McMahon
The life-changing impact of a near-fatal car crash in 2007 led Irish boy, McMahon, to channel his energies into a single-minded musical expression - the result is inspiring and emotionally heart-wrenching as McMahon releases his debut single, ‘Deep Down’ on 26 August; with his debut album, ‘Half Blind’ planned for a September 9 release.
Already topping the Irish iTunes charts this Spring, ‘Deep Down’ introduces an incredible new artist who’s loss of smell and sight stimulated a musical gift.
Bursting with vibrant energy, ‘Deep Down’ is an effervescent melting pot fusing pop, rock, blues and acoustic, tinged with a small dash of jazzy rockabilly that sounds distinctly reminiscent of the Stray Cats’ sound of the early ‘80s. Loosely depicting the McMahon tale, ‘Deep Down’ paints a musical picture of how music can have a deeply monumental impact on someone.
The track, which was launched with a live sell out gig at Cork’s Cyprus Avenue venue, has already captured public attention, reaching No1 in the Irish iTunes singer/songwriter charts and No8 in the overall Irish iTunes charts in April.
This instant success has set a highly anticipated stage for ‘Half Blind,’ the accomplished and eclectic full-length debut album that’s set for release in the autumn.
Produced by Tom Knott (the Courteneers, Paul Weller and Paul Heaton) and by former Eurythmics co-producers Andy Wright and Gavin Goldberg (Imelda May and Mick Hucknall), the album traverses an entire spectrum of sounds and influences. From McMahon’s devotion to the song-craft of the late, under-appreciated American writer-performer Jim Croce, right through to the likes of Eminem, Guns N’ Roses and musical theatre - ‘Half Blind’ is a gloriously eclectic mix of unique sounds that blend together to make something great.
Cork-born, McMahon has quite literally been seeing life very differently since a fateful day in September 2007 when he was involved in a serious car accident. His former life as an All-Ireland champion gymnast and rollerblade champion came crashing down as he fought for his life following the accident.
When he woke up weeks later in hospital, McMahon had lost his sense of smell and the sight in one eye, but found a great deal more. A chance meeting with Terry McCabe, MD of Manchester label All In Recordings, led to McMahon signing with the company and his musical career has been on an upward spiral ever since.
"Music has always been in my bones. I didn’t actually learn to play the guitar until I was 19, but music has always been something that’s been a big motivator in my life.
"I’d started writing music before my accident, but after losing my smell and sight in one eye, I definitely feel that my musical senses were enhanced. There’s a few tracks on the album that have most definitely been inspired by the experiences that I went through with the accident."
Released on All In Recordings, ‘Deep Down’ delivers a generous slice of good, foot-tapping, mood-lifting music fresh from the Emerald Isle. It’s time to open your eyes to this fresh new talent - you’ll like what you see.
The debut single ‘Deep Down’ is released on All In Recordings on 26 August.
The album ‘Half Blind’ is released on All In Recordings on 9 September.