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‘As one boy’s journey, Lean on Pete is as real as blood: as a novel it is remarkable. Willy Vlautin, romantic and realist, has written something special that will make you shudder, weep, rage and wonder at how such things happen and do, and how some individuals such as Charley can suffer them, absorb the grief, and somehow survive. How good is contemporary US fiction? This good: catch your breath good.’
Eileen Battersby, Irish Times Book Review "Lean on Pete" |
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Willy Vlautin
New Novel "Lean on Pete"
Available on Faber and Faber
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Willy Vlautin, the critically acclaimed novelist and frontman of the band RICHMOND FONTAINE, returns to Ireland to promote his new novel "LEAN ON PETE" and perform acoustic shows accompanied by bandmate Dan Eccles. ::: LIVE ::: Irish Dates
Willy will be accompanied by Richmond Fontaine guitarist Dan Eccles
March 10 - Galway - Rosin Dubh
March 11 - Limerick - Dolans
March 13 - Dublin - Whelans (two shows 7:30 & 10:00) For Information / Interview requests:
Stevo Berube / Berube Communications info@berubecommunications.com or +353 (0)87 244 2695
"Lean On Pete": Fifteen-year-old Charley Thompson wants a home. Food on the table and in the cupboard; a high school he can attend for more than part of a year; and some structure to his life. But as the son of single father working at warehouses across the Pacific Northwest, Charley’s been pretty much on his own for sometime.
Lean on Pete opens as Charley and his father arrive in Portland, Oregon and Charley takes a stables job, illegally, at the local race track. Once part of a vibrant racing network, Portland Meadows is now seemingly the last haven for washed up jockeys and knackered horses, but it’s there that Charley meets Pete, an old horse who becomes his companion as he’s forced to try and make his own way in the world.
A portrait of a journey - populated by a vivid cast of characters against a harsh landscape - Lean on Pete is also the unforgettable story of a friendship and of hope in dark times. Willy Vlautin: Born and raised in Reno, Nevada, Vlautin started playing guitar and writing songs as a teenager and quickly became immersed in music. It was a Paul Kelly song, based on Raymond Carver’s Too Much Water So Close to Home that inspired him to start writing stories. Vlautin has published two novels, The Motel Life (2007) and Northline (2008).
Vlautin founded the band Richmond Fontaine in 1994. The band has produced eight studio albums to date, plus a handful of live recordings and EP’s. Driven by Vlautin’s dark, story-like songwriting, the band has achieved critical acclaim at home and across Europe.
Vlautin currently resides in Scappoose, Oregon, and has just released Richmond Fontaine’s eighth album We Used to Think the Freeway Sounded Like a River. His third novel, Lean on Pete, is out spring 2010. An avid fan of horseracing, Vlautin can often be found writing behind a closed circuit monitor at Portland Meadows racetrack.
“This guy writes like the secret love child of Raymond Carver and Flannery O’Connor–just plain, true, tough, irony-free, heartrending American fiction about people living in the third-world sections of our country.”
Michael Gruber
“If McMurtry, Johnson, McGuane, and Carver need a fifth to make up a literary five-a-side team, they need look no further than Willy Vlauin.”
Niall Griffiths Richmond Fontaine: We Used To Think The Freeway Sounded Like A River is out now on Décor Records (American Music Club, Franz Nicolay). We Used to Think…, Richmond Fontaine’s eighth studio album finds the band at their peak both artistically and commercially. The Independent recently called singer/songwriter Willy Vlautin “the Dylan of the dislocated” and the band has been a firm critics favourite since the release of Post to Wire in 2004 and were given two albums of the month from UNCUT in 04 and 05.. Fontaine’s sound has continued its decade-long evolution and is now fully realized on We Used to Think… Featuring epic songs like “Lonnie“ and “Two Alone” and beautiful folk tunes like “Ruby And Lou” and “The Pull”, the new album delivers Vlautin’s classic storytelling backed by Fontaine’s most interesting and accomplished musical performance to date.
The birth of We Used To Think… began at the tail end of a year-long tour in 2007 supporting Thirteen Cities. Singer/songwriter Willy Vlautin’s mother died suddenly, two days before Vlautin was scheduled to return home. This prompted the road-weary band to take a year’s sabbatical. Holed up at his home in rural Oregon, Vlautin reflected on family, relationships, and love and began writing songs. Two months into a writing streak, he was bucked off his horse and forced to spend months nursing a badly broken arm. Finally able to get back to writing, Vlautin retreated to his writing shed and emerged a year later with a new novel (Lean on Pete, release date Feb 2010, Faber & Faber) and twenty songs about love, heartache, and loss.
After arranging and rehearsing the songs that would become We Used To Think…, the band decided to stay close to home and record with old friends Larry Crane and JD Foster (Dwight Yokam, Calexico) at Crane’s Jackpot Studios (The Go-Betweens, Elliott Smith, The Decemberists, The Shins) in Portland.
The core of the band remains Willy Vlautin (guitars, vocals), Sean Oldham (drums, vocals), Dave Harding (bass), and Dan Eccles (guitars). For the session, Fontaine also brought in family members and friends, Collin Oldham (cello, cellomobo), Paul Brainard (pedal steel, trumpet), and Ralph Huntley (piano).
Willy will be playing a set at the Latitude Festival on July 19th and the full band will be heading out on a full UK & Ireland tour in September with a stops at the End of the Road Festival (UK) and The Electric Picnic (Ireland). The album will be preceded by the limited 7” single “You Can Move Back Here” out July 20th released on Trash Aesthetics and will feature a short story written by Willy inside the silkscreen cover.
Willy Vlautin has released two novels to great acclaim, The Motel Life and Northline on Faber & Faber. Movie rights to both novels have been optioned. Oscar-nominated screenwriter and award-winning director Courtney Hunt (Frozen River) is adapting and directing Northline.
Here is Willy’s rough guide to the tracklisting of "We Used To Think The Freeway Sounded Like A River":
1) We Used To Think The Freeway Sounded Like A River – Living next to an abandoned house, the romance and cost of a young couple getting their first place in a rough neighborhood.
2) Northwest – Instrumental featuring JD and Dan
3) You Can Move Back Here – Getting a call from an old pal drowning in a city.
4) The Boyfriends – A mom’s series of boyfriends and the kid who has to endure them, featuring trumpet by Mr. Paul Brainard.
5) The Pull – The anxiety and struggle of trying to stay sober.
6) Sitting Outside My Dad’s Old House – Instrumental featuring Collin Oldham’s cellomobo and radio trowel.
7) Maybe We Were Both Born Blue – A high school romance and a neighbor who ruins both of them
8) Watch Out – Instrumental for the most part except some “Watch outs” by me and Kendra.
9) 43 – buried in debt, working at a paint store, and a basement full of weed.
10) Lonnie – Running into your friend’s aunt at a grocery store and listening to her rant about the horrible things he’s done.
11) Ruby and Lou – A romance and a couple believing there's a place where the darkness doesn’t exist.
12) Walking Back To Our Place At 3AM – Instrumental. A couple walking back to their apartment after a good night at the bar.
13) Two Alone – Moving to a new town, working as forklift driver, living with your pregnant girlfriend who loves credit cards and doesn’t have a job.
14) A Letter To The Patron Saint Of Nurses – A nurse having a nervous breakdown while drinking wine coolers and listening to Mariachi music.
Recent Press Quotes: Thirteen Cities: “Quite simply, Vlautin’s one of the most compelling songwriters working today, compared equally to great American novelists llike Raymond Carver or John Steinbeck and musicians such as Bruce Springsteen or Tom Waits” The Sun
“Heartbreakingly great” 7/10 NME "Nothing less than the Dylan of the Dislocated” Independent 5/5, UNCUT 4/5 and 4/5 Mojo
The Fitzgerland:“..is mind-blowing…absolute perfection”, UNCUT’s “Album of the Month” 5/5
“the most beautiful sad album of the year” Q Magazine 4/5 stars
“downbeat masterpiece…bleak but brilliant” 5/5 The SUN and 4/5 MOJO
Post To Wire: “Uncut’s discovery of the year….Fans of a certain kind of orphaned Americana are likely to fall on Post To Wire like apostles on The Grail….soon be entirely enthralled with this dark and mesmerising masterpiece” UNCUT ALBUM OF THE MONTH 5/5 (listed as the 4th best album of 2004) “Without a doubt, the best album of the decade” Comes With A Smile, ”the seasons must have Americana purchase. 4/5 MOJO

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| Original
Motion Picture Soundtrack For Fox Searchlight Pictures’ |
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CRAZY
HEART
Produced By T Bone Burnett & Stephen Bruton / Original Songs
Performed By Jeff Bridges
Out Now on New West Records |
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| “The
Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart)” Performed
By Texas Songwriter Ryan Bingham; Co-Written With
T Bone Burnett
* Garners ACADEMY AWARD® NOMINATION
* Winners of the GOLDEN GLOBE® Award in the Best Original Song
– Motion Picture Category.
* Nominated for a British Academy of Film and Television Award (BAFTA).
The soundtrack features music from the Fox Searchlight
Pictures movie Crazy Heart, starring JEFF
BRIDGES, who received an ACADEMY AWARD® NOMINATION
for Best Actor. Bridges garnered wins in the Best Actor category
at the SAG Awards, Golden Globe® Awards, BFCA Critics Choice
and LA Film Critics Association.
MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL was honored with an ACADEMY AWARD®
NOMINATION for Actress In A Supporting Roll as well.
For Information Regarding The Soundtrack / Promotional Copies contact:
Stevo Berube / Berube Communications info@berubecommunications.com
or +353 (0)87 244 2695
For Information Regarding
the Movie / Screenings contact:
Janice Kearney
/ Twentieth Century Fox janice.kearney@fox.com
or +353 (0)1 661 7171
“The Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart)”
received an ACADEMY AWARD® NOMINATION in the
Best Original Song category. Co-written by T BONE BURNETT
and RYAN BINGHAM, the two recently won the Golden
Globe® Award in the Best Original Song –
Motion Picture category. The song also received a nod from
the BFCA Critics Choice awards, and Stephen Bruton & T Bone
Burnett’s original score won the The LA Film Critics Association
award. The music was also The Crazy Heart Original Motion Picture
Soundtrack debuted strong on the Soundscan charts first week, coming
in #5 Top Soundtracks and #6 Top Country Albums. The record also
placed #5 on the Independent Record Label Chart and at #37 on the
Billboard Top 200 Album chart. Crazy Heart Original Motion Picture
Soundtrack was coproduced by 10-time Grammy® Award winner Burnett
and guitarist/songwriter Bruton, whom the film is dedicated to.
New West Records announces the release of Crazy Heart: Original
Motion Picture Soundtrack. A deluxe edition of the soundtrack
featuring all 23 songs from the film, sequenced in their running
order, will be in stores .. The releases are companions to the upcoming
Fox Searchlight Pictures movie Crazy Heart, starring
Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal,
and Robert Duvall. The soundtrack was co-produced
by 10-time Grammy® Award winner T Bone Burnett
who is also credited with the 2009 Album Of The Year
and Record of the Year Raising Sand, the worldwide
smash album from Robert Plant and Alison
Krauss. Burnett, who co-produced the soundtrack with guitarist/songwriter
Stephen Bruton, earned past Grammy Awards for his
work on the 8-times Platinum release, O Brother Where Art
Thou? and Platinum soundtrack to the Johnny Cash biopic,
Walk The Line. The film Crazy Heart,
which will have a limited release December 16th and opens wider
in January, is already garnering praise from the press including
The Wrap who declared, “The Oscar race needs to make room
for Jeff Bridges and T Bone Burnett.”
With Burnett also producing the film, the music plays a prominent
role. Burnett co-composed the film’s score with Bruton and
co-wrote many of its original songs, including the pivotal track
written throughout the film by Jeff Bridges’ hard-living country
singer, Bad Blake, “The Weary Kind
(Theme From Crazy Heart),” written with acclaimed
Texas singer/songwriter Ryan Bingham. The song
is performed numerous times in the film by Bridges himself and a
Bingham version premieres over the film’s trailer. At 28,
Bingham has encountered more at this early stage in his life than
many will in an entire lifetime. He writes from the genuine perspective
of an old soul and has a growing fan base in the US and abroad.
Most recently he toured with the legendary Flatlanders
and performed at Farm Aid. Bingham makes his acting
debut in the film and performs “I Don’t Know”
co-written by Bruton and Burnett. Buddy Miller,
Jay Bellerose and Greg Leisz were
among the notable musicians called in to play on the original songs.
The film is dedicated to Bruton, a lifelong friend of Burnett who
passed away earlier this year. In a long and distinguished career,
Bruton excelled as a musician, songwriter and producer. He played
guitar with Kris Kristofferson since the early 70s, had songs recorded
by Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings
and Johnny Cash among others, and released five
records as a solo artist, the last three for New West. Just before
passing, Bruton was working on Crazy Heart both
musically and in a consultation role for Bridges. Bruton was able
to see the completion of the project before his death.
On the soundtrack, the new original music sung by the films actors,
is interwoven with songs by artists who’ve lived the movie’s
story including Waylon Jennings (“Are You Sure Hank
Done It This Way”) and Townes Van Zandt (“If
I Needed You”). The soundtrack is rounded out with
music from Buck Owens (“Hello Trouble”),
The Louvin Brothers (“My Baby’s Gone”),
Lightnin’ Hopkins (“Once A Gambler”)
and Sam Phillips (“Reflecting Light”).
Tracklisting for the Deluxe Edition:
01. Hold On You - Jeff Bridges
02. Hello Trouble - Buck Owens
03.
My Baby’s Gone - The Louvin Brothers
04. Somebody Else (Instrumental) - Stephen Bruton
05. Somebody Else - Jeff Bridges
06. I Don’t Know - Ryan Bingham
07. Wesley’s Piano - Tom Canning
08. Fallin’ & Flyin’ - Jeff Bridges
09. Searching (For Someone Like You) - Kitty Wells
10. I Don’t Know - Jeff Bridges
11. Once A Gambler - Lightnin’ Hopkins
12. Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way - Waylon Jennings
13. I Let The Freight Train Carry Me On - The Delmore Brothers
14. Color Of The Blues - George Jones
15. Joy - Lucinda Williams
16. Fallin’ & Flyin’ - Colin Farrell & Jeff
Bridges
17. Gone, Gone, Gone - Colin Farrell
18. If I Needed You - Townes Van Zandt
19. Reflecting Light - Sam Phillips
20. Mal Hombre - Lydia Mendoza
21. Live Forever - Robert Duvall
22. Brand New Angel - Jeff Bridges
23. The Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart) - Ryan Bingham
About Crazy Heart (From Fox Searchlight)
Four-time Academy Award ® nominee Jeff Bridges
stars as the richly comic, semi-tragic romantic antihero Bad
Blake in the debut feature film from writer-director Scott
Cooper. Bad Blake is a broken-down, hard
living country music singer who's had way too many marriages, far
too many years on the road and one too many drinks way too many
times. And yet, Bad can’t help but reach for salvation with
the help of Jean (Maggie Gyllenhall), a journalist
who discovers the real man behind the musician. As he struggles
down the road of redemption, Bad learns the hard way just how tough
life can be on one man’s crazy heart.
About T Bone Burnett:
T Bone
Burnett is a 10-time Grammy Award winner, earning numerous
statues in 2009 – including Album of the Year and Record of
the Year – for his production work on Raising Sand,
the worldwide smash album from Robert Plant and
Alison Krauss. That same year, he was also awarded
a Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album for his work on B.B.
King’s One Kind Favor. He previously earned five
Grammys for his work on the 8-times Platinum release, O
Brother Where Art Thou?, which also spawned two highly
successful national concert tours: Down From The Mountain
and The Great High Mountain. Further Grammys followed
for his work on the platinum soundtrack to the Johnny Cash
biopic, Walk The Line, and the platinum Tony
Bennett / k.d. lang duets album, A Wonderful World.
He was nominated for an Academy Award in 2004, along with Elvis
Costello in the category of Best Original Song for “The
Scarlet Tide” from the film, Cold Mountain.
For his work on that film, Burnett also earned the BAFTA’s
Anthony Asquith Award for Achievement in Film Music.
About Stephen Bruton:
Renowned, Texas musician, Stephen Bruton had a
long and distinguished career as a musician, songwriter and producer.
He released five records as a solo artist, the last three for the
New West Records label. As a lead guitar player Bruton was in high
demand among legendary contemporaries including Kris Kristofferson
and Bonnie Raitt. He recorded with Delbert
McClinton, T Bone Burnett, Elvis Costello, Carly Simon, The Wallflowers,
Sonny Landreth, Peter Case, Ray Wylie Hubbard and a slew
of others. He produced records for Alejandro Escovedo, Marcia
Ball and Jimmie Dale Gilmore to name a
few. Bruton's songs have been widely covered as well, by artists
including Raitt, Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Buffett,
Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Martina McBride and Patty
Loveless.
About Ryan Bingham:
Ryan Bingham is a Texas-bred singer/songwriter
who spent part of his teen years on the bull-riding rodeo circuit,
before taking up music. Bingham’s latest release Roadhouse
Sun (Lost Highway/June 2009) is the follow up to the singer/songwriter’s
critically acclaimed Lost Highway debut Mescalito
(2007). Bingham received high-praise for both albums, including
a major cover story in the Los Angeles Times ‘Calendar’
section. Bingham, and his band The Dead Horses,
have appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night
with Conan O’Brien, Austin City Limits, and most
recently performed on The Late Show with David Letterman
on November 6, 2009. |
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THE
DUCKWORTH LEWIS METHOD
Eponymous Album Has Been Shortlisted For The
CHOICE MUSIC PRIZE Album
Of The Year 2009
www.choicemusicprize.com |
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The
Choice Music Prize – Irish Album of the Year 2009 celebrates
its 5th Anniversary this year!
The winner will be selected at the Choice Music Prize live event
at Vicar Street, Dublin on Wednesday 3 March, which will be broadcast
live on the Paul McCloone Show, Today FM.
The winning act will receive a cheque for 10,000 Euro, courtesy
of the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) and Irish Recorded
Music Association (IRMA), and a specially commissioned award,
courtesy of Recorded Artists and Performers Ltd (RAAP).
As usual the Choice Music Prize will focus, simply and solely,
on the music!
_______________________________________________________________________
Neil
Hannon (The Divine Comedy) & Thomas Walsh (Pugwash) As ...
THE DUCKWORTH LEWIS METHOD
Featuring the Singles ‘The
Age Of Revolution’ & ‘Meeting
Mr Miandad’
Released in Ireland on 1969 Records
With new
ball in hand, The Duckworth Lewis Method released
their eponymous maiden album, July 3 – exquisitely timed
to coincide with this summer’s Ashes tour.
Written by Duckworth (Thomas Walsh) and Lewis
(Neil Hannon) the album was recorded and mixed in Dublin
and mastered just down the road from Lord’s in Abbey Road
Studios.
All the songs are either loosely or tightly connected to the
beautiful game of cricket, there are no covers, extra covers
or cover drives for that matter. These are all wonderfully crafted
pop songs for cricket lovers and non-lovers equally to enjoy.
First delivery, ‘The Coin Toss’,
spins wickedly into lead single ‘The Age Of Revolution’,
released June 28.
From ‘Jiggery Pokery’, which tells
the tale of the Gatting Ball and features guest cameos from
Phill Jupitus, Alexander Armstrong and Matt Berry amongst others,
through the Trescothian angst of ‘The Nightwatchman’,
to the triple century of ‘Test Match Special’.
This album really hits ‘The Sweet Spot’
(track4!) with a guest appearance from Cathy Davey.
With trademark melodies and glorious harmonies, the anthemic
‘Meeting Mr Miandad’ is yet another
album highlight. It depicts Duckworth and Lewis'
epic road trip to meet the legendary batsman Javed Miandad.
"The Duckworth Lewis Method is an album steeped in
the love of cricket and pop. The resultant twelve songs are
a cacophony of leather and willow turning through a cosmos of
searing melodies and all round tunes,” says Duckworth
in his post match interview.

