It’s said that when life gives you lemons you should make lemonade. Well, this is just what we’ve seen from Screaming Orphans. Like most of the world, the band went into lockdown in March 2020. This, however, didn’t stifle their ambitions – and now they are back with a brand new album recorded from their childhood home.
*Screaming Orphans’ new album, Sunshine and Moss, is out NOW.
Sunshine and Moss truly is a testament to what can be achieved in difficult and trying circumstances. Before you even listen to the 11-track record, it’s just a great example that every cloud really does have a silver lining and every ending is a new beginning. This is just one of the things that fans can take away from it.
The album was recorded in Bundoran, County Donegal, Ireland and does, expectedly, feature those traditional folk sounds associated with the region. There are also sounds with a more punk-rock flavour, which is in line with other albums released by the group during their acclaimed multi-decade tenure.
There are plenty of songs to enjoy on the album, with a range of different tempos and themes on offer. This includes a cover of My Grandfather’s Clock, which at just over four minutes in length features a slow melody accompanied with soothing harmonies.
Music fans will recall that this song has been performed by numerous artists since it was written in the 1800s, including most notably Johnny Cash. Screaming Orphans, however, have managed to leave their own mark on the song and make it stand out. It surely mustn’t have been an easy feat to accomplish.
Meanwhile, those looking for something with a faster pace will love the version of Eileen Oge. It’s a spirited song, with a pleasing combination of instruments involved. Once again, the vocals marry well with the lyrics – something that shouldn’t be taken for granted when you consider the unusual circumstances in which the entire album was recorded.
While Screaming Orphans are no strangers to the recording studio, this album must have proved much more of a test to produce than its predecessors. After all, the group only had access to the most basic equipment but still managed to give the creation a rather sleek and professional feel.
This really is a credit to each member of the band, especially since all are responsible for vocals and playing their own individual instruments. For those that don’t know, the quartet is all sisters – a staunch reminder that talent does indeed run in families.
Screaming Orphans are made up of four Divers, including Angela Diver on bass, violin, and vocals; Joan Diver on drums and vocals; Marie Therese Diver on keys, accordion and vocals; and Gráinne Diver on guitar and vocals. If you trace the group back to their incarnation you’ll actually find another family member in the mix: their mother Kathleen Fitzgerald.
The fivesome delighted crowds when the girls were young, but by the mid-90s the daughters were going it alone as part of Screaming Orphans. Don’t worry, the ‘orphan’ part of the name was simply coined because the girls were hitting the road by themselves rather than along with their mum and dad.
It was at this point – young and full of energy – where they started on the path to success. While their mum and dad were no longer a part of the act, to find their way they looked to musical influences such as Simon and Garfunkel, The Bangles and The McNulty Family.
It didn’t take the sisters long to carve a name for themselves and they were riding high with tours throughout the 90s. It was a chance for them to see the world, hone their skills and mingle with other artists. This happened most notably when they were asked to open for Sinead O’Connor on her Gospel Oak Tour. All of a sudden they were playing all across Europe, Canada and America.
It’s hard not to imagine that Screaming Orphans would love anything more than to treat their fans to a live, in-person performance of Sunshine and Moss. However, this currently doesn’t look possible due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. With that said, the group are still doing gigs – only they are being carried out virtually now.
For instance, the band performed an online concert to their fans on Facebook on Saturday 24th October. Afterwards, the group thanked the attendees for continuing to support them during these unprecedented times. A social media post read: “Thanks so much to everybody who tuned in last night for our concert and to all who donated, you are the greatest and our lifeline.”
It’s clearly not a position that the sisters ever contemplated that they would be in, especially as they had originally planned physical gigs to take place throughout 2020. They understandably appear to be rather eager to get back on stage, with a number of dates still lined up for 2021. This includes slots at the Kincardine Scottish Festival & Highland Games in Canada, the Fletchers Farm Fest in the UK, and the Milford Irish Festival in the United States.
In this regard, it feels like Screaming Orphans – and their fans – have a lot to look forward to. Due to their longevity in the music industry, you can only expect that it won’t take them long to find their stride and pick up right where they left off. After all, this is a band that has a wide range of experience – from topping the charts to making media appearances.
Take, for instance, their 2017 album Taproom. This was a hugely popular record, catapulting the sisters to number one in the iTunes World Music chart. It must have been thrilling for them all, especially since it came 16 years after the release of their first album Listen and Learn. Clearly they’ve only developed their sound and built their fan base as the years have gone by.
Sunshine and Moss is simply more proof of this fact.