A successful week for Irish music all-round! Firstly congratulations to Jape on winning the Choice Music Prize – many have already said it went to the nicest man in Ireland and of those on the final shortlist, he was certainly amongst the most deserving. Halfset made a really good album and R.S.A.G. certainly set tympanics trembling with Organic Sampler but in the end the award went to one whose music played truly massive role in 2008. Despite fear and suspicion on the night due to the presence of David Holmes and The Script, Richie Egan is now wealthier to the tune of ten thousand fruits and a smooth celebratory trophy declaring Ritual the most critically-acclaimed Irish album of 2008. Thank you Jape.
There’s an interview with Choice founder Jim Carroll over on Analog. It’s a decent read…have Phantom really been binning bands’ CDs? In this age of carbon neutrality I thought unwanted promos found a home in charity shops. It’s all a wicked lie!
Salulations are also in order for Falter Ego who won the DIT Battle of the Bands in Think Tank on Wednesday (by the by, how fantastic is the new Cylon ceiling in the Eustace Street club?! Totally makes up for the naff Diet-Cokesque mural and porn-star toilets…!) Falter Ego beat off competition from Bojangled, Flying Columns and The Harm to win the first heat. Myself and two judges from Drop-D were level-pegging at 3/4 time and prepared for a fight amongst Indies when the three metallers rocked on and settled the score with four great, catchy songs. Look forward to hearing from you lads but if I can make one teeeny suggestion – introducing online visitors to your music with “The Official…Myspace Page” is a bit naff. Just sayin….
Before I launch into the plethora of upcoming releases and shows, take a moment to consider Parhelia‘s words on the effects of illegal downloading on small bands.
The Dublin post-rockers released Shifting Sands in early February and yet to date there have been over 500 downloads from one filesharing site alone – more than the album’s total legitimate sales. That ain’t cool. Support your local music industry people – it’s the only way to survive without selling out.
The other gigging biggie is The Urges in Whelans, also tomorrow – biggie because it’s their last Irish date before they descend on the not-so-sleepy town of Austin, Texas for SXSW….did you know the city has a bat population of 1.5 million? Sounds like a kind of haven!
Mike Smalle of Cane 141 popped up today. He’s really good at that, one of those ascetic musicians who shuns the trappings of smoke and fame for western seclusion and peerless examples of esoteric aural dabbles. And they are peerless, lovely ‘yes I know it’s half six on Friday night and everyone’s pinging offline like bees from a hive but these songs are so clean and ambient I think I’ll blog a little longer’ chillaxo.
Here’s Sticky Lips from 2005′s Choice-nominated Moon Pool album :
The Shangri-Las : Past, Present & Future
Throbbing Gristle : Hot On The Heels Of Love
Young Marble Giants : Credit In The Straight World
The Cosmic Jokers : Electronenzirkus
Durutti Column : Otis
Faust : The Sad Skinhead
Mohammed Rafi : Jaan Pehechaan Ho
United States Of America : The Garden Of Earthly Delights
JuniorBoys : Count Souvenirs
Coil : A Cold Cell
Portishead : Machine Gun
Max Richter : Harmonium (edit)
Harmonia : sonnenschein
Bruce Haack : Good Life, Good Life
Lindstrom : I Feel Space (M.A.N.D.Y Mix)
Matmos : Solo Buttons For Joe Meek
Link wray : Jack The Ripper
The Delmonas : I Feel Like Giving In
Pere Ubu : The Modern Dance
Sun Ra : A Foggy Day
Felt : Magella
They are three. They are of Dublin and Limerick. Though younger than you they have a vaguely old fashioned-name and definite Indie sound. They are www.thefuneralsuits.com
My name’s Nay and I’m addicted to Tenaka.
It’s been twenty hours since my last song.
I realise by facing the truth of EPonymously Titled‘s hold over my playlists, I can move forward to a fruitful life equal to my peers, gaze no longer blinded by the brilliant, electronic sun…
Drop-D: Can you pigeonhole your tastes into one particular genre or do your preferences spread through an array of influences?