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Congratulations
to the following Berube Communications artists for their 2010
METEOR MUSIC AWARDS nominations!
Recognised worldwide as Ireland’s definitive music awards it
will celebrate its ten year anniversary this year. The event will
be held at the RDS Dublin Friday 19th February 2010 in what promises
to be the music highlight of the year. There are a limited number
of tickets available from ticketmaster.ie
Vote on-line www.meteormusicawards.meteor.ie
or by text. |
| The
Coronas |
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THE BEST IRISH BAND
- BEST IRISH ALBUM - "Tony Was An Ex-Con" (3ú Records)
To Vote for the CORONAS in the THE BEST IRISH
BAND Catagory, TEXT "VOTE BAND 2"
TO 085 7114444
To Vote for the THE CORONAS in the BEST IRISH
ALBUM Catagory, TEXT "VOTE ALBUM 2"
TO 085 7114444
www.thecoronas.net
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| The
Duckworth Lewis Method |
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-
BEST IRISH ALBUM - "The Duckworth Lewis Method" (1969 Records)
To Vote for the DUCKWORTH LEWIS METHOD in the BEST
IRISH ALBUM Catagory, TEXT "VOTE ALBUM 3"
TO 085 7114444
www.dimethod.com
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| Jerry
Fish |
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-
BEST IRISH MALE - "The Beautiful Untrue" (The Mudbug Club)
To Vote for JERRY FISH in the BEST IRISH
MALE Catagory, TEXT “VOTE MALE 2“ JERRY
FISH TO 085 711 4444
www.jerry-fish.com
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THE
CORONAS
New Download
Single "FAR FROM HERE"
From their Latest Album "TONY WAS AN
EX-CON", also includes "LISTEN
DEAR"
Out Now on 3ú Records / iTunes
www.thecoronas.net
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::: Nominated
for Two Meteor Music Awards ::: THE
BEST IRISH BAND and BEST IRISH ALBUM
Having lost out to Westlife in the Best Irish Pop Category for the
last few years, The Coronas are delighted to announce
that they have been nominated in the two biggest categories for
the 2010 Meteor Music Awards - Best
Irish Band and Best
Irish Album.
Check out www.meteormusicawards.meteor.ie
for more information and to vote. You can also vote by text:
TO VOTE
FOR THE CORONAS IN THE BEST IRISH BAND CATEGORY,
TEXT "VOTEBAND2" TO 085 7114444
TO VOTE FOR THE CORONAS IN BEST IRISH ALBUM CATEGORY,
TEXT "VOTEALBUM2" TO 085 7114444
Recognised worldwide as Ireland’s definitive music awards
it will celebrate its ten year anniversary this year. The event
will be held at the RDS Dublin Friday 19th February 2010
in what promises to be the music highlight of the year. There are
a limited number of tickets available from ticketmaster.ie

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| OCEAN
COLOUR SCENE Celebrate 21st Birthday With New Album "Saturday"
~ Play Gigs in Dublin & Belfast |
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LIVE :::
Irish Dates
March 6th, 2010 - DUBLIN - Olympia Theatre
March 7th, 2010 - BELFAST - Mandella Hall
www.ticketmaster.ie
Birmingham’s
emperors of rock’n’folk Ocean Colour Scene
have announced that they will be releasing a new album, Saturday,
on 1st February 2010, which will be preceded by a digital single,
Magic Carpet Days on 25th January.
OCS, who will be celebrating their 21st anniversary
next year, have clocked up an impressive eleven Top 20 singles and
five Top 10 albums during their illustrious career. Saturday,
their ninth studio album, was recorded over six weeks last summer
at the iconic Rockfield studios in South Wales with producer Gavin
Monaghan (Editors/ the Twang), and finds them as vibrantly tuneful
as they’ve ever been.
From the opening bars of psych-folk opener ‘100 Floors
Of Perception’ - written by Simon about the on-going
financial crisis - to epic climax ‘Rockfield’
(think ‘Baba O’Riley’ meets ‘Tomorrow Never
Knows’), it’s a reminder than when it comes to delivering
classic rock hooks there is simply no one better. Denim-driven boogie
‘Old Pair Of Jeans’ (written by Bennett)
will delight those hankering for the full-tilt mod-pop of ‘For
Dancers Only’, while Harry Kidnap’ (written
in tribute to John Weller) boasts shades of North Atlantic Drift
stand-out ‘Make The Deal’. The single,
‘Magic Carpet Days’, meanwhile (key
lyric: “The world won’t shake you/Knock you down and
break you/I’ll steer you through these magic carpet days”)
is a reminder that their belief in the Mod aesthetic of self-improvement
remains as strong as ever.
OCS are renowned for their live performances, and
stole the show at this year’s V, where they were named ‘Band
Of The Festival’ by BBC Radio 2 and Absolute Radio.
In February and March 2010, the band will be undertaking a 24 date
UK & Ireland tour.
Available on CD and as a digital download, the full tracklisting
is as follows :
1. 100 Floors Of Perception
2. Mrs Maylie
3. Saturday
4. Just A Little Bit Of Love
5. Old Pair Of Jeans
6. Sing Children Sing
7. Harry Kidnap
8. Magic Carpet Days
9. The Word
10.Village Life
11.Postal
12.What’s Mine Is Yours
13. Fell In Love On The Street Again
14. Rockfield

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HAYSEED
DIXIE
New album "Killer Grass"
Released 8th February 2010 on Cooking Vinyl
Free download "Norfolk Girl"
– Available until Feb. 8th on
www.hayseed-dixie.com |
Witness you now that Appalachian Rockgrass hellraisers, Hayseed
Dixie, have completed their 8th full-length studio album.
"Killer Grass" is either Hayseed
Dixie’s absolute greatest musical achievement or absolute
worst offence yet, depending on your personal perspective! The CD
DVD package contains 7 original compositions along with 6 reinterpretations
of previously known songs about drinking, cheating, killing and hell
- with a particular emphasis on murder and death. The DVD contains
music videos for 6 songs as well as 5 instructional "tutorial"
videos addressing everything from how to play rockgrass banjo, to
how to hide the body. On the road on tour throughout 2010, the suspects
are known to be armed with acoustic instruments and should be considered
extremely dangerous.
::: LIVE ::: 2010 Irish
Tour
February 18 - Thursday - Galway, Roisin Dubh
February 19 - Friday - Limerick, Dolan's
February 20 - Saturday - Dublin, Tripod
February 21 - Sunday - Cork, Cyprus Avenue
February 22 - Monday - Belfast, Spring & Airbrake
For Information / Interview requests / Promotional Copies contact:
Stevo Berube
/ Berube Communications info@berubecommunications.com
or +353 (0)87 244 2695
CD
Contents:
1 Tolerance
2 Bohemian Rhapsody
3 Alien Abduction Probe
4 Omen
5 In the Backyard
6 Eine Kleine Trinkmusik
7 Norfolk Girl
8 She's Just My Type
9 Underneath the Bed
10 Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
11 Won't Get Fooled Again
12 Ramblin' Man / Don't Cry For Me

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STAND
New Album "100,000 Ways
To Harvest Hope"
Irish Release Date 5th March 2010 on Paper Scissors Rock Music
www.standland.com
Double A-side single "The
Living Kind" / "Full Circle"
Irish Release Date 29th January 2010 on www.downloadmusic.ie/stand
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:::
LIVE ::: Whelan’s, Dublin, on January 30th

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Tom McRae releases his new album ‘Alphabet
of Hurricanes’ in Ireland on Cooking Vinyl on 19th
February.
Available on CD and as a download, the album will be preceded a week
earlier by the single ‘Please’.
Tom has also confirmed a full Irish tour to coincide with both releases.
::: LIVE ::: Irish Tour
2010
09-March-10 - Cork - Cyprus Avenue
10-March-10 - Limerick - Dolans Warehouse
11-March-10 - Galway - Roisin Dubh
12-March-10 - Dublin - The Academy 2
14-March-10 - Belfast - Spring & Airbrake
For Information / Interview requests / Promotional Copies contact:
Stevo Berube / Berube Communications info@berubecommunications.com
or +353 (0)87 244 2695
‘Alphabet
of Hurricanes’,
McRae’s first album for Cooking Vinyl, was written over a
two year period during which he toured extensively across Europe,
North America and the Far East. “Touring lost me my sense
of home,” Tom explains. “Traveling constantly
kept my feet itchy – being in motion is the best way to feel
alive without actually engaging. I loved it.”
“After a while I just ran out of steam. I wound up in
New York and started writing songs, trying to make sense of the
last few years. Somehow I had to reconcile the self-destructive
side of my nature and the desire to constantly smash things up with
the need to feel settled in order to have a better grasp on song-writing
and recording. If everything feels breathlessly exciting all the
time it’s probably time to take a break from touring.”
McRae, whose debut album was nominated for the Mercury Prize and
a Brit Award, recorded the album at his house in Bow, London. He
bought a banjo, ukulele, mandolin, drums, violin, an old piano and
“other junk from ebay”. Here he began fleshing
out the songs he’d been writing on his travels. He dragged
his band and a few friends into the studio for a couple of songs
and the record began to take shape.
The title ‘Alphabet of Hurricanes’
comes from a song that actually started the writing process, but
won’t see the light of day on the record of the same name.
Each year hurricanes are named alphabetically and last year the
world went through the alphabet twice, which had never happened
before. Such was the huge increase in hurricanes the world over.
The revenge of the natural world unveiling itself in one of its
fiercest forms.
“There’s a line in that song,” expands
Tom. “‘An alphabet of hurricanes can’t blow
this drifter home,’ which sums up how I felt. The turbulence
in my life seemed stuck on repeat, but then I realised if you stop
fighting the wind and tides and work with them, you can call it
sailing."
So, maybe this is the sound of an angry man coming to terms with
the vagaries of the world, the imbalance that it causes both personally
and globally and the beginning of his understanding of where he
fits in

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STAND play
Whelan’s, Dublin, on January 30th.
Double A-side single The Living
Kind/Full Circle is released to radio [29th January 2010]
100,000 Ways To Harvest Hope
is released in March 2010.

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Kentucky-born
and Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Dawn Landes,
who released her album Sweet Heart Rodeo to critical
acclaim earlier this year, has announced she will touring the Ireland
in December to coincide with the release of her new single, "Young
Girl", the second single following "Romeo",
from the critically acclaimed "Sweet Heart Rodeo"
album. Full Irish dates as follows:
::: LIVE ::: Dawn Landes 2009 Irish Dates
11-Dec-09 - Belfast - Auntie Annies Porterhouse
12-Dec-09 - Dublin - The Sugar Club
13-Dec-09 - Dundalk - The Spirit Store
14-Dec-09 - Cork - Cyprus Avenue
15-Dec-09 - Galway - Roisin Dubh
"Wandering
Eye, Brighton, Clown, Money in the Bank – it’s hard
to pick a highlight on an album that so consistently delivers."
SINÉAD GLEESON -- Irish Times 'The Ticket' ****
“Sweet Heart Rodeo is pure quality; there is a sureness
and maturity in the songwriting, and a lightness and poise in the
delivery, that is utterly beguiling … Effortlessly magnificent.”
– Clash 8/10
“Beautiful.” - Mojo ****
“Delicately adventurous. Young Girl leans towards a previously
untapped rockist side, while a semi-freaky cover of Margo Guryan’s
Love posits Landes as a muted banshee. She’s on plainer ground
with Money In The Bank and Dance Area, feathery acoustic songs that
shuffle and sway beautifully, though it’s the graceful cadence
of Wandering Eye that steals the show.” –
Uncut ****
“As close to graceful as anything I’ve heard in
a long time … A gentle canter of mesmerising, summery-tinged
tunes which are gilded with effortless vocals and understated melodies
… If you’ve already got Cerys Matthews’ Cockahoop,
you’ll love it..” - Artrocker
“Writing an album about your great-grandma’s adventures
might sound riddled with pitfalls, but Brooklyn-based singer Dawn
Landes has struck it lucky. Her great nan ran away with the rodeo,
and this country-tinged tribute sounds as sweet as its title.”
- Grazia
Landes first came to the UK & Ireland's attention with the release
of her acclaimed second album (and her UK / Irish debut), Fireproof
(2008). Q declared it to be “Understated and beautiful”
(Q **** Recommended Album), whilst The Guardian called
it “vivid girl-next-door indie pop in the spirit of Frente
and Cat Powers.” Uncut said “Landes propels
the whole project skywards with a voice that encapsulates the best
qualities of Laura Veirs and Cat Powers. It’s pretty much
essential stuff.”
Sweet Heart Rodeo was inspired by Landes great-grandmother’s
beau, who ran away to join the rodeo during the Great Depression.
A rodeo theme runs throughout the record as she compares the ups
and downs of romance to the rigours of bull riding. “Each
song is like its own bull,” the twenty-eight-year-old
deadpans. “Each ride its own love-story … you know,
trying to hang on to a wild thing isn’t always graceful.”
Recorded in Landes own studio (Saltlands in Brooklyn) with regular
collaborator, drummer and all-rounder Ray Rizzo,
guitarist Josh Kaufman and bassist Annie
Nero, the album kicks off with the new single, “Young
Girl”, which ponders gender stereotyping - competitive
boys, jealous girls - over a reductive and distorted keyboard riff.
The haunting ‘Money In The Bank’ marries
down-home hippie wisdom ‘the night before you die, what
are you gonna buy?’ to a glorious chorus bolstered by
a wistful French horn. Landes even drums on an unlikely cover of
Margo Guryan’s already unlikely ‘Love’,
a 1968 collision of cool jazz and nascent psychedelia. Rizzo’s
idiosyncratic harmonica style "kinda cloudy- the opposite
of ethereal” boosts the quirky ‘Wandering
Eye’, a rare song that combines sex and travel without
causing offence, while ‘Little Miss Holiday’
imagines a conversation between Jodie Foster and the teenage hooker
that inspired her character in Scorsese’s unhinged “Taxi
Driver.” It’s tender rather than bleak. ‘Brighton’
is a tribute to a magical day in that great Southern (English) town,
yet it could hardly sound more American, Appalachian even. “I
hope I captured it in the song,” she says. Her Brighton
though is more romantic than the resort us Britons know, already
a fond memory. By the album’s conclusion, the wobbly wedding
march of ‘All Dressed In White’, you’ll
probably be thinking of giving love a try. Even if it does hurt
when you fall off.
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GROOVE
ARMADA
‘Black
Light’
Brand New Studio Album Released February 22nd
Features the Singles: I Wont Kneel (Feat. SaintSaviour) & Warsaw
(Feat. Nick Littlemore)
On ‘Work It’ Recordings In Partnership With Cooking
Vinyl
www.groovearmada.com
~ www.cookingvinyl.com |
Groove Armada – Andy Cato
and Tom Findlay - release their hotly awaited new
studio album ‘Black Light’, February
22nd, which sees the masters of reinvention move in some thrilling
new directions.
Written and produced by Andy Cato and Tom
Findlay, their sixth studio album ranks among their best
work to date.
“We needed a new challenge, explains Andy. “Bands
like Friendly Fires, Klaxons, Passion Pit, and MGMT, they're the
ones really leading the charge, making genuinely exciting, dance-informed
music. That sound really pushed us back towards people like Bowie,
Fleetwood Mac and Roxy Music."
Recorded in Tom’s studio in North London, the blistering 12-track
album features intriguing and fascinating collaborations with Bryan
Ferry, Will Young and Nick Littlemore
(Empire Of The Sun/PNAU) to name a few.
Bryan Ferry supplies his first ever guest vocal
to the softly intense ‘Shameless’.
Having had ‘Love Is A Drug’ on repeat
for much of the recording it seemed only right. While the yearning
voice heard on the stirring house lullaby ‘History’
belongs to Will Young, a good friend of
Andy’s.
With their fingers sitting permanently on the musical pulse Andy
and Tom recruited lesser-known quantities but equally impactful
in Nick Littlemore (Empire Of The Sun/PNAU), electro
wonder kids Fenech Soler, livewire female vocalist SaintSaviour
and Brooklynite Jess Larrabee.
Nick appears on the first song for the record ‘Warsaw’
– a juddering electro-rocker that became an online hit when
it was offered as a free sneak preview in September. His vocals
drive the delicate ‘Fall Silent’, the
menacing ‘Not Forgotten’ and 80s-tinged popper ‘Cards
To Your Heart’.
Another of Black Light's main contributors is SaintSaviour
who fronted the ‘Black Light’ preview
tour in October. The singer has lent her crystalline vocals to the
album's first single ‘I Won't Kneel’
(Out November 23rd), as well as the second single ‘Paper
Romance’ (Due February 15th), who she shares vocals
with Ben from electro wonder-kids Fenech Soler.
SaintSaviour also appears on the driving, electro-‘Time
and Space’ alongside Jess Larrabee.
"We've never actually met Jess," says Andy, "We
got really into her albums and started emailing tracks for her to
add vocals. Her music usually has more of a White Stripes kind of
vibe. She got really into the disco flavour and absolutely nailed
it."
Larrabee lends her voice to the album's gorgeous mellow gem, Just
For Tonight’ and provides some New York attitude
to the spiky, rocked-up ‘Look Me In The Eye Sister’
- a track the Yeah Yeah Yeahs would kill for.
"It's amazing to make a record at this point in your career
that you're viscerally excited about," says Tom. "Even
people who've hated everything we've ever made before could absolutely
love this record. I'm incredibly proud of it.”
Tracklisting & List Of Collaborators
Look Me In The Eye Sister Feat. Jess
Larrabee
Fall Silent Feat. Nick Littlemore
Just For Tonight Feat. Jess Larrabee
Not Forgotten Feat. Nick Littlemore
I Wont Kneel Feat. SaintSaviour
Cards To Your Heart Feat. Nick Littlemore
Paper Romance Feat. Fenech Soler & SaintSaviour
Warsaw Feat. Nick Littlemore
Shameless Feat. Bryan Ferry
Time & Space Feat. SaintSaviour & Jess Larrabee
History Feat. Will Young

