Featured Artists: Matty James Cassidy & Tyla J. Pallas
The Balladmongrels is a raucous new band featuring Dogs D’Amour frontman Tyla J. Pallas and Northern Irish singer-songwriter Matty James Cassidy. Their glorious mix of raw guitars, dark romantic lyrics, beautiful melodies and rousing choruses will implant themselves in your brain, heart and soul and never let go. The Balladmongrels’ debut album ‘Trouble’ is set for release 12th May 2023. Towards the end of the UK’s 2nd lockdown, Tyla and Matty discussed releasing a 7” single with one of their own songs on each side. After a few drinks they decided instead to write some new songs and record an entire album. After a few more drinks (red wine & Guinness if you’re interested) they further developed the idea into an all-new transient band with their co-written songs at its core. And so… The Balladmongrels were born…Initially they thought about calling themselves The Balladmongers. A name taken from Tyla’s first solo album (‘The Life & Times of a Balladmonger’) to reflect both Tyla’s career – in which he has variously been described as a balladeer and street poet – and Matty treading a similar, but different musical path. Matty suggested “mongrels” might be a better fit…
Mongrel n. an individual resulting from the crossing of different breeds, a cross between types of persons or things.
Speaking about the name and concept, Tyla said, “I loved the idea of two songwriters from different generations collaborating – taking one of my ballads and getting a younger mongrel, like Matty, to give it some bollocks”. Matty added, “We also liked the juxtaposition of having “ballad” in the name, as most of the album is full-tilt rock n’ roll. People may have seen us playing together acoustic and expect the album to be the same… it’s not”.
As an album, ‘Trouble’ has much to offer fans of The Dogs D’Amour and Tyla’s and Matty’s solo material. It presents the meeting of their distinct songwriting styles as they share and take turns on vocal duties, complementing each other while bringing in a range of their wider musical influences from Thin Lizzy to The Pogues.
Track listing: Ballad of the Knucklemen; Chambers; Trouble; How the Beautiful Fall; Swingin’ Jack; Highwayman Blues; Warship; Evil Under the Moon; Tall Ships; Good Ol’ Daze
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