‘Are You Gonna Sleep Tonight?’ is a lush shoegaze tune bursting with ethereal soundscapes and Conor Furlong’s expressive, irresistible musicianship. Sweet guitar refrains drift through airy atmospherics for the brooding verses before becoming more animated for the chorus. The complex arrangement of the song and deft production leaves much to be admired; the lyrics exude a dark undertone that mirrors the building tension and aggression within the track, “On the trigger, itchy fingers, that’s right, blow my brains out, and you just laugh, alright” while elements of 90’s rock, psychedelia and shoegaze blend to create an utterly tantalising and refreshing soundscape for listeners to immerse themselves in. Filled with euphoric melodies and showcasing a smooth vocal delivery from Furlong, ‘Are You Gonna Sleep Tonight?’ is a gem to treasure.
(Danu, indiebuddie.com)
Hitting real peaks of beauty on tracks like Alien and the very classy Bow Down… The boldly titled R.E.M. Saved My Life Tonight sparkles with electric guitars, and Athens – possibly another nod to Michael Stipe and co – scales real heights of euphoria. There’s also blissful lounge music on Sleeping in Outer Space and Your Sad Smile is that moment in a New Wave movie when the boy finally loses the girl. The industrious Furlong has penned a love letter to his musical heroes that sparks with moments of stark originality.
(Alan Corr, RTÉ Entertainment)
So many songs on this album are anthemic, designed for huge stadiums and massive volume. Take a listen to ‘Bow Down’ for some fine musicality, with twisty-turny guitar lines conjuring fun moods. Look at ‘Athens’ for its massive, anthemic energy. ‘Sleeping in Outer Space’ is the soundtrack to an alien child falling asleep sucking its thumb. ‘Your Sad Smile’ takes all your heartstrings and plays them like a harp. There is so, so much packed into every track that can be flaunted like peacock feathers. With such sheer talent and Trojan work ethic on display, it’s hard not to feel excited about the future for Conor Furlong. Rapid Eye Movement is bursting with talent, songwriting prowess and incredible potential.
(Will Mac Aoidh, Headstuff)
Conor Furlong has been making waves with the announcement of his debut album Rapid Eye Movement. The album is represented well by lead single R.E.M Saved My Life Tonight, a ballad track filled with anthemic guitars and soaring vocals. A pretty beautiful introduction to the artist, it showcases his skills as a songwriter. Rapid Eye Movement is filled with a tracklist varying in style and moods. Weaved in between solid pop songs like Summer Song and seven minutes, spiritualized inspired tracks like Bow Down. It is the tense interlude Dream which carries the listener through a huge number of emotions in a short space of time. It’s a great record from Conor Furlong, he has showcased his talents very clearly and Rapid Eye Movement feels like an artist really honing his craft as a musician.
(Fionn Crossan, XS Noize)
An album full of really, really strong songs.
(Dan Hegarty, 2FM)
Conor Furlong has just released a new record that’s stunning… Speaking of great Irish artists, I listened to a really beautiful album this week by Conor Furlong. There are lots of really beautiful tracks on it. This one in particular [Alien], I fell in love with it, I think it’s really magical.
(Kelly-Anne Byrne, Today FM)
The song “Alien” has a misty and hypnotic quality, quite mesmerizing and yet, there is sadness to it as well, like falling in love yet knowing it will end far too soon, yet doing it all anyway, like moving into a ghost town and hoping for company. It is both beautiful and melancholy simultaneously. This amazing piece of music is available for download/streaming now.
(Joseph Timmons, Indie Pulse Music)
“Giselle” which gets things off to a stirring start ahead of the absorbingly buoyant instrumentation and enticingly soft yet sonorous singing of “Alien”. This is followed by the affable and uplifting “R.E.M. Saved My Life Tonight”, after which “Summer Song” entrances with its upbeat music and pleasant melody. When it’s done, “Dream” builds a strikingly unique and atmospheric bridge to “Bow Down”, which arrests with its expressive vocals and cheery instrumentation before it passes the torch to the terrifically dynamic “Athens”. “Sleeping in Outer Space” is an endearingly gentle addition next that showcases an assortment of soothing instrumentation ahead of the affecting “Your Sad Smile”, which precedes a superbly spirited finale in the form of “In Paradise”. Furlong has composed a captivatingly cordial record here that smoothly fuses together elements of the genres of pop, rock and shoegaze. Its consistently canorous vocals and amiable music should attract a sizable and diverse listenership.
(Dave Simpson, Pure M)
Here’s a real Dublin DIY phenomenon: Conor writes, records and plays all his own music, releases it via his own website, then rings the journo up to make sure he got his copy. “Peace of Mind” is a lovely, sad piano-painted tune, as is the B-side (titled “B Side”), so we’ll be looking forward to his call.
(Kevin Courtney, The Irish Times)
Conor Furlong’s gorgeous mixture of lush orchestration, tender vocals and sombre piano make “Peace of Mind” a pleasure. Conor’s gift for haunting melody is similar in fashion to Deserter’s Songs-era Mercury Rev.
(Killian Murphy, Hot Press)
You could dismantle his entire “Adventure” album and pick and choose any or all of the tracks as standout singles for any number of established artists. It further cements Conor Furlong as an immense talent, the likes of which you seldom have the joy of seeing. At the end of the day, it’s about the songs. On paper, in your ear, in your head, and Conor Furlong has them. For my money, he is the Best Male act of 2015.
(Nate Mona, Pure M)
Dublin native Conor Furlong has a voice that nourishes the soul.