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ELLIOT
MINOR
"Solaris"
Includes the Singles Electric High and "Discover (Why
the Love Hurts)"
Available on Repossession Records
www.myspace.com/elliotminor |
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:::
LIVE ::: Irish Dates
3 Dec - Limelight, Belfast
4 Dec - Cyprus Avenue, Cork
5 Dec - Roisin Dubh, Galway
6 Dec - Academy - All Access Festival, Dublin
After an incredible
2008/09 so far, which has included a debut top 10 album, 2 full
headline UK and European tours, European dates with Simple
Plan, Radio 1 B listed singles, over 125,000 singles sold
and a whole run of festivals, ELLIOT MINOR are
now set to release their new single ‘Electric High’
and 2nd album ‘Solaris’.
‘Electric High’ signifies a more mature
leap forward in every department for ELLIOT MINOR,
from playing to song writing, production and ambition. Frontman
and songwriter Alex Davies started writing the
new material as soon as the band came off the road in December last
year. The new songs pull from the band’s experiences of making
and touring their first album.
The new single was recorded during the album sessions starting in
April this year at Chapel Studios in Lincoln and at Mavehole Studios
in York. Produced once again by Jim Wirt (Incubus, Hoobastank,
Something Corporate) and mixed by the multi Grammy award
winning Tom Lord-Alge (Manic Street Preachers, Taking Back
Sunday, Weezer, The Rolling Stones), this second collaboration
meant that the band and Jim knew what had worked before but gave
them a lot of room to add new creative ideas and to push into bold
new territory. Live wise, the band have played Oxygen,
T in the Park, Leeds and Reading
and Download last year. They also played main support
to Simple Plan in Europe and Fall Out Boy
in the UK, been to Japan three times doing their own headline shows,
have toured as a headline act through Europe into Paris, Prague,
Brussels and Amsterdam on every tour. On top of this, they have
also taken the likes of You Me at Six, We
are the Ocean, The Higher and Mission
District as support.
TRACKLISTING
1) The Dancer
2) I Believe you need me to...
3) Electric High
4) Coming Home
5) Carry on
6) Better than the Courtroom
7) All Along
8) Solaris
9) Discover (Why the love hurts)
10) Shiver
11) Tethered
12) Sometimes You're Wrong

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:::
HAR MAR SUPERSTAR ANNOUNCES ACADEMY 2 SHOW :::
LIVE in Dublin’s Academy 2 on Wednesday 9th
December ~ Tickets are priced 15 Euro inclusive of
booking fee.
Check mcd.ie
for details.
After a five year hibernation since 2004’s The Handler,
Har Mar Superstar, is ready to unleash his new LP
Dark Touches on the masses, through Dilettante Recordings.
On Dark Touches, Har Mar delivers his most club-friendly
collection of jams yet. His silky smooth croon and tongue-in-cheek
lyrics lead a nonstop dance party that blends everything from synth-pop
to R&B, with ample hooks around every corner. Dark Touches
builds a bridge between the worlds of indie and top 40 dance music,
thanks in part to an eclectic group of collaborators.
The albums many guests include John Fields
(Andrew WK, Jonas Brothers, Rooney), The Faint’s
beatmakers Clark Baechle and Jacob Thiele,
singer-songwriter Adam Green, P.O.S.
of the Rhymesayers collective, Neon Neon’s
Boom Bip, The Bird and The Bee’s
Inara George, Flowers of Doom, and Samaire
Armstrong.
The Bird and The Bee’s
Greg Kurstin, who has also produced tracks for Britney
Spears, Kylie Minogue, and Lily
Allen, co-wrote and lent his studio wizardry to the first
single “Tall Boy.” The track was originally intended
for Spears and, with the unchanged lyrics, takes on a vibrant new
life in the hands of Har Mar.
Har Mar is also getting ready to
dip his toes into the world of Hollywood with the release of Whip
It, a film directed by Drew Barrymore
that he appears in alongside Juno’s Ellen Page
and Arrested Development’s Alia Shawkat.
As if he isn’t wearing enough hats already, Har Mar
is also developing his own movie scripts and sitcom pilots. Along
with his golden pipes, the ability to juggle multiple creative outlets
is sure to win him entry into both the hearts and undergarments
of women and men everywhere.
Tracklisting:
Intro
Sunshine
Got Next
Tall Boy
Turn It Around
Game Night
Gangsters Want To Cuddle Me
Creative Juices
Don't Ask Don't Tell
Dope, Man
Girls Only
Almond Joy
Turn The Key
________________________________________________
Like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon, Har Mar Superstar
returns this fall with Dark Touches, his first
album since 2004’s critically acclaimed The Handler. The new
Har Mar retains his defiant sexiness and uncanny knack for irresistible
R&B hooks, but fans his colorful wings in the spirit of inclusion.
“Har Mar has always represented the most out-there and
outrageous and in your face aspects of me,” says Sean
Tillmann, the Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter and producer
behind the Har Mar Superstar moniker.
Tillmann spent the past several years playing music
with his other projects – Sean Na Na and
Neon Neon, whose album Stainless Style
was nominated for the 2008 Mercury Music Prize.
But he also found time to launch a new career as an actor and screenwriter,
earning roles in the upcoming feature films Whip It (directed
by Drew Barrymore, and starring Juno’s Ellen Page and Arrested
Development’s Alia Shawkat) and Lovely,
Still. He’s developing his own movie scripts and sitcom pilots,
building on the success of his “Crappy Holidays”
videos; in each of the comedic shorts – directed by Ryan
Rickett and written with John Ringhoff
– Tillmann suffers a different cruel twist of fate for each
holiday.
Har Mar Superstar was born ten
years ago, when Tillmann was living in Minneapolis,
playing guitar-based indie rock. The Har Mar idea, he says, was
“a reaction to boring indie rock and how people were taking
themselves way too seriously, and any aspect of playing and touring
was no fun after a while, and I realized if I go to a dance party
and sing an R. Kelly song on a couch, the girls are going to go
f**king crazy. So I started transferring that to the stage and doing
more R&B-oriented songs, and it really was a no-brainer after
I’d done it a few times. Like, ‘why don’t I just
make this gross, why don’t I just start writing songs like
that?"And as soon as I did, it was obvious, it was
like a light bulb went off and I went on my way and got more and
more aggressive, and the shows became this weird exercise in
sexual tension, and I really learned how to play with that fire
and make it work for me.”
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Plus
Special Piano Tour of Europe includes Four Irish Dates:
10.11.09 - Cork - Cyprus Ave
11.11.09 - Dublin - The Village
12.11.09 - Galway - Roisin Dubh
13.11.09 - Sligo - Tobergal Lane
For Mark Eitzel’s new tour he will be performing
special piano shows across Europe with the accompaniment of American
Music Clubs arranger and keyboardist Marc Capelle.
Mark will sing American Music Club songs along
side solo tracks.
‘Klamath’
(décor records) is the album that a lot of people have been
asking Mark Eitzel to make for a very long time,
just Mark’s amazing voice, an acoustic guitar and minimal
instrumentation.
After a full year of touring Mark came back to San Francisco exhausted
and called on some friends for an escape. They were living in Happy
Camp, California - by the Klamath river, a small cabin in the middle
of the woods and way off the grid in Northern California. Mark says
about writing the album:
“I wandered around for a couple of weeks in this untouched
forest and decided I would make a record that included the stillness
- the vicious beauty - I heard there. I had not felt this way for
a long time. I should have made another American Music Club record
for the label - but didn’t hear drums and big electric guitars.
Klamath is a simple record. I am a simple man. Or I wanna be. It's
the kind of record i would want to listen to.”
The basic tracks were written and recorded in Klamath and finished
off in San Francisco in the following three months with Eitzel producing
and the likes of Franz Nicolay from the Hold Steady
and Marc Capelle from American Music Club and Dave
Douglas (who drums with Kelley Stoltz)
guesting on the album. The pastoral – laid back, late night
sparse feel to the album harkens back to Eitzel’s folk influences
of Nick Drake and John Martyn
and earlier work with AMC. The only electric guitar
featured is in Eitzel’s tribute to local Columbus, Ohio (where
Eitzel grew up) new wave hero Ronald Koal. After the instrumental
lead in to the album ‘Buried Treasure’
Eitzel puts on his lyrical and melodic best.
‘Klamath’ is Mark’s first proper
solo album of new material since 2001’s ‘Invisible
Man’ on Matador. Just prior to AMC’s breakup
in 1995, Eitzel began his solo career in earnest and since then
he has released six albums including “60 Watt Siliver
Lining”, “West” with
REM’s Peter Buck, “Caught in
a Trap...” with members of Sonic Youth
and Yo La Tengo and two albums of cover versions.
In 2003, American Music Club got back together
for one of the most anticipated and amazing reunions in ages. Their
2004 album, “Love Songs for Patriots”,
received widespread critical acclaim as well as the follow up “The
Golden Age”. In between these albums he released
a collection of soundtrack material called ‘Candy
Ass’. Eitzel is now working on a new record with
Peter Buck, the next AMC album
and a musical in London called Marine Parade co-written
with Simon Stephens.
“Klamath” - Tracklisting
1. Buried Treasure
2. Like A River That’s Reaching the Sea
3. The Blood on My Hands
4. I Miss You
5. I Know There Is Someone Waiting
6. What Do You Got For Me
7. The White of Gold
8. I Live In This Place
9. Why I’m Bullsh!t
10. Remember
11. Antennas
12. Ronald Koal Was a Rock Star
Mark
Eitzel is the singer and songwriter out of American
Music Club. Mark has been making records since 1980. He
has a full beard and is bald. Mark is one of the best songwriters
in the world, Rolling Stone said this back in 1992
but it is still true. Mark Eitzel is sometimes
his own worst enemy so it is fun to get them fighting each other,
Mark Eitzel II normally loses out to Alpha Eitzel. Mark has also
sung with the Toiling Midgets and with Peter
Buck of REM. Mark hates long haul flights and loves writing
rants about bad hotels on travel sites, someday we may collect these
into a book. Mark Eitzel has released 8 solo albums,
9 albums with American Music Club and many other
side projects, tour albums etc. I’m not sure Mark
Eitzel is a very good lover, he is defiantly not a very
good fighter. Mark Eitzel is currently working
on his new solo album, another album with Mr Buck
and after that a new American Music Club album.
Mark lives in the city of San Francisco in the Mission District…the
worlds best burritos come from here. Mark has lived in Ohio, NYC,
Southampton and can often be found walking the streets of London.
If you see Mark II stop and say hi and he may get you a drink but
please don’t hassle Alpha Eitzel, we are not insured here
for any public liability.

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Jerry
Fish & The Mudbug Club
"Rogue Melody"
The New Single from the album "The
Beautiful Untrue", the follow-up to "Back
to Before" and "Dig,
A Dog & Bone Story"
"True
Friends"
One of the all-time great Irish singles re-issued for the Holiday
Season from the multi-platinum album "Be
Yourself"
Available on The Mudbug Club Records and iTunes
www.jerry-fish.com
~ www.myspace.com/themudbugclub
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:::
LIVE ::: New
Years Eve Carnival Extravaganza ~ Vicar
Street, Dublin
Supports...
Bone Idle Circus
The North Strand Kontra Band
Candice Gordon
& very special guest Carol
Keogh
Ticket price 29.50 Euro
Upcoming
Jerry Fish & the Mudbug Club Shows
Sat, Nov 21 - McHughs, Drogheda
Thu, Dec10 - The Olive Grove, Athlone
Sat, Dec19 - Roisin Dubh, Galway
Tue, Dec22 - Party with Imelda May in the 02, Dublin
Sun, Dec27 - The Late Lounge, Kildare
Mon, Dec28 - The Pavilion, Cork
Thu, Dec 31 - New Years Eve Party / Carnival Extravaganza!! Vicar
Street, Dublin

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ALPHASTATES
"You Talked I Can Tell"
Out 20/11/09 on Magi Records
www.myspace.com/alphastates
The
3rd Single from the album HUMAN
NATURE - Out Now
Featuring the previous singles HUMAN NATURE
& CHAMPAGNE GLASS
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::: LIVE :::
SAT NOV 14TH - DUBLIN - VILLAGE (with
THE DC EXPERIMENT & THE BEAT POETS)
MON NOV 6TH - GALWAY, ROISIN DUBH
FRI NOV 20TH - MULLINGAR, STABLES
SUN NOV 22ND - BELFAST, AUNTIE ANNIES
WED NOV 25TH - DUNDALK, SPIRIT STORE
SAT DEC12TH - WARRENPOINT, SQUARE PEG
Prepare to be blasted by pop delusionists of grandeur. Alphastates
deliver their sound under the blanket of unselfconscious art. Fed
on Joy division, Billie Holiday,
Tom Waits, Sonic Youth, Edith
Piaf, Portishead, Velvet Underground,
this band will manage to reassure you that there's still urgency,
passion, and art left in music.
They continue to blend slow elastic beats with delicously
dark pop soundscapes on a grander scale. Graced with the addictively
evocative vocals of Catherine Dowling and with
music that is beautifully pop yet ethereally alternative. Alphastates
have the potential to leave a massive imprint. Human Nature
is the follow up to their critically acclaimed "Made
from Sand".
Music and misfits always come together. An after-hours
gig in a warehouse in Dublin introduced Catherine Dowling
to Gerry Horan. Some years later they formed alphastates.
In the hands of music composer Gerry Horan, Dowling
expressed the dark comedy of the Human Condition. "Pop
is a perfect avenue for human tragedy". Shy of performances
and people, they hung in the background. She sang her twisted off-kilter
melodies over his guitar and electro noise assaults. Other talented
misfits joined the melting pot. It started simple and their only
goal was to write beautiful songs.
Champagne Glass was the first single
taken from their very beautiful second album "Human
Nature", the follow up to their critically acclaimed
"Made from Sand". "Human
Nature" will be released to the public on the 24th
April 2009. Already making its way to the dance floors in New York,
Champagne Glass is a pop song draped in house beats
but smiling through the eyes of disco. Featuring two remixes by
acclaimed production duo "Arveene and Misk"
and mastered by Nilesh Patel, the face behind the
mastering of Daft Punk's Homework, Champagne
Glass is a hook-laden pop sparkler that won't leave your
head once inside.
Having toured with Cat Power, Mercury
Rev, Deus, Zero 7, Sinead
O'Connor, The Beta Band to name but a
few, alphastates have had their music appear on
both Irish and International film productions. They've played Oxegen
numerous times as well as the Electric Picnic together
with an a number of high profile festivals across Europe. Having
recently signed an international publishing deal and currently put
the closing stages to the contract with their US record label, "HUMAN
NATURE" is to see a release date Stateside at the
end of 2009.
With music that is beautifully pop yet ethereally
alternative, alphastates have the potential to leave a massive imprint.
____________________________________
Quotes from the media:
Metro (4/5 stars)... "A triumph"
Hot Press (4/5 stars) ....Groundbreaking,
wondrous, exhuberant...Singer Catherine Dowling's presence throughout
is a revelation throughout
Sunday Business Post (4/5 stars) -
Cool, brooding electronica that recalls other sophisticated
female fronted acts such as Portishead and the Cocteau Twins. What
really lingers in the memory are those vocals – breathy, vulnerable
and disarmingly sexy. Dowling’s oblique lyrics mean that you
may not know what she’s on about half the time, but one listen
to those hushed tones should be enough to get any male trembling
at the knees. Alternately soothing and chilling, Human Nature is
never less than an intriguing listen – and you get the impression
that Alphastates’ best work is still ahead of them.
Entertainment.ie (4/5 stars)
With their 2004 debut, 'Made From Sand', Alphastates became
one of the most underrated bands on the Irish music scene, not only
because they were ahead of their peers in terms of mixing guitar
driven indie with electro pop sounds, but also because of their
dark fragility and beautifully truthful lyrics. Now that the scene's
caught up to them, 'Human Nature' sees Alphastates develop that
sound and delve further into the realm of danceable pop music.
Catherine Dowling's sultry haze of a voice is
the defining and pre-eminent feature, as ever, as it shifts and
softly cracks above both catchy hooks and soft vibes. The bassy
synth hook of lead single 'Champagne Glass' vindicates its success
on the dancefloors of New York, while the rough-edged riff and distorted
punk guitars of 'The Record Machine' show that the band formerly
known as Babelfish still know how to rock out.
But it's the stark contrast between these upbeat
pop numbers and the mellower, more reflective tracks, which ooze
an introspective aching, that makes 'Human Nature' an album with
real depth. The plonking synths, building strings and delayed vocals
of 'Swimming' construct the perfect watery backdrop for its subject
matter, while atmospheric closer 'Comfort in Silence' ambles from
its droning instrumental opening through discreet vocal passageways
with ease and grace. If only more Irish bands had this kind of range.
Irish Times (3/5 stars)
Inspirational.....
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:::
LIVE :::
Thursday 5th November 2009
- THE VILLAGE, DUBLIN
Saturday 7th November 2009 - HEADFORT ARMS HOTEL, KELLS
Thursday 12th November 2009 - THE BACKROOM, NAVAN
Check website for more information.
"Beekeeper",
the 3rd single to be released from the critically acclaimed album
INVITATION TIME (Album of the Week - RTE Radio 1)
following "Eviction" and "Secret"
is out now on LP Records and Available on iTunes & downloadmusic.ie

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Idlewild
has announced it will be releasing its seventh studio album, "Post-Electric
Blues"
The album, which
was available earlier this year as a limited edition via the bands
website, will also feature two bonus tracks – Take
Away The Night Time and Take Me Back In Time (demo).
These tracks will be available to download once the album has been
purchased. The release was be preceded by a digital single, Readers
& Writers, which will feature an extra track, (The
Night Will) Bring You Back To Life (demo)
'Post-Electric Blues' is an indie-rock album of
Boss-like bombast, flecked with 70s synths and dashes of brass.
It's an album that leaps from Fleetwood Mac epic folk/rock/pop peaks
into joyous Loch-side sing-a-longs. It's the sound of a deft and
defiant band(completed by Rod Jones on guitar,
backing vocals, keyboards; Colin Newton on drums,
percussion; Allan Stewart on guitar and Gareth
Russell on bass), exploring soundscapes whilst finding
hooks and generally, genuinely and quite clearly, having a fookin’
good time.
"Album opener 'Younger than America' was the first track
we wrote for the album," says singer Roddy Woomble.
"The idea for the lyrics came from a spate watching Westerns
- simple stories of justice and courage set at the 'frontier'. It
sounds the way it does because we're all big fans of Neil Young
& Crazy horse. After we'd written the song I though the record
might turn into a American sounding piece of classic rock, but it
didn't turn out that way really, especially after writing 'Readers
and Writers'. The record went in whatever direction it chose to.”
Lyrically, the punk-rock sloganeering of their earlier work has
become a mixture of poignant observational small-world imagery and
universal ponder-neering. This isn't all textural wilderness-gazing
or woe is me Morrissey-like rambling. There are a few wry lyrics
because "sometimes you need some daft lines in there,"
explains Roddy, "I don't that think it's possible
to have a rock song where every line is perfect, I don't think that's
the point of rock music."
Whilst the band were writing and recording the album, members of
their fanclub-like online community saw and heard work-in-progress
snippets: "The fans of the band were part of this album
and were entitled to see the songs being written and to feel a part
of them," beams Roddy. "They paid for them to
be recorded after all. In today's musical world when everything
has to be available and instant and people get bored quickly (far
too quickly in my opinion) this album was our attempt to get with
the times. I suppose the album title reflects this. We all really
like and appreciate the fact the fans paid for us to make this album
and that all their names are inside of it."
Written in Scotland and recorded in Wales (and Scotland), Post-Electric
Blues is an album made to play live, as Roddy explains:
"Most bands now make their living through concerts, and
we're no exception, so records have to be tailored that way. With
'The Remote Part and 'Warnings...' we were writing songs that would
sound good on the radio (and live, but the radio was more important
- so we were told). There are a million new bands on the radio waves,
or digital waves, now so it's more important to us how we will sound
good through a PA system in a club and that we can play and sing
it all!"

