Q&A: Irish Indie-Rock Band Spy From Moscow Releases “Whispering In The Walls”
WHERE DOES THE NAME — Spy from Moscow come from? you might ask. The Irish indie-rock singer-songwriter’s latest single, “Whispering In The Walls,” has a title as mysterious and elusive as his stage name.
The artist behind the project, Declan Feenan, wanted to serve more intimate and introspective vibes, which pushed him to follow his own path and pursue a brand-new adventure.
Written after his father’s passing, “Whispering In The Walls” was born almost casually when Feeman one day played a progression of chords that seemed to work well together. This later inspired him to write the lyrics to the song, although the latter did not come as easily, given the heavy subject matter.
Read the interview below to learn more about the track, what influences Feenan’s music, and where the artist is headed next.
LUNA: Where does Spy From Moscow come from, both the name and the person behind it?
SPY FROM MOSCOW: I’d been in all sorts of rock and indie bands for many years in Ireland and London, but [I] always wrote songs that were more intimate and introspective than those bands could serve. My dad died in 2011, and shortly after I started Spy From Moscow as a solo project and have stuck with it ever since. I borrowed [the name] from my friend, who had a song called “Spy From Moscow.” I dropped him a line and he gave me his blessing to use the name.
LUNA: How has your music changed within the past few years?
SPY FROM MOSCOW: The music was stripped back at the start, mostly due to me not having much gear or understanding of digital recording (I’m more of a four-track back in the day kinda gal). Over time I’ve added more elements to get a larger sound, but I still try to be purposeful in the instrumentation — minimal, but elaborate when I feel it. I enjoy how horns sound against my vocals, so I use trumpet and flugelhorn quite a bit.
LUNA: Who inspired your music? Who are your biggest influences?
SPY FROM MOSCOW: How long have you got? All the grunge bands, for a start, and [I] have always listened to Neil Young, Beach Boys, John Cale, PJ Harvey. Recent stuff I’ve been listening to… probably acts like Sun Kil Moon, Jason Molina, Bill Callaghan (I’m late to the party with Bill), and anything involving David Berman.
LUNA: Could you introduce your favorite singles you've released so far?
SPY FROM MOSCOW: I’ll have to say the last single, “Whispering In The Walls,” don’t I? It’s the biggest sound I’ve reached for, and I think I got the vibe where I wanted it. I also like my single “Priests Of London Fields,” probably because it was the first music video I’ve done — vain as that is.
LUNA: How would you describe your musical style? Can we even call it that way?
SPY FROM MOSCOW: I’m not sure there’s a style emerging at the moment — I’m just writing and recording what I want and producing it how I hear it in my head. I’ve begun pulling some songs together that have more of a country feel than previous songs, and [I] have already begun recording those, which will feel different from the songs I’m releasing at the moment.
LUNA: What inspired “Whispering In The Walls,” and how did it come to life?
SPY FROM MOSCOW: I was noodling one day and the chord progression came along with the chorus. The lyrics took a while, and after months of tinkering, I pretty much left them as they were when I added the first vocal melodies. The track was written shortly after my dad died, and I still don’t quite understand it.
LUNA: Who produces your tracks? How do you choose which producers to work with? Do you have some dream producers you'd like to work with?
SPY FROM MOSCOW: My good friend Luca Romano produced this track (and the forthcoming album), which was great, as he was also the drummer on all the tracks. We have a great relationship, have worked together musically for years, and I trust his judgment. Dream producers? I have no idea — I’d work with anyone who enjoyed the music and thought they could serve the songs. That said, John Cale can hate my work [and] I’d still love him to produce some songs for me — I hope he sees this.
LUNA: Is music your main occupation at the moment? If not, how are you conciliating your day job with your music career?
SPY FROM MOSCOW: None of your business! Nah. Seriously, I won the lottery when I was 14 and only recently got the funds released, which enabled me to follow my dreams. I feel lucky — but if I'm honest, I know I deserve it.
LUNA: Have you ever been on tour? If not, would you like to embark on one? Tell us about it.
SPY FROM MOSCOW: Before COVID, I toured quite a bit in the UK and in Europe (Holland and Belgium, mostly). I’d love to do it again. While I’m focusing on getting the songs out into the world and this first album released, I’ll probably do a few gigs in the UK in early 2024.
LUNA: Who's your dream feature?
SPY FROM MOSCOW: I’d love to have all my friends and musical comrades, whom I was in bands with over the years. Some of them I still know but others I’ve lost contact with. It’d be great to be all in a room together making music — I’d get a lot of pleasure from that.
LUNA: Where do you see yourself in one year as a musician?
SPY FROM MOSCOW: Probably doing the same as I’m doing now but with more releases under my belt.