(Nialler9.com)
With an ear for haunting melody – and the voice and musicianship to match – hopes are high as Conor Furlong’s LP begins. ‘All That I Gave’ is a decent opening salvo, followed by the energetic and catchy ‘Alive’. By the time the outstanding ‘In My Arms’ is done – and you’ve reminded yourself that it’s not Jen Lekman you’re listening to, but a self-produced Dubliner – things are looking very promising indeed.
‘Take You Out’ is an impressively serviceable slice of Coldplay-esque balladry. Combined with the album’s impressive opening, it confirms that Conor Furlong has considerable talent.
One to keep an eye on.
(Colm O’Regan, Hot Press)
“In Paradise” is yet another absorbing and accessible undertaking by Furlong that’s guaranteed to have wide reaching appeal. If you liked what you heard on Adventure, then you’re going to love this and if you’re unfamiliar with the artist’s material, then here’s your perfect jumping on point.
“Blinding Light” is a very natural evolution of the work already released by Furlong. He has managed to recapture the deep and meaningful mood that made his previous pieces so praiseworthy, while also succeeding in creating something that feels fresh and effective.
(Dave Simpson, Pure M)
Last week Furlong released his latest single, ‘Right’, the first thing that struck me was how his vocal reminded me of Mercury Rev’s Jonathan Donahue, but also, in conjunction with the music, ‘Right’ led me to recall Moby’s ‘God Moving Over The Face Of The Waters’ from his 1995 album, Everything Is Wrong. As the track progresses you cease to notice Furlong’s vocal, and this is a good thing, if that makes sense, you have been so subsumed by the entire soundscape he has created that his voice becomes a guiding whisper in the far distance. I get the sense that he has a full box of tricks he’s just waiting to unleash on us.
(Remy Connolly, thebestofmusicandfilm.blogspot.com)
I honestly don’t think anyone could listen to the album Adventure by Conor Furlong and not be impressed.
This can be felt right off the bat with“All That I Gave”; a moving love song loaded with resounding vocals, pianos, guitars and electronics. It’s a colossal opening that grows larger as it unfolds. “On Fire” follows on quietly with a dreamy feel, enhanced by a dazzling harp-like effect during the chorus. Its successor, “Beam of Light”, strikes a great balance between electronic and acoustic elements. It feels deep and meaningful, like it’s a song that matters.To be fair, this is true of the album in general. It makes you believe that you’re listening to something that’s important.
“Take You Out” returns to a more conventional, acoustic pop approach. Furlong’s absorbing voice reignites the romantic air of earlier entries, lending the song an optimistic, hopeful vibe. “Daylight” picks up as a short but sweet acoustic/piano piece, with “A Rowboat in a Storm” further capitalising upon the piano to introduce itself. Subtle vocals during the verse step up to steal the spotlight once the chorus hits. They’re joined by magnificent guitar work as the tempo increases to a suitably prodigious climax.
Furlong states on his site that he “really believes in these song and [he is] extremely proud of them”. He most assuredly should be. What he has crafted by himself is astonishing. It would be a great achievement by any band, but the fact that it’s the passion project of but a single individual makes it all the more momentous. Adventure serves as a profound and reflective pop/rock album that is remarkably uplifting. And given that Furlong has generously offered it as a free download, there really is no excuse for anyone not to experience it.
This man is a true artist, if ever there was one.
(Dave Simpson, Pure M Magazine)
“Alive” is homemade but epic.
(Eoin Butler, The Irish Times)
‘Are You Gonna Sleep Tonight?’ is downright moving. Given the soaring chorus, it’s already perched high on my list for songs of the year.
(MP3Hugger.com)
Featuring some soaring pop-rock tunes, this singer-songwriter has crafted an interesting album with 10 new songs, led by the single “Wrong”. Furlong is influenced by the likes of Bowie, The Beach Boys and Beck; although there are touches of Neil Young to his material as well. While these influences are present and correct in the material, they don’t overawe or chain the songs down. The talent and good song construction are obvious from the outset. “Godless” is the most impressive song here, as the bass rumbles perfectly in tandem with nicely mixed guitars, even though it clocks in at over six minutes, it never feels drawn out or too long and it finishes with subtly and sleeks into “The Preacher”. This opens with what sounds like whale song, before the rest of the instruments charge in; generating an energy that instantly lifts the song off the ground.
(Leigh O’Gorman, Easy Music For Difficult Ears blog)
Furlong has an immense talent, he can do what many other artists lay awake at night longing for, he can take you into his world and show you around. Comparison-wise, sometimes “Playing With Fire” harks to something that Nick Cave may accomplish in his solo guise, but there are mighty hints of bands like Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Mogwai et al. Mercury Rev is another influence that oozes from the record. Well thought out songs with deep messages but completely without pretension and bullshit – something very uncommon in the Dublin music scene these days. There are times where Joy Division’s Ian Curtis comes to mind, maybe it’s because of the underlying tone of sadness and regret common with Joy Division or maybe it’s because like Curtis, Furlong isn’t afraid to bare all for his music. “Playing With Fire” is one hell of a journey, hopefully this album will be a stepping stone to greater heights.
(Jonathan Bourke, Drop-D)
Furlong’s vision and application to his craft are commendable to say the least. He’s definitely one to watch.
(The Show Fuss blog)
Swirls and stretches your ears in all directions, a veritable smorgasbord of sonic delights. “So, You Think That You’re A Star?” is a real winner, a wholesome slice of mellow alt-rock that builds magnificently …Furlong’s voice has a beguiling quatility to it. The energised, guitar-driven “Wrong” is quite startling.
(Jackie Hayden, Hot Press)
Furlong’s tunes are a beatific blend of dreamy folk, sunny harmonies and lazy electronica with a psychedelic twist.
(Metro)
Like the meeting of The Beach Boys, Air and a bit of Mercury Rev.
(Dave Kennedy, Road Records)
