"Small World" by Rob Halligan with Bob Halligan Jr

This is quite a weird one.. which suits me fine. Today I'll be telling you about the new Rob Halligan single called "Small World". It's a collaboration with Bob Halligan Junior.

Ah, you're presumably thinking: Rob's working with one of his relatives is he: after all, family members have occasionally popped up on his records before. This must be a cousin, but that's not really terribly weird.

Except, the two musicians, despite sharing effectively the same name are not, to my nor their own knowledge, related.

Rob spotted Bob's name on some album credits, noted the coincidence & then the two were introduced via a mutual friend: which considering Bob is US based, probably was essential to their meeting. And consequently one thing led to another, including this song, whose title and theme clearly reflect the core serendipity.

It's a song with strong autobiographical elements and the key messages around connection & finding each other despite the apparent size of the world & multiplicity of people in it and consequently how chances & convergences can be used to build positives: including I suppose binding the communities of the world closer so it becomes even more intimate & connected for the better. There is a major personal & global tragedy which runs through the song, yet despite that (or more likely as a reaction to it), the mood is of optimism & appreciation that even after loss, new relationships can enter the picture & take one to unanticipated places, which while no replacement for the plans one might have had, to some extent offer solace & renewed senses of life being worth living.

Joined by Chris Hunt on lead guitar, despite the small lineup, the sound is more redolent of a band than most of Rob's solo work: a more country rock approach, though Bob's own work is Celtic influenced, that's not a major factor here.

Bob's own band is called Ceili Rain if you care to explore that connection as a result of listening to this song.