Harry Fennell – shares incandescent new single ‘MAD’

Indie-folk songsmith Harry Fennell has today released sweeping new single ‘MAD’ via Rubarb Music.

New single ‘MAD’ is a cinematic and psychedelic folk song that narrates an individual’s descent into madness as a symptom of love, driven by frustration, satire and irony:

“It’s unlike me to let you leave like a tree that blossomed in the autumn.”

Born out of a “chaotic period”, when Fennell escaped for a few hours with close friend Lughaidh Armstrong Mayock (Basht.) to co-write the song, their symbiotic friendship and dark humor cuts through the ironic lyrics to reveal a distorted sense of reality.

Fennell says, “Following some chaos and a few beers, this song fell out of me and my best friend – a dangerously effective place for the two of us songwriting-wise. But we were able to make fun of it all.”

Personal, observational and character-driven, ‘MAD’ is built around an earworm guitar melody played in Fennell’s favourite travis picking style. Silky folk vocals weave through experimental woodwinds and swelling strings, landing somewhere between Dove Ellis and Madison Cunningham, where the music is in constant build, raising tension and gradually revealing the madness at its core.

Moving from what feels like a beautiful love song into something darker and more experimental – nodding to Tra Phaidín and The Bonk – the single captures the beauty of both worlds, placing contrasting sounds against each other and letting them collide.

Raised on a strict diet of Bob Dylan, Fennell continues to display a talent for shining a light on all of life’s beautiful and violent ways, fostering an appreciation for the full spectrum of experience.

‘MAD’ sets the tone for his highly anticipated debut EP arriving later this year, offering a glimpse into his bold, immersive roots style – a style that dares audiences not to sing, dance or weep to Cohen-inspired ballads and Shakey Graves inspired sounds.

Connect with Harry Fennell