Getting Through The Riptide Movement

• 1Animal03:40
• 2How Can I Let You Go?03:27
• 3All Works Out03:54
• 4You And I02:54
• 5Getting Through03:59
• 6Glór03:36
• 7Across The Water04:13
• 8Skin And Bones04:02
• 9Friday To Sunday03:40
• 10Sycamore Tree04:26
• Total Runtime37:51

Info for Getting Through

It’s been two years since The Riptide Movement released their critically acclaimed second album Keeping On, Keeping On. Now, with the backing of major record label, they have returned with a slightly slicker visual image but thankfully have not diluted the raucous, foot stomping enthusiasm that gained them a solid army of fans and made them a must see live band. The latest project seems to have been in the works for a long time with a handful of the tracks first road tested during their phenomenal Olympia show in May 2013. The album itself does not disappoint.

Opener ‘Animal’ kicks in with a joyful energy that sets the tone for what follows. Up-tempo rock guitars, a bouncy melody and infectious horn blasts are the music bed for a chanted repeated chorus lyric which is impossible to forget. This is probably this band’s defining characteristic – their ability to construct simple, yet addictive melodies with a lyric the listener will remember. For most songwriters it is like capturing lighting in a bottle but TRM produce them with an ease and confidence that’s almost cavalier. Their musicality shines through on the warmly optimistic ‘It All Works Out’. The lead single from the album, it takes their signature catchy chorus and wraps it in a hopeful sentiment that could make even eternal cynics look for light at the end of the tunnel.

The album does however have its darker moments. More introspective than bleak, ‘Across The Water’ tells the story of a man down on his luck and missing his home. ‘I’m in a dark place where the birds don’t sing, and even if they did, sorrow’s all they’d bring’ front man, Mal Tuohy laments. As the harmonica fades in and out, it conveys an audible ache and sense of grief within the blue-grass guitar plucks. Likewise ‘Skin and Bone’ is a track inspired by ravages of recession experienced in their hometown. Its swampy blues production, raw lyrics and dirty harmonica work the perfect outlet for their frustration.

While TRM’s athemic choruses and big production is a clearly carved out musical trademark, overuse of any signature sound can become formulaic and although they have not quite fallen into that trap here, they might someday find themselves unconsciously teetering on the edge of repetition. As with many things, the best can come out of not trying too hard. This is an album by a band with the talent and potential for major international success. If The Riptide Movement can combine the lyrical impact of their subtler bluesy moments with the balls of those foot-stomping choruses, they just might create truly timeless music.

Malachy Tuohy, vocals, guitar
Gerard McGarry, bass, harmonica, vocals
JPR Dalton, guitar
Gar Byrne, drums, percussion, vocals

The Riptide Movement
If there were awards for resolutely sticking to your guns, The Riptide Movement’s mantelpiece would be straining under the weight of all the silverware.

“We’ve never, ever taken ‘no’ for an answer,” says singer and guitarist Mal Tuohy. “If there’s something we want to do or achieve, we just sit down and say, ‘How are we going to make it happen?’ And it happens. I think that positivity and ‘If we all pull together…’ spirit comes through in our music too.”

It most certainly does! Mal is outlining the DIY philosophy – “Some would call it ‘sheer bloody-mindedness!’”, he laughs – that has seen The Riptide Movement make multiple incursions into the Irish top 10; gig their way from Dublin to Delhi with a stop-off in Pilton to slay the Glastonbury masses; take to the UK airwaves with all 50 of the BBC Concert Orchestra; collaborate with Jim Sheridan on an update of The Commitments and, last summer, support The Rolling Stones at their Hyde Park homecoming.

“It was an absolutely brilliant few months for us,” Mal resumes. “First we got to go into Grouse Lodge Studios and record our new album with one of the founder members of Flogging Molly, Ted Hutt, who’s also worked with Dropkick Murphys and The Gaslight Anthem, and then we received a call from our booking agent saying, ‘Keep July 13th free; there’s something happening.’ Never in a million years did we think that ‘something’ would be opening for the Stones. It was a real, ‘Pinch me, am I dreaming?’ moment.”

