Acclaimed Irish singer Lisa Hannigan will release the beautiful ‘I Don’t Know’ as a single on 29 June through Hoop Recordings. The track is the first single to be taken from Hannigan’s debut album Sea Sew, her first solo release since parting with Damien Rice’s band. It follows her first headline tour of the UK, which culminates at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire tomorrow (13 May). Hannigan will perform on BBC2’s Later…With Jools Holland tonight (12 May) and 15 May.
Described by the New York Times as ‘exquisitely ethereal’, Hannigan’s chance meeting with singer-songwriter Damien Rice led to a long period of collaboration and development that included Rice’s critically acclaimed albums O and 9. When this collaboration came to an end after seven years, Hannigan was left with a notebook of songs and the desire and confidence to put them onto a record. Released through Hannigan’s own label Hoop Recordings, Sea Sew has already achieved Platinum sales status in her native Ireland. The album has been nominated for both Best Irish Album at the Meteor Music Awards and the Choice Music Prize, whilst Hannigan was awarded ‘Best Debut Album’, ‘Best Irish Album’, ‘Best Irish Track’ and ‘Best Female’ in the 2009 Hot Press Reader Poll.
Hannigan’s first UK solo show took place at London’s St Johns Church in December 2008. thelondonpaper proclaimed, ‘A glorious London debut ahead of what promises to be one of the great solo debut albums of 2009’, whilst the Daily Telegraph wrote, ‘Stunning. Hannigan’s music leaves a lasting impression.’ The FT declared, ‘A beaming presence. Rice’s next work is a plainer prospect without her. His loss is our gain’ and The Times simply put, ‘Mesmerising’.
Mesmerising is probably the word we would use as well. Saw her at the Wedge the other day.
Here’s a review
http://breakingmorewaves.blogspot.com/2009/05/lisa-hannigan-portsmouth-wedgewood.html