Album News: Band of Horse "Infinite Arms"

Band of Horses have announced the tracklisting to their forthcoming album, Infinite Arms. Following on from the hugely popular Cease to Begin and Everything all the Time, this LP will be in stores in the UK on May 17th, and the 14th here in Ireland.

The lead single from the record will be Compliments and will be released as a digital only track tomorrow, April 1st.

The tracklisting is as follows:

'Factory'
'Compliments'
'Laredo'
'Blue Beard'
'On My Way Back Home'
'Infinite Arms'
'Dilly'
'Evening Kitchen'
'Older'
'For Annabelle'

Band of Horses play the Academy in Dublin on June 4th. Tickets are priced at €27.50 and are available from ticketmaster outlets countrywide.

Chemical Brothers & Crystal Castles

Not together unfortunately. That would be a sight to behold! Two seperate stories here, pushed into the same post 'cos I'm in a little bit of a rush!

Crystal Castles Return With New Single & Tour

Since bursting onto the scene in 2008, Crystal Castles have become quite the cult act. They have a huge following all over the world, no less here in Ireland. Their live shows in particular are exciting. They return with a new 12" single Doe Deer which is going to be a Record Store Day exclusive limited to just 500 copies so I doubt any will hit this side of the Atlantic unfortunately. However they have announced a number of tour dates (None in Ireland yet, though I'm expecting either Oxegen or the Picnic, as well as perhaps one or two gigs in the country)

They will play:

04-03 Toronto, Ontario - Twist Art Gallery
04-12 Los Angeles, CA - Echoplex
04-14 New York, NY - Irving Plaza
04-17 Lisbon, Portugal - Coliseum
04-20 London, England - Heaven
04-22 Berlin, Germany - Ritter Butzke
04-23 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Trouw
04-24 Brussels, Belgium - Botanique Orangerie
04-26 Paris, France - Nouveau Casino
04-27 Zurich, Switzerland - Rosthoflager
04-28 Milan, Italy - Magazzini Generali
04-30 Murcia, Spain - La Fica Estrella LaVenta 404 Festival
07-11 Novi Sad, Serbia - Exit Festival
07-31 Emmaboda, Sweden - Emmaboda Festival

Reading & Leeds can be added to that list too.

Chemical Brothers Return With New Album

Veteran British dance act the Chemical Brothers return with album number 7 in June (the 8th in America, 7th in the UK and 4th in Ireland) It will be called Further. The 8 track record will be accompanied by individual music videos for each track. They are rumoured to be doing the festival scene this summer, though no Irish dates are announced yet.

More Acts Added To The Oxegen Bill - My Thoughts on the Whole Thing So Far!

They've managed it yet again. The organisers managed to build up the excitement with a cryptic "Next announcement in next 48 hours" via their facebook page, and today we were given a less than exciting list on TodayFM between 7 and 8pm.

The acts confirmed were as follows:

DIZZEE RASCAL, JULIAN CASABLANCAS, LAURA MARLING, JAMIE T, EARTH WIND & FIRE, GROOVE ARMADA, THE BLACK KEYS, THE CRIBS, CHASE & STATUS, THE STRANGLERS, FOX AVENUE.....

Of that list, the only ones I'm remotely excited about are the Black Keys, Julian Casablancas (i do prefer him with the Strokes than solo but one is better than none!) and Laura Marling.

The most high profile act, Dizzee Rascal, joins an ever growing list of urban and pop acts to play this years festival - Eminem, Jay Z, The Black Eyed Peas, David Guetta to name but four, while there is a shocking lack of rock acts being confirmed. Heavy rumours hinting towards Dirty Projectors and Queens of the Stone Age have proved to be untrue thus far, while also this week we have seen acts such as Doves, Fionn Regan, the Maccabees and many more being confirmed for English festivals.

Let's look at Reading & Leeds for a second. The headliners include Guns & Roses, Arcade Fire and Blink 182 - an intriguing mix to say the least. Further down the bill we come across Weezer, Queens of the Stone Age, Paramore, Klaxons, Crystal Castles, Pendulum, LCD Soundsystem, Phoenix, Yeasayer, Modest Mouse, Cypress Hill, Limp Bizkit, We Are Scientists, Band of Horses and more.

Granted, quite a few of the above are not to my taste (Limp Bizkit? Really?) it is commendable that Reading & Leeds are pandering to a different crowd. The rock & roll spirit is alive and well in this festival, something that is severely lacking in Oxegen so far.

I hope that Oxegen can put things right between now and then. The rock & alternative crowds are screaming out for more to be put alongside Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, the Black Keys, Muse, Kasabian, Vampire Weekend...

And taking one look at the line-up for Electric Picnic... Makes Oxegen look even worse than they are making themselves look!

New LCD Soundsystem Track

I know this one is a few days late. Apologies! Busy weekend to say the least!!

The first track from the still untitled new LCD Soundsystem record, Drunk Girls is available. There's a few copies of it floating around youtube with unofficial videos, while pitchfork are streaming it here: http://pitchfork.com/news/38291-listen-lcd-soundsystem-drunk-girls/

Sounds decent to me. Typical LCD Soundsystem. Fun, shouty, energetic.

Check it out.

The record hits stores on May 17th on DFA/Parlaphone.

LCD Soundsystem were announced to play Electric Picnic in Stradbally, Co. Laois over the first weekend of September.

The Libertines Set To Reform

So after years of rumours and hearsay, it looks like the day has finally come that Pete and Carl will give in for the huge sums being offered and take to the stage again.

The duo have appeared together on stage briefly a number of times in the last few years and with their respective careers not exactly going to plan (Babyshambles and Dirty Pretty Things feel like a poor imitation of the original incarnation, while Pete's solo album was pretty forgettable) it seemed inevitable that a big payday for the festival scene would get them back together.

The Guardian reports that the duo will pocket a cool £1.5million for the reunion, expected to take place at the Reading and leeds Festivals between 27th and 29th August.

Could be the big gig of the summer that one. Unmissable.

If Pete actually makes it that is.

Live At The Marquee Cork

Today saw the addition of a number of acts (the final bunch, I believe) to Cork's annual Marquee extravaganza. [I'm loathed to refer to it as a festival due to the length of time between opening and closing night. It's more of a season of gigs really.]

Anyway since it's launch in 2005, the Marquee has played host to a number of successful acts - a huge boost to Cork and the people of the city and county who are able to see some great acts without having to travel to Dublin. A rarity, I can tell you!

