This Irish-based trio is separated into a little ventured league of songwriting through the depth of Kevin May’s often literature-inspired lyrics. Heavily influenced by the writing of Leonard Cohen, many of the band’s tragic love songs reflect concepts of finding joy in the melancholy. Paired with hauntingly beautiful vocal harmonies and a wistful combination of classical and contemporary instruments (viola here, glockenspiel there…), The Guggenheim Grotto creates a heady mix of pop, folk and soaring melodies that is both moving and intelligent. Kevin May, Mick Lynch and Shane Power are true multi-instrumentalists, completely at home in charge of a breathtaking array of instruments both onstage and in the studio. These classically trained lads know when and what to add to perfect the mix – ending in an enviable musical maturity that begs for many bands to be sent back to the garage. In America, awareness of the band began to rise thanks to the support of DJ’s like David Dye at WXPN, Kate Bradley on XM50’s ‘The Loft’ and Nic Harcourt at KCRW. January 2006 saw the band travel to the legendary BBC Maida Vale Studios in London where they recorded a live session for Nic Harcourt’s show ‘Morning Becomes Eclectic.’