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Invaders
Must Die – Special
Edition
3
disc set (2 x CD / 1 x DVD)
Take
Me To The Hospital / Cooking Vinyl - November 9th
:::
LIVE :::
Belfast - Odyssey Arena, Thursday 17 Dec 09
Dublin - The O2, Fri 18 Dec 09
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There can be
no doubt that this year belongs to the Prodigy.
They’re back, getting in the world’s face and doing
what they do best: they’ve proved themselves as the last gang
in town all over again, selling over a million copies of new album
‘Invaders Must Die’ and playing a string
of devastating live shows across the world that turn any gig into
a festival and any festival into an snarling, pogoing orgy of full
on rave power. Three men standing completely at the top of their
game.
So with the
world at their feet, the bar has been set pretty high to make this
three disc special edition of ‘Invaders Must Die’
a memorable end to a very special year…
Featuring heavyweight
underground rhythm tracks from Liam Howlett’s now scarce and
much talked about Lost Beats EP, new mixes from Liam Howlett, Yuksek
and Bang Gang as well as collecting the cream of the album’s
remixes to date including radical dancefloor reworkings from Josh
Homme, Sub Focus, Chase & Status, Benga, Herve and Rusko, as
well as live versions of tracks, videos and live footage plus a
48 page tour booklet.
The album will
also include Invaders Must Die (Liam H Re-amped version) and as
a mark of respect to their fans this track will be available to
download for free from www.theprodigy.com from Wednesday 21st October
for 7 days and will then get a full release on November 30th. Full
details to follow …
This is a collection
that shows off both a band at the peak of their live powers and
a collection of some of the most vital contemporary music being
made by anyone today.
Disc
1 - Audio CD - original album plus …
The
Big Gundown (from Lost Beats EP)?
Wild West (from Lost Beats EP)
Omen - Live - Rock am Ring
Disc
2 - Audio CD
1.
Invaders Must Die - new Liam Howlett mix
2. Invaders Must Die - Chase & Status Remix
3 Omen - Noisia Remix
4. Omen - Herve Remix
5. Warriors Dance - Future Funk Squad Remix
6. Warriors Dance - Benga Remix
7 .Warriors Dance - South Central Remix
8. Take Me To The Hospital - Rusko Remix
9. Take Me To The Hospital - Subfocus Remix
10. Take Me To The Hospital - Josh Homme & Liam H's Wreckage
Mix
11. Take Me To The Hospital - Loser 's Middlesex A & E Remix
12. Invaders Must Die - Yuksek Remix
13 .Thunder - Bang Gang Remix
DVD
Disc
1.
Invaders Must Die - video. directed by Paul Dugdale
2. Omen - video. directed by Paul Dugdale
3. Warriors Dance - video. directed by Corin Hardy
4. Take Me To The Hospital - video. directed by Paul Dugdale
5. Worlds on Fire - live. directed by Paul Dugdale
6. Warrior's Dance - live. directed by Paul Dugdale
7. Run - live. directed by Paul Dugdale
8. Take Me To The Hospital - Big Day Out - Australia 2009. directed
by Paul Dugdale

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HAM
SANDWICH
New Single "Out Of
The Darkness"
Irish Release 6-11-09 The Route 109 Recording Co.
::: LIVE :::
06 November (Fri) - The
Spirit Store - Dundalk
07 November (Sat) - Whelans - Dublin
19 November (Thur) - Roisin Dubh - Galway |
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After
a lengthy break, Ham Sandwich return with “Out
of the Darkness”, the new single from the Kells-based
band is released Nov 6th in anticipation of their sophomore album
in the Spring of 2010. Following the success of their debut long-player
Carry the Meek back in 2008, the band will be playing
across Ireland throughout the Autumn showcasing the new songs as well
as serving up all the fan favourites.
Now established as one of Ireland’s hardest working bands, Ham
Sandwich returned to the studio with Karl Odlum back in the
producer’s chair.
>>> NEW "HAM
SANDWICH" LOGO COMPETITION <<<
Calling all budding designers and young Van Gogh's out there! HAM
SANDWICH are looking for a new FONT / LOGO
and we decided we'd give our fans a shot at it. As it's a competition
the winner will win a hefty lump of cash along with our entire back
catalog signed by everyone in the band.
Here's the criteria,it's nothing too specific. Basically we'd like
it to be BIG and BOLD and most importantly
very easytoread. Lastly we'd like both words to be on seperate lines.
Send all your efforts to: podgesandwich@gmail.com
THERE
IS NO LIMIT TO THE AMOUNT OF TIMES YOU CAN APPLY
Over the years there has been barely a handful of Irish
bands whose dizzying ascent to the top of the music industry has
been made in double-quick time. Bands like The Thrills
and Cranberries are two examples of acts that had
barely finished playing village halls and local pubs when they found
themselves tripping the live fandango across huge stages in front
of vast crowds. They, however, are as rare the proverbial hen's
teeth, and even bands like U2 and the sickly sweet
Corrs, earned their stripes, parading up and down
the country, as they sharpened their skills waiting for that moment;
when your luck finally meets up with your opportunity. And when
you are a musician with any ambition, it is that "moment"
that you strive for, although most never even get that close. As
a small example of just how far the odds are against you becoming
a working musician, consider the following statistics. In Ireland,
experts vary about how many original bands exist in the country
at any given time but estimates ordinarily fall somewhere in the
region of 8,000 or more.
Each year, perhaps a half dozen of these will make the jump from
obscurity to national renown, with perhaps only one of these going
on to achieve anything on an international level. Considering Ireland's
anemic national support for its homegrown acts, it is a wonder that
even that many make it to solvency, but such adverse odds have done
little to dissuade the tens of thousands of kids that dream everyday
about being a rock star or even those bands that continue to carry
amps up and down the stairs of gin mills and dives every weekend
for years on end, in the dogged pursuit of that "moment".
For Ireland's latest indie sensation, Ham Sandwich,
that moment is now and few bands on the island have worked as hard
to achieve it.
According to legend, Ham Sandwich's birth was positively
biblical given the fact that Johnny Moore approached,
Podge McNamee and, Niamh Farrell about the idea
of forming their own group, while the trio were at a Good Friday
party, in 2003. With Moore as the main songwriter and the other
two as vocalists, they then set their sights on combing through
the musicians they knew in hometown, Kells, County Meath, in an
effort to shore up the lineup with likeminded individuals. Guitarist,
Darcy, was recruited from the school he attended
with Moore in the nearby town of Navan, which, curiously, is the
same school that gave Ireland three of its most esteemed comedic
talents, in the shape of Dylan Moran, Tommy
Tiernan and Hector O'hEochag·in.
With the addition of Ollie Murphy on drums, the
band was complete and rehearsals began in earnest. After almost
one year of intense jamming and absorbing a multitude of tastes,
the band finally took its first steps into the public spotlight,
becoming something of a local phenomenon, on the strength of their
charged live performances and colorful personalities.
In early autumn of 2005, the national underground music scene got
its first taste of the band with the release of their first single,
the superb, Sad Songs, which called to mind acts
such as Jesus & Mary Chain, Pavement
and The Smiths. With McNamee and
Farrell's vocals projecting a perfect balance of
light and shade, the single served as an early signal that Ham Sandwich
had potential to be a band of consequence. The next two years would
only confirm this notion as the five-piece set about touring the
highways and byways of Ireland, drumming up support wherever they
went, with a show that is as energetic as it is unpredictable. In
Farrell, the band has the ultra-cool female singer,
who is unafraid to mix it up with her fellow band members, yet is
not beyond projecting an air of cool detachment when the mood demands
it, while in McNamee, the band has a bona fide space cadet (sometimes
quite literally when he wears his astronaut costume). Bounding around
the stage, exuding fun and mischief, and alternating between ringmaster
and clown, his energy alone could probably power all their amps.
Together, the pair are almost sound somewhat like The Sunday's
Harriet Wheeler and Crash Test Dummies,
Brad Roberts, might sound like if they ever played
in a high-octane indie band, although it's doubtful then that they
would retain a scintilla of the natural chemistry evident between
Farrell and McNamee. Such a live
show soon had the band selling out venues throughout the country,
despite little or no promotion and winning them the title as Ireland's
greatest cult band.
Two more singles followed, St Christopher and Click...
Click... Boom!, the latter of which exploded the band onto
the national consciousness, with it's Pixies-like
collision of energy and substance. Suddenly Ham Sandwich found themselves
opening for names such as Electric Six, Buzzcocks
and My Morning Jacket, as their public profile
grew and their singles began to receive airplay in prime time shows.
They also made their first appearances on TV and as the year drew
to a close, the band retired to a cottage in Cavan, to begin work
on their debut album with producer, Karl Odlum.
In fact, the view from the cottage was the same view that Irish
writer, Jonathon Swift, was looking at when he
was struck with the idea for his novel, Gulliver's Travels,
adding just the right amount of solitude and mystique to proceedings.
On February 15, the band's labors attained a physical form, when
their debut album, Carry The Meek, hit stores and
promptly debuted at 23 in the Irish album charts, an extremely creditable
result considering they released it on their own label, Route
109 Records, which is named after the bus route from Dublin
to Kells. In case the band needed any more affirmation that they
were on their way to the next level, they were also presented with
the Meteor Music Hope For 2008 Award, on the same
day as their album release. The interest is such that the band is
already in talks with several labels with a view to getting the
album out overseas and it will undoubtedly only be a matter of months
before the band start gigging outside of Ireland on a regular basis.
The years of dedication appear to be paying out, proving the adage
that hard work always pays off in the end. McNamee recently alluded
to this fact saying: "It's always been a slow rise. We've
never forced our music on anyone." Now the people are
coming to the music in their droves, leaving only one slightly downbeat
note for the rest of us; we're going to have to find another band
to call Ireland's greatest cult band, because Ham Sandwich
has gone above ground and if they keep producing albums like that,
they are there to stay.
By Joe Kavanagh
(Irish Examiner - USA)

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Ocean
Colour Scene, who have clocked up an impressive eleven
Top 20 singles and five Top 10 albums during their illustrious career,
have announced that they will be giving away a free track ahead
of the release of their forthcoming album, "Saturday".
Taken from the album (due for release on Monday 1st February 2010),
the free download, "Mrs Maylie", will
be available for 2 weeks only from Monday 2nd November at
www.oceancolourscene.com
During their
illustrious career, Ocean Colour Scene have clocked
up an impressive eleven Top 20 singles and five Top 10 albums in
the UK alone. They recorded their new album "Saturday"
at legendary Rockfield studio (Oasis, The Stone Roses, and
Black Sabbath), with esteemed producer Gavin Monaghan
(Kings of Leon, Robert Plant ,The Editors, The Twang) at
the helm, and is due for release on Monday 1st February. Earlier
this year, the band previewed some of the new songs during its performances
at the Oxegen, V and Belladrum
Festivals. Commenting on the album, frontman Simon
Fowler says, “During our six weeks at Rockfield
we have recorded fourteen new songs so far, and it's shaping up
to be our best collection since Marchin’ Already. Now we are
looking forward to playing a whole new set early next year.”
More details to follow ….
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Hot
on the heels of stuffing Dublin's Whelans with over 400 punters
on the same night as the Ireland v Italy World Cup qualifier, Rising
Dublin popsters The Gandhis have just released
their debut album ‘You Are My Friend’
through 1969 Records. After raising a few eyebrows around the country
with their memorable performance RTE TV's "Saturday
Night With Miriam" show during the summer, the band
now hit the road to play dates around the country.
::: LIVE :::
22 Oct 2009 - The Spirit Store - Dundalk,
Louth
23 Oct 2009 - The Stables - Mullingar, Westmeath
25 Oct 2009 - Dublin Flea Market (Acoustic Gig Thingy) - Dublin
28 Oct 2009 - Dolans Warehouse - Limerick
31 Oct 2009 - The Lower Deck - Halloween Gig w/ Van Cleef - Dublin
17 Nov 2009 - Roisin Dubh - Galway
21 Nov 2009 - Whelans - Dublin
...check the myspace site for added gigs.

