Sean Mathews, The Charcoal Dawn Sessions

Music Review | 2nd February, 2024

Drogheda singer songwriter Sean Mathews delivers raw new EP, The Charcoal Dawn Sessions.

Sean Mathews

Mathews has been carving a name for himself on the Irish-Folk scene with his unique way of blending older folk styles while speaking about current topics in his own brand of Urban-Folk.

The latest offering sees the signer stripped bare of studio effects, armed only with two mics, his voice and guitar.

Surprize! In a world saturated with juicy audio, I had the notion of recording an EP on my phone. All I wanted was to share a performance. My closest friends thought this idea was too brave! They were right. - Mathews

The four track EP opens with Charcoal Dawn, a powerful vocal performace over open tuned guitar, followed by an amazing rendition of Jimmy Webb's, The Highwayman, highlighting Mathews finger-picking abilities.

The Years Are Flying By has a more up-tempo feel and celebrates the singers sister Jolene's first child, while the EP comes to an end with the soft and gentle Nobody Wins, detailing love, hope and loss.

In the challenging world of folk music, Seán Matthews, a young father grinding day to day, has consistently delivered new music over the past 5 years.

Deeply rooted in Drogheda, Ireland, his 2019 debut Album, Dreaming is Allowed, includes the track Days of our Prime, featured in a video by the St. Patrick's Day organizing committee in his birthplace.

Moreover, his live streams during the pandemic cultivated a dedicated global audience.

Mathews will launch the EP in Sarsfields, Drogheda on Sunday February 4th. Tickets are available on Eventbrite and before that on the Saturday February 3rd he will be playing Dublin as special guests to Dabilla at The Celt Bar.

Sean Mathews - The Highwayman (Youtube)

The EP, The Charcoal Dawn Sessions is available through all streaming platforms.

Photo Credit: Sean Mathews

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