Join Pádraig Cooney & Bedtime Now for their album launch party
A band's Wet Work is never done
Pádraig Cooney & Bedtime Now are gearing up to launch their exciting new album Wet Work. If you've enjoyed the singles, or any of the gigs, or previous bands involving Padraig or the Bedtime Now personnel, or even if you are just at a loose end, then this is the night for you.
There will be special guests.
There will be copies of the album on sale at discount rates for attendees only.
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After seven years in experimental rock band Autre Monde, Popical Island founder Pádraig Cooney has returned to his classic songwriting roots with the new project Bedtime Now.
Formed in late 2024, the quartet features Irish indie veterans Ross Hamer (bass), Danny Carroll (guitar) and Dónal Walsh (drums).
Following a string of singles last year, featured on RTÉ Radio 1, Radio Nova and Red FM, and a winter tour with US songwriter B.C. Camplight, the group’s debut album ‘Wet Work’ will be released via indie collective No Effort on Wednesday, 8th April. A launch gig takes place on Saturday, 11th April in Curveball, Dublin.
The 12 track LP was recorded in Sonic Studios with esteemed producers Daniel Fox(Gilla Band) and David Tapley (Tandem Felix). After nearly 20 years releasing music, Pádraig Cooney’s latest offering showcases the best of his songwriting. Sharp and idiosyncratic, with a confident command of his craft, ‘Wet Work’ sees Cooney play with characters and genre with ease. The first song from the record, ‘The Hardest Thing’, was released in July 2025 - a country-tinged lament awash with pedal steel, piano, and twangy guitar followed by the spikier John Cale inspired ‘Emperor Of Japan’. The string-laden ballad ‘Songs of My Low Spirits’ was released in late ‘25 ahead of a nationwide tour supporting American multi-instrumentalist B.C Camplight.
To precede the album, a fourth and final single is out on Friday, 20th March. ‘I’ll Never Disappoint You Again’ is a galloping two-minute rush that makes the most of Cooney’s busy backing band. Aided by Dan Fitzpatrick (Badhands) on piano, it’s an effervescent offering from the upcoming LP.
Speaking of the album, Cooney says “This record feels like the end of the road, but I’ve felt that way before. I put absolutely everything into making this a really complete expression of my craft. I emptied the tank, to coin a phrase, and I’m not sure I have much more, musically.
My method was to write songs to completion on acoustic guitar, lyrically and structurally, before involving anyone else. Previously I had been as concerned with the layers, the textures, establishing a rhythmic pattern, etc. This was like approaching songwriting from the other end, which is, in fairness, the traditional end.
Being happy with the material, I made sure to recruit the best band I could put together and I succeeded, happily. The album became a band’s album, a real organic thing worked up in the rehearsal room. Then, the satisfying addition of some top-drawer musical talent from among people I was friendly with through years of Dublin music scene activity elevated things again. We got from zero to the end in a great rush of creative effort.”