It was launched as part of the European Capital of Culture programme (One of few successes Cork had with regards to this!) and since has seen the city play host to: *deep breath* Brian Wilson, Nick Cave (Solo), Van Morrison, Kanye West (twice), Bob Dylan, Roger Waters, The Frames, Faithless, Antony & the Johnsons, Duran Duran, 50 Cent, Elton John, Slayer, the Who, Bell X1, Madness, the Flaming Lips, Jay-Z, Paul Simon, Massive Attack, Lou Reed, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, the Prodigy and MANY more.

Last year's "festival" was the least successful. Poor ticket sales, cancellation of major acts (Blondie and Kasabian), mixed reception to the line-up (Ne-Yo, 50 Cent, Anastacia, The Priests) and poor reviews (The Prodigy were butchered for a short set. The band played for less than an hour, whereas the following night they played a set of almost twice the length at Slane in support of Oasis. Kanye West was also seen to be outshone by opening act Kid Cudi, while Lady Gaga and 50 Cent were both criticised also) blighted the event.

It is no surprise then that this year's festivities have taken a different tactic with regard to the acts sought after. JLS and Westlife appeal to the pop angle, though the rest of the acts are certainly of a different vein. The dates are as follows:

June 14th: Megadeth
June 16th: JLS
June 17th: JLS
June 19th: Al Green AND Michael McDonald
June 20th: Kenny Rogers
June 23rd: Jackson Browne & David Lindley
June 25th: Grizzly Bear, Midlake, Camera Obscura & Villagers
June 26th: Horslips
June 27th: Paul Weller
June 29th: The Cranberries
June 30th: Deep Purple
July 1st: Dara O Briain
July 2nd: Dara O Briain
July 3rd: Christy Moore & Declan Sinott
July 6th: Westlife
July 8th: Tony Bennett
July 9th: Madness
July 20th-August 1st: Mammia Mia (16 Shows)

The line-up has had its critics already this year, it must be noted. It seems to be catering towards a very specific audience - or at least age group. Aside from Westlife, JLS and Dara O Briain, there are few that stand out as relevant in terms of modern pop and rock - the inaugural Harmonic event (Grizzly Bear, etc.) aside. Paul Weller, the Cranberries and Megadeth will attract a mix of both young and old (as will many of the others but...) though I can't imagine a huge youth crowd swarming to Tony Bennett or Jackson Browne.

My own ageist failings aside, it is just difficult to see whether the Marquee will boost its ticket sales this year with the events on offer. Last year the focus was TOO pop, this year perhaps it is not enough? In previous years the most successful acts have been the alternative rock acts - Nick Cave & the Flaming Lips spring to mind instantly.

I am sure yet again this year will see a mixture of success and failure. The Marquee seemed to learn their lesson from last year (To my knowledge, Gaga was the only sellout gig) and pandered to a different crowd. Here's hoping it is a success as it would be a shame to see Ireland's second city without this draw. It is rapidly becoming part of the fabric in Cork and I would be devastated to see it go.

Tickets for all of the Live at the Marquee gigs are available from ticketmaster outlets nationwide as well as ticketmaster.ie

Electric Picnic Announce Line-Up!

Congrats to the guys behind Ireland's Boutique Music Festival for getting a stunning group together for this year's bash! I got an email from the Picnic's mailing list a few minutes ago and have been frothing at the mouth since...

Roxy Music, Leftfield, Massive Attack, LCD Soundsystem (they had been heavily rumoured all along), Hot Chip, The Frames, Imelda May, Public Image Limited (PiL), The National, Modest Mouse, Seasick Steve, Mumford & Sons, The Waterboys, Steve Earle, Paul Brady, Jónsi, Fever Ray, Bad Lieutentant, The Low Anthem, Beach House, The New Pornographers, Villagers, Adrian Crowley, Crystal Castles, the Horrors, Messiah J & the Expert, Field Music and many, many more.

That is incredible. Makes Oxegen's line-up look even worse than it already did. Maybe Broken Social Scene and Arcade Fire should swap over to Stradbally. They'd certainly fit in better!

Electric Picnic takes place on 3rd, 4th and 5th September in Co. Laois. Tickets on sale this Friday March 26th and with this line-up they should fly out the door!

Hear 2 New Broken Social Scene Songs!

Get yourself over to http://www.brokensocialscene.ca to check out two new tracks from the forthcoming release Forgiveness Rock Record.

Forced To Love and All To All are available to stream for free on the homepage of the site, or to download (but this costs money - alas cruel fates!)

Whichever you decide to do, listen to these tracks somehow. Stunning. Following on from the gorgeous World Sick, BSS have knocked the ball outta the park with these two. I really can't wait for this record to hit stores...

Forced to Love is a rather lively track, while All to All features Lisa Lobsinger (nah me neither...) on vocals.

Forgiveness Rock Record is out at the beginning of May.

Jónsi covers "Time to Pretend"

Continuing with my MGMT influenced day then...

Check out a simply stunning version of Time to Pretend from MGMT's debut Oracular Spectacular by Jónsi, the frontman of Icelandic band Sigur Ros. It was recorded for the BBC's ever entertaining Live Lounge show.

He plays the song on piano, stripping it of its pop psychedelica. His gorgeous vocal thrown over the chords gives the song an entirely new feel. Something really special here.

It is available for stream on Jónsi's official site: http://jonsi.com/news/jonsi-covers-mgmt

He also played his new single Go Do taken from forthcoming album Go which is due for release at the end of May.

MGMT Stream New Album

Following the now seemingly inevitable leak of MGMT's new album, Congratulations, over the weekend, the band have opted to stream the record in its entirety via their site: http://www.whoismgmt.com/

The band offered this simple statement:
"Hey everybody, the album leaked, and we wanted you to be able to hear it from us. We wanted to offer it as a free download but that didn't make sense to anyone but us."

Presumably, the reason for the stream is to prevent poor quality versions of the album showing up left, right and centre and skewing the opinions of the masses who have been waiting in anticipation for quite some time now.

It is a move that is becoming more and more popular among artists and one that I feel is to be commended. It is all too easy to come across torrents and rapidshare files of almost all new releases online nowadays (e.g. I attempted to search "dirty projectors tour dates" over the weekend, got as far as "dirty projectors t" and google was offering me torrents, while a search for the discography of almost any band will return rapidshare and torrents rather than an article on their works.) Quite often these rips are poor and streaming music in this manner seems to be the best way to get around it.

Anyway after one listen I can say that Congratulations is an okay record but no more than that. It is difficult to pin down any record after just one listen though so I am going to give it another few goes before I offer a full review.

