Robin James Hurt - A SONG, A STORY TOLD

Robin James Hurt – A Song, A Story Told (Album)

Robin James Hurt, an indie rock Irish artist, released his latest album A Song, A Story Told, a genuine and timeless album that was obviously written and recorded with intention, rooted in folk charm, yet sharpened by a bit of rock ede. Co-written with Dublin poet and songwriter Tony Floyd Kenna, the album has a unique sound that is rich in warmth, comfort, and authenticity. Across ten tracks, Hurt mixes the energy of 90s alt-rock with the songwriting that is found in Irish folk music, recording songs that sound lived-in, real, and perfectly imperfect.

Opening with the upbeat track “Hey Mary (Play a Song for Me)”, Hurt sets the tone for the album. After all, it's a jangly, upbeat track that encompasses the love of street music and the optimism found in Dublin. Its catchy rhythm and unpolished charm might bring to mind a different era - think that of early Counting Crows or The Verve Pipe, sounding like 90s alt-rock nostalgia while keeping that unique Irish songwriting that makes you remember the last time you were in a pub- if you’ve ever been. The simple lyrics are what keep it unique- relying on repetition that hypnotic.

But it’s “Take Me Home,” a track found more towards the end of the album, that truly anchors the record. It’s a musical story of Irish emigration and homesickness - when you really start to miss what you left behind. With personal storytelling lines like, “I was the second son on a small rocky farm, destined to leave from the day I was born” and “I took the trains and the boats to the strange foreign shore,” Hurt uses each line of lyrics to tell the stories of generations of people who’ve left his country and missed it. Co-written with Kenna during the lockdown winter of 2020, the song is rooted in ache, but also a resilience and strength that makes it uniquely Irish. Its raw production also captures the grit of the story.

At the very end of the album the title track “A Song, A Story Told” is a bit more tender as it focuses on the bond between parent and child, making it sound a bit more like an upbeat lullaby with its acoustic backing. Meanwhile, the sixth track, “Room Full of Music,” has more of a rock vibe as it features an almost country use of a bluesy electric guitar.

Hurt’s vocals, which are beautifully gritty and emotive, are a highlight throughout each track. Afterall, he has learned from the best over the years - as his storytelling lineage is linked to the likes of artists like Ronnie Drew and Finbar Furey, both of whom Hurt has performed with. It’s important to note as well that his collaborators make this album what it is: Ian McTigue’s drums and Gosia Gasior’s fiddle adds that live sound.

All in all, the album is a seamless collection of genre defying songs - not quite rock, but not quite folk or rock - yet sure to be loved by fans of all these genres. Each track carries its own distinct character and in a time where so many songs are focusing digital polish and algorithmic pop, A Song, A Story Told stands out for all the right reasons. Afterall, it’s an album made by real musicians, on real instruments, with real soul—a love letter to stories, identity, and the imperfect beauty of being human.

You can read his interview with us below.

Can you tell us the story behind your latest album?
Sure! A wee while back, Tony Floyd Kenna, the renowned Dublin independent songwriter, sent me a set of lyrics that he had written but could not find music to fit.I printed them out and kept them on my desk for a week or two, glancing at them, and after a while a tune came into my head to go with them, And not just a tune, the words inspired me so much that I could hear a band in my head playing the song! So, I got out my guitar and tried to get the music out of my head and make it real. That song became Take Me Home, which ended up as the first single from the album. After it worked out well, we decided to see what else would result, and before we knew it we were up to our necks in tunes!

Why did you decide to release it at the time that you did?
It took nearly two years to make because I recorded it all at home in down time between touring. When it was finally done, I wanted to get it out there as soon as possible.

Can you walk us through your songwriting process?
For this album, it was a very enjoyable challenge. Tony would send me a set of lyrics with no music every so often, out of the blue, and I would just read them over and over until a tune or groove came into my head. The challenge was in the way the lyrics were so different to the sort of folk and traditional songs I often work with. I had to reach into the deepest corners of my imagination for styles and sounds well off my beaten track.

If you had to choose, do you have a favorite track or one that you’re most proud of?
I was so intimately involved with every part of each song that it's hard to pick a favourite, it feels unfair to the rest! But I'm particularly proud of Where Are They Now. It is quite an intense song and the recording and creation was also very intense and fraught with technical troubles and sickness which almost threw me off the rails. I really pushed myself hard and I think you can hear that tension in the recording.

In terms of songwriting, do you have a favorite lyric personally?
Tony Floyd Kenna was the wordsmith and it's very hard to pick a favourite from his incredible writing. It really was an honour to be gifted all of the lyrics to work with. I would say In The Heart Of A Rainbow has a very special quality; from the very first read-through I felt a deep emotional pull.

Were there any songs you were hesitant to put on the album? Or how was your selection process?
It's a great question in the context of this album, because each song started with Tony's words and the tunes that first came into my head when I read them and spoke them out loud. I deliberately tried not to say no to any of his lyrics even when they seemed far away from what I would usually work with; instead I made myself dig deeper. The best example of that would be Room Full Of Music and its big, swaggering groove.

Is there a feeling you hope listeners take away from the album?
I hope the songs stand out individually as well as in a whole set. They were written to be enjoyed by others, to be sung and played to people, not as a personal, insular project. Tunes to take with you, to let into your life as friends!

Were there any unexpected challenges during the recording or production process?
Yes, the two excellent drummers who played on the album, Graham Carey and Ian McTigue were only available intermittently because they are both so in-demand. This meant - yes - I had to attempt to play drums on a few songs. Relations with the neighbours are gradually thawing.

Looking back, who or what influences shaped the sound?
The lyrics and the images and rhythms and tunes that they set off in my head were the cornerstone. I didn't start off with any music already written, everything was in response to the words Tony wrote, which was a great way to keep everything fresh and interesting and unplanned.

If you could describe this album in three words, what would they be — and why?
Songs about life. Because it's a collection of songs about different sides of life that I think we can all relate to at one time or another. Love, loss, finding happiness and trying to hold on to it, the joy that culture and music give us, the joy in meeting a kindred spirit, striving to keep going every day, passing on the torch...

Can you tell what is next for you following this release? Any upcoming projects, collaborations, or live shows you’re excited about?

Yes! Right now, I am incredibly excited about the new album and what sort of homes the songs find out there in the world. But moving on, in January 2026 I've been invited to play with a full band behind me at the fantastic Your Roots Are Showing folk music conference in Belfast, which brings together musicians from all over the globe.
And for St Patrick's week in March 2026 I'm playing some shows around the very far north of Norway with an Icelandic pianist.