The Shadow of an Empire

2010 studio album by Fionn Regan

The Shadow of an Empire is the second studio album by Irish singer-songwriter Fionn Regan, released on 8 February 2010 on Heavenly Records and Universal Music Ireland.^[4] The album’s aesthetic differs from Regan’s previous album, The End of History, featuring more electric guitar-based rock songs. Regarding this change in musical direction, Regan stated, “This album’s lyrically quite fast, with lots of word changes and phrase changes, and it asked for a different kind of coat.”^[5] In October 2009 the first single, “Protection Racket” was released as a free download.^[6]

Following the album’s release, Regan toured with support act, Danny and the Champions of the World, appearing as his backing band.

Background and recording[edit]

Following the critical success of his debut album, The End of History, Fionn Regan began working on a follow-up with producer Ethan Johns. Described by Regan as “quite an uncompromising record” and “a combination of two uncompromising people”, the album was ultimately shelved by his label, Lost Highway.^[7]

Regarding their decision not to release the album, Regan states that “Sometimes when you discuss making a record with a record company, everyone draws a sketch of the house, and when you come back with the finished thing it’s like, ‘Oh, we thought the doors were going to be on the left side.’ […] [the album] is in a vault somewhere. It ended up getting clamped on the docks and the tariff was too high to get it out, and they put red tape around it. And so, I backed out of the drive and made the record that I set out to make.”^[7]

Regan subsequently left Lost Highway and relocated to Ireland to start afresh, recording in an old biscuit factory.^[7]

The majority of The Shadow of an Empire was written whilst Fionn Regan was touring in support of The End of History. Regan states that he wrote character-based songs on his typewriter first, before putting the words to music, and notes that:^[5]

touring is very different to sitting in a room with a piano, and that was a big part of it, and some of the tunes this time felt like I could move them. Like I could do them in a country way, and then in a straightforward, kind of Velvet Underground way, and then put them on acoustic guitar. The results were just what felt like a good fit. There are lots of other versions, and that was different for me, I found that really interesting, that the tracks became kind of movable beasts. It’s something I’m working on live, too. Maybe I don’t always want to play a guitar, you know? The lyrics are the centre pole, and now I can swing whatever canopy I want over it.

Track listing[edit]

All tracks written and arranged by Fionn Regan.

1. “Protection Racket” – 2:39
2. “Catacombs” – 3:25
3. “Coathook” – 2:20
4. “Genocide Matinee” – 3:52
5. “Violent Demeanour” – 3:32
6. “Lines Written In Winter” – 3:58
7. “House Detective” – 3:06
8. “Little Nancy” – 3:17
9. “Lord Help My Poor Soul” – 4:45
10. “The Shadow of an Empire” – 4:04

Personnel[edit]

Adapted from the album liner notes.^[8]

Musicians[edit]

• Fionn Regan – vocals, guitar, organ, piano, lapsteel, tambourine, bullhorn, bass guitar (“Genocide Matinee”)
• Brian Murphy – drums, bass guitar (“Protection Racket”)
• Stephen O’Brien – bass guitar
• Laura Murphy – backing vocals (“Catacombs”, “Violent Demeanor”, “Little Nancy”), reception bell (“Protection Racket”)
• Drew McConnell – bass guitar (“Lord Help My Poor Soul”)
• Gavin Wheatley – piano (“Violent Demeanor”, “House Detective”)

Production[edit]

• Fionn Regan – producer, additional engineering (“Genocide Matinee”)
• Brian Murphy – engineer
• Stephen O’Brien – engineering assistant
• Paul Stacy – mixing
• Steve Rooke — mastering

Artwork[edit]

• Fionn Regan – artwork, design
• Laura Murphy – artwork assistant
• Autumn de Wilde – cover photograph
• Swollen Design – photography of artwork and layout

References[edit]

External links[edit]