Photo by Carrie Day

Ask and ye shall receive. In prepping a November b3sci feature on the killer tune “The Sparrow and the Wolf”, we were really knocked out by Irish singer-songwriter James Vincent McMorrow; really knocked out by some of his ideas about music and about songwriting. His debut album Early In The Morning will be released in the States January 25. And a fantastic debut it is. We recently had the chance to catch up with James and ask him a few questions about his album, musical influences, the internet, Dublin’s music scene and more…

b3sci: While growing up, when did you know that music would become a major part of your life?

JAMES: I think I always knew music would be a huge part of my life, which is strange considering when I was younger I didn’t really play any instruments, and I certainly didn’t sing or write music. I just always felt drawn to it, the feeling of holding a record that you loved in your hands was always a magical thing to me, I wanted to be part of that.

b3sci: With Ireland’s legendary tradition of folk music, are there any classic artists in particular that you‘ve looked up to or grew up with?

JAMES: Not neccessarily grew up with, when i was a kid I didn’t really have the appreciation for folk music that i do now. But for me, and for most people, when you talk about Irish folk music, you can’t look past Van Morrison. Astral Weeks and Veedon Fleece are two records I listen to almost constantly. My dad was a huge Luke Kelly and Planxty fan as well, when we were growing up he’d play their songs at parties in our house, it had a much bigger impact on me than I realized at the time.

b3sci: So then given the history of folk music, did you feel there were specific obstacles to overcome as an artist before you were embraced by your peers?

JAMES: Not really, I think like most countries there’s a route you have to travel in order to gain some sort of respect from your peers, play certain venues, play a certain amount of shows, things like that. But when it comes down to it you either make music that’s worthy of other musicians respect, or you don’t.

b3sci: Are there any particular places that you find inspiration, or types of music you love, which you think might come as a surprise to some?

JAMES: I think the main influences I have that surprise people are Hip Hop and Hardcore Rock. I mean drums were my first instrument, I learned to play drums along to bands like Refused, At The Drive-In, and Glassjaw. And then listening to Hip Hop and seeing people like the Neptunes and Timbaland making such incredibly unique music made me want to learn how to record and produce music myself.

b3sci: Can you tell fans a bit about your songwriting process? Has the ability to play all the instruments on your new record affected this process?

JAMES: Songwriting definitely involves all the instruments for me, I tend to switch between them as I write. I’ll hear drum lines or banjo parts, and follow them wherever they’re going. I record a lot of demos as i write as well, so I can hear things back, figure out what’s working and what isn’t. I think it gives everything a pretty singular feel, it’s not just a singer with a guitar plus a backing band putting down tracks, everything is very deliberate and every part serves a purpose.

b3sci: If you could collaborate with anyone past present or future, who would it be with and why? Keep in mind they wouldn’t need to be a musician… any sort of artistic collaboration counts.

JAMES: I think based purely on hero worship it would have to be Roy Orbison. As far as i’m concerned there never was a better singer, songwriter, or interpreter of melody. I sometimes sing ‘In Dreams’ in my set, I dont even come close to doing it the justice it deserves, but it’s the most compelling pop song I’ve ever heard, just the way he builds it and builds it, then finishes with that soaring note, it’s perfect.

b3sci: Are there any tracks from your album that you feel especially connected to or proud of as an artist? If so, which and why?

JAMES: I think I feel equally proud and connected to every song on the album. If there was one track I’d single out it would be “If I Had A Boat”, it’s the first thing I wrote for the album, I
remember finishing the first demo of it and the feeling I got listening back to it, I knew it was the song that would open the record. I didn’t even have the acapella intro written yet, I could hear it in my head already though.

James Vincent McMorrow – If I Had A Boat

b3sci: Is there a message… theme, specific sound, or concept on the album you are looking translate to the musical world?

JAMES: There was no specific theme I was consciously exploring while I was writing and recording, but looking back and hearing it finished there’s a lot in there about transition and change. Moving out to the house to record by myself was a decision I took because I’d realized I needed to change something fundamentally if I was every going to get it done, and that definitely found it’s way into the foundations of the album. Also I can hear the time passing when I listen back to it, starting it in January when it was freezing cold, moving into the spring and finishing it in the summer. Plus the proximity to the sea also played a huge part, I can hear the sea in every song.

b3sci: Do you feel the internet has played a role in the development of you as an artist? How would ideally like to see both your career and your fans affected by it moving forward?