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New Single
‘I WON'T KNEEL’
Featuring Guest Vocalist SaintSaviour out
November 16th
Hotly Anticipated Studio Album Due Feb 2010
On ‘Work It’ Recordings in partnership with Cooking
Vinyl
www.groovearmada.com
/ www.cookingvinyl.com
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| Groove
Armada – Andy Cato and Tom
Findlay - release their euphoric new single ‘I
Won’t Kneel’, November 16th. It’s a blistering
sneak preview from their eagerly anticipated new studio album (due
Feb 2010), which ranks among their best work to date and sees the
masters of reinvention move in some thrilling new directions.
"Free of all major label agendas, we have
made the record we wanted to make, says Andy. “We
got that same combination of live band and electronics going in
the studio that have made GA live special. We found vocalists that
would keep working with us until it was right. There have been some
difficult months, but maybe that's why they are the best songs we
have written. If we had to choose one record for the time capsule,
this is it."
Written and produced by Andy Cato
and Tom Findlay, ‘I Won’t Kneel’
received its world premiere from Annie Mac on BBC
Radio One (September 18th) in the UK.
‘I Won’t Kneel’
is available in the following formats: CD
Single / 12" / Digital Track / itunes Single / STD Digital
Single. The track features a scintillating vocal
from female singer SaintSaviour, who has been described
as a cross between Kate Bush and Anthony
& The Johnson’s. She owned the stage with her
performance on Groove Armada’s highly energised
set, at their very own creation, Lovebox Festival
in July.
"We've worked with a lot of legends,”
says Andy Cato talking about their newfound vocalist
SaintSaviour. “Now we've found one. We've
done just a couple of ‘Black Light Live’ warm-up gigs
with her so far, but already I'm only ever asked one question. Who
IS that girl?"
SaintSaviour will illuminate the
live stage with Groove Armada in October when she
fronts their ‘Black Light’ shows in
the UK. She also features on several tracks on Groove Armada’s
hotly awaited forthcoming new album along with a whole host of fascinating
collaborators including Bryan Ferry, Fenech
Soler and Nick Littlemore from PNAU/Empire
Of The Sun.
Last month Groove Armada launch
their eagerly awaited return with the release of their explosive
new track ‘Warsaw’ – a sneak
preview from their hotly anticipated new album ‘Black
Light’. ‘Warsaw’ was
available immediately after Pete Tong pushed the
button for its worldwide premiere on BBC Radio One
back on September 4th as a free download. The following day Groove
Armada played one of their legendary live sets at Warsaw
Peace Festival to a 70,000 strong crowd.
Produced by Groove Armada (Andy Cato and
Tom Findlay) and co-written by Groove Armada
and Nick Littlemore from PNAU & Empire
Of The Sun, the free download was a breathtaking taster
from their new record set for release in February 2010, their first
on GA Recordings in a worldwide partnership with Cooking Vinyl.
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LITTLE
PALACE
"Beekeeper"
The next single to be released from the critically acclaimed album
INVITATION TIME (Album of the Week - RTE Radio
1)
Out October 16th, 2009 on LP Records and Available on iTunes
& downloadmusic.ie
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The
next single to be released from the critically acclaimed album INVITATION
TIME (Album of the Week - RTE Radio 1)
Out October 16th, 2009
on LP Records and Available on iTunes
& downloadmusic.ie
www.littlepalace.ie
~ www.myspace.com/littlepalacemusic
Beekeeper
single release will be followed with the following live tour dates!!...
- Saturday
24th October 2009 - PUMPKIN FESTIVAL - VIRGINIA (SUPPORT TO BELL
X1)
- Thursday
5th November 2009 - THE VILLAGE, DUBLIN Saturday 7th November
2009 - HEADFORT ARMS HOTEL, KELLS
- Thursday
12th November 2009 - THE BACKROOM, NAVAN
Check website for more dates to be added.
In March 2009, Meath based band "Little Palace"
released their second studio album, titled "Invitation
Time".
Two singles were subsequently released, the melodic
and thought provoking "Eviction" with
shared vocals from Ann-Louise Mulvany and Anthony
Cregan, and the heart-felt ballad "Secret",
featuring Colm Mac Con Iomaire of renowned Irish
band the "Frames". Both singles received
substantial airplay across national radio.
The release of the album was followed by a very
successful Irish tour, taking in venues in Cork, Galway, Limerick,
Louth and Meath.
"We really enjoyed being back on the road
together" says drummer Ian Melady who incidentally also
played with critically acclaimed indie band "Turn"
"because we'd taken a break from playing live for a few
years we were all fresh going in to it".
With main songwriter Michael Brunnock
now resident in New York, recording and touring were never going
to be easy. Bassist Anthony Cregan says "the
logistics of getting us all in the same place were a bit of a nightmare,
but the fact that we did it just shows how much we really wanted
it to happen". And, happen it did! With sold out shows
and rave reviews and even album of the week on RTE radio 1.
________________________________________
Little Palace went back into the studio in 2008
to record some songs written by Michael Brunnock.
"They were good songs and we all felt that there was unfinished
business, so why not!" says Michael. These recordings
became "Invitation Time" the new album
from the band.
Previously they had released two very successful
E.Ps. The debut "Beekeeper" featuring
the song "Gift" produced by "Dead
Can Dance" main man Brendan Perry,
and the follow up "Car" which were both
accompanied by extensive touring of Ireland, several dates in the
U.S and some shows in Paris, France.
Long term member and co-producer Martin
Quinn says of the new record "This is some of
the best work we've ever done and it all came together pretty easily!"
The new album features a re-working of the very
popular song "Secret" with a fine piano
performance by James Quinn, also a member of the
band since day one, and additional strings played by Colm
Mac Con Iomaire of the Frames.
Band Members
Ann-Louise Mulvany - Vocals
Michael Brunnock - Vocals/Guitars
Anthony Cregan - Vocals/Guitars/Bass
Martin Quinn - Vocals/Guitars/Bass/Keyboards/Producer
James Quinn - Piano/Keyboards
Ian Melady Drums/Percussion
David Butler - Manager
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COWBOY
X
"Analogue Droids"
4-Track EP Available 09/10/09 on Actual Size Records
Tracklisting: Analogue Droids - Squirrel Chase
Ball - Ed White's Glove - Villain In Disguise
www.myspace.com/cowboyxmusic |
::
LIVE ::: WHELANS (Upstairs), Dublin - October 10th, 2009"Analogue
Droids"Launch Gig
>>>
For Information / Interview requests / Promotional Copies contact Berube Communications:
Stevo Berube on info@berubecommunications.com
or phone 0872442695 <<<
"Analogue
Droids" is the 3rd single taken from Cowboy
X's long awaited second album - "Meant To
Be Machines" - out 2010 - and will be available on
download.ie with 3 other tracks, Squirrel Chase Ball, Ed
White's Glove, and Villain In Disguise,
as the Analogue Droids EP. This is the first time
Cowboy X have released an EP and the other 3 tracks,
will not be on the forthcoming album.
Also the two previous singles Japanese Toy
and Break Me (Featured
as the theme to RTE2 "Raw Sessions") will
for the first time be available on download.ie
_______________________________
John and David have been in several bands together since they were
knee high to grass hopper. They failed miserably. Then one day,
on a beach like the one in The Beach they both rescued Karen, a
complete stranger, from a shark, crocodile and pigeon attack.
After many months of recuperation in hospital (and with a few plastic
surgery operations thrown in for good measure) Karen was back on
her feet and tracked down John and David to thank them for saving
her life. They suggested many ways in which she could repay them...none
of which will be mentioned at this time. Then they realised she
could sing and her voice would work well on the music they had been
writing. From then on, they were collectively known as Cowboy
X and their music rang throughout the land.
COWBOY X:
Karen McCartney - Vocals/Guitar
John Hanley - Drums
David Grealy - Guitar
Wayne Gibson - Bass
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The
CORONAS
"TONY WAS AN EX-CON"
Featuring the Download Single "LISTEN
DEAR"
Out Now on 3ú Records
www.thecoronas.net
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The
CORONAS ::: LIVE ::: The Olympia Theatre
~ Friday 11th December
Tickets are €25.00 including booking fee on sale from Ticketmaster.ie
The Coronas ~ Upcoming Irish Shows:
03rd October - Hot Press Music Show,
RDS, Dublin
16th October - Roisin Dubh, Galway
17th October - Glor, Ennis, Co Clare
21st October - Electric Avenue, Waterford
23rd October - Dolans Warehouse, Limerick tickets
24th October - Cyprus Avenue, Cork (All Ages Gig)
24th October - Cyprus Avenue, Cork (Over 18s Gig)
28th October - Spirit Store, Dundalk
31st October - Trick or Street Halloween Party, Portlaoise, Laois
(Free Outdoor Concert)
::: November - Southeast Asia Tour :::
11th December - Olympia Theatre, Dublin tickets
_______________________________________________________
You will, of course, know The Coronas by this stage.
Meteor Music Award nominees, significant Irish participants
of Oxegen, the band behind the smart 2007 debut album,
Heroes Or Ghosts – The Coronas have slowly
but surely been embraced by their ever growing contingent of fans
as one of the best Irish bands to have emerged in the past five years.
Success by virtual word of mouth? Without so much as a planning meeting?
It’s enough to make a Marketing Manager resign.
“We just went with the flow,”
relates Danny O’Reilly (vocals/guitar). “We never
sat down and discussed what type of music we were going to make,
and I think that’s stood to us. Some bands do that, and talk
about image, clothes, hair, and to this day we still don’t
do that. We just worked with the songs we had, and let it happen.”
“What we would discuss and agree on,” comments
Dave McPhillips (lead guitar), “would be songs that might
gradually be left off the set list.”
According to Dave, the band’s overall sense
of ambition is wrapped up in a subdued collective confidence, rather
than “any game plan of reaching a certain goal by a certain
time, and being disappointed if we don’t achieve it.”
It also helped the band, remarks Danny, that they
never grabbed any significant critical acclaim or hype. “There’s
a sense in some bands that they think they’re better than
they are, when really you’re only as good as your last gig.
We found that getting responses from gigs was much more encouraging
in a productive way, as opposed to reading a brilliant review about
the band. We’re quite a humble group, anyway, and we’ve
always had an underlying belief in ourselves. I mean, at this point
we’re confident enough that we can win over people who have
never been to a Coronas gig before.”
The Coronas have been around in
some shape or form for over five years. Danny met up with Graham
Knox (bass) and Conor Egan (drums) while
at school and college, and a short time later hooked up with Dave
during a working holiday in Vancouver. Come the start of 2007, a
flurry of Irish chart activity commenced with their debut single,
‘Decision Time’, reaching the Top 10.
This success was enhanced with three further hit singles (‘Grace,
Don’t Wait’, ‘Heroes Or Ghosts’, ‘San
Diego Song’), all of which preceded their debut album,
‘Heroes Or Ghosts’, which subsequently
spent over a year in the Irish charts.
Time moves on, though, and the band – following
a licensing deal in Japan with JVC – have trumped ‘Heroes
Or Ghosts’ with their new album, ‘Tony
Was An Ex-Con’. The debut album still resides in
the heart of The Coronas, however, as it positioned
them at a particular place and time. “We were proud of
it at the time of release and we still are,” confirms
Danny. “We were, I suppose, naïve at the time, but
I wouldn’t necessarily call ‘Heroes Or Ghosts’
a naïve record. Joe Chester, the producer of it, really got
the best out of us. We were winging it, big time, of course, but
we knew we had to have an album because the records sell the gigs
and vice versa. We also knew we weren’t going to make the
perfect record…”
Whether the new album is perfect is open to debate
– one thing The Coronas won’t do unnecessarily is to
make big or superficial claims about it. All they can do is trust
in their intuitive pop/rock instincts, release a few singles, play
a rake of shows, light the fuse and stand back, and see what the
reaction will be. Recorded in Cornwall’s renowned Sawmills
Studios (and overseen by Razorlight/Muse/Supergrass/Oasis
producer John Cornfield), Dave reckons the main
difference between the new and the old album is that the band were
far more cool, calm and collected second time around. Less nerves,
more cohesion, less mess, more structure.
“It was great to have the opportunity
of trying out new songs,” offers Danny, “and
because of the gap between the first and the second album –
the guts of two years - we had lots of time.”
Both Danny and Dave agree that ‘Tony
Was An Ex-Con’ – which features more trademark
smart rock/pop than you can shake a stick at – quietly boasts
a more collaborative feel. The Coronas even more
of a band than they used to be? You’d better believe it. But
there’s more to come.
“We’re happy enough at the stage
we are in Ireland,” says Dave, “but we believe
we have a sound that can actually travel. We’re not a minimalist
techno band, what we do is not for a niche audience, and between
the two albums we have a consistency that will make an impact.”
“If you improve, then things will happen,”
states Danny, clearly in Field of Dreams mode, “and
if we keep getting better then good things are bound to take place.
We’re the biggest critics of ourselves, yet we feel the new
album is ten times the record ‘Heroes Or Ghosts’ was.
We are quietly confident that things will happen for us overseas.
We have ambition to play to as many people as we can and, who knows,
take over the world.”
‘Tony Was An Ex-Con’
was released September 25th through 3u Records.

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Trust
Me I’m A Thief presents
‘New Sounds, Different spaces’
By Beautiful Unit. |
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A
New project from the Trust Me I’m A Thief
record label (Jape, The Redneck Manifesto, Si Schroeder,
Somadrone, Goodtime John and others) is set to brighten
the October nights this year with an unusual tour by their
latest act, ‘Beautiful Unit’….
Beautiful
Unit explores the sonic possibilities of real time
sound manipulation using 8 bit sampling, repetitive grooves
and live music. The audio performance is accompanied by visuals
designed by Hector Castelles.
Helmed
by Guitarist Brian Mooney and producer Jimmy
Eadie, Beautiful Unit released their
debut album ‘European Son’ earlier
this year. Mooney is a well established musical
magic man on the Irish scene having played with everyone from
Jape, David Kitt and Si Schroeder
and to his own band The Idiots, while Eadie
has produced these artists and many more in his Asylum Studios
Dublin.
Every
space is different, from playing in the back of a van in car
parks to disused shops, living rooms to barns; in fact, you
might find this event taking place anywhere… ‘The
idea is to break down the barrier between performer and spectator
…we’re getting rid of the stage’.
‘New
Sounds, Different Spaces’
has been devised specifically for a once off tour of Ireland
in October 2009. The tour is presented with funding from the
Music Network Performance and Touring Award.
“A
sonic technique that oozes character and distinction, rhythms
thumped out on toy drum sets, strums on borrowed banjo and
music that thrums to, in the words of Mooney himself, “
The pulse of the static from the jack-to-jack” Our advice
– Don’t let this one pass you by” -
The Irish Times.
TOUR
DATES
10th
October: Cork city in
conjunction with Triskel Arts Centre in a
disused ESB Sub Station at 4pm. ADM FREE
11th
October: Clonakilty De
Barras. 8pm ADM FREE
16th
October: Sligo in Conjunction with The
Niland and Model Arts in a disused
shop front yet to be announced. 8pm ADM FREE
22ND-25TH
October: Temple Bar, Dublin 2 in conjunction
with Dublin Electronic Arts Festival from
a van in Temple Bar.
Time and
place to be announced on Twitter 24 hours
in advance. ADM FREE
30th
October: Dundrum, Dublin 16 in the Hay Barn
at Airfield House. 8pm ADM €8/€12
1st
November:
Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny The carpark of Eddie Murphys pub
from the back of the van. 6pm ADM FREE |
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INDIGO
GIRLS
::: LIVE
::: October 29th,
TRIPOD, Dublin
Tickets: €28.00 and €31.50 inc booking fee from www.ticketmaster.ie
and www.tickets.ie
New Album "Poseidon And The Bitter Bug"
Out Now on IG Recordings/Vanguard Records |
The
Indigo Girls launch their own imprint to release their
first studio album in 3 years
The release will contain 2 CDs – a full band version and acoustic
disc with a bonus track
It’s been two decades since the Indigo Girls
launched their career with their independently released debut album,
1987’s Strange Fire. Now, after entertaining
millions of fans with their 10 major-label studio albums (nine on
Epic Records and one, 2006’s Despite Our Differences,
on Hollywood Records), Emily Saliers and Amy
Ray have come full circle with the independent release
of their new 2-CD album, Poseidon And The Bitter Bug,
on their new label IG Recordings, distributed through Vanguard Records.
The new album reunites the Grammy-winning duo with veteran producer,
arranger and keyboardist Mitchell Froom (Elvis Costello,
Paul McCartney, Los Lobos and others), who worked on the
Indigo Girls’ acclaimed 2006 release, Despite
Our Differences. Longtime bassist Clare Kenny,
drummer Matt Chamberlin and engineer David
Boucher make up the rest of the core band but the sound
is pure Indigo Girls, with uplifting, effortless
harmonies; honest, passionately involved lyrics and infectious melodies.
“Mitchell was able to build a bridge between Emily’s
songs and my songs more successfully than anyone we’ve worked
with“, says Ray, “he’s a musicians’
musician and has a very clear idea of what will work.”
Adds Saliers, “He likes Amy’s music and he likes
my music, which is not the easiest thing to find because we are
so different and our songs are different.”
The album was recorded in Atlanta in a whirlwind three week session
– they wanted to keep a sense of spontaneity and discovery
to the process. And it’s the songwriting that shines on Poseidon,
with the duo exploring new approaches to melody, harmonics and rhythm,
especially on Saliers’ “Digging For Your Dream,”
which she says is “as close to R&B as I’ve ever
gotten,” and Ray’s “Sugar Tongue,”
a fevered meditation on colonialism that finds her experimenting
with her higher vocal range to capture an innocence not commonly
displayed by the fiery rocker.
Says Saliers, “For a band like us, it might feel inauthentic
if we tried to branch out in some crazy way musically. That's why
Amy makes solo records, so she can do her own thing outside of what
we do together. As a unit, we do what we do and Mitchell just happens
to bring the best out of it. That's a good thing at this point in
our career.”
One thing the Girls have done differently on Poseidon
is include a second CD that features acoustic versions of all the
songs, plus a bonus track, “Salty South.”
It’s a chance for listeners to hear stripped down, organic
versions of the songs – just the Girls in a room with a few
mics – before the arrangements changed with the addition of
the band.
With a Grammy, six Grammy nominations and a legacy of releases and
tours behind them, the Indigo Girls have outlasted many of their
peers and forged their own way in the music business. They’ve
always thought independently, and have always balanced their commitment
to music and performing with an unwavering commitment to social,
political and environmental issues – Ray and Saliers don’t
just talk the talk; they walk the walk. In 1991, Ray and Saliers
co-founded the non-profit organization Honor the Earth to raise
awareness and financial support for indigenous environmental justice,
and over the years they have supported groups fighting for women’s
rights, civil rights for same-sex couples, and the abolition of
the death penalty as well as voter registration.
Now with their own imprint, the Girls have come full circle; they’ve
weathered the ups and downs of the music industry and come out with
their musical vision and enthusiasm intact.
“I am overwhelmingly excited to be independent because
it really is where the heart of music sits for me,” says
Ray, “I don't have many regrets about the major-label
life of the band because we certainly got a lot out of it. We were
lucky enough to be on Epic when Pearl Jam and Rage Against The Machine
were our label-mates and the company was developing bands with the
intent of creating catalog artists. That has all changed, and it's
just not worth being on a major. It hasn’t felt worth it for
a long time. Beyond that, it never fed my soul the way an independent
career can.”
“I feel a great sense of freedom in finally being rid
of the major-label world,” Ray says. “It’s
been a burden for a while for me. I felt an honesty and sincerity
making Poseidon, because I fully believe in independence.”
Saliers says, “It fees liberating and centering, even
in the midst of change.”
Poseidon And The Bitter Bug is the work of career
artists at the top of their artistic game, invigorated to be doing
what they love best – writing and performing music. With these
two CDs, the Indigo Girls give listeners an intimate
look at their songwriting and how it’s affected by the recording
process. Poseidon is a release that affirms their position not only
as musical icons but as artists who continue to live up to the high
standards they’ve set for themselves.

