This, NoCrows’ fourth album, is a milestone for the group. The first release since 2010’s “NoCrows on the Moon”, Waiting for the Tide has more vocals than any other NoCrows album, with the addition of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Ray Coen to the NoCrows line up. It's also purely a "band" album: unlike the last effort, this record has no guest musicians. The music came together on two trips to Sligo's Coney Island. As Sligo-based Mallorcan guitarist Felip Carbonell calls it, "La Isla de Los Conejos", the island of the rabbits, it's a tiny island with just a few human inhabitants, nestled inconspicuously in the middle of Sligo bay, halfway between Rosses Point and Strandhill. The band went to Coney for its closeness, yet isolation. While the band wrote and played their music they enjoyed the views and the wildlife: majestic Ben Bulben, Sligo Bay, Oyster Island. As hundreds of rabbits frolicked in the fields outside the room, NoCrows were in full creative flow. The band’s line up has expanded to six in the past year: Sligo singer songwriter Ray Coen is the newest member. Having been drafted in on occasion over the past number of years, Ray has contributed much music and personality to the band, and so was invited to become a full-time member. Likewise, violinist & composer Oleg Ponomarev, of Loyko, Yurodny and Koshka fame, has toured and recorded as a guest of NoCrows for some years now and contributed a tune to the previous release “NoCrows on the Moon”. Ponomarev’s Eastern European Gypsy influence in the group has grown over time and this recording features two of his compositions as well as original material from his five bandmates. Coen and Ponomarev add their own creative force to an already swirling melting pot of musical styles and cultures, driven by Swiss cellist/mandolinist Anna Houston, Carbonell’s manouche guitar stylings and bassist Eddie Lee’s driving lines. The icing on the cake, as always, is Waterboys star Steve Wickham, whose fiddle playing and compositions shine. Wickham makes a particularly poignant vocal tribute to his beloved Sligo’s beauty on his song “Rainbow over Sligo”. It is truly a Sligo album, written and for recorded in Sligo, inspired by the place, its people and its beauty. NoCrows are: Anna Houston: mandolin, cello, dulcitone & vocals Steve Wickham: fiddle, guitar, mandolin & vocals Oleg Ponomarev: fiddle Ray Coen: guitar, fiddle & vocals Felip Carbonell: guitar & vocals Eddie Lee: double bass, flute & percussion About NoCrows In 2005, four musicians got together for an informal session in one of Sligo’s most unique pubs, Shoot the Crows. Soon the Wednesday night session was one of the most famed in the area, with musical styles from Irish traditional to Latin bossa, and a lot more in between. Encouraged by the weekly rapturous response, the four musicians, harking from different musical and cultural backgrounds, agreed to join forces and take their unique styles to the next level. Thus, NoCrows were born. Nine years later, the band has many successes and achievements under their belt, including performances at some of Europe’s top festivals, Glastonbury and Dranouter being notable examples. Three of the four founding musicians still form the backbone of NoCrows, which has recently expanded with two additional members. Another founding member Steve Wickham still makes regular forays with NoCrows when he is not touring with his other band The Waterboys. Sligo bassist Eddie Lee, Mallorcan guitarist Felip Carbonell and Swiss cellist/mandolinist Anna Houston provide the backbone of the band, joined in recent years by renowned Russian gypsy violinist Oleg Ponomarev, who also plays in Yurodny and Koshka, and a multitalented guitarist/fiddler, singer/songwriter living in Sligo, Ray Coen. With the addition of Ray to the lineup, comes several wonderful songs to go with the multicultural, eclectic mix of tunes the band is famed for. Whether there are five or six onstage, the eclecticism and sheer joy of NoCrows music is always evident. NoCrows recorded its fourth CD “Waiting for the Tide” in early 2014, with an exciting mix of songs and brand new original tunes for release in May 2014. NoCrows have four CDs: At the Strand – Live (2006) Magpie (2008) NoCrows on the Moon (2010) Waiting for the Tide (2014 “Swing rarely felt this good”- Siobhan Long of The Irish Times. NoCrows -Live at the Strand (2006) “A beautifully wrought selection of instrumental music” – Joe Breen, Irish Times Magpie (2008)