The Candides

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"The Candides have a neo-folk sound that sets them apart from most. They don't always make for comfortable listening, but that can be very welcome."
Hot Press (Jackie Hayden)
"The Candides (...) bring a hotch potch of influences together (...) and everything from the intervening centuries! (...) 'Highlights' is one of those songs which warrants repeated listens, again and again an thrice - surely the sign of a good composition." 4 out of 5 stars
Connected (Tia Clarke)
"'Show-stopping' and 'magnetic' is how I would describe their sound and just so remarkably different. In a time where sameness is safe and a lot of copycatting goes on, especially where song writing and live performers are concerned, The Candides are like a beautiful undiscovered jewel in the rough."
Irish Unsigned (Angela Macari-O'Looney)
"Fergal Heeney and Jessica de Korte can say more as a duet in one song than many larger bands can muster in an entire album. Blissful simplicity in their songwriting melds with effortless mastery of their instruments. (...) They were literally made to play together. (...) During their appearance on the Balcony, the richness of sound they created was really quite astounding for a two piece (...) To be able to create three very different moods on a three track single is testament to the song writing talent of this band."
Balcony TV (The Landlord)
"Together they know how to create a unique sound, that's hard to compare with something else. It is accesible though, and sang very well, with the opening track standing out."
Haags Poppodium (Gerard van den IJssel)
Demo of the Week (28-10-08)
Phantom FM - Icon show (Cathal Funge)
Formed in the spring of 2007 the Candides perform mainly as a duo comprising of Dundalk singer/songwriter Fergal Heeney and Den Haag violinist Jessica de Korte. They are often joined by drummer Jareth Tait and cellist Rosanna Schwarzacher.
The summer of 2007 saw the Candides (who incidentally took their name from Voltaires’ satire on contemporary philosophy ‘CANDIDE’) play alongside Fight like Apes and The Aftermath in an up’n coming night at The Spirit Store and support to The Cherries as well as an appearance at the Tall Poppy Club anniversary concert with SJ mc Ardle, Pete Courtney and Annette Buckley among others.
The winter was quiet on the gig front as they prepared to record their debut album. Recorded in Ireland and The Netherlands it features concert oboist Nieke Schouten, concert cellist Daniel Brandl, bass guitarist Peter Baldwin and drummer/percussionist Jareth Tait. They launched their debut maxi single ‘Highlights’ (containing ‘Highlights’, ‘Patsy Cline Blues’ and ‘As Crystal Hearts Ache’) last August in The Spirit Store, Dundalk. After that support slots with The Gorgeous Colours in Whelans, Dublin, and Phantom Limb in The Spirit Store and Crawdaddy, Dublin, followed.
Fergal Heeneys songwriting style is everchanging and accordingly has seen him share the bill with a diverse range of artists such as Gemma Hayes, Pauline Scanlon, Donogh Hennessy (Lunasa), Jinx Lennon and the Gugenheim Grotto who he toured with alongside Stewart Agnew in the summer of 2006 performing at venues such as Roisin Dubh, Cleeres, Mc Garrigles, GLOR and IONTAS theatres.
Jessica de Korte toured with Dutch composer/conductor Ruud van Eeten’s orchestra performing his interpretation of ‘The Tempest’ at poppodium 013 in The Netherlands. She also collaborated with Dublin folksinger/songwriter Paul O’Brien, playing in several theatres, shortly before moving to Dublin where she became a regular feature at the Cobblestone sessions.
With Heeney citing Chopin, Arvo Part, The Beatles, early Van, Jeff Buckley, Rufus Wainwright and Sigur Ros as influences on his songwriting and De Korte’s transition from concert violinist to the irish trad session scene, purists might expect a musical hybrid not to their liking although the singer/songwriter believes: "Melody transcends all forms of harmony while musical genres close in and out on each other periodically, like the moon tides.They interweave and change themselves constantly. Its like the musical equivalent of the reverse big bang is just around the corner, but just when its about to happen... the tide goes out!"