Tenaka: I think a few years ago I probably could have pigeonholed my tastes in music, being a fan of bands like Oasis, The Beatles and Radiohead. All the obvious choices really. That all changed when I heard Radiohead‘s Kid A. I vividly remember the day I played it for the first time and thinking “I’ve no idea what you’d call this style of music but it’s exactly what I’ve been looking for…” I’d always been a huge music fan but had never actively sought new music so the radio was my main and limited source of new bands. Kid A was complemented by Four Tet’s Pause shortly afterwards and I was hooked. It opened my eyes to the diversity and originality of new music available and it felt like a darkness had lifted. I finally had ears.
Drop-D: What triggered your musical infatuation? Was it a certain band/person/style/age?
Tenaka: I think it had to be that Kid A moment. It really was defining and certainly shaped me as a person. Finding a deeper love of music and expression frees you from every-day stresses. It opens your eyes to the important things in life.
Craaaaazy busy today peepahs…I got involved in a photography project and will be documenting Changes today. Bear with me while I’m gone (I’ll reward you for it in the week) and while you’re kicking your heels awaiting my return, check out the latest Soundtrack interview with Ewan Friers from Derry Punk band Axis Of…
Axis Of pic : Nay
Derry’s Axis Of combine punk riffs and conscience to build songs about humans, politics and philosophy. Sickeningly young, the band released their debut album The Echo Conspiracy in 2008 and plan to follow up 2009 with a new EP, modestly prescribed as “the greatest thing the world has ever heard”. Drop-D waded in to test how deep Ewan Friers‘ musicial ripples spread…
Drop-D: Can you pigeonhole your tastes into one particular genre or do your preferences spread through an array of influences?
Ewan: I listen to as much as I can. This sounds a bit like your typical – ‘I’m so diverse, I listen to everything!’ spiel, but I really do think it’s important to absorb as much music and as many different styles as possible. It’s mad to think you’ll like everything, but the more music the better – it’s fresh. That’s how I see it anyway.
Drop-D: What triggered your musical infatuation? Was it a certain band/person/style/age?
Ewan: That’s a really difficult question to answer. I don’t think I can put it down to anything specific. I’ve always lived in an environment where music is really important. Though I could say around the age of 11-12 I started to view music differently and became far more passionate about it around that time than I had been before. Who knows?!
“Where we at?” just doesn’t sound right coming from a slight Irish chick, does it? Just like other Irish chicks saying “innit” and “bothered?” sound like dopes. Oh well, that’s the infinite 8-loop of stupidity for ya. Anyway, regardless of global lingo we’ve enough of our own jingoist affairs to keep you sharp…
Huggy bye-byes and big thank-you-for-the-music to The Dagger Lees who’ve called time on their endeavours. It’s all quite unexpected and shocking, especially as the news broke when I’d literally just mailed asking for info and plans for the year ahead. Originally named Stagger Lee, the band enjoyed a grand run of red and black fun, especially with 2008′s release of Stagger Stomp and their song Scarlet Fever featuring on an American indie movie soundtrack. I’d mailed because there were plans to record with legend producer Jim Diamond in 2009 but…. but nevermind. Wish them all the best and look out for bassist Bennie’s new band Hathor’s Vein over the next few months.
It’s great to see Irish musicians rallying for a great cause in Vicar Street…not the Choice Music Prize but an emergency relief fundraiser for the war-torn region of Gaza which has been subjected to intense attacks from the Israeli military since Christmas. Lisa Hannigan and Neil Hannon head the bill along with a host of others. See la Hot Presse for more details.
The Dirty Nines are strange folks. They always pop up with random bits of news, such as being flown to Stornoway in Scotland by BBC to record a live music show…is Rapal the new Other Voices?
If you’re interested, The Minutes are giving away four free songs: see their MySpace blog for details.
