The Coronas, whose latest CD is “Trust the Wire,” will play at Rough Trade in New York City on Friday, Nov. 10.
By Colleen Taylor
In Ireland, everyone knows the Coronas. And I’m not talking about the beer. Members Danny O’Reilly, Conor Egan, Graham Knox, and Dave McPhillips are Ireland’s 21st-century rock stars. Since 2007, the four-piece rock band has made their hometown Dublin proud with an impressive musical career, writing new, energetic rock songs that follow in the footsteps of a band like U2. Now, they’re shipping off to the New World for a series of concerts with their latest album “Trust the Wire” in tow. Lead singer Danny O’Reilly (son of Mary Black) recently took time out of his busy schedule to tell me about what’s next for the band.
After a stint in London, the Coronas are back and based in Dublin for good—and this time, things are different. After an impressive litany of albums, “Heroes and Ghosts” (2007), “Tony Was an Ex-Con” (2009) and “Closer to You” (2011), and “The Long Way” (2014), 2017’s “Trust the Wire” marks a turning point for the Coronas. This time, they’re releasing their album on their own terms, independently. O’Reilly explained that, after finally making the brave and bold decision to break from the major label game, the band is delighted to be in control of its music. Given the album’s success at No. 1 in the Irish charts, O’Reilly is now able to joke about that rather momentous decision: “If it all goes wrong, we've only ourselves to blame, which actually makes us work harder!” Jest aside, it was clear O’Reilly is serious about the band’s new direction. The group’s hard work is audible in the intensity and authenticity of “Trust the Wire”—a feeling that was not quite as palpable in their previous albums.
Although the Coronas’ recent album does not taper off into a newly original direction for the band, it nevertheless reifies their status as a seasoned, creative rock band. Conceived in an isolated house in Dingle, “Trust the Wire” showcases the indie-rock style of the four-man group and highlights that quiet, desolate West of Ireland setting with its introspective lyrics. The vocals are particularly stunning in their single “We Couldn’t Fake It,” which ranges from high, distinctive pitches to strong rhythms. Another favorite single is “Real Feel,” which is atypically exploratory for the Coronas. The song is ‘90s pop as well as traditional rock, but includes some street instruments, adding color to the album. Thankfully, O’Reilly validated my estimation of the band’s work: “[‘Trust the Wire’] is a bit more understated, atmospheric and chilled, but still has our Coronas sound,” he said, adding, “We're really proud of it. Lyrically I think it has more depth than our previous albums and sonically, it's got more going on to, mainly thanks to our amazing producer, Eliot James.”
Still, at the end of the day, the Coronas are all about the live show. O’Reilly prides himself on the band’s live reputation. He explained: “Traditionally in Ireland, if you're not a good live band, you won't survive. There's so much great live music in every pub in every corner of every town, if you're not tight as a band, people won't want to give your music a chance.” In other words, the Coronas had to make themselves heard. Nowadays, people flock from all over Ireland to see the band’s passion and honesty come alive onstage. The Coronas recently played a somewhat legendary gig at Kilmainham Gaol, to a crowd of 15,000. Blasting “Trust the Wire” across the fields with the sun setting behind them, the atmosphere was unparalleled. O’Reilly, who usually defaults to modesty like most Irish people I know, admitted the show at Kilmainham forced the band to see themselves as a true success.
Their next ambition is stateside, as they hope to capture American audiences like they have the Irish ones. O’Reilly said the he and the lads can’t wait to see some of their favorite American cities and watch the live reaction to their new album. Chicago is their particular favorite on the list, with New York coming in second (we’ll forgive them this one fault). It isn’t just the cities that inspire the Coronas either. Cincinnati’s the National is one of O’Reilly’s favorite bands, and a crucial influence on the band. In fact, O’Reilly is switching roles and attending a concert as a fan himself for a change, when the National comes to Cork this month.
So what else does one of Ireland’s biggest rock stars listen to when he’s not playing the music? O’Reilly said he’s thrilled by the activity of Irish music at the moment—Gavin James, James Vincent McMorrow, Picture This. But the Coronas’ real dream collaboration is Glen Hansard’s band the Frames, or—and I fully support this one—the Rolling Stones. Maybe one day.
We may not have a historical setting like Kilmainham to set the scene, but New York City is a pretty good second place backdrop for the Coronas’ great rock music, live and lively as only the Irish know how. You can catch the Coronas on Nov. 10 at Rough Trade, and if you can’t wait that long, give “Trust the Wire” a listen in the meantime, available on Spotify.
Colleen Taylor writes the Music Notes column in the Irish Echo every week.
