Listen of the Week – Idiot Songs, Pearse McGloughlin and Justin Grounds

Idiot Songs, Pearse McGloughlin and Justin Grounds 2013

Idiot Songs is an album by Pearse McGloughlin and Justin Grounds, both talented artists in their own right who decided to create the album together after they shared with each other their love for Dostoevsky’s The Idiot. I haven’t read The Idiot but now I want to, because of this album and because it is considered a masterpiece of its time and I’d hate to feel I’m missing out, especially when inspiration to read it has basically been spoon fed to me.

Cover Art by Páraic McGloughlin

Listen of the Week – Idiot Songs 2013

Back to the album and if you are reading this I am spoon feeding you a really more-ish album. The album is nine songs, each different to each other but which I think completes a love story. Pearse and Justin recorded the album from Clonakilty, Canada, Sligo and Windmill Lane and exchanged files over the internet to create what you hear as Idiot Songs. It just amazes me that they achieved such a beautiful album when they were on either side of the Atlantic. Yet another reason to open your mind to how technology can aid inspiration and creativity.

I really really like this album, and after another couple of listens I may just love it. It’s heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. It’s storytelling with the perfect amount of errieness. I read the album being described as ‘Electronic Chamber Songs’ … chamber music by definition suits small concert halls or even rooms and is performed by small groups. Chamber Music is also a collection of love poems by James Joyce … so I guess ‘Electronic Chamber Songs’ is the perfect description. Maybe one day I’ll get to witness it in a small concert hall … it’d be interesting to see if the technological chemistry that helped create the album actually lives and breathes on stage.

For more information on Pearse and Justin you can visit their websites here www.pearsemcgloughlin.com and www.justingrounds.com. For your pleasure I’ve included two songs from the album, song five, Villages of Ether and song three, Devils … Enjoy!

Villages of Ether by Idiot Songs from Kevin McGloughlin on Vimeo