JAMES: The internet has been vital to my record, when I put it out I hadn’t really played live, I certainly hadn’t played any of these songs live, so no one had really heard of me. Giving my record to blogs, them talking about it, using things like myspace, facebook, and soundcloud, they gave the album life really early on, and it’s sustained it all the way through to now. I’d like that to continue and grow, I like people to feel like they’re connected to what I’m doing, what I’m trying to do.

b3sci: What are some of your favorite sources for news and music discovery?

JAMES: I read a lot of music blogs, although not as many as i used to. Stereogum, Yourstru.ly, Pitchfork, Gorilla VS Bear, all really good for finding new music. I read a lot of news websites as well, not music related, things like CNN and the New York Times, if I’m not playing music I’m usually off reading something.

b3sci: Is there something really great that you’re listening to and influenced by at the current moment?

JAMES: Mines by Menomena was my favorite record of 2010, sonically it’s like nothing I’ve heard before, really great songs articulated so uniquely. I also love the new album by the Walkmen, Lisbon, they’re such a great band, and the production on it reminds me of the early Sun recordings, I’m pretty sure they’ve gotten the best guitar and drum sounds I’ve ever heard.

b3sci: Hypothetical situation, you’re stranded on an island… and you can chose between having with you either 30 songs OR 10 albums… do you chose to have the albums or songs with you, and why? What’s at least one that would be in your selections?

JAMES: 10 albums for sure, I have always been and will always be an albums person. After the Goldrush by Neil Young is an album that I’d find it very hard to live without.

b3sci: What general observations, if any, do you have about the reception of emerging songwriters from Ireland, and even Europe, in the States?

JAMES: I’ve been treated incredibly well so far in the US, the reception to the record has been exactly what I always hoped it would be. So much of what I do is rooted in American music, so to be able to go over there and for people to care about what I’m doing is something I am very grateful for.

b3sci: How would you say emerging American songwriters are received over in Ireland are Europe nowadays?

JAMES: I’m not sure I’m qualified to speculate on that, although from personal experience I’ve always been pretty excited to see great American musicians come over here and play!

b3sci: What in your eyes are some of the popular misnomers about being an emerging independent artist among the general, casual listening public?

JAMES: I’m not sure I’ve ever come across any specific popular misnomers to be honest. I mean the word ‘indie’ often has certain connotations attached to it, some good, some bad. More now so than ever though it feels like independent music is really at the forefront of modern music. I mean bands like The National, Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend, all debuting near the top of the US charts, things like that happening make it a whole lot easier for new acts working independently to be taken seriously early on.

b3sci: We are heading to Dublin for our first time in a few weeks. Few Questions for you:

1) What food MUST we try?
2) What beer MUST we drink?
3) And what clubs must we check out for spectacular local music?

JAMES: I can’t think of a way to answer that question without sounding terribly cliche and twee, people tend to have very specific ideas about Ireland and the food and drink we have on offer!! Guinness and Stew! As for live music venues, there are a lot of new places popping up, like the Workmans Club down on the quays, that have a lot of great bands coming through them, and the institution that is Whelans is somewhere you should go, at the very least for the history to be found, pretty much everyone has played there at some point.

b3sci: We love to cook. Is there a specific dish you love or recipe that we should try out?

JAMES: I really like to cook, I mean i get zero time for it these days, but when i do there’s a Morroccan chicken and couscous recipe I found on the internet, think it was BBC good food or something like that, it’s really easy to make and properly good.

b3sci: Happiness… what in this world of ours will ultimately do it for you?

JAMES: Will ultimately do it for me!?? Thats a pretty big question, one I have no answer for. I mean a lot of things make me happy, my family, my friends, getting to do what I love. But sure ultimate happiness isn’t really something musicians have in spades, if I was content I don’t think that I’d be making music, or trying to search for new and interesting things to sing and write about.

James Vincent McMorrow – Sparrow and The Wolf

James Vincent McMorrow – Down The Burning Ropes

James Vincent McMorrow – Breaking Hearts

More James Vincent McMorrow on b3sci HERE

Info on James Vincent McMorrow / Purchase his music here