There is a powerful sense of arrival in the latest work from Joe Monaghan. Recording under the moniker Train Room, the Mayo-based songwriter and producer has carved out a distinct space within the Irish independent scene. His latest offering, the single ‘Turn Off Everything’, lands on March 6th as a precursor to the highly anticipated sophomore album, 'Station Road', arriving April 3rd.
The track is a testament to Monaghan’s hands-on philosophy. Self-produced in the West of Ireland, the arrangement eschews digital shortcuts in favour of a tactile, organic palette. Listeners will find a rich tapestry of live instrumentation, where the warmth of the accordion and the elegance of the violin intertwine with delicate piano lines and live vocals. The result is a production that feels both ambient and timeless, offering a vast sonic landscape that manages to be cinematic yet startlingly intimate.
This expansive sound serves as the perfect vehicle for the album’s central theme: a deep dive into the geography of memory. Monaghan’s writing for 'Station Road' was sparked by a specific creative intention—to explore the street of his youth without forcing a rigid genre. He explains: “It was the first time I consciously sat down to write an album with a theme — but I didn’t decide what it should sound like. Whatever came in the moment, that was it.”
Throughout the 37-minute runtime of the upcoming LP, the music functions as a vehicle for travel, moving through fragments of the past. The title track, for instance, was inspired by a single, vivid mental snapshot. As Monaghan puts it: “I always had a picture of myself on a BMX at six years old — and the whole song formed around that.”
Rather than simply telling stories, the album captures the texture of a lived experience. It navigates the space between melodic indie-folk and more experimental, atmospheric textures. Monaghan’s goal is clear: “I wanted to bring the listener on a journey — back to where I grew up, back to childhood — through music.”
As we wait for the full reveal of 'Station Road' in April, ‘Turn Off Everything’ provides a captivating first look at an artist operating at the height of his creative powers. ‘Turn Off Everything’ is available to stream on all major platforms now. Keep up with Train Room on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for updates on the album launch and upcoming live dates.