Drop-D do justice (and fire and brimstone) to Estel‘s enigmatic new EP. They’ve also got top-notch reviews with For Ruin, I’ll Eat Your Face and a feature on Cork’s Ladydoll.
Plus D-D’s Chief Editor and hellraiser Paddy Murphy’s gone and set himself up with a mog (read: music blog) of his own and first amongst the news is a relevation that Scary Eire‘s own RiRa has tunes up on MySpace as precursors to a new album…
Nialler 9 sparked a trackback frenzy this week on streaming tracks from Villagers‘ debut EP. Rightly lovely they are too…unlike Rubberbandits who wreck my head. Yeah wotevs, I never said I was cool, unlike my son who absolutely loves their prank calls on YouTube…I’m officially an oul’ ma.
…and Fred made like Stella’s groove and got their gear back! Come on lads, fess up…you left the van unlocked and the altruistic pinnacles of community protection An Garda Siochana only too kindly took it to the station for safekeeping, right?
The japesters at Statesers have maders some tapesers…
A thirteen-track mix of brilliant Irish talent to watch out for in the year ahead. It’s all rather yummy and as a completely free download, you’d do well to drink your fill!
As you’re no doubt aware, the magazine announced last week it will no longer produce print-issues. It’s a hard time all-round for anyone trying to keep independent ventures afloat but the loss was cushioned somewhat to know there will still be a full monthly PDF issue available from State.ie.
The afore-mentioned feature on upcoming Irish music is absolutely packed with interesting nuggets from Villagers, Heathers, BATS and Adebisi Shank and lovely photography too. Defo worth a KitKat and your afternoon cuppa
It’s that time of the week again over at Drop-D and eee by gum, guess who just shuffled on to play at this exact moment? None other than that paragon of nostalgic 80s perfection, Dan Arkanoid!
I caught up with Adebisi Shank‘s one and only Vinster to ask what really went on in his musical brain once you get past the chips and wires…I’m not sure what I’d expected but it was definitely something like this….
Drop-D: Can you pigeonhole your tastes into one particular genre or do your preferences spread through an array of influences?
Vinny: Ah I’ll listen to any aul shite. Predominantly into what could be classified as ‘funky shit’.
Drop-D:What triggered your musical infatuation? Was it a certain band/person/style/age?
Vinny: I was 4 years old…my big brother had a Commodore 64…the Last Ninja was loading…the music kicked in…my mind imploded. And then I saw the video for Road to Nowhere. My mind exploded. Then I saw the video for Money for Nothing. My mind came back together, and exploded again.
Drop-D: Is there any kind of music you’d like to know/hear more of?
Vinny: I suppose I’d like to know the names of classical pieces…it’s a bit embarassing when ye have to go ‘Ye know the song off the Cornetto ad?’ or whatever.
This is Green Lights with the awesome Cut To The Chase from their new Time To Tell The Parents EP. Time to tell the parents, “Hey Mom and Dad, we’ve really matured since our last EP, so stay outta my room!“?
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They’ve a busy few weeks ahead working with an interesting bunch of bands, The Brewery in Monaghan plays host to a great night featuring Green Lights, Grand Pocket Orchestra and The Popular Front this Saturday 24 January. Then there’s the biggiegig at Whelans with The Funeral Suits on 27 February followed by Mayo’s Finbar Hoban Presents… with The Bastard Rain on the 28.
Warm welcomes to New Kid On The Blog (arrrgh, sorry, I’m terrrrrible ) NI Chart, a new site to keep you updated with the latest offerings from Northern Irish bands. You can tell it’s run by fans for fans: unlike many cockahoop band showcase-sites, there’s no waffle, no shitty PR companies strongarming promo for crap clients and there’s absolutely no sign-up, registration, log in or other irksome features. You just click’n'go.
Although still in its early stages, the manifesto is simple: they upload as much info and free music as poss, you download. Statistics are compiled and each week the chart refreshes with the top five most-downloaded bands. I’m so therrrre!
As of this week, the popularity ratings look like this:
The japesters at Statesers have maders some tapesers…
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