“We got the idea to record an EP of five of our songs which then became the Set The Darkness Reeling album” – The Winter Codes
Too Sly To Die is what the Irish Alternative Folk duo of The Winter Codes (David Walshe and Barney Murray) have to say about the passing of their fallen band member Paul Walshe, who tragically left us ten years ago. Paying tribute to Paul Walshe’s life with a heartfelt, but optimistic, spirit – The Winter Codes give us an appetizing taste for what’s to come on their upcoming new LP ‘Set The Darkness Reeling’ with the lead single. Motivated by classic Irish folk influences, the track showcases the duo’s devotion for their country, as told through their emotional songwriting.
The developmental process of ‘Set The Darkness Reeling’ found the duo travelling to the world-famous Grouse Lodge recording studio, which is known as a place that ‘King Of Pop’ Michael Jackson used to record some of his beloved works, and also lived there. Providing another fitting backdrop for the highly energetic and emotionally charged material of the new LP is The Cobblestones pub based in Dublin. As the duo continue to explore their Irish nationality as a key theme, it’s only fitting that the landmark Pub has opened its doors to their camera crew to shoot the official music video for ‘Too Sly To Die’ as a synonymous centerpiece of live Irish pub events.
Enlisting the help of diverse collaborators like Daithi Meila, Lisa Loughrey and Sean Montgomery to bring their vision for the flag-bearing album to life, The Winter Codes capture their patriotic spirit with a highly uplifting and thought-provoking delivery with ‘Too Sly To Die’, as the pair finally immortalize the would-be legacy of Paul Walshe and their wealth of experience together on the LP, embodying a unique character which makes them an indie rock band not like any other.
Using a rhythmic String section and intricate Percussive elements to diversify their sound, the duo craft a loving tribute to Paul Walshe that is possibly the most direct reference to his life on the new album as a whole, thus feeling like an excellent choice for the lead single slot. Not a duo who are particularly fussed by minimalism, 80’s acoustic guitar riffs and thrashing Banjo melodies call Alt-Folk legends like Dropkick Murphy’s and The Mountain Goats to mind, while representing a more traditional Folk style that points to Bob Dylan and The Undertones as key reference points for The Winter Codes. Celebratory and sharp despite its tough subject matter, ‘Too Sly To Die’ is a typically engaging single that is sure to find the ears of a keen audience with its combination of melancholy and accessibility, enriched by the subversion of tropes in songs concerning death. Rather than going for a melodramatic ballad or a soft Piano number, the duo decide to stick to their unique Irish roots to create an emotional song that never feels superficial.
Gracing singles like ‘Too Sly To Die’ with a bold approach to musicianship, The Winter Codes continue to establish ‘Set The Darkness Reeling’ as a must-listen experience when it arrives later in 2022. Paul Walshe was ‘Too Sly To Die’ and the band’s eulogy to him is too sly to go unnoticed.
Words by Jacob Braybrooke