Mayo's 'Train Room' releases new self-produced album

Balla native and singer-songwriter Joe Monaghan has just launched his new album ‘Station Road’.

Performing under the name ‘Train Room’, and now based in Westport, Monaghan has created a ten-track album inspired by his life in Balla over the past 40 years.

“I started writing a couple of songs, and then I began producing them over about 12 months,” he told The Mayo News. “Eventually, I had enough material for an album, so it naturally came together that way.”

Monaghan first introduced his music with the EP ‘Delicate Bones’ in 2017, followed by his debut studio album, ‘Hurricane of Love’, in 2022. With ‘Station Road’, he continues to develop his sound and storytelling.

Although this is not his first time producing his own work, Monaghan admits the process came with challenges. “I didn’t study production, so it was difficult at times. It was a slow process, but a great learning experience, and I had support from some great people along the way,” he said.

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He believes his skills have grown significantly in recent years. “This time around, the production value has definitely improved. I think I’ve trained my ears a bit more,” he added.

Joe says his most recent album, ‘Station Road’, is based on the streets he grew up in.

“I grew up in Balla, and I was looking for some inspiration. I started looking back on my childhood.

“The album looked back to my younger years. I felt it was important to look back on. I had a great childhood and a great time growing up in Balla, so I got a lot of inspiration from that,” he says. 

While ‘Station Road’ is a personal project, Monaghan hopes it will resonate with listeners. “I wrote this album for myself first and foremost, but of course I’d love people to connect with it. If they do, that’s a bonus.”

Train Room is set to perform at The Cobblestone in Dublin on June 14.

'Station Road' is available on Spotify, iTunes and all other streaming platforms.