I can't help but feel that the whole affair is rather forced. The Brooklyn boys are trying to emulate the Flaming Lips, providing experimental and psychedelic rhythms, while retaining a little bit of a pop base. Unfortunately in the last 2 years we have seen two records that have accomplished this better than the Lips ever achieved (Yeasayer's Odd Blood and Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion), and should MGMT want to be remembered in this group they will need to up the ante. There are heavy Beach Boys vibes floating through this again in a similar vein to the debut, though the infectious pop that garnered so much well deserved attention for Oracular Spectacular.

That's all I'm going to say on it today anyway! I'll be back during the week with a full review I'd imagine.

Check out Congratulations on http://www.whoismgmt.com/

Indiependence Music Festival!

It's back and better than ever!

Indiependence, located just outside Mitchelstown, Co. Cork, have managed to secure a new and improved site for this year's festival. Details on the official website note a limestone basin (apparently this means that should it rain, it provides great drainage) and a vastly increased acreage that will provide ample space for the Bavaria Main Stage, the Cyprus Avenue Arena, The Square Stage, a comedy tent (yet another new addition to the festival), as well as indoor bars and great food.

The festivities will take place over the August Bank Holiday Weekend - July 30th to August 2nd.

So far the line-up includes: Reverend & The Makers | The Coronas | Jape | Delorentos | Fred | Codes | The Chapters | Wiggle | O Emperor | Fish Go Deep | The Flaws | Yes Cadets | Abedesi Shank | The Riptide Movement | Panama Kings | Hoarsebox | Disconauts | The Loaded Kings | The Vital Spark | Dashka | Heritage Centre | The Funeral Suits | Sweet Jane | Ghostcat | The 202’s | Pocket Promise | The Hot Sprockets | The Parade | Deaf Radio | Death Disco | DC Tempest | Autumn Owls | Ana Gog | Ladydoll

The organisers have promised to announce the festival headliners soon. In recent years we have seen The Proclaimers, the Frank & Walters, The Blizzards, the Sultans of Ping FC, Ocean Colour Scene and Super Furry Animals, so it could be interesting! However, there are already quite a few smallers acts announced who should be enough to garner significant attention.

Highly recommended anyway. Always enjoyable, and with a maximum capacity of 5000, it's a great way to see and discover bands in an intimate setting yet still enjoy the festival atmosphere.

Check out: http://indiependencefestival.com/

Dirty Projectors for Oxegen?

I've been waiting quite a while for this story really. Dirty Projectors were announced as one of the first acts for T in the Park, though not for Oxegen for some reason. Having seen the gaps filled in lately (Broken Social Scene have finally confirmed for TITP for example), I searched for DP at Oxegen news and found a story on entertainment.ie from last Monday (the 15th).

There is no source cited in the article, so entertainment.ie may just be making assumptions based on the other announcements for the two festivals, though I would be surprised (and disappointed!) if Dirty Projectors just played in Scotland. Bitte Orca was my album of the year last year and I am eager to catch these guys live!

For some reason Dirty Projectors official site wouldn't work in my browser so I couldn't establish if there was any fact to this story but fingers crossed... It's looking good anyway.

Oh and meanwhile, on Friday nme.com broke the story regarding the Dead Weather's new album including revised release dates and a title. That's 2 days after I saw it on Swear I'm Not Paul, and some of the details were floating around DW and Jack White related forums before this also... Just how slow is the nme?

Jack White Teams Up With.....

Jay-Z.

That's right. Following in the footsteps of the likes of Chris Martin and eh... Linkin Park (Oh Lord this does NOT bode well...), Jack White has confirmed that he has recorded a song with Jay-Z.

I have the utmost respect for Jay-Z as a businessman, and I respect what he does as a musician (given the rumours that he is likely to clash with Muse at Oxegen it is very likely I may go to see him!) though I can't help being a tad apprehensive about this.

Jack was quoted in GQ magazine as saying that "We did a song together a few weeks ago. It was incredible. I played him something that I've been kicking around for a while and he immediately came out with words for it. It's unbelievable-sounding."

So here's hoping it goes a little better than Jack's collaboration with Alicia Keys...

No details on the release of the song have been announced yet.

The Holy Roman Army

Continuing with Irish themed day (it's been a pretty green few weeks in reality!), I can thank the ever wonderful nialler9 for introducing me to the Holy Roman Army.

A Carlow born brother-sister duo, the Holy Roman Army recently released the Desecrations EP, a 5 track cover album available for free download (I'll post the link at the end of the article!)

It is a unique blend of synth-pop, post-punk and electronica. Their remarkable debut album, How The Light Gets In, was released last year to widespread critical praise. I didn't come across them until this EP release, drawn in by the creative reworking of tracks by Bon Iver, the Pixies and more. A real treat, check them out!

http://www.myspace.com/theholyromanarmy

Download Desecrations and it's glorious versions of Wave of Mutilation, Speed to My Side, Skinny Love, Not At Home and Here either individually or as a whole via: http://theholyromanarmy.bandcamp.com/

Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Daoibh

It is that time of year again where Irish all over the world creep out of the woodwork, don the green outfits, silly hats and consume vast amounts of Guinness, Irish whiskey, etc, etc...

A quick glance to any corner of the blogosphere and you will see green tinged Bostonians plugging their favourite Dropkick Murphy's track (they'd be the awful Massachusetts natives that contributed their own brand of celtic punk to the soundtrack of the Departed), an abundance of trad ceol flooding the web, and, of course, a million and one U2 and Thin Lizzy tracks...

Now don't get me wrong I actually quite like U2 (weeeell... Boy anyway...) and Thin Lizzy, and I'm not gonna make the claim that I like traditional music today if I don't every other day of the year, I just find it rather frustrating that the vast abundance of talented Irish musicians fall through the cracks and achieve, at best, cult hero status in this country.

This post is less relevant to the Irish blogging community who are doing their level best (and a mighty fine job I must say - see Swear I'm Not Paul, 2 U I Bestow, MP3 Hugger and Nialler9 for evidence!) to increase the profile of Irish musicians in this country and globally, while the recently established Choice Music Prize is helping no end. However it is still sad to see talented acts like Jape, the Frames (though Glen's profile in particular has increased abroad since the Oscar winning Once) and more failing to see their talent complemented in record sales.

I am coming across as quite bitter in this post I feel, and I guess that is the case. It saddens me that the extraordinary talent in this country is falling by the wayside and there is next to nothing being done to rectify this. Too often, some of the finest musicians in the country achieve success with one song and due to this become nothing more than a novelty - The Stunning, for example. I know they had modest success in this country, but ask anyone to name a song other than "Brewing Up A Storm" and you'll struggle to find an answer. See Something Happens, the Sultans of Ping FC, A House and many more...

Below I am going to post a list of essential Irish musicians (in the folk and alternative rock vein, rather than stadium rock and trad) that I urge you to check out. To any Irish readers these may be familiar names, though I hope that this may attract the gaze of some international music lovers eager to celebrate La Feile Padraig with a little bit of Irish.

