CMAT has released the title-track from her highly-anticipated new album EURO-COUNTRY, which is set for release August 29th on AWAL Recordings.
The new single comes immediately off the back of a “career-making set” on Glastonbury’s Pyramid stage – a memorable performance that received a clean sweep of 5* reviews – and comes with news that CMAT has been confirmed as one of 6 Music’s upcoming Artists in Residence.
CMAT today explains the concept around EURO-COUNTRY: “I have certain phrases that reverberate around my head over and over again – and EURO-COUNTRY was one of them. It’s the title of the album, and the name of the first song on the record. And it means three things to me: It’s the kind of country music I make; the fact that Ireland is a European country run by the euro; and that capitalism is one of the worst things to ever happen to us.”Despite this being her third album, this fully-formed acronymic star feels like she’s been part of the culture forever. EURO-COUNTRY follows 2023’s brilliant Crazymad, For Me – an album that propelled her to wider attention and garnered numerous accolades: including a BRITs Best International Artist nod; and ‘Best Album’ nominations from the Ivors; Mercury Prize and the Choice Music Prize in her native Ireland (an award she won for her debut, If My Wife New I’d Be Dead with TV appearances, including Jools Holland (both Later… and a memorable turn on his Hootenanny) and The Graham Norton Show.
A relentless touring schedule with The Very Sexy CMAT Band has cemented her reputation as one of the best live acts around – alongside Glastonbury, early 2025 highlights include Primavera, NOS Alive in Lisbon and a run supporting Sam Fender in the UK. Her upcoming UK and Ireland headline run – including her first arena show in Dublin – is now fully sold out.
The new album – coming via AWAL Recordings – was recorded in New York and co-produced by long-time collaborator Oli Deakin and CMAT. EURO-COUNTRY tackles a number of big themes including personal reflections on economics, identity and grief. It marks another step in the unstoppable rise of CMAT and cements her position as a generational songwriter. What has endeared fans to her heart-sore tunes and humour is Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson’s ability to combine contradictory themes and moods: wide-eye drama with self-deprecation; the fusion of country and pop, with even more influences stretching across decades and genres. EURO-COUNTRY is no different: an aural tight-rope walk that balances big themes, specifically: the impact of economics on a small country, the attention that comes with increased fame (not all of it good) and being a woman.Speaking about the LP, CMAT said: “EURO-COUNTRY is, I think, the best thing I have ever made. I felt halfway through recording it was the most important record I’ve made for myself… mainly because it was making me go crazy.“I’m always going to make the work I want to make, because there is a little gremlin in my head that tells me if it’s shit. More than success, there’s a bigger gremlin that wants me to make music that’s really good. She’s brutal and has ruined my life at times, but she is the keeper of my life and she’s always right.”
| Pre-ordersEURO-COUNTRY is available from the CMAT store on the following physical formats: limited coloured double vinyl; standard double vinyl, CD and tape.https://cmat.ffm.to/EURO-COUNTRY |
| Tour Dates JULY 26th – Truck Festival, Oxfordshire, UK 27th – Tramlines Festival, Sheffield, UK AUGUST 1st – Belladrum Tartan Heart, Belladrum, UK 2nd – All Together Now, Waterford, IRE 7th – Syd For Solen, Copenhagen, DEN 8th – Way Out West, Gothenburg, SWE 14th – Cabaret Vert, Charleville Mezieres, FR 15th – Lowlands, Biddinghuizen, NL 16th – Green Man Festival, Crickhowell, UK 23rd – All Points East, London, UK 28th – HMV, Belfast, UK (solo instore performance) 28th – Boucher Playing Fields, Belfast, UK * 29th – Golden Discs, Dublin, IRE (solo instore performance) 30th – Rough Trade, Nottingham, UK (solo instore performance) 31st – Jacaranda, Liverpool, UK (solo instore performance) SEPTEMBER 1st – Rough Trade East, London, UK (solo instore performance) 2nd – Banquet, Kingston, UK (solo instore performance) 3rd – Resident, Brighton, UK (solo instore performance) 4th – Rough Trade, Bristol, UK (solo instore performance) 8th – The Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles, US 10th – Gothic Theatre, Englewood, US 12th – Fine Line, Minneapolis, US 13th – Park West, Chicago, US 15th – The Concert Hall, Toronto, CA 17th – Paradise Rock Club, Boston, US 18th – Webster Hall, New York, US 20th – Shaky Knees, Atlanta, US 21st – Basement East, Nashville, US OCTOBER 2nd – O2 Academy Brixton, London, UK – sold out 4th – Academy, Manchester, UK – sold out 5th – O2 Academy, Leeds, UK – sold out 6th – NX, Newcastle, UK – sold out 8th – Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow, UK – sold out 9th – Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow, UK – sold out 10th – Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow, UK – sold out 12th – Rock City, Nottingham, UK – sold out 13th – Corn Exchange, Cambridge, UK – sold out 15th – Dome Concert Hall, Brighton, UK – sold out 17th – UEA, Norwich, UK – sold out 19th – Octagon, Sheffield, UK – sold out 20th – O2 Academy, Bristol, UK – sold out 22nd – Depot, Cardiff, UK – sold out 23rd – O2 Academy, Birmingham, UK – sold out DECEMBER 5th – 3Arena, Dublin, IRE – sold out * Supporting Sam Fender |
