Acclaimed by renowned talents such as Hozier and Glen Hansard, David Keenan infuses the Irish storytelling tradition with a modernist flair: his fiery intensity, eye for an observational detail and, at times, a dark wit all providing this revered artform a contemporary power. Those qualities all loom large in his new single ‘Poison Water’ which is out now. Listen here.
‘Poison Water’ is a step apart from anything David has released before. It’s a song which constantly expands in stature, building from a sparse singer-songwriter-style introduction in a cacophony of clattering percussion and the most impassioned vocals that we’ve heard from him.
Fittingly, that cathartic outpouring of fury encapsulates a narrative of long-term self-discovery. It’s a searing and redemptive reflection on adolescence, identity, and survival in post-conflict Ireland. Rooted in his hometown of Dundalk, a border town still shadowed by the emotional residue of The Troubles, ‘Poison Water’ confronts the personal and societal void left in the wake of peace. He offers a raw portrait of growing up in the early 2000s: a time when outward calm masked inward confusion, and many, like him, were drawn to role models forged in fire but flawed by toxicity.
Its title has an unusual backstory. While searching for answers on a call with a mystic healer, David Keenan was told that his bedroom was situated on top of a stream of bad or ‘Poison Water’, the phrase stuck.
David adds, “This song traverses life from a youngster growing up through the 2000’s always searching for something to eventually pulling masks off false idols and escaping the jaws of generational self destruction through creativity. Musically it is a leap towards new and uncharted waters.”
As with his recent singles ‘50 Quid Man’ and ‘Amelioration’, ‘Poison Water’ will feature on David’s upcoming fourth album ‘Modern Mythologies’ – expect more information regarding the record to follow soon.
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