3 minute entry: Fionn Regan

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*latest update on (01/27/07)*

Soft-spoken, but strangely confident is his delivery of the twelve songs off Fionn Regan's debut album, The End of History. His voice glides up and down notes with the guitar so smoothly that you'd think the two were one instrument.

What will keep strangers listening to a song of Regan's though is the work of his clever melodies creating a song from beginning to end that reels in even the most unwillingly listener. This is without relying on much else other than an acoustic guitar, a few strings and foot tapping here and there. Don't underestimate the sound of one acoustic guitar, Regan makes the instrument fill the room, quiets it into a whispery lullaby and wakes it up creating climbing waves of intricate finger-picking giving the song, highs, lows and every volume inbetween.

Turning those strangers into loyal fans is his songwriting. He grew up in a coastal town outside of Dublin called Bray, Ireland, which can be pointed back to his frequent details of coastlines, hills and rock pools... Seeing as the lyrics he writes are incredibly short, a sure fan of the traditional verse, chorus, verse, chorus; it's interesting how he can use so few words to trigger so many images that will stick in the listener's mind.

His debut album, though released last summer in Europe is still unavailable in America. He's signed onto Bella Union, fellow Irish singer-songwriter Damien Rice's record label, Heffa and Australia's Etch N Sketch. Gearing up for another tour, Fionn Regan will start it off in Bristol next Monday, Jan. 29th and will preform live on the Meteor Ireland Music Awards for his two nominations as Best Irish Male and Best Newcomer, to vote, go here. He will be supporting Damien Rice on some dates and will be joining a nice lineup for the Australia's Laneway Festival. *Regan will also stop byAustin, Texas for South By Southwest and currently scheduled for another US date at New York's Mercury Lounge on March 20th.* Scroll below for all tour dates!

Digging deeper you'll find Fionn Regan isn't exactly new to the music scene at all, in fact he has released two EPs and a single before The End Of History. The only one left available to purchase is the limited edition(1000 copies!) of the five-track, Hotel Room EP released in 2004. To find out more on Fionn Regan please read the two articles I linked at the bottom, especially the one from Drowned In Sound, very interesting stuff.

Tracklisting:





The End Of History | Fionn Regan
(Bella Union/Heffa/Etch N Sketch)

1. Be Good Or Be Gone
2. The Underwood Typewriter
3. Hunters Map
4. Hey Rabbit
5. Black Water Child
6. Put A Penny In The Slot
7. The Cowshed
8. Snowy Atlas Moutains
9. Noah (Ghost In A Sheet)
10. The End Of History
11. Abacus
12. Bunker Or Basement

Stream + Download + Purchase:

The Underwood Typewriter| Fionn Regan

Put A Penny In The Slot| Fionn Regan

Black Water Child| Fionn Regan

Links:

>>> Fionn Regan's Official Site
<<< Fionn Regan's MySpace
>>> Vote Meteor Awards
<<< Buy The End Of History
>>> Buy Hotel Room EP
>>> Read more: Drowned In Sound
<<< Read more: Gigwise

Tour Dates:

01-29 Bristol - Thekla
01-30 Sheffield - Boardwalk
01-31 Liverpool - Barfly
02-01 Dublin - Meteor Awards (live preformance)
02-06 London - Dingwalls
02-07 Brimingham - Glee Club
02-08 York - Pocklington Arts Centre
02-09 Dipton - Cap-A-Pie
02-11 Glasgow - King Tuts
02-12 Aberdeen - Tunnels
02-15 Perth - Fremantle Theatre
02-17 Adelaide - Thebarton Theatre
02-19 Melbourne - Palais Theatre
02-20 Melbourne - Palais Theatre
02-22 Sydney - Enmore Theatre
02-23 Sydney - Enmore Theatre
02-24 Melbourne - Laneway Festival
02-25 Brisbane - Tivloi Theatre
02-25 Melbourne - Laneway Festival
03-03 Brisbane - Laneway Festival
03-04 Sydney - Laneway Festival
03-16 Austin, TX - Stubbs
*03-20 New York, NY - Mercury Lounge*

~anne