1. Adrian Crowley. A stunning singer-songwriter and the recipient of this year's Choice Music Prize. Crowley has been long overlooked in his homeland, despite extensive critical praise. His songwriting has been compared to Badly Drawn Boy, Tim Buckley and more, while his vocal has drawn comparisons with Charlie Fink of Noah & The Whale. I feel that Crowley is the pinnacle of Irish songwriting at present. Check out The Wishing Seat from 2009's Season of the Sparks for proof of this.
2. James Vincent McMorrow. I have spoken extensively on this guy in recent weeks. His debut album Early in the Morning has just hit stores and is a magnificent work. Stunning, subtle vocals coupled with whimsical folk guitars - it draws inevitable comparisons with Bon Iver, though also owes much to the likes of Neil Young, Band of Horses and Sam Beam. I feel it is the finest Irish release in the last ten years, and is a forerunner for my album of the year.
3. Patrick Kelleher. I was blown away by this guy when I heard the album in full. He is not a typical Irish singer-songwriter - his debut You Look Cold pays homage to everyone from the Cocteau Twins, David Byrne, Ian Curtis and Jeff Buckley. In parts, the shrill vocal and infectious drum beats almost resemble the newest release from Yeasayer (and let's not forget that Odd Blood hit stores a full two months after Kelleher's record did) It has electronic undertones and synthetic drum beats adding a totally new dimension to an oft tired genre. A really special record that begs the question - why are so few experimental albums released in this country? Check out the glorious Coat To Wear. One of the highlights of music in 2009 for me, not just with regard to the Irish music scene. This was a strong challenger to the critical darlings Grizzly Bear, Animal Collective, Dirty Projectors, the Low Anthem, the xx and the Antlers for 'record of the year' come December last.
4. O Emperor. The rising stars of the Irish alternative rock scene, this half breed Cork-Waterford mongrel have critics oozing over them (myself included) before a debut album is even completed (rumour has it that May could be a release date, though this is subject to change). The few tracks that have surfaced (the highlight is Po for me!) suggest that influence is drawn from Radiohead, Wilco, Pink Floyd, Grizzly Bear and Fleet Foxes - an ambitious quintet to emulate indeed! It results in a unique mix, rather different to most of the emerging alterna-rock scene in this country.
5. Villagers. It was inevitable that Conor O'Brien would end up on this list. For me, he is an exciting musician. Looking at his second bite of the cherry (project number one: The Immediate split having barely released their first record), O'Brien has considerable hype surrounding his new project. Vocal comparisons are drawn with Conor Oberst, and early tracks indicate that the debut release will be something special when it hits stores in May.

Thanks if you stuck with me for this long, I realise that it is quite a long post. The Irish music scene is something very dear to my heart, and it really hurts me to see so many talented musicians fall by the wayside due to lack of exposure and opportunity. I urge you to check out not just the 5 mentioned above, but the ever expanding numbers of supremely talented musicians on this island.

And finally, Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Have a good one!

The Dead Weather Announce New Album

I'm not quite sure how this one managed to slip by me! I'm usually well informed of all things Jack White related. Anyway thanks to Swear I'm Not Paul for posting about the new album by Jack White's third band (I'm giving position number 2 to the Raconteurs not just due to the fact that they existed first, but are also vastly superior!)

The album will be called 'Sea of Cowards'.

We know that the tracks Blue Blood Blues (try saying that after a few pints...) and Die by the Drop are to be included on the follow up to last year's Horehound, while Jack has also told us that the record is heavier than the last.

It hits stores on the same day as every other major record this year - May 7th here, May 11 in the US (the same day as the Black Keys, the National, LCD Soundsystem and more!)

Should be interesting. The lead single hits stores next week.

Grizzly Bear & Midlake to play Cork!

There's been a bit of a buzz doing the rounds about this for about a week or so now. Grizzly Bear were rumoured to be playing a "secret" gig in Ireland, initially thought to be in Dublin, but then confirmed to be outside the capital. We were promised an announcement today, and it has more than delivered on the excitement that's been building!

For the inaugural Harmonic event (Harmonic was put together by Aiken Promotions and independent promoter Leagues O'Toole, with a view to forming a mass gathering of independent music lovers in Cork City.) live at the Marquee, the people of Cork are going to be treated to FOUR great acts on the one bill - Grizzly Bear, Midlake, Camera Obscura and Villagers.

I, for one, am very excited about this. It's all too rare that Cork is treated to acts of such quality, let alone all in one go - AND for a paltry €35!

Here's hoping that it is a success and that we can look forward to it becoming a summer tradition in Cork!

Tickets go on sale this Friday (March 19th) and are available from ticketmaster outlets countrywide.

The National Announce Tracklisting For "High Violet"

As the title of this post suggests, the National have finally announced the tracklisting to their new record, High Violet. The album will hit stores in the UK on May 10th (and very likely the Friday before in Ireland) on 4AD.

The band have said before how difficult a time they have when selecting the final tracks for an album, often scrapping songs they had stuck with the whole way through at the last second so this is big news for National fans!

The tracklisting is below.

01 Terrible Love
02 Sorrow
03 Anyone's Ghost
04 Little Faith
05 Afraid of Everyone
06 Bloodbuzz Ohio
07 Lemonworld
08 Runaway
09 Conversation 16
10 England
11 Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks

Album Reviews: The White Stripes; "Under Great White Northern Lights"

Last Friday saw the first release by the White Stripes since 2007's 'Icky Thump'. Under Great White Northern Lights is a hotly anticipated CD/DVD package, the latter containing a 92 minute documentary on a unique tour that saw the Stripes play the world's shortest gig, on a school bus and in an old folks home to name but three.

It is also worth noting that following the culmination of this tour, the White Stripes were forced to cancel the rest of their tour due to Meg's battle with anxiety and have not toured since. Hopefully they can put this right in the near future, but as it stands Under Great White Northern Lights documents the final days of the White Stripes.

As for the CD, it is a 59 minute collection of 16 tracks - each taken from separate stops on the Canadian exploration. The songs are seamlessly stitched together, providing a mixture of crowd pleasers (Fell in Love With A Girl, I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself, Seven Nation Army), album tracks (The Union Forever, 300MPH Torrential Outpour Blues, We Are Going To Be Friends) and even b-sides (Let's Shake Hands, When I Hear My Name).

The Stripes are really in their element in the live arena, though due to the decision to select songs from different gigs rather than record a single performance, some of this feels lost. Generally their live shows are characterized by the frantic interchange between songs, often performing half of one track, bits of three or four more before returning to the first song again, unfortunately this is not evident here.