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:::
LIVE ::: Irish Tour 2009
October 15 Cork - Cyprus
Avenue
October 17 Dublin - Sugar Club
October 18 Kilkenny - Cleeres
October 19 Belfast - The Empire
>>>
For Information / Interview requests / Promotional Copies contact Berube Communications:
Stevo Berube on info@berubecommunications.com
or phone 0872442695 <<<
We
Used To Think The Freeway Sounded Like A River will be
released on Décor Records (American Music Club,
Franz Nicolay) August 17, 2009 . We Used to Think…,
Richmond Fontaine’s eighth studio album
finds the band at their peak both artistically and commercially.
The Independent recently called singer/songwriter Willy
Vlautin “the Dylan of the dislocated”
and the band has been a firm critics favourite since the release
of Post to Wire in 2004 and were given two albums
of the month from UNCUT in 04 and 05.. Fontaine’s
sound has continued its decade-long evolution and is now fully
realized on We Used to Think… Featuring
epic songs like “Lonnie“ and “Two
Alone” and beautiful folk tunes like “Ruby
And Lou” and “The Pull”,
the new album delivers Vlautin’s classic storytelling backed
by Fontaine’s most interesting and accomplished musical
performance to date.
The birth of We Used To Think… began at
the tail end of a year-long tour in 2007 supporting Thirteen
Cities. Singer/songwriter Willy Vlautin’s
mother died suddenly, two days before Vlautin was scheduled to
return home. This prompted the road-weary band to take a year’s
sabbatical. Holed up at his home in rural Oregon, Vlautin reflected
on family, relationships, and love and began writing songs. Two
months into a writing streak, he was bucked off his horse and
forced to spend months nursing a badly broken arm. Finally able
to get back to writing, Vlautin retreated to his writing shed
and emerged a year later with a new novel (Lean on Pete,
release date Feb 2010, Faber & Faber) and twenty songs about
love, heartache, and loss.
After
arranging and rehearsing the songs that would become We
Used To Think…, the band decided to stay close
to home and record with old friends Larry Crane
and JD Foster (Dwight Yokam, Calexico) at Crane’s
Jackpot Studios (The Go-Betweens, Elliott Smith, The Decemberists,
The Shins) in Portland.
The
core of the band remains Willy Vlautin (guitars, vocals),
Sean Oldham (drums, vocals), Dave Harding (bass), and
Dan Eccles (guitars). For the session, Fontaine
also brought in family members and friends, Collin Oldham
(cello, cellomobo), Paul Brainard (pedal steel, trumpet),
and Ralph Huntley (piano).
Willy
will be playing a set at the Latitude Festival
on July 19th and the full band will be heading out on a full UK
& Ireland tour in September with a stops at the End
of the Road Festival (UK) and The Electric Picnic
(Ireland). The album will be preceded by the limited
7” single “You Can Move Back Here”
out July 20th released on Trash Aesthetics and will feature a
short story written by Willy inside the silkscreen cover.
Willy
Vlautin has released two novels to great acclaim, The
Motel Life and Northline on Faber &
Faber. Movie rights to both novels have been optioned. Oscar-nominated
screenwriter and award-winning director Courtney Hunt
(Frozen River) is adapting and directing Northline.
Here
is Willy’s rough guide to the tracklisting of "We
Used To Think The Freeway Sounded Like A River":
1)
We Used To Think The Freeway Sounded
Like A River – Living next to an abandoned
house, the romance and cost of a young couple getting their first
place in a rough neighborhood.
2) Northwest –
Instrumental featuring JD and Dan
3) You Can Move Back Here
– Getting a call from an old pal drowning in a city.
4) The Boyfriends
– A mom’s series of boyfriends and the kid who has
to endure them, featuring trumpet by Mr. Paul Brainard.
5) The Pull –
The anxiety and struggle of trying to stay sober.
6) Sitting Outside My Dad’s
Old House – Instrumental featuring Collin
Oldham’s cellomobo and radio trowel.
7) Maybe We Were Both Born Blue
– A high school romance and a neighbor who ruins both of
them
8) Watch Out –
Instrumental for the most part except some “Watch outs”
by me and Kendra.
9) 43 – buried
in debt, working at a paint store, and a basement full of weed.
10) Lonnie –
Running into your friend’s aunt at a grocery store and listening
to her rant about the horrible things he’s done.
11) Ruby and Lou
– A romance and a couple believing there's a place where
the darkness doesn’t exist.
12) Walking Back To Our Place At
3AM – Instrumental. A couple walking back
to their apartment after a good night at the bar.
13) Two Alone –
Moving to a new town, working as forklift driver, living with
your pregnant girlfriend who loves credit cards and doesn’t
have a job.
14) A Letter To The Patron Saint
Of Nurses – A nurse having a nervous breakdown
while drinking wine coolers and listening to Mariachi music.
Recent Press Quotes:
Thirteen Cities: “Quite simply, Vlautin’s one
of the most compelling songwriters working today, compared equally
to great American novelists llike Raymond Carver or John Steinbeck
and musicians such as Bruce Springsteen or Tom Waits”
The Sun
“Heartbreakingly great” 7/10 NME
"Nothing less than the Dylan of the Dislocated”
Independent 5/5, UNCUT 4/5 and 4/5 Mojo
The Fitzgerland:“..is mind-blowing…absolute perfection”,
UNCUT’s “Album of the Month” 5/5
“the
most beautiful sad album of the year” Q Magazine
4/5 stars , “downbeat masterpiece…bleak
but brilliant” 5/5 The SUN and 4/5 MOJO
Post
To Wire: “Uncut’s discovery of the year….Fans
of a certain kind of orphaned Americana are likely to fall on
Post To Wire like apostles on The Grail….soon be entirely
enthralled with this dark and mesmerising masterpiece” UNCUT
ALBUM OF THE MONTH 5/5 (listed as the 4th best album
of 2004) “Without a doubt, the best album of the decade”
Comes With A Smile, ”the seasons must
have Americana purchase. 4/5 MOJO

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| “Townes
Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world and I'll stand
on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that.”
- Steve Earle |

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STEVE
EARLE
www.steveearle.com
~ www.myspace.com/steveearlemusic
~www.newwestrecords.com
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:::
LIVE ::: Upcoming Irish Shows
Sept 26 - Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival, Longford - €41.70 ~
Tel: +353-87-281-7825 / www.johnnykeenan.com
Sept 27 - Belfast Open House Festival - £25.00 ~ Tel: +44
(0)28 90246609 / www.openhousefestival.com
Nov 09 - Galway, Town Hall - €40.00 ~ Tel: 091-569777 / www.tht.ie
Nov 10 - Galway, Town Hall - €40.00 ~ Tel: 091-569777 /
www.tht.ie
Nov 11 - Cork, Opera House - €40.00 ~Tel: 021-4270022 / www.corkoperahouse.ie
Nov 13 - Ennis, Glor - €40.00 ~ Tel: 065-6843103 / www.glor.ie
Nov 14 - Castlebar, The Royal Theatre & Events Centre - €36.50
~Tel: 0818 300000 / www.ticketmaster.ie
Nov 17 - Dublin, Olympia Theatre - €40/€36 ~ Tel: 0818
719300 / www.ticketmaster.ie
>>>
For Information / Interview requests / Promotional Copies contact Berube Communications:
Stevo Berube on info@berubecommunications.com
or phone 0872442695 <<<
New Album "Townes"
OUT NOW on New West Records
15-SONG SET COMPRISED OF SONGS WRITTEN BY THE LEGENDARY SINGER-SONGWRITER,
::: TOWNES VAN ZANDT :::
Features Guest Appearances by TOM MORELLO (Rage
Against The Machine, The Nightwatchmen), ALLISON
MOORER, and appearing on a Steve Earle Record
for the first time, JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE
Steve Earle releases "Townes",
his highly anticipated follow up to the Grammy Award winning album
Washington Square Serenade, on New West Records.
The 15-song set is comprised of songs written by Earle’s friend
and mentor, the late singersongwriter, Townes Van Zandt.
Townes will also be available as a deluxe two-CD
set, as well as double Limited Edition 180 gram vinyl.
The album was
produced by Earle at his home in Greenwich Village,
at Sound Emporium and Room and Board in Nashville, TN and The Nest
in Hollywood, CA. The track “Lungs,”
was produced and mixed by the Dust Brothers’ John
King and features Tom Morello of Rage
Against the Machine/The Nightwatchman on electric guitar.
Earle’s wife, the acclaimed singer-songwriter Allison
Moorer, is featured on backing vocals on “Loretta”
and “To Live Is To Fly.” Three songs
cut in Nashville, “White Freightliner Blues,”
“Delta Momma Blues,” and “Don’t
Take It Too Bad” feature a bluegrass band consisting
of Dennis Crouch, Tim O’Brien,
Darrel Scott and Shad Cobb.
Earle met Townes Van Zandt in 1972 at one of Earle’s
performances at The Old Quarter in Houston, TX. Van Zandt was in
the audience and playfully heckled Earle throughout the performance
to play the song “Wabash Cannonball” Earle
admitted that he didn’t know how to play the tune and Van
Zandt replied incredibly “You call yourself a folksinger
and you don’t know ‘Wabash Cannonball?’”
Earle then silenced him by playing the Van Zandt song “Mr.
Mudd and Mr. Gold,” not an easy feat due to its quickly-paced
mouthful of lyrics squeezed into just over two minutes of song.
Their bond was immediately formed. On Townes, Earle and his son,
singer-songwriter Justin Townes Earle (named after
Van Zandt) trade verses on the tune, a song the two of them have
been playing together since Justin was a teenager.
The songs selected for Townes were the ones that meant the most
to Earle and the ones he personally connected to (not including
selections featured on previous Earle albums). Some of the selections
chosen were songs that Earle has played his entire career (“Pancho
and Lefty,” “Lungs,” “White Freightliner
Blues”) and others he had to learn specifically for
recording. He learned the song “(Quicksilver
Daydreams of) Maria” directly from Van Zandt, and
taught himself “Marie” and “Rake”
specifically for the album’s recording. Once a song he played
during his live show, Earle relearned “Colorado Girl”
in the original Open D tuning that Van Zandt played it in. Earle
recorded the New York sessions solo and then added the other instruments
later on in order to preserve the spirit of Van Zandt’s original
solo
performances to the best of his recollection.
When speaking about Townes, Earle stated, “This may be
one of the best records I’ve ever made. That hurts a singer-songwriter’s
feelings. Then again, it’s some consolation that I cherry
picked through the career of one of the best songwriters that ever
lived.”
TRACKLISTING:
Pancho And Lefty
White Freight Liner Blues
Colorado Girl
Where I Lead Me
Lungs
No Place To Fall
Loretta
Brand New Companion
Rake
Delta Momma Blues
Marie
Don’t Take It Too Bad
Mr. Mudd And Mr. Gold
(Quicksilver Daydreams Of) Maria
To Live Is To Fly
Deluxe Limited Edition 2 x CD content
– Acoustic version of the album. Fold out poster of the cover
art. Expanded liner notes with lyrics.
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"This
is a pulsating collection of high-octane, blue-eyed soul, accentuated
by analogue recording, brilliantly punctuated by boisterous brass
and carried by a singer whose desire to sing is all too evident.
– it’s an impressive start." ~ Joe Breen
- IRISH TIMES |
JESSE
DEE
::: LIVE
::: Whelans, Dublin - Sunday, September
27th - €16
Irish Debut for the Boston Soul Singing Sensation!
Tickets available from WAV [lo-call 1890 200 078], City
Discs, Road Records, Tickets.ie & Ticketmaster
"Bittersweet Batch" Out
now on Munich Records
www.myspace.com/jessedee
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If
you are a Van Morrison, James Hunter, Al Green or Sam Cooke fan you
should check out Boston's Jesse Dee!
Jesse Dee’s influences read like a Who’s
Who of classic soul music. Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Etta James,
Al Green and many others. But Jesse Dee
is not just a student of the classics. He also loves the new wave
of rootsy artists – James Hunter, Amos Lee
and John Legend, among them. “Soul
music has always hit me harder than any other kind of music,’’
says the Boston-based Jesse, who has learned his lessons well. He
puts a convincing new spin on the subject with his debut solo disc,
“Bittersweet Batch,’’ which should
please anyone with a love of this heartfelt style. Jesse adds a
stunning vocal expressiveness and a unique ability to inject and
dissect emotions. He delivers it all with a warmth that comes from
analog recording and from cutting a lot of the songs live in the
studio.
Jesse co-produced
“Bittersweet Batch’’ (consisting
of all-original tracks) with Jack Younger in the
latter’s Basement 247 Studio. Younger has also produced for
fellow Boston roots phenomenon Eli “Paperboy’’
Reed. The record is targeted for an April release on Munich
Records.
Jesse’s
love of soul is honest to the core. When you step into his home
studio, for example, you may find him putting on a vinyl copy of
“The Best Chess Vocal Groups,’’
including cuts on the seminal Chess Records by the Moonglows,
Miracles, and Flamingos. And on the walls
are paintings that he has created of faves like Jackie Wilson
and James Brown. The paintings are exceptional.
Jesse is a graduate of MassArt (Massachusetts College of Art and
Design) and almost went into art as a profession over music.
“I’ve been painting longer than I’ve played
music,’’ says Jesse. “I have studied
art most of my life and have been doing both for a while, but I
made my decision to focus on music.’’
Raised in the
Boston suburb of Arlington, Jesse started at MassArt by studying
illustration, but switched over to its Studio for Interrelated Media,
where he studied performance, production, mixed-media, and composition.
During college he was in the ten-piece band Decifunk,
which played up and down the east coast and released an original
record called “Open Your Eyes’’
on Squeezebox Records in 2001. That was followed by a stint in the
group The Dirty Whites (“more like Black
Sabbath meets Motown,’’ he says). They put out
a five-song, self-released EP in 2006.
Then came his own group under the name Jesse Dee,
which includes guitarist Matthew Joy, bassist Jim
Larkin, and drummer Matt “Pie’’
Beaulieu. They’re all on the new album, as are such
top-notch guests as guitarist Kevin Barry (Paula Cole, Dennis
Brennan), and the soulful duo of Dwight
& Nicole, not to mention an all-star horn section
with Scott and John Aruda, and
Paul Ahlstrand, who has played with Susan
Tedeschi.
The new record
has some “bittersweet’’ themes, hence the title
“Bittersweet Batch,’’ but most
songs reflect Jesse’s ultimately positive view of the world.
The standout “Slow Down,’’ which
is on his myspace page (www.myspace.com/jessedee),
has an easy-loping swing groove and the message that “people
try to stay with the pace but the fact is that life is not a race.’’
Other upbeat tunes are “Still Here’
and the buoyant “Alive & Kicking.’’
Jesse, who has
opened for Al Green, is also a cofounder of Sea
Monsters, a popular club band he started with singer Christian
McNeill. It’s a true musician’s band and has
featured guest appearances from other Boston roots acts such as
Tim Gearan, Miss Tess, and Dennis
Brennan.
Jesse still
paints and freelances as a graphic designer. The painting sparks
his music. “I sing when I paint,’’ he
says. “I’ve composed songs while I paint a number
of times.’’
But exploring and updating soul music is his true passion. “I’m
just trying to get better – to write better songs, get better
at performing them, and enjoy myself in the process,’’
he says.
-- Written by
Steve Morse, a former staff writer for the Boston
Globe

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The
CORONAS ::: LIVE :::
The Olympia Theatre ~ Friday 11th December
Tickets are €25.00 including booking fee on sale from
Ticketmaster.ie
The
Coronas are back. Their debut LP - 2007’s Heroes
or Ghosts - achieved platinum sales in Ireland, and spawned
massive singles such as “Grace, Don’t Wait!”,
“Heroes or Ghosts” and especially “San
Diego Song” which became an anthem in clubs and
radio stations all across the country.
The
Dublin quartet quickly followed its’ release with sell-out
shows nationwide, two meteor award nominations and a spellbinding
set on the main stage at Oxegen. All this along
with tours in the U.S., UK and Asia, has enabled the Coronas
to establish themselves as one of Irelands’ biggest new
bands.
“We’ve worked really hard for the last two years
but taking a break never really occurred to us”, says
lead singer Danny O’Reilly. “We wanted to continue
to build on what we had going and we knew the only way to do that
was to go into the studio and record an album that we felt blew
Heroes (or Ghosts) out of the water”.
“We were quite young when we recorded Heroes or Ghosts”,
concurs guitarist Dave McPhillips (indeed they had all just turned
21). “And, although we were so proud of it, we really
didn’t expect it to do as well as it did. The last couple
of years on the road, constantly gigging and developing our sound,
left us with a better idea of the album we wanted to make”
Indeed anyone who has become accustomed to the Coronas
own brand of pop-rock tunes will have plenty of reason to cheer
when it comes to their new album, Tony Was An Ex-Con,
recorded over 6 weeks in the prestigious Sawmills studio
in Cornwall. This time round the guys teamed
up with esteemed producer John Cornfield (Muse, Razorlight,
Oasis). “Working with John in the mill (Sawmills)
was an amazing experience”, says bassist Knoxy. “We
thought that, with his resume, he’d be telling us exactly
what to do but he was really cool and just let us do our thing.
It was a really chilled-out, productive atmosphere.”
The title track comes from an incredible story about the lads
on tour in America, involving a psychotic bus driver who left
the entire entourage fearing for their lives. “It’s
funny looking back at it now, but at the time it was really quite
scary”, says drummer Conor Egan. McPhillips: “The
song was one of the first new songs that set us off on the writing
spree that led to the entire record so it felt like the right
title”
In Tony Was An Ex-Con, The Coronas'
fans will once again be reminded of the endearing spirit that
made Heroes or Ghosts a true word-of-mouth success,
while many will be impressed by how far they’ve come musically.
“We’re so proud of this record”, says
O’Reilly. “We realised along time ago that it’s
impossible to try to impress everyone. You can only make music
that you believe in yourself - be it pop, rock, indie, rap, whatever.
Hopefully the tunes will speak for themselves”
The Coronas new album ‘Tony Was
An Ex-Con’ is out Sept. 25th for
more details please see www.thecoronas.net

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Nell
Bryden, whose self-released debut single, What
Does It Take, recently spent 7 weeks on the A-List at BBC
Radio 2 in the UK, has announced that she will be releasing her
debut album, What Does It Take, in Ireland Friday
9th October. The album will be preceded by a new digital download
single, Second Time Around on Monday 5th October.
>>>
For Information / Interview requests / Promotional Copies contact Berube Communications:
Stevo Berube on info@berubecommunications.com
or phone 0872442695 <<<
Bryden is fast becoming one of the most talked
about and sought after new artists, building the buzz the old-fashioned
way with word-of-mouth endorsements of her live shows. With four
international tours (and 500 shows) in the last 12 months under
her belt, including tours with KT Tunstall, and
The Counting Crows, she is definitely one to watch.
Bryden
has also travelled to Iraq twice this year to entertain US troops
and boost morale. Award winning documentary maker Susan
Cohn Rockefeller, of the Rockefeller dynasty in the USA,
commissioned a team of filmmakers to go with Bryden
on her second visit. A documentary on the tour is currently in production
with a view to being released in the Autumn.
Named
Best Unsigned Artist of 2008 on Hits Daily Double,
Bryden’s debut single “Second Time Around”
not only earned her the coveted BBC R2 A List, but also became Song
of The Week on Ireland’s Today FM,
and secured her a Top 40 place in the Official Irish Charts.
What
Does It Take was recorded in New Orleans and New York,
and produced by Grammy-winning producer David Kershenbaum
(Tracy Chapman, Tori Amos, Joe Jackson) and Dave
Trumfio (Wilco, The Handsome Family, Jesus & Mary Chain).
The album was originally released in late 2008 and titled Second
Time Around, but has subsequently been remixed. This new
version also contains two new songs – ‘What
Does It Take’ and ‘Not Like Loving
You’, plus a re-recorded version of ‘Pavement’.
Critics praised
the 2008 release, saying it was:
“An
album of jazz torch singer style, and Patsy Cline heartache. Her
vocal versatility is supported by consummate songwriting skills
... Think of a female Nick Lowe with a better voice”
~ UNCUT
“An
eclectic collection, it takes in country blues, Dixieland Jazz and
her warm, rich voice even shows a touch of the Roberta Flacks”
~ Q
Available
on CD and as a digital download the full tracklisting is as follows:
1. What
Does It Take
2. Not Like Loving You
3. Where The Pavement Ends
4. Helen’s Requiem
5. Goodbye
6. Only Life I Knew
7. Second Time Around
8. Meridian (I Love The Same)
9. Green Dress
10. Tonight
11. Late Night Call

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| For
me the best songwriter in the country at the moment is Jinx Lennon,
and he matters. He matters to me. And we don‘t hear him because
he's telling the truth. He's singing about this island we live in
as it is, and he doesn’t get airplay. Why doesn’t he get
airplay? …Because he's telling the truth. And why can’t
people deal with that truth?... Because it's very raw, and he doesn’t
sugar it up. ~ Christy Moore – interview (Sunday
Tribune) |
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"Magic
Rawness & Rage" Live DVD Release and Irish dates Announced
For Information / Interview requests / Promotional
Copies contact:
Shane O'Neill eclecticmediaservices@gmail.com
or mobile 087 917 1085
Stevo Berube / Berube Communications
info@berubecommunications.com
or mobile 087 244 2695
Jinx
Lennon,
featuring Miss Paula Flynn, releases a new live
DVD on October 9th, 25 songs recorded live at the Sugar
Club in Dublin by Dara McClusky
(Arts Lives). “Magic Rawness & Rage”
is a recording of his live show featuring songs taken from all of
his four albums. It captures the essence of his live performance,
which can at times challenge us by mixing poetry and noise. A bit
like modern Irish story telling accompanied by music from New York’s
punk duo Suicide. This is the first time some of
these songs have been recorded with Miss Paula Flynn.
To promote the DVD, Jinx and Paula
will be playing some dates in October including
two dates at the Sugar Club with some very special
guests being lined up…more on that later.
October 2009 Irish Tour Dates
2 Oct - Letterkenny Arts Centre, Donegal
8 Oct - Sugar Club, Dublin with The Revelator Orchestra
9 Oct - The Glens Centre, Manorhamilton, Leitrim with Wasps V Humans
12 Oct - Roisin Dubh, Galway with Evil Uncle
15 Oct - The Roundy Bar, Cork City
16 Oct - Baker’s, Limerick City with Niall Quinn
17 Oct - Spirit Store, Dundalk, Co. Louth with Niall Quinn
23 Oct - Clarence Hotel, Sligo Live Festival, Sligo
25 Oct - Leonard Arms, Clones (Clones Film Festival)
30 Oct - The Static, Roscoe Lane, Liverpool Irish Festival, Liverpool
with Captain Moonlight
12 Nov - Sugar Club, Dublin
13 Nov - De Barras, Clonakilty
27 Nov - The LV, Cork
Jinx Lennon is a punk / poet / performance artist
whose repertoire contains elements of spoken word, electro, and
noise. Story telling delivered with a rage and rawness that is beautifully
complimented by Jinx's stage partner Miss Paula Flynn’s
tender vocals.
| Track
List: |
| 1/
ANTHRAX OF THE MIND |
14/
HOUSES EVERYWHERE |
| 2/
BALACLAVA BOYS |
15/
THE BUS DRIVER LOOKS SOUR |
| 3/
CITY OF STYROFOAM CUPS |
16/
THE BACHELORS OF PEARSE PARK |
| 4/
FORTY FACES |
17/
ST. BRIGID’S SHRINE |
| 5/
RAW-W-W-W |
18/
YOU ARE THE VACCINE |
| 6/
BRUISED BANANA |
19/
STOP GIVING OUT ABOUT NIGERIANS |
| 7/
GUITAR=MAGIC WAND |
20/
PROTECT THYSELF AND HOME |
| 8/
THE LOOKOUT POSTS OF FORKHILL |
21/
THE ORANGE CRANES OF GREENORE |
| 9/
EVERYONE’S GOT A MENTAL HOME INSIDE THEIR HEAD |
22/
ACCUSED IN THE JACUZZI |
| 10/
THE MEN WHO SAVED THE FACE OF FOOTBALL |
23/
ESCAPE FROM THE PLANET OF THE APES |
| 11/
CAN’T KEEP EVERYONE HAPPY |
24/
CIRCLE OF S**T |
| 12/
FUNERAL FACES |
25/
THE NEXT SLOW SONG |
| 13/
NOISEMAKER |
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Press Reviews:
I loved this album but if you are offended easily, avoid this
Dundalk depth charge. ~ Irish Mail on Sunday –
Danny McElhinney (4/5)
One of the most refreshingly fearless and relevant songwriters
in Ireland. ~ The Irish News - David Roy
For me the best songwriter in the country at the moment is Jinx
Lennon, and he matters. He matters to me. And we don‘t hear
him because he's telling the truth. He's singing about this island
we live in as it is, and he doesn’t get airplay. Why doesn’t
he get airplay? …Because he's telling the truth. And why can’t
people deal with that truth?... Because it's very raw, and he doesn’t
sugar it up. ~ Christy Moore – in interview in
the Sunday Tribune
There is no one – and I mean no one – in Ireland
making music quite like Jinx Lennon…. hand-in-hand with the
punk-poetry comes a soundscape that is immensely listenable
~ Clare People Interactive - Andrew Hamilton
One of Ireland's greatest living storytellers… Nobody
can listen to Jinx Lennon and not be affected ~ Connected
magazine *****
You see Jinx is a true diamond in the rough. While Trauma Themes
Idiot Times mightn’t be everyone’s cup of tea, there’s
no doubting that this performer is one of the most unique and daring
artists to emerge from Ireland in quite some time ~
Hot Press / Edwin McFee 4/5
While there is no question that Jinx’s ubiquitous style
is an acquired taste; with music this original and rousing on the
menu, you’d be an absolute idiot to not at least try and relish
its mouthwatering flavours ~ Limerick Independent -
Alan Jacques
The worry for Jinx is that the populace, jaded from the endless
drip of bad news stories from the front line of the Recession, will
run a million miles from anyone banging on about life as it's really
lived in this banana republic ~ Irish Independent –
Nick Kelly

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After
a complete sell out in Dublin's Whelans back in
April, Finley Quaye makes a triumphant return to
the Capital to play the Village Venue on Dublin's
Wexford Street.
In 1997 Finley Quaye released his debut album "Maverick
A Strike", which included the hits "Sunday
Shining" and "Even After All",
sold over five million copies world wide. That same year Finley
scooped 'Best Male Singer' at The Brit
Awards and play every major festival in The UK and Europe.
He was the opening act for Oasis in Slane
the same year.
Finley is currently busy finishing his new album which will be released
in 2010 and starts a major UK / Ireland Tour in September.
__________________________
Maverick, now there's an overused word. Restless
Finley Quaye fits the bill perfectly with a multifaceted,
multi ethnic catalogue of music that somehow mashes pure pop to
the underground. He scored a solo record deal with Polydor Records
1994. He began working with Epic/Sony in 1996 and in 1997 he reached
the UK Top 20 twice with 'Sunday Shining', and
'Even After All'.
‘Sunday Shining' was classic Finley with
its bizarre cross section of influences of Tenor Saw,
the Breeders and the Zombies mashed
together.
His debut album Maverick A Strike is a masterpiece
capturing the sunshine vibe of primetime Marley but placing it firmly
in the concrete of mid nineties bohemian Britain and making it pure
pop. Finley's following two albums are even more musically satisfying
and challenging and were released on Epic, Vanguard (2000)
and Much More Than Much Love (2004). Quaye is readying
several albums. ‘Pound for Pound' and ‘The
Best Of The Epic Years' on Sony/BMG are both out this year.
'Straight From Country' a country album and also
'Pinnacle' which are both prepared for release
in 2009.
He is currently living between London and Miami.

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THE
LEMONHEADS, who have entered into a licensing agreement
with Cooking Vinyl, released their long-awaited covers collection,
VARSHONS, through the label back in June 2009.
>>>
For Information / Interview requests / Promotional Copies contact Berube Communications:
Stevo Berube on info@berubecommunications.com
or phone 0872442695 <<<
It makes sense
that the new album from The Lemonheads sounds like
a mix tape slipped to you by a music-obsessed friend anxious to
turn you on to something new. In fact, the idea for the band’s
new covers record was inspired by Gibby Haynes,
ringmaster of the Butthole Surfers, who for years
has made mixes for his longtime friend Evan Dando.
“Making a good mix is an art, and Gibby has it down,”
says Dando. “I thought it would be fun to share these songs
with other people like he shared them with me. So I picked the ‘greatest
hits’ from his mixes and covered them, along with a few other
songs I always wanted to play.”
VARSHONS was produced by Haynes
and features Dando along with Vess Ruhtenburg
(bass) and Devon Ashley (drums). The collection
is filled with strange bedfellows - from G.G. Allin
to Texas troubadour Townes Van Zandt and garage
rockers The Green Fuz. The Lemonheads
make each track their own, with help from actress Liv Tyler,
singing back up on Leonard Cohen’s “Hey,
That’s No Way To Say Goodbye,” and Kate
Moss, who sings over the dance groove of Arling
& Cameron’s “Dirty Robot,” which
also features lead guitar by John Perry on loan
from The Only Ones.
VARSHONS unearths a pair of psychedelic treasures
with “Yesterlove” – a song recorded
in 1969 by the group Sam Gopal featuring future
Motorhead bassist Lemmy Kilmister
– and “Dandelion Seeds” from
July, record collector’s Registered Landmark Band.
For “Layin’ Up With Linda,” the
band filters Allin’s cold-blooded tale through the swaggering
country-honk of The Stones’ “Dead Flowers.”
Filled with obscure nuggets, the tracks on VARSHONS
cut a wide swath, jumping from early British psychedelic to Dutch
electronica and like all good mix tapes, you never know what is
coming next.
Full tracklisting as follows :
1. “I Just Can’t Take It Anymore” (Gram Parsons)
2. “Fragile” (Wire)
3. “Layin’ Up With Linda” (G.G. Allin)
4. “Waiting Around To Die” (Townes Van Zandt)
5. “Green Fuz” (Randy Alvey & Green Fuz)
6. “Yesterlove” (Sam Gopal)
7. “Dirty Robot” v/ Kate Moss (Arling & Cameron)
8. “Dandelion Seeds” (July)
9. “Mexico” (Fuckemos)
10. “Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye” f/ Liv Tyler
(Leonard Cohen)
11. “Beautiful” (Linda Perry)
* Original artist in parenthesis

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| Kilkenny-based
purveyors of power-pop release their debut album produced by Martin
Quinn. Known as a singles band, they decided to make their debut long-player
due to the overwhelming feedback from their growing fanbase. Featuring
all their singles to date: BUS STOP, INDICATION
STREET, VALENTINE, KICK OFF,
& ABC plus new single EVERYBODY.
The band continues to tour the country non-stop winning the musical
hearts of all and bouncing all over the radio waves with their blitz
of infectious tunes. Doing it the good old-fashioned way by hitting
the road & releasing a steady flow of brilliant singles, their
‘live’ following has grown to impressive numbers. Definitely
one to watch!
Upcoming SAVING J Live Dates:
14.08 - Party in
the Park, Kilkenny (12 noon)
23.08 - The Bunker,
Belfast
02.09 - An Brog,
Cork
11.09 - Tower Records,
Dublin - (5pm)
12.09 - Whelans,
Dublin
15.09 - NUI, Galway SU (7PM)
17.09 - The Bailey,
Enniscorthy
18.09 - The Purty
Loft, Dun Laoghaire
19.09 - Heartbeat
City, Kilkenny (3pm)
21.09 - DCU, Dublin
22.09 - NUI, Maynooth
SU
24.09 - Baker Place,
Limerick
25.09 - Langtons
Theatre, Kilkenny
26.09 - Electric
Avenue, Waterford
02.10 - Arts Theatre,
Greystones
03.10 - O'Keefe's,
Clonmel
More to be announced; check
www.myspace.com/savingjmusic
Sean Redmond - Lead Vocals / guitar Paul Hindle - Drums / Backing
vocals Liam Redmond - Lead Guitar Eamon Mc Evoy - Bass Guitar

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Waterford's
Declan de Barra releases 'A Fire to Scare
the Sun', the much anticipated follow-up to his critically
acclaimed debut album 'Song of A Thousand Birds' (2006).
Already a hit on world and indie music charts across Europe &
America, Kila Records has licensed 'A Fire to Scare the
Sun' for Ireland and is set to release it on September
4th. Known as a musician's muscian, many of Ireland's top artists
have namechecked Declan, now based in Dublin, as an essential element
in contemporary Irish music crossing over the genre divide from
punk, world music, folk, trad, jazz.
Earlier this year, Declan was selected, along with The Coronas,
Wallis Bird, and Fight Like Apes,
to represent Ireland at Eurosonic, the prestigious
European Music Conference and Showcase Festival
held in Groningen.
UPCOMING
SHOWS:
2009
18 Jul
- CANADA - Alberta - Fort Macleod - COUTH
COUNTY FAIR 5.10pm Mainstage
also
10:30 am East Stage with Jen Paches, David
Ross Macdonald, Scott Nolan
12 Sep
- FRANCE - Paris - France Inter - Les point
des artistes - Radio show with audience (5 songs)
14 Sep
- FRANCE - Paris - Sunset
15 Sep
- FRANCE - Paris - Sunset
16 Sep
- FRANCE - Paris - Sunset
26 Sep
- FRANCE - ORLEANS - Festival De Loire
Sep
30 - Spain Salamanca - - TBA
Oct
01 - Portugal - TBA
Oct
02 - Portugal - TBA
Oct
03 - Portugal - TBA
Oct
04 - Spain - TBA
Oct
05 - Spain - Don Benito - - TBA
Oct
06 - Spain -Madrid - TBA
Oct
07 - Spain -Barcelona - - TBA

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:::
LIVE ::: National Concert Hall ~ August 18th, 2009
Tickets available from www.nch.ie and NCH box office
www.proclaimers.co.uk |
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New
Album "Notes & Rhymes" Featuring
the single "Love Can Move Mountains" is
OUT NOW on W14 / Universal Music
The
Proclaimers return with their eighth studio album Notes
& Rhymes (W14/Universal) released in the UK & Ireland
on 15th June. This was preceded by the single Love Can Move
Mountains available as digital download from 8th June.
Together with their band, Craig and Charlie hit the road with tour
dates in UK, Ireland, and North America for the rest of the 2009,
including Ireland's National Concert Hall in Dublin
on August 18th, 2009.
Strikingly individual, twin brothers Craig and Charlie Reid have
over the years enjoyed huge success across the globe as the emotional
honesty, political fire, wit and sing-along raucousness of their
songs and their extensive touring has enlightened and entertained
fans new and old. The Proclaimers have carved out
a niche for themselves in the netherworld where pop, folk, new wave
and punk collide. In the process they have enjoyed Gold and Platinum
singles and albums in UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia and New
Zealand.
After a rapid writing period in the second half of 2008, Craig and
Charlie Reid headed back to the legendary Rockfield Studios in February
with producer Steve Evans (Robert Plant, Siouxsie)
to record a new album ‘Notes & Rhymes’ (W14/Universal)
for release on 15th June. Craig and Charlie then went over to Austin,
Texas to make their debut at SXSW where they performed a series
of seven acoustic showcases, including a one-off Scottish extravaganza,
sharing a bill with Glasvegas and Primal
Scream.
2008 saw The Proclaimers bring a 129 date, yearlong
World tour to a triumphant conclusion with 2 final shows July 19/20
in front of 15,000 fans at Edinburgh Castle and a big top at Bught
Park, Inverness. Craig and Charlie then got down to writing new
songs for the remainder of the year.
March 2008 had seen The Proclaimers tour across
Europe before heading off to USA & Canada for a 2 month coast
to coast tour. They followed that with a variety of shows from Muscat
to Bermuda, alongside English seaside resort gigs and European festivals
including their fourth Glastonbury appearance.
September 2007 had seen The Proclaimers release
their seventh studio album ‘Life With You’ (W14/Universal)
in the UK to fantastic critical acclaim and great commercial success.
October then saw The Proclaimers kick off their biggest ever UK
& Ireland tour, 44 dates to over 100,000 fans. In Scotland,
they sold more gig tickets than any other single act in 2007. The
summer saw them play at a number of festivals, including 2 exhilarating
main stage performances at V Festivals.
Earlier in 2007 they topped the UK singles chart in March with a
rousing new rendition of their classic anthem I'm Going
to Be (500 Miles), a collaboration with comedians Peter
Kay and Matt Lucas for Comic Relief,
raising over a million pounds in the process. EMI relaunched their
2002 Best Of collection, re-entering the Album Charts at No 5 with
sales soaring beyond platinum.

