Tipperary singer-songwriter James Darcy releases new EP 'Pieces'
‘To have Pieces out there now feels like closing one long chapter and opening another’
After seven years away from music, Tipperary singer-songwriter James Darcy has returned with Pieces, an EP that marks both a creative rebirth and a personal milestone.
Originally from Golden and now living in Holycross, James describes the release as a moment of "relief and quiet pride" following a lengthy period away from songwriting and recording. "There were times I didn't know if I'd come back to music at all," he said. "To have Pieces out there now feels like closing one long chapter and opening another."
The time away proved transformative. James says it allowed him to reflect on why he wanted to make music in the first place, leading to a more honest and authentic approach to songwriting. "When I came back, it wasn't about chasing anything. It was about saying something real." The EP Pieces features five tracks: “Pieces”, “Wasteland”, “Before It’s Time to Leave”, “Adelina”, and “The Middle”.
The EP Pieces was released on April 17. The reaction to the EP has been positive since its release. James said he has received messages from listeners saying they enjoyed the songs and took something from them. He said that feedback is the most meaningful part for him and that once the music is released, it belongs to the people listening.
James says Pieces has been described as the beginning of a new chapter in his music career, and he feels this version of himself is more settled and self-assured than in the past. He said there is now “a lot less noise around it” and that earlier in his career he was trying to find where he fit as an artist.
“Now I’m more comfortable just being where I am,” he said. He added that the songs on the EP are more stripped back emotionally, describing them as more direct and vulnerable, with no attempt to hide behind anything.
A sense of nostalgia runs through the record, although James says this was not something he set out to create deliberately. Instead, he said it emerged naturally during the writing process as he reflected on time away from music and different versions of himself.
The songwriting process for James usually begins with music rather than lyrics. He said it often starts with a chord progression or a feeling on the guitar, with words coming afterwards. Throughout Pieces, themes of longing, reflection and melancholy appear regularly.
The arrangements on the EP feature acoustic guitar, strings, subtle rhythms and atmospheric textures. James said it was important to him that the songs had space to breathe and described the sound as cinematic, focused more on atmosphere than complexity.
The guitar remains central to his work. He described it as the most honest instrument he uses, saying it is simple, immediate and does not hide anything. Looking ahead, James says he simply wants to keep writing honest songs, continue releasing music that feels true to him, and keep growing both professionally and personally.