Track of the Day: Martin Mackie, 'Magic Potion'

Today's Track of the Day comes from Martin Mackie with the release of his first single 'Magic Potion', taken from his forthcoming album Temperance Songs which is due for release in Spring of 2019.

Temperance Songs is a record that thematically is one that deals with alcohol and its influence and relationship with a person, as the title alludes to 'Magic Potion' is a song which homes in on the matter, and centres around the fine line between the enjoyment and abuse of alcohol.

"The songs are about my own experiences with alcohol. Not just me personally but my family and friends. Rollovers, lock-ins, early houses, hair of the dog, and the booze blues are just some of the subjects," said Martin Mackie of the album.

"At the risk of sounding like a pseud, I got the whole idea for Temperance Songs from a series of paintings by the artist William Hogarth," he explains. "The Rake’s Progress is eight paintings showing the rise and fall of young man who ends up in the Bedlam asylum because of his partying lifestyle. I was going to write a song for each painting but I found out the composer Igor Stravinsky had beaten me to that idea. You can’t compete with him so I had to change things. Instead I drew from my own experience."

'Magic Potion' features a a raft of Irish musical talent, from Kate Ellis (the musical director of the Crash Ensemble) on cello, to Conor O’Brien of Villagers fame on bass, to Eleanor Myler (from the band Percolator) on drums and Martin himself on guitars and vocals.

Shot around the streets of Dublin, the accompanying music video is one that aptly mirrors the song's morose air of desperation as a man battles with his addiction. You can check it out here: