Eavesdrop on a conversation. In the metro, at the café, in that little shop selling quirky sunglasses that’s all over Instagram with the #mileend. If the person next to you was Reno McCarthy, he’d probably be with a friend, candidly reminiscing on nights spent at the local bar falling in love with a stranger he’s never spoken to. You’d hear about how easily he’s losing touch with reality lately, how inadequate he feels when reminded of the year of his birth and how he’s not sure if his hair is ok today: it does that little twisty thing in the back again. You wouldn’t recognize him in the tall, nervous boy from Montreal, ordering a whiskey neat and a salad, no dressing.
You wouldn’t recognize him because you’d probably have seen him on stage, perfectly at ease in his personal sonic wonderland, the most comfortable space he can possibly be in. But the real comfort there wouldn’t come from the confidence in his skills or the genuine drive behind his songs. It would have nothing to do with the years spent alone, crafting seductive grooves and discovering his melancholy croon: “Real comfort comes from disappearing with whoever’s listening. The world pauses for a moment, simplifies everything. It’s like our collective brain gets quiet, it’s a collective sigh of relief. Plus everyone dances…so that’s fun.” McCarthy, says.
With the release of his debut album Counterglow, the young alternative-pop artist is closing a chapter of his life. It’s the end of a coming of age. Written between 2013 and 2017, the record addresses the impact of the passage of time on living with fear and anxiety. McCarthy says of Counterglow: “The main theme of the album is fear. Fear of growing up, fear of responsibility, fear of love, fear of time, fear of dumb trivial stuff like my stomach rumbling in a silent classroom. It explores anxiety, as well as a coming of age story. It’s not a concept album. There is no all-encompassing underlying lyrical intention. Each song is just a simple representation of what I was feeling when I wrote it. Some are rooted in fleeting and undefined dreams, some in harsh truth and dull realism.”
The debut album 'Counterglow' will be released May 10th
Links to Reno McCarthy
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Reno_McCarthy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renomccarthy/
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