Hal is an Irish band formed in 2003 in Dublin by brothers Dave and Paul Allen along with Paul Hogan and Stephen O’Brien, signing to Rough Trade Records in 2004. Their debut single “Worry About the Wind” was released in 2004, followed by their self-titled debut album in 2005, which received critical praise and strong international attention. The band toured globally in 2004 and 2005, supporting Doves and Grandaddy, and later they made a cover of John Lennon's "Mind Games" for Q Magazine. After announcing new material in 2010, Hal released the EP “Down in the Valley” and their second album “The Time, the Hour” in 2012. Hal won a prestigious MME Award in 2006.