Annas Anchor
The Merries
Strange Brew Records
In musical context there is little to beat putting the needle on the record and letting the sound flow through speakers. I had heard this record and listened to it many times on Soundcloud but when I got a chance to buy the vinyl and put that needle down on the lovely black slab of plastic the sound really shone through the speakers. This the fourth record from Limerick indie songsters Anna’s Anchor. The anchor is Marty Ryan who had a spell in Dublin based but very much Tipperary homed The Winter Passing.
Marty left Ireland (and the Winter Passing) in 2021 to study music in the States. Early into this journey he suffered a horrific head injury which potentially could have caused long term memory loss. Being a very proud Limerick person he started writting down his reminiscences from his youth. After a while he put music to this history and this has formed the nucleus of “The Merries”.
Musically it is an expanse of guitar over pop songs, it gets emotional at times but never screaming at you. Annas anchor are proud of their roots and that is based in the diy scene. ‘Listowel’ is about the punk scene there he experienced as a 15 year old but this is not three chord wonder it is a pop float wonderfully held together by Marty’s voice.
There are synths in the mix but never overtaking the glorious pop sound. Personal Politics rear its head with the song ‘Knock’. Annas anchor joining acts like Meryl Streek in standing up to the negative effect the catholic church had on some Irish communities. I guess Knock is an aural exorcism as the country tries to emerge from that iron grip.
Music for Annas Anchor is a way of connecting with other people. A chance to experience freedom and treat people with respect along the way. This collection of tracks truly reflect that freedom. Buy it here
niallhope