Though that said, Jack and Meg truly sound like they are enjoying themselves on this record. Jack breathes life into many of the tracks with his wailing guitar and stunning vocal, while Meg's oft-criticised drumming has clearly evolved in the years that the duo have been performing. Highlights for me are Let's Shake Hands and When I Hear My Name, though with 6 full length albums and an extensive b-side and cover collection to choose from, a number of great tracks are inevitable omitted - think The Denial Twist.

As a live record, Under Great White Northern Lights is one of the better offerings in a difficult genre. It sits alongside Wilco's Kicking Television as one of the best I have heard in a long time.

However, as a live document of the White Stripes this ultimately misses the target. For greater insight into the intricate workings of the uniquely frantic and mesmerising displays, try get your hands on the Stripes' headline set from Glastonbury 2005. This set is what allowed me to conclude that the White Stripes were the finest band in the world - something that has only slightly wavered in recent years. The rapid interchange between tracks, intermittent with repeated plays of Passive Manipulation and Ball and Biscuit are evidence of why many claim the White Stripes are the finest live band in the world (competition for this prize comes from Wilco and Muse, though I can't abide the latter)

In summation, Under Great White Northern Lights is a fine record, essential for any White Stripes fan. As a standalone release, it is top notch; including the vast majority of the Stripes' live favourites in a solid recording. You can't criticise the production on this one bit! In fact, the only time I can find fault with the record is when I compare it to previous live recordings.

The White Stripes; Under Great White Northern Lights: 8.5/10. Good all round record, well recorded; though the regular frantic fluidity of the White Stripes live performances feels maligned next to the faultless production. Very enjoyable.

And Now For Something Completely Different...

I realise that I tend to be quite serious on this blog, though that is just my nature when I come to talking about music. Anyway I have decided to finish this week on a lighter note by posting the video to the new She & Him song, "In the Sun".

To those not in the know, She & Him is a collaboration between Zooey Deschanel (of [500] Days of Summer fame) and M. Ward (part-time Monster of Folk) and this track comes from the upcoming release, Volume Two. The song, and video actually, reminds me quite a bit of 1,2,3,4 by Feist - in a light-hearted and enjoyable pop-folk track way, and it gives me an opportunity to stare lovingly at the gorgeous Zooey so...

She also does a rather good cover of the Smiths classic, Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want so check it out if you get a chance!

Anyway I'm off to spend the weekend enjoying the new White Stripes release - a CD and DVD double pack of their live tour of Canada in 2007. Expect a review some time next week.

Have a good one!

Tracklisting Announced For Villagers' Debut

I caught this news on the consistently great Swear I'm not Paul. Following on from yesterday's announcement of a number of Irish dates, Villagers have announced the tracklisting for their highly anticipated debut, Becoming A Jackal. The record will be preceeded by the title track as a single (the video of which I posted earlier this week actually), and will hit stores on May 14th on Domino Records.

The tracklisting is as follows:

'I Saw The Dead’
‘Ship Of Promises’
‘The Meaning Of The Ritual’
‘Home’
‘That Day’
‘The Pact (I’ll Be Your Fever)’
‘Set The Tigers Free’
‘Twenty-Seven Strangers'
‘Pieces’
‘To Be Counted Among Men’
'Becoming a Jackal'

Looking forward to this one!

Villagers Announce Irish Tour Dates

Via MySpace, Villagers have announced a number of tour dates around Ireland in support of the album release this May.

May 19th Set Theatre KILKENNY
May 20th Cyprus Avenue CORK
May 21st Roisin Dubh GALWAY
May 22nd The Button Factory DUBLIN

Conor also says there are more dates to be added soon.

Judging from the appearance on Other Voices and a number of rave reviews I have heard, I would imagine these will be well worth a look!

The National Debut New Song!

Last week it was confirmed that the National would be releasing their next record, High Violet on May 10th. Well last night saw the debuting of the first track off this record, Terrible Love, on Jimmy Fallon.

Sounds rather like an epic, Edge-guitar fuelled stadium track. I always enjoyed how the National were capable of writing big sounding songs without falling into the epic rock category (the Kings of Leon Use Somebody would be what I'm referring to here - needlessly overblown. Muse all too often manage this too, while the likes of Snow Patrol and the Killers seem to be striving to achieve it!) so let's hope they continue this on the forthcoming LP.

Above is the artwork for the record... A little different from the simple black album covers of Alligator and Boxer, though I like it.

Check out the track below.

... Okay for some reason I'm having quite a few connection problems today. Apologies but the video will not upload much to my intense frustration.

Follow this youtube link for more... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GdlsaQH6ao

Other Voices (My Final Post On It - I Promise!)

And so the curtain falls on another fine season of Ireland's premier music showcase!

I know I tend to prattle on about it quite frequently on here but I promise this is the last! I just feel that such a show is rare, especially in these parts, and deserves widespread recognition - and if me oozing over the Antlers, O Emperor or whoever else graces my screen helps then I'm glad!

This series (the 8th!) saw a great collection of artists perform in Dingle, personal highlights include Imelda May (that girl's voice never fails to amaze me), the xx, the Antlers, Megafaun, Fionn Regan and Villagers.

I would urge anyone who missed Villagers on last night's finale to catch the repeat on Sunday (or check out the RTE Player. I'm not sure if the show is up there but I'd be surprised if it isn't) Conor O'Brien and co. played three songs: the first, Under the Sea vastly different to the second and third. Displayed a real versatility in terms of energy and songwriting and has me rather excited over the prospect of a debut album (Conor said April when interviewed by Annie Mac, though this is subject to change!)

Other Voices has also opened up a number of doors in terms of new bands for me. It was my first encounter with O Emperor in a live setting, while I was introduced to the Lost Brothers, Valerie Frances and (just a day after I had discovered him!) was treated to a live song from James Vincent McMorrow (and a fabulous performance too I must say).

It is highly commendable that in this era of music channels running 24/7 that RTE will still put a show of this ilk and calibre out there for the equal benefit of musicians (how much will someone like McMorrow or Villagers benefit from being shown alongside Richard Hawley for example?) and music lovers. I hope that this time next year I can post another blog in which I attempt to describe my utter joy at another magnificent season of Other Voices.

I'd like to finish this with a quote from Richard Hawley in which he describes his perceptions of the gorgeous Dingle:

"It's like Balamory. But with beer."

Couldn't be more accurate!

Below is Fionn Regan performing In the Shadow of an Empire and Catacombs on last week's show. Check out http://www.othervoices.ie for blogs, pictures, videos and more.

