Mellow, melancholy deep sea dive

Bap Kennedy talks to Gerry Quinn about the changing course of his music and the thrill of working with Mark Knopfler

BELFAST born singer- songwriter Bap Kennedy releases his new record, The Sailor’s Revenge, this month. The 11-track, self-penned album is produced by Mark Knopfler and is Kennedy’s fifth solo record since the demise in 1996 of his band, Energy Orchard. Written for the most part in his native Northern Ireland, The Sailor’s Revenge maintains the singer’s laid-back country-soul groove. His lyrics reflect a more introspective view of life than those on its predecessor, Howl On, which was inspired by childhood dreams and the Apollo 11 moon-landing.

“I wanted to make the previous record because I’d read a book about the space missions and I was really fired up about the whole thing,” says Kennedy. “But this album has been simmering away for a couple of years. Mark Knopfler and I had talked about making it a few years ago, even though the songs hadn’t been written yet. I had an idea that it would be a very personal sort of record.”