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CHUCK
PROPHET
"¡Let Freedom Ring!"
Irish Release 4th September on Cooking Vinyl
www.chuckprophet.com
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Friday
4th September sees the Irish release of solo artist/guitar slinger
Chuck Prophet’s 9th studio album, “¡Let Freedom
Ring!”
Chuck
wrote these songs last summer in one long spurt in San Francisco
with the window open wide during a rare heat wave. Dwight
Twilley, Iggy, Thin Lizzy
and the Knack were blaring out the Hi-fi. It is
as anxious a time as any for the life, death, rebirth and future
of the American Dream. A concept album emerged around this dream.
The songs were immediate and called for guitars and more guitars
and needed to be recorded somewhere raw and energizing. You see,
to Chuck music is geography, so his trick is to wake up interested
and inspired from what is around him.
The answer came, so Chuck reached out to some musicians and talked
them into going down to Mexico City, The Biggest City in the World
(pop. 25 million). Recorded at Estudio 19, a state-of-the-art
studio (well, circa 1958 state-of-the-art anyway) with Greg
Leisz (Beck, Wilco, Emmylou Harris) co-producing. Within
three days of arriving swine flu broke out and the indignity of
having to wear blue surgical masks just to fit in.
Over the course of the next eight days, the band set about recording
¡Let Freedom Ring!, enduring a poorly timed
blackout, shakedowns by the Policia, and a 6.4 earthquake mid-take
- Mexico City might only be 4 hours away by plane but it might as
well have been on the other side of the moon. But whilst mayhem
ensued, the band buckled down to the task in hand, all set up together
in a tight little bamboo lined room with the amps cranked. Chuck
played his Fender Squire, Kelly Stoltz on backing
vocals, Rusty Miller (Jason Lyte’s band)
played bass while Drummer Ernest "Boom" Carter
turned his sticks into kindling. Carter played on Springsteen’s
“Born To Run” - he promptly quit the E Street
Band after they spent 6 months recording it. The results can be
heard from the Clash inspired opener to the power pop of ‘Let
Freedom Ring’ and the Eddie Cochran infused ‘Good
Time Crowd’.
Prophet started his wild ride back in 1984, when Green on
Red, the seminal purveyors of American Rock-Roots, plucked
him out of Berkeley, CA and threw him in the van for an eight-year
ride, and the recording of as many albums. Since then Prophet has
recorded nine amazing solo albums and toured and recorded with the
likes of Lucinda Williams, Aimee Mann,
Cake and Jonathan Richman. Ryan
Adams, Solomon Burke and Heart
have recorded his songs, along with a host of others. Prophet has
never been one to rest on his laurels and ride it out.
His last album, 2007’s “Soap and Water”,
was heralded as “The best work of his career”
(Q**** Recommended Album) and “His most
satisfying album yet. The range of styles is impressive”
(Uncut****). Mojo declared “His
Richard Thompson-indebted Telecaster squalls have subsequently decorated
a litany of credible solo albums of which the latest may well be
the finest”, whilst Q also voted it
one of the Best Roots Albums of 2007 in their end
of year poll.
“¡Let Freedom Ring!” is a
vailable on CD and as a digital download, the full tracklisting
is as follows :
1. Song Liston’s Blues
2. What Can A Mother Do
3. Where The Hell Is Henry?
4. Let Freedom Ring!
5. You and Me Baby (Holding On)
6. American Man
7. Barely Exist
8. Hot Talk
9. Love Won’t Keep Us Apart
10. Good Time Crowd
11. Leave The Window

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Kentucky-born
and Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Dawn Landes
has announced she will be releasing her third album in Ireland, Sweet
Heart Rodeo, on Friday 4th September. The album will be preceded
by the release of a digital download single, Romeo (released
Monday 24th August), which berates a certain someone who
once ruined one of Landes birthdays by standing her up, and borrows
a hook from Tennessee Ernie Ford’s fifties nugget of resignation
“16 Tons”.
Landes first came to attention with the release of her acclaimed second
album (and her UK & Ireland debut), Fireproof (2008).
Q declared it to be “Understated and beautiful”
(Q **** Recommended Album), whilst The Guardian
called it “vivid girl-next-door indie pop in the spirit
of Frente and Cat Powers.” Uncut said
“Landes propels the whole project skywards with a voice
that encapsulates the best qualities of Laura Veirs and Cat Powers.
It’s pretty much essential stuff.”
Sweet Heart Rodeo looks set to garner even more critical
acclaim.The title was inspired by Landes great-grandmother’s
beau, who ran away to join the rodeo during the Great Depression.
A rodeo theme runs throughout the record as she compares the ups and
downs of romance to the rigours of bull riding. “Each song
is like its own bull,” the twenty-eight-year-old deadpans.
“Each ride its own love-story … you know, trying to
hang on to a wild thing isn’t always graceful.”
Recorded in Landes own studio (Saltlands in Brooklyn) with regular
collaborator, drummer and all-rounder Ray Rizzo,
guitarist Josh Kaufman and bassist Annie
Nero, the album kicks off with “Young Girl”,
which ponders gender stereotyping - competitive boys, jealous girls
- over a reductive and distorted keyboard riff. The haunting ‘Money
In The Bank’ marries down-home hippie wisdom (‘the
night before you die, what are you gonna buy?’) to a glorious
chorus bolstered by a wistful French horn. Landes even drums on an
unlikely cover of Margo Guryan’s already unlikely
‘Love’, a 1968 collision of cool jazz
and nascent psychedelia. Rizzo’s idiosyncratic harmonica style
(“kinda cloudy- the opposite of ethereal”) boosts
the quirky ‘Wandering Eye’, a rare song
that combines sex and travel without causing offence, while ‘Little
Miss Holiday’ imagines a conversation between Jodie
Foster and the teenage hooker that inspired her character in Scorsese’s
unhinged “Taxi Driver.” It’s tender
rather than bleak. ‘Brighton’ is a tribute
to a magical day in that great Southern (English) town, yet it could
hardly sound more American, Appalachian even. “I hope I
captured it in the song,” she says. Her Brighton though
is more romantic than the resort us Britons know, already a fond memory.
By the album’s conclusion, the wobbly wedding march of ‘All
Dressed In White’, you’ll probably be thinking
of giving love a try. Even if it does hurt when you fall off.
Available on CD and as a digital download,
the full tracklisting as follows :
1. Young Girl
2. Romeo
3. Money In The Bank
4. Love
5. Sweetheart Of The Rodeo
6. Clown
7. Wandering Eye
8. Little Miss Holiday
9. Dance Area
10. Brighton
11. All Dressed In White
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IAN
HUNTER
"Man Overboard"
Irish Release 7/8/09 on New West Records
www.ianhunter.com
~ www.newwestrecords.com
Original Mott The Hoople
Lineup Confirms Five 40th Anniversary Reunion Shows in London at
the HMV Hammersmith Apollo |
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>>>
For Information / Interview requests / Promotional Copies contact Berube Communications:
Stevo Berube on info@berubecommunications.com
or phone 0872442695 <<<
Legendary
Mott the Hoople front man and renowned solo artist,
Ian Hunter, has signed to New West Records. Man
Overboard is Mr. Hunter’s anticipated follow up to
his critically acclaimed solo album, 2007’s Shrunken
Heads (his first release after a 6 year gap).
With Mott the Hoople, Ian Hunter
quickly established himself as an incredibly inventive songwriter
with his gritty and thought provoking songs which paved the way
for the original wave of punk rock. The 1972 David Bowie
produced breakthrough album All The Young Dudes
catapulted the band into the British Top 10 and the American Top
40. Additionally, the band was the first act to ever sell out a
week of Broadway concerts in New York City. Ian Hunter’s
autobiography, Diary Of A Rock and Roll Star, written
during the band’s 1972 US Tour and published in 1974, was
also acclaimed by Q Magazine as “the greatest music book
ever written.” The original Mott The Hoople
lineup of Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs, Verden Allen, Dale Griffin
and Overend Watts have announced five 40th
anniversary reunion shows at the HMV Hammersmith
Apollo in London on October 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th
and 6th.
As a solo artist, Mr. Hunter has been responsible for instantly
recognizable classics as “Once Bitten, Twice Shy,”
“Cleveland Rocks” (which went on to be the
theme song for ABC’s hit series The Drew Carey Show), and
many, many more. Both Ian Hunter and Mott
the Hoople have been cited as major inspirations for numerous
artists including The Clash, Kiss, R.E.M., Oasis, Jeff Tweedy
of Wilco, Motley Crue, Blur and Primal
Scream among others. Hunter’s influence on modern
rock and roll music has been immeasurable, with over 150 different
cover versions of his songs.
Man Overboard is Ian Hunter’s 13th solo album
since his eponymous debut in 1975. Recorded in late 2008 in Pawling,
NY, the 11-song set is a stunning follow up to the overwhelmingly
critically acclaimed Shrunken Heads album. Man
Overboard was produced by Andy York (veteran guitarist
for John Mellencamp) and Ian Hunter and
features a backing band of superstar talent comprised of Steve
Holley on drums and percussion (Wings, Joe Cocker),
Paul Page on bass (Dion), Jack
Petruzzelli on electric guitar (Rufus Wainwright,
Joan Osbourne), James Mastro on electric
guitar (Patti Smith, John Cale), Andy Burton
on piano and organ (The Db’s) and Producer
Andy York on guitar and backing vocals. Many of
the band members are returning from the Shrunken Heads
sessions. Regarding Man Overboard, Ian Hunter stated,
“When we did Shrunken Heads, I felt like we had a good
thing going so I wanted to revisit the experience before anything
changed, and that’s what we did."
Track
List:
1. The Great Escape (4:28)
2. Arms And Legs (4:34)
3. Up And Running (3:47)
4. Man Overboard (5:16)
5. Babylon Blues (4:54)
6. Girl From The Office (4:35)
7. Flowers (3:32)
8. These Feelings (4:01)
9. Win It All (2:24)
10. Way With Words (4:15)
11. River Of Tears (5:32)

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| "He
sounds as though he has drunk deeply from the same fountain that gave
the world Henry Lawson, Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan". Bruce
Elder - Sydney Morning Herald |
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:::
LIVE ::: Upstairs At Whelan's, Dublin - Sunday 2nd August, 8pm.
Best known in Ireland for Mary Blacks' interpretation
of 'Flesh & Blood' along with many other
songs. Shane Howard is an iconic and prolific
Australian singer & songwriter. Starting out in the late seventies
with the hugely successful indigenous folk/rock outfit 'Goanna',
Shane has spent many years solo, working with and producing other
Australian musicians. This is a rare return for Shane to his ancestral
homeland.
Support on the night comes from Rory Faithfield.
Dublin-based for many years, yet Sydney born and bred, singer-songwriter
Rory Faithfield is described as "Power
Acoustic" by the Irish Independent, and "invigorating
and inspiring" by The Irish Times.
>>>
For Information / Interview requests / Promotional Copies contact Berube Communications:
Stevo Berube on info@berubecommunications.com
or phone 0872442695 <<<
(Note
- For Interviews: Shane will land in Ireland on Sunday 26 July
and will be available for interviews and sessions from Mon 27
until Weds 29th July)

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“The
Prodigy’s fifth studio album sounds just like The Prodigy should.
Only leaner, harder, and even faster than before.” Q
****, April 2009
“It’s hard to imagine many better records being release
this year.” London Lite, 5/5, 16th February 2009
“Nobody does The Prodigy like The Prodigy, and
it’s a joy to have them back on all cylinders.”
– Clash – 8/10, March 2009 |

"Take
Me To The Hospital"
The New Single From the
Chart Topping Album
"Invaders Must Die"
Irish Release: OUT NOW on Take Me To The Hospital / Cooking Vinyl
www.theprodigy.com
/ www.invadersmustdie.com
/ www.cookingvinyl.com |
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Having
smashed it with their intensity and energy recently at Irish festivals
LIVE AT THE MARQUEE (Cork), LIVE IN THE
PARK (Co. Down), and SLANE CASTLE (with OASIS)
and virtually every major festival over in the UK this year including
headline performances at Glastonbury, Isle
of Wight and Download to name a few, The
Prodigy release the third single Take Me To The
Hospital in Ireland on August 28th. Still riding high in
the European charts, their album ‘Invaders Must Die’
is among the top five selling albums of 2009 and has reaffirmed
the band’s status as true legends of both dance and rock.
Take Me To The Hospital is the exhilarating car
crash sound of all three members … a sound so frenetic, unhinged
and deeply bass driven it could only come from the minds of Liam,
Keith and Maxim. Steeped in the history early 90s rave the Prodigy
themselves pioneered but given a suitably awe inspiring 21st century
reboot, this ain’t no retro banger … it’s a future
classic.
Remixes include an apocalyptically gnarly remix from Queens
Of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme collaborating
with Liam himself. On the dancefloor side there are mixes from Adam
F & Horx, Rusko, Losers
and drum & bass demons Sub Focus, all making
Take Me To The Hospital a total festival banger
you’ll be hearing blasting out of late night legal high stalls
all summer long.
Available on the following formats:
CD Single
1. Take Me To The Hospital – 09 EQ
2. Take Me To The Hospital – Sub Focus Remix.
12” Single
A. Take Me To The Hospital – Sub Focus Remix.
B. Take Me To The Hospital – Rusko Remix.
Download
1. Take Me To The Hospital – 09 EQ
2. Take Me To The Hospital – Sub Focus Remix
3. Take Me To The Hospital – Josh Homme And Liam H's Wreckage
Mix
4. Take Me To The Hospital – Rusko Remix
5. Take Me To The Hospital – Adam F and Horx Remix
6. Take Me To The Hospital – Losers Middlesex A & E Remix
7. Take Me To The Hospital – Instrumental ’09 EQ
8. Take Me To The Hospital – Album version
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| Dublin
Five Piece The Chapters release the second offering
from their critically acclaimed debut album Perfect Stranger
when download only single Trying to get Ahead goes
live on Friday July 24th. Having
just rocked the Hotpress New Band Stage at Oxegen
despite going head to head with Razorlight, Janes Addiction
and the only good weather of the weekend, The Chapters
have a busy summer ahead of them.
They will be
playing live as part of Irish Rails 25th anniversary
of the Dart Celebrations with an eclectic show
on the Dart on July 23rd.
Following this,
The Chapters will support Ocean Colour
Scene at INDIEPENDENCE before making a
guest appearance at Castlepalooza the same weekend.
September sees
the boys celebrate the day that the black was first brewed as they
play a special guest appearance at the Arthurs Day
celebrations in Dublin.
Debut Single
Videotapes received nationwide airplay with Today
FM's Tony Fenton stating that The Chapters are
"gonna be huge" - who are we to argue!
Trying
to get Ahead is released on July 24th
on 3ú Records and is available from all
good download sites!
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:::
LIVE :::
Lé Cheile Festival -
Caffrey’s Oldcastle, Meath ~ Aug. 8th, '09 www.lecheile.com
Also Featuring Lisa Hannigan, Mundy, Declan O'Rourke, Fight Like Apes,
Delorentos, Barleyshakes, and more
>>>
For Information / Interview requests / Promotional Copies contact Berube Communications:
Stevo Berube on info@berubecommunications.com
or phone 0872442695 <<<
Little Palace went back into the studio in 2008 to
record some songs written by Michael Brunnock.
"They were good songs and we all felt that there was unfinished
business, so why not!" says Michael. These recordings became
"Invitation Time" the new album from the
band.
Previously they had released two very successful
E.Ps. The debut "Beekeeper" featuring
the song "Gift" produced by "Dead
Can Dance" main man Brendan Perry,
and the follow up "Car" which were both
accompanied by extensive touring of Ireland, several dates in the
U.S and some shows in Paris, France.
Long term member and co-producer Martin
Quinn says of the new record "This is some of
the best work we've ever done and it all came together pretty easily!"
The new album features a re-working of the very
popular song "Secret" with a fine piano
performance by James Quinn, also a member of the
band since day one, and additional strings played by Colm
Mac Con Iomaire of the Frames.
Band Members
Ann-Louise Mulvany - Vocals
Michael Brunnock - Vocals/Guitars
Anthony Cregan - Vocals/Guitars/Bass
Martin Quinn - Vocals/Guitars/Bass/Keyboards/Producer
James Quinn - Piano/Keyboards
Ian Melady Drums/Percussion
David Butler - Manager

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After
the success of his first single "After All That's Happened",
Dublin-based Wexford man Niall Colfer's glossy
lo-fi debut album "Finds" was gently
placed into the consciousness of the music loving public with an
astonishing "word-of-mouth" efficiency. Upon a chance
hearing of Niall's demos, 1969 Record's Daragh Bohan
immediately seized upon the opportunity to release the album which
went on to become one of the label's success stories of 2009. Recorded
in Sun Studios & co-produced with Gareth Mannix,
"Blind Eye" continues along the path
paved by the ex-Salthouse frontman with breezy guitars, catchy choruses,
and wistfully blissful lyrics. Perfect for a gorgeous summer day!
>>>
For Information / Interview requests / Promotional Copies contact Berube Communications:
Stevo Berube on info@berubecommunications.com
or phone 0872442695 <<<
Niall’s first solo project after fronting
the critically acclaimed Wexford band SALTHOUSE.
Recorded and produced over the last year in Sun Studios with additional
production by Gareth Mannix, Finds is Niall’s
first solo album. Playing many of the instruments on these new tracks
himself, Niall has honed a distinctive style; a hushed confidence
of melody and groove, inside disco, rock and sometimes even folk.
Not afraid to admit where his inspiration comes from, he says it’s
everything from love, loss, and the history of life. You’ll
find street scenes in one song, ancient maps in another.
Niall’s
songs come across as honest explorations of everyday feelings without
the smaltz. He hits a characteristic groove in each song, which
just continues on through, hooking you in. Together, the songs leave
an impression of subtlety, individualism and toe-tapping rhythm,
with lyrics that creep on up and get you thinking.
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THE
FLATLANDERS
(Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely and Butch Hancock)
::: LIVE ::: Vicar Street, Dublin
- July 29th, 2009
The Texas Legends Only Irish Show of the Year!
Tickets are €38 on sale now through Ticketmaster and other
usual outlets nationwide. Booking Line: 0818 719 390
"Hills And Valleys" – Out Now on New West Records |
Jimmie
Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely and Butch
Hancock have been friends for almost 40 years, and members
of that not-really-a-band, life-of-its-own musical entity known as
The Flatlanders for nearly as long. They will be
performing live together at Vicar St. this July 29th.
But when the trio decided to collaborate on songwriting for Hills
And Valleys, the fourth in a rather elongated string of Flatlanders
albums, they realized it wouldn't be easy. They'd done it before for
one thing, first for the soundtrack to the 1998 film The Horse
Whisperer, then for their "reunion" album, 2002's
Now Again. So they already knew they'd be as likely
to spend hours trading tales and laughing uproariously as they would
trying to agree on a lyric.
And they knew how long that could stretch out, too. "Sometimes
we'd work on one line of a song for several days," Ely reveals.
"That's just one line, not a verse. It's hard to please all
three of us at once."
But for Hills and Valleys, they not only managed
to come up with eight eloquent joint efforts, they added Ely's "Love's
Own Chains" and "There's Never Been,"
Hancock's "Thank God For The Road," one
by Gilmore's son, Colin ("The Way We Are"),
and, for good measure, their arrangement of Woody Guthrie's
"Sowing on the Mountain." That one serves
not only as an homage to one of their musical guideposts but, as Hancock
notes, a representation of the album's general theme: "the
ups and downs, emotionally, of peoples' lives these days."
"One moment you're sitting on top of the world,"
he explains, "and the next, you're ‘sowing on the mountain
and reaping in the valleys.'"
They didn't set out with an agenda, but what Ely calls "the
heavy-dutiness" of the last eight years-9/11, Katrina, Iraq,
border walls going up while the economy careened downward-all were
definitely on their minds as they wrote.
"Even though all of us are very active politically, a lot
of times we don't want to bring certain things into our songs,"
Ely explains. "This time, we had to say, ‘Hey, let's
look at this, not in a pushy way, but really
figuring it out in our own heads. Putting it into a song and trying
to unravel it.'"
The psychological approach. Which explains how a song called "After
The Storm" never mentions a specific deluge, but examines,
via Gilmore's gentle tremolo, the feelings of loss and aloneness one
might experience "looking out after the storm, wondering
what to do and where to go."
That was the first song they came up with. The last was "Homeland
Refugee," which addresses foreclosures and the "so-called
security trust," though it was composed months before the
credit crunch triggered a string of bank failures that unleashed even
more economic calamity.
The song was partly inspired by an irony they saw in the current "reverse
migration" of Californians to Texas, because their families
had been part of the original Dust Bowl exodus. As they wrote at Hancock's
home in Terlingua (writing sessions were also held in Austin, where
Gilmore and