A couple of years ago, my mother returned home from work with a big beaming smile on her face. As she walked into the kitchen, she placed a little CD down on the dinner table before announcing its origin. ”A lovely guy came over to me in town and gave me this album, stick it on and let’s have a listen.” I peeled the CD out of the cover; Moxie was the name printed on it’s front. I’d never heard of them, but on it went and we sat together over a cup of tea and enjoyed the wonderful fusion of sounds the emanated from inside.
Formed in 2011 and hailing from the West of Ireland, Moxie‘s sound originally was steeped in Irish traditional roots – a high octane and energetic sound that has entertained many an eager crowd at home and abroad since. Recently, the band have added a wonderful vocalist, Julia Spanu, to the roster and their sound has moved from traditional (Black Widow) to trendy lounge. Where I Roam is a perfect example of their current musical direction. This is a song filled with subtle instrumentation and well thought-out melodies with Spanu’s vocals a welcome addition to the group.
My aforementioned first experience of listening to this talented outfit was really cool and out of the norm. A chance interaction between my mum and a kind member of the band in a shopping centre just off St.Stephan’s Green, Dublin brought their music into my family home.
My mum, a professional piano player, performs at a couple of venues in Dublin City Centre and has done for thirty years. It’s not uncommon for fellow musicians to stop by and have a chat with her about all things music as she performs – it is quite uncommon, however, for a fellow musician to return after said chat and hand her a copy of their work to take home. She was delighted and really appreciated the gesture and wouldn’t stop going on about Moxie for months and months afterwards. This wasn’t a bad thing either, their music is absolutely stunning. It became a cherished disc in our house. I better actually write something about the new single now shouldn’t I?
There’s something quite magical about people performing in their back garden, especially against with the mountainous terrain of the West of Ireland in the backdrop. There’s something even more magical about a band reaching out to their fans and letting them feature on their upcoming single. The end of Where I Roam features many of the band’s loyal fans singing along. A brilliant way of retaining rapport with the general public in the midst of a global pandemic. This kind of idea typifies the band’s positive and inclusive nature. I’m fairly certain that this group will be around for another decade or two yet.
Hopefully it’s not too long before musicians like my mum and this talented band can get back out doing their thing again.
About ‘The Sound Sniffer’
The Sound Sniffer is a music blog that’s still only a baby – Founded in early 2019 by Kevin Coakley, a music writer and ghostwriter. ‘The Sound Sniffer’ also runs gigs and showcases in London since Oct 2019. The showcases are picked from artists found in the blog’s submission inbox.
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