There have been lots of those since Mal and his bandmates Jay Dalton (guitar), Gerry McGarry (bass & harmonica) and Gar Byrne (drums & piano) got together in 2006 through their mutual love of Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Ryan Adams, Rory Gallagher and, of course, their new mates Mick ’n’ Keef.

While still unashamedly starry-eyed about their heroes – “One of the privileges of being in a band is being able to go up to Van Morrison at a festival, as I did a couple of years ago, and say, ‘Thank you very much for Astral Weeks’” beams Gar – the new Riptide Movement album, Getting Through, is testimony to the unique sound the band have forged during those thousands of hours they’ve spent together on stage and in the rehearsal room. From anthemic fist-pumping start (‘Animal’) to achingly beautiful finish (‘Sycamore Tree’), it’s full of big riffs, even bigger choruses and a lust for rock ’n’ roll life that Iggy Pop himself would be proud of.

“It’s the first time we’ve made a record that on one hand captures the energy of our live shows, and on the other has really challenged us in terms of upping our game,” Jay notes. “Ted Hutt’s someone we’ve always admired, so on spec we sent him a few songs with a note asking, ‘Would you be interested in producing the album?’ and straight away he got back to us going, ‘Yeah, when and where do you want me?’ Day one in Grouse Lodge we knew we’d got our man because he was so enthusiastic and keen to try different things. He had this brilliant way of taking you to one side and saying, ‘That’s good… but I know you can do even better!’ Plus, Ted brought two of his Flogging Molly guitars with him, so we were able to play with those!”

Other Getting Through standouts include the wonderfully bawdy ‘You & I’ , the country-flavoured title-track and flagship single, ‘All Works Out’, which with its insanely catchy “I will carry you every step of the way” refrain – there’s that positivity again! - and goodtime boogie stomp is another top 10 hit waiting to happen. There’s also a glorious moment of post-watershed defiance on ‘Glór’ when Mal roars: “Fuck this town and damn this economy!” A case of swearing being both big and clever.

“We were blown away by the support our last album, Keep On Keepin’ On received,” Gerry says of their friends in high media places. “Hot Press put us on the cover, which with us all being lifelong readers of theirs was huge; Tony Fenton had us in twice for sessions on his Today FM show; we did the Late Late Show, which we took our parents to in limos as a ‘thank you’ for putting up with us all these years; Hector had us on his 2fm breakfast show and local and regional radio were brilliant too. It confirmed what we’ve always thought; if a song’s good enough it’ll get played.”

It all seems an awfully long way since the days when The Riptide Movement used to keep the wolf from the door by busking on Grafton Street.

“We’d get there at six in the morning to secure our pitch outside Marks & Spencers,” Mal reminisces. “One year we did the Oxegen festival on the Friday night, and were still on Grafton Street the next day to see the sun come up!

“We had it down to a science; we’d only play three songs, the first one being ‘Thieves In The Gallery’. It was the hook or the bait – people were just drawn in. They’d stop in their tracks and the crowd would build. Then we’d kick into the second song, ‘Keep On Keepin’ On’. We’d have a huge audience at this stage and everyone’s attention. It really felt like something big was going down, a full on street festival. By song three, ‘Hot Tramp’, it was complete madness with people of all ages dancing, clapping and singing. The idea was to just give them a taste, leave them wanting more. Then we’d stop playing; this way we could turn a new crowd every 15 minutes, and the CDs would fly out. Our record was 222 albums in two hours!

“There was an instance of us having to bribe the Gards to let us keep playing, but we’ll gloss over that! It worked in terms of then being able to pay our rent and put petrol into the van, and last year having fans come up to us at the Olympia Theatre gig we put on and sold-out ourselves and say, ‘The first time we saw you was outside Marks!’” While still calling all the musical shots, the Irish release of Getting Through finds the Riptide boys teaming up with Universal Music.

“It’s great having Universal on board,” Gar concludes. “They’re really into the album, and full of ideas as to how working together we can take it to the next level. It’s going to be a really exciting 2014!!!!!!!

This album contains no booklet.