Music from the Heart

Formerly of The Dead 60s and The Specials, singer/songwriter Matt McManamon is strongly associated with ska, punk, dub and reggae. His solo work, however, is more deeply influenced by his Liverpool Irish roots than it is by sounds that originate from Kingston and The Black Ark. The Dead 60s experienced a short, sharp burst of success which included two appearances on Top of The Pops and festival slots at Glastonbury and Lollapalooza. The band issued a press release on 8th February 2008 announcing their split. According to Matt, his debut single Seas of Gold and the latest offering Sinking Sands  are two of a collection of songs that he describes as ‘Scally Folk’, brewed in Liverpool, bottled in Ireland, enjoyed all over the world.

McManamon's new single Sinking Sands is a heartfelt song about a finished relationship and trying to pick up the pieces and move on. You might argue there have been so many songs written about this but the one Matt McManamon came with isn't as sad and depressing as the theme might suggest. There's certain uplifting aura about the song which brings the hope everything will be fine in the end. Nothing is as bad as it seems and there's always the silver lining.

The title of the song, Sinking Sands, is a brilliant metaphore for that state in a relationship when it's technically over but you haven't got over it emotionally just yet. And you can feel just that when you listen to McManamon's voice. He seems to have that wish we all know far too well to turn back the hands of time and do things differently, change the destiny. But everything happens for a reason and the end of something is the start of something else.

Perhaps moving to the Irish village of Mulrany was just what the doctor ordered for Matt McManamon.