James Vincent McMorrow

I seem to be on a roll lately. I am encountering better and better records as the days go by, and a huge portion of these, I am glad to say, are the product of Irish artists. At Last An Atlas, Patrick Kelleher, Fionn Regan... We can now add the simply wonderful James Vincent McMorrow to that list.

While doing my daily trawl of blogs last night I came across one (which I have spent a good half hour looking for today and for the life of me I can't remember who it was!) that described this Irish singer-songwriter as "an Irish Bon Iver" - this was enough to catch my gaze. I got my hands on If I Had A Boat and Follow You Down To The Red Oak Tree and was so impressed that I stopped in HMV on my way to college this morning to buy the album, Early in the Morning.

Since I got home at around 2 o'clock, I have played this cd non-stop. It is absolutely stunning.

I can see where the inevitable Justin Vernon comparisons are coming from - the two bare a strong vocal comparison, while McMorrow also took to solitude to put his songs to record (in the sleeve notes we are told that it was a little house by the beach rather than an isolated woodland cabin), however there is more on offer here than a tribute to For Emma, Forever Ago.

McMorrow's music is heavily in debted to his influences - Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Jeff Buckley; while it is also clear to hear the influence of contemporary artists such as Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses and Sam Beam. Both vocally and instrumentally, Early in the Morning is shaped by these artists and it provides a stunning patchwork that is deserving of a place in the annals of Irish musical history.

This album does not possess the same rustic charm as the likes of For Emma, Forever Ago or Fleet Foxes, though it more than makes up for this with a heartbreaking emotional intimacy that I have not felt since the former, as well as the glorious vocals that garnered both widespread appraisal.

The eleven tracks on the record roll seamlessly into one another, beginning with the sombre If I Had A Boat and evolving into the rather more upbeat and folky Hear The Noise That Moves So Soft And Low. Track 3, Sparrow and the Wolf is the peak of the album in terms of energy, though the intimacy and delicacy of the record is never let go. This Old Dark Machine, From The Woods!!, We Don't Eat, And If My Heart Should Somehow Stop... The beautiful folk sensibilities are aplenty here. McMorrow has taken the best of his inspirations and sewn together a patchwork that will last through the ages.

A triumph and a must have. It joins the list of essential modern Irish records - Fitzcarraldo, O, The End of History, necessary for any record collection in my opinion.

Check out the magnificent James Vincent McMorrow at:
http://myspace.com/jamesvmcmorrow
http://www.jamesvmcmorrow.com

It has also come to my attention that James will be on tonights (Wednesay 10th March, repeated next Sunday the 14th) Other Voices - should be well worth a look!

New MGMT Song!

Woah.

They promised us an experiment and it is safe to say that this certainly is NOT Kids Part II.

The track, Flash Delereium is available from the band's website, http://www.whoismgmt.com and it is well worth a listen. I was swept up in the hype surrounding these guys around the time of the debut and have been waiting in anticipation for new material, especially given the snippets of information they've been feeding us. No singles, experimental, etc...

In just 4 minutes and 16 seconds, the Brooklyn duo treat us to a mish-mash of eastern strings, flutes, and horns, while hopping from one irreverent style to another. A premise so ridiculous that it could have fallen flat on it's face, though somehow Flash Delerium is listenable and has me desperate for more.

Pitchfork describe the track as "wild" and I agree with this. A frantic, creative experiment, MGMT have done enough to whet my appetite. April 13th can't get here soon enough!

Album Reviews: Broken Bells

This is an album that has garnered significant attention since its announcement (and seemingly inevitable leak) last year. A collaboration between James Mercer of the Shins and Danger Mouse (working under his real name, Brian Burton, for the first time ever) was always going to catch the gaze of the masses, especially given the strength of the lead single The High Road.

The record finally hit stores in Ireland last Friday (March 5th), and has received a number of plays across the weekend on my iPod. However, repeated listens have just led me to ask the question - is James Mercer capable of creating music that doesn't sound like the Shins? This is not entirely a bad thing. I have always enjoyed the work put out by the Shins, but it is fair to say that when you combine this template with the varied and unique production of one such as Danger Mouse (see: Gnarls Barkley, Gorillaz' Demon Days and, of course, the Grey Album) you expect something creative and original, rather than the safezone that Mercer has occupied since 2001's Oh, Inverted World.

This self titled release ambles between synth-pop and familiar acoustic guitar sounds, with Mercer's vocal wrapped around the melody. From time to time, we encounter hints toward an experimental side, however it is all too clear that Burton's influence is far too subdued on the majority of tracks. There are subtle drum rhythms and hip-hop beats that have epitomised much of Burton's work, though these are lost beneath the habitual Shins feeling that Mercer brings to this.

There are a number of very good pop songs on this: see October, Your Head is on Fire, The Ghost Inside and Vaporize, however none come close to the high standard of the High Road - a problem that was also attributed to Mercer's last work (The lead single from Wincing the Night Away, Australia far outstripped the rest of the album).

On first listen, Broken Bells could be mistaken for the 4th release from the Shins rather than a daring new collaboration. However, multiple listens to reveal a hidden depth. Burton's input is evident, though heavily suppressed on the majority of songs, and it does manage to steer the record in a wayward direction - most notably on Mongrel Heart. This track has a vibe that hovers between the Cure and Joy Division and evolves into something completely different, it's early drum beat and synthesiser undertones evolve into a glorious barrage of trumpets that would not sound out of place on a release by Beirut.

Ultimately this album delivers precisely what many had expected when we were told of a James Mercer/Danger Mouse collaboration. There are ten solid songs on offer, though the album does not push the boundaries as I had hoped. The Sunday Times remarked that while the album was enjoyable, it feels like a series of demos and I am inclined to echo this sentiment. I like Broken Bells, more so with every listen, and I am hopeful that should be treated to a second release in the future that Brian Burton may feel his influence extend a little further over the recording process. This double act have shown much potential on this album, though there is room for improvement and experimentation.

Broken Bells; Broken Bells: 8.0/10: Much to enjoy, however it feels as though they played it a little safe for my liking.

Arcade Fire Confirmed For Oxegen 2010

What a great way to start the week. I was starting to get rather cold on the idea of Oxegen this summer - the cons of the line-up (think Eminem, the Black Eyed Peas and the very likely addition of 30 Seconds To Mars) were certainly outweighing the pros (Broken Social Scene, Hot Chip), though this morning I awoke to the glorious news that two new acts have been announced: Fat Boy Slim and, something I am FAR more excited about, Arcade Fire!

I have been a massive Arcade Fire fan since Funeral was released - the album sat atop my top top 100 releases for the last decade, and would be extremely close to, if not at, the pinnacle of an all time list.

This announcement has all but confirmed my attendance at Punchestown this summer. Hopefully we'll be offered a few more treats across the course of the day to sweeten the deal (I'm thinking any of the National, Pavement, the Black Keys, LCD Soundsystem and a few more would be nice, and possible given current release dates and touring patterns)

Presale tickets for Oxegen 2010 went on sale this morning to all registered users, while tickets are on general release this Friday.

R.I.P. Sparklehorse's Mark Linkous

I write today with great sorrow. According to a Rolling Stone report, Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse has committed suicide. His family have released a statement reading, "It is with great sadness that we share the news that our dear friend and family member, Mark Linkous, took his own life today. We are thankful for his time with us and will hold him forever in our hearts. May his journey be peaceful, happy and free. There's a heaven and there’s a star for you."

Details of his death have not yet been released.

This tragic news comes just days after it was confirmed that Dark Night Of The Soul, a project featuring Sparklehorse, Danger Mouse and film director David Lynch, was finally to be released following a long, bitter dispute between Danger Mouse and EMI.

My thoughts and best wishes are with the friends and family of Mark Linkous at this difficult time.

New National Album

May is shaping up to be a standout month in the music calender this year. Already this week we have had confirmations of releases from the Black Keys, LCD Soundsystem and Band of Horses, while I had previously reported on the upcoming release from Broken Social Scene. The Hold Steady will also be releasing their newest record.

Now we can add the National to this. Entitled High Violet, we are told that the follow up to Boxer will be in shops in the UK on May 10th, the US on the 11th and I would imagine Ireland on the 7th.

They have a tough job to match up to their recent work - Boxer and Alligator are widely considered to be among the finest alternative albums of the century so far, while their contributions to Dark Was The Night, "So Far Around The Bend" was without a doubt the finest track on a stunning two disc compilation featuring the likes of the Arcade Fire, Sufjan Stevens, Yeasayer and many more.

Here's hoping that the National will expand their current tour to include Irish shores - as of yet the only European dates are in London, Berlin and Paris (with Pavement). A festival appearance or two may be on the cards as the planned dates conclude on June 16th.

LCD Soundsystem Confirm Release Date of New Album

May 18th is shaping up to be one expensive day... Earlier this week it was confirmed that Band of Horses and the Black Keys will both be releasing their new albums on the aforementioned day, and today pitchfork have confirmed that LCD Soundsystem will be releasing their third album too!

James Murphy has not given us a title as of yet, simply letting us know that the record is 65 minutes in length and consists of 9 tracks, while the first single will be either "Drunk Girls" or "Change" we are told.

Murphy also commented in the past that this will be his final record under the LCD Soundsystem moniker and that he intends to tour on it too. Hopefully a few festival appearances could be lined up - I could see this guy at Electric Picnic. (Hopefully alongside Arcade Fire, though I may just be dreaming now!)

The following are the titles of the songs that will appear on the album:
Dance Yrself Clean
Drunk Girls
One Touch
All I Want
Change
Hit
Pow Pow
Somebody's Calling Me
What You Need

The last two releases from LCD Soundsystem have been highly enjoyable, so here's hoping that this is continued this year!

*By the way, it has come to my attention that May 18th is actually a Tuesday. I'm not quite sure Americans release albums on Tuesdays, but we can expect LCD Soundsystem, Band of Horses and the Black Keys in stores in Ireland either the Friday before or after, depending on record companies. Recent releases (Yeasayer, Vampire Weekend and Midlake) have all been the Friday BEFORE so let's hope this continues too!

New Villagers' video, and more!

I came across the new video by Conor O'Brien (that's Villagers to the rest of us!) on the ever reliable Nialler9 this week. Entitled "Becoming A Jackal", it is due to hit stores on a limited edition 7" vinyl on April 17th - Record Store Day. It is a gorgeous song, similar to the work we've already heard from this project.

As of yet I have not managed to catch Conor live yet, though I have been informed that this song was always among the standout tracks of the live set, alongside "The Meaning of the Ritual".

Villagers are currently in the midst of an extensive tour that sees them play a number of gigs at SXSW in Austin, Texas in the coming weeks, before returning to Ireland to support Wild Beasts.

Check out "Becoming A Jackal" below.



Continuing with the Irish theme of today's posts, I would urge you to cast your gaze towards At Last An Atlas, a Dublin project by Greg O'Brien. On February 5th, this guy released his full length solo debut - From Which We Were Raised, following a split release with Paul O'Reilly last year called Ships Leaving. The highlight of this split release was the stunning "Eimear Hush". A beautiful, lo-fi folk track with electronic undertones - very Postal Service.

Below I have posted the track "Heaven Knows" taken from the full length release, From Which We Were Raised It is another gorgeous electronic, folk track. I can't recommend this guy highly enough.

Adrian Crowley Wins Choice Music Prize

Last night saw the annual Choice Music Prize ceremony in Vicar Street Dublin. I have already posted on this earlier this week in anticipation of what is rapidly becoming an Irish alternative music tradition.

Much to my delight Adrian Crowley was presented with the award for the simply gorgeous "Season of the Sparks", beating off the likes of And So I Watch You From Afar, Bell X1, The Duckworth Lewis Method and the Swell Season, amongst others (including previous winner Julie Feeney, and my tip for the win - Valerie Frances.)

He joins the likes of Jape and the Divine Comedy in collecting this commendation. Crowley was clearly stunned by the award, left all but speechless. Congratulations Adrian, and here's hoping that you will grace us with another stunning record sooner rather than later.

Check out Adrian Crowley winning the Choice Music Prize below, as well as "The Wishing Seat", the standout track from the winning album, Season of the Sparks.

Magic Magic

I first stumbled across these guys after a stunning review in the Sunday Times. Their debut release was given 5 out of 5, a rarity for established acts in the Times, let alone a complete unknown quantity such as Magic Magic! I fully expected the hype to grow and grow, though this has not happened!

The band have impressed year after year at SXSW in Austin, and it seems as though everyone who is lucky enough to have encountered them is totally hooked.

Though rare, I have found a number of reviews scattered across the blogosphere for the bands debut album (available via RoughTrade!), each oozing over the creativity and amazing maturity for such an inexperienced band. I have found myself in disagreement with much of what was written, however. All too often the comparison has been drawn with Arcade Fire and Radiohead, and while I see slight resemblances, I can't help but feel that the band often veers into territory more associated with Wilco, the Kinks or My Morning Jacket.

The swooning vocals of "Over Your Heart", the highlight of the debut, sounds similar to other releases from around the same period such as the Shins, Band of Horses or even Broken Social Scene, though the jangly guitar of "Squid Hunt" (a more recent song that is not included on the nine track debut) and "Bat People" hark towards influences from afar - think Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs fame. Often I found myself thinking of the Maccabees.

The NME, at the time of the album's release, dismissed the "lazy Arcade Fire comparisons", suggesting that the band resembled the Concretes. Boasting two drummers, this is an album that shows tremendous versatility. Perhaps the most evident clue of this dynamic nature is the fact that bloggers, journalists and fans have found it so difficult to pinpoint a major influence.

Check the band out at MySpace for more information: http://www.myspace.com/magicmagicband

The page also contains links to Rough Trade and InSound, from where you can buy the album, as well as a player filled with gorgeous songs, including the one below. It is a rare privilege to discover a band such as Magic Magic. To quote the glowing NME review of their debut - "Don't believe the lack of hype."

Band of Horses Announce New Album!

Wow. May 18th is shaping up to be a great day for me anyway. Yesterday I was rambling about bluesy Ohio duo The Black Keys releasing their new album on that day, and today I was delighted to read that Band of Horses are to release album number three on the same day!

Pitchfork have reported that the record will be called Infinite Arms and was helmed by Phil Ek, who produced the bands other two (and equally gorgeous) records, Cease to Begin and Everything all the Time. This record features all five members of the band for the first time on one record, prompting frontman Ben Bridwell to remark that this, in many ways, is the bands first album. I can't recommend these guys highly enough. Stunning vocals (think Wayne Coyne, Neil Young and Jim James rolled into one) coupled with gorgeous guitars. Simplicity reigns supreme yet again...

Check out the live version of "Is There a Ghost", as performed on Letterman, below; and if you have the time have a look at "The Funeral", "The General Specific" and "Ode to LRC" for more!

The previous two records, Cease to Begin and Everything All The Time are available on Subpop and, while there is no confirmation as yet, I would imagine this one will be too. Infinite Arms will be in stores on May 18th.

The Black Keys Return With New Album

The Black Keys have confirmed that they will release their 8th full length album on May 18th on Nonesuch Records. It will be called "Brothers". It's the first release since the sublime "Attack & Release" and is produced by the duo themselves, except for one track that will be produced by Danger Mouse who was behind "Attack & Release".

The tracklisting is as follows:


01 Everlasting Light
02 Next Girl
03 Tighten Up [Produced by Danger Mouse]
04 Howlin' for You
05 She's Long Gone
06 Black Mud
07 The Only One
08 Too Afraid to Love You
09 Ten Cent Pistol
10 Sinister Kid
11 The Go Getter
12 I'm Not the One
13 Unknown Brother
14 Never Gonna Give You Up
15 These Days

It was thought that we might be waiting a little longer for more from the Black Keys given a number of other projects: BlakRoc (a hip-hop collaboration with Damon Dash), a solo release from frontman Dan Auerbach and a project entitled Drummer from Patrick Carney, the bands eh.. drummer...

Track 14 should be an interesting one - it is a cover of the Jerry Butler song posted below.




The Black Keys, I feel, are among the most underrated acts in modern music. Despite receiving plaudits from John Peel, Letterman, Rolling Stone magazine and more they don't seem to have reached a widespread audience. They have been releasing consistently solid bluesy rock 'n' roll since 2002's "The Big Come Up", with standout tracks along the way including "Psychotic Girl", "Strange Times", "I Got Mine" and "Hurt Like Mine". There have been inevitable comparisons with the White Stripes for years (both consist of a singer/guitarist and drummer and are heavily influenced by the blues and garage stylings of everyone from Blind Willie McTell and Robert Johnson to the Stones and Iggy Pop & the Stooges) The duo have also flourished in the live setting, evident from this performance of "I Got Mine" on the Live From Abbey Road show on Channel 4.



The band have confirmed several dates in America, and rumour has it they should be going further afield during the summer. Fingers crossed for an Irish date! Here's hoping that Auerback and Carney can deliver yet another solid work when "Brothers" hits the shops in May. Sometimes you can't beat that raw, stripped back, simplistic sound...

First Day Of Spring

I can't help but notice that every time I turn on the tv or radio today I am hearing that today, March 1st, is the first day of spring... Here was me thinking that spring started on February 1st? When did this change?

Anyways, while I do enjoy the winter, I cant help but love the beginning of spring. As cheesy as it sounds it does feel like a new beginning I think. Here's a few videos that equate to this oh so corny sentiment...



This one comes from the album entitled "The First Days of Spring" which marked a stunning departure for a band known for pop tunes consisting of banjos and whistling. This showcases their folk undertones, though has the suggestion that better times are approaching, rather than the title track which, for me at least, finds itself submerged in wintry dead-end attitudes.



This stunning track has all the requirements of a stadium filling classic, though it retains a gorgeous indie rock undertone throughout. Intimate and glorious, this live version features David Bowie on guest vocals and is all the better for it.



This medley by Seattle's finest was performed on "Under the Basement" and was one of the series highlights. Fleet Foxes' sublime debut evokes a stunning array of visuals, this medley continues this. I always felt that it had a spring element to it...

Choice Music Prize 2009

That magical night is rolling around again - the Choice Music Prize 2009. Celebrating the best in Irish music, the Choice Prize was established in 2005 and follows a smiliar pattern to the Mercury Music Prize in recognising Irish releases from the previous twelve months.

We've seen Julie Feeney, Jape, The Divine Comedy and Super Extra Bonus Party win the last 4, beating off some stunning albums including Bell X1 "Flock", Messiah J & The Expert "Now This I Have To Hear", Fionn Regan "The End Of History" and Mick Flannery "White Lies".

The nominees this year are:
And So I Watch You From Afar; "And So I Watch You From Afar"
Bell X1; "Blue Lights on the Runway"
Codes; "Trees Dream In Algebra"
Adrian Crowley; "Season of the Sparks"
Dark Room Notes; "We Love You Dark Matter"
The Duckworth Lewis Method; "The Duckworth Lewis Method"
Julie Feeney; "Pages"
Valerie Francis; "Slow Dynamo"
Laura Izibor; "Let The Truth Be Told"
The Swell Season; "Strict Joy"

What can we expect this year? My favourites from that list are Adrian Crowley and the Duckworth Lewis Method, though I could see Laura Izibor or Valerie Frances walking away with it, while And So I Watch You From Afar and Codes are highly rated.

Surprised that there's no nomination for Patrick Kelleher's "You Look Cold", which I think is the best Irish album released in the last year, but I've come to expect that from awards such as this!

Paddy Power have installed Valerie Frances as the favourite to win, and I was following the same line of thought myself.

Tickets are still available at 27euro for the event which takes place on Wednesday in Vicar Street. Always a good night out!