembering how good things used to be - when you're mourning the loss of a shared future that once upon a time looked amazing.
We caught the end of Cathal's set at Whelan's pub in Dublin a couple of weeks ago and I was blown away by his performance. Alone on stage with a guitar, keyboard and loop pedal he was a huge presence and his songs filled the room. But it was his voice that stuck in my head - it's rare that an artist sounds better live than on the record - not that I'm saying the EP is bad - it isn't - it's great - he's just very good live - and that's a good thing.
We've had the CD on heavy rotation in the car (the only place we have to play it,) and have fallen in love with all the tracks - A Thousand Miles is probably the most commercial with its stunning vocal hook and guitar picking but it's the chorus hook of Two Hearts that crawls under my skin and wakes me up at night.
Check him out - he's got a great new video on his Facebook page of a new track called Let you Go - well worth 5 minutes of your time...
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You can learn more about Cathal Flaherty here:
About the Curator - Andrew McCluskey
The first visual memory I have is that of the white upright piano in Singapore, Hell and the dark forces lived at the bottom, Heaven and the Angels at the top. They would play battles through my fingers and I was hooked.
After my dad died I was very sad - I couldn't play for a while and when I did, the music that came out reflected my grieving state. I wrote an album of solo piano music called Music to Grieve to - from which the idea of the Music to community originated.
If you'd like to know more you should read Nicole's fabulous article on why listening to sad music can make you feel better.
Latest Posts
A Life in Full Color (song for Louis) – Gerhardt
25 September 2021
Why write a song reflecting on the suicide of a beloved friend? Why send it out into the world? What purpose does that serve? Ever since Gerhardt reached out and sent me this beautiful track, I’ve been reflecting on those questions – and while I don’t have an answer, I have an idea of one…
A Further Look at Loss – Andrew Wasylyk
13 April 2021
I was feeling sad – and I know why, but damn it’s so hard at times.
I’ve sat and watched as circumstance came in and deconstructed my defences one by one – constant pain leading to lack of sleep to lack of writing to lack of self care to lack of confidence to lack of hope to – STOP!
Paralysed – The Staves
31 March 2021
There’s this idea in life that just because you know a thing it makes it easier to deal with.
Like sitting down with a therapist, driving through your history until you find the behavior that causes you, many years later, to run away from connection or drink too much or insist on cleaning everything 3 times.
Andrew McCluskey
The first visual memory I have is that of the white upright piano in Singapore, Hell and the Dark Forces lived at the bottom, Heaven and the Angels at the top, they would play battles through my fingers and I was hooked.
As a psychology graduate I studied how sound affects human performance.
As a musician I compose instrumental music that stimulates your brain but doesn't mess with your language centers, leaving you free to be creative and brilliant without distraction.
As a curator I research how music can improve your life and create flow - I can tell you what music to listen to when studying for a test and why listening to sad music can make you feel better.
As the founder of musicto I’m on a mission to build a global creator community that collaborates through music. You can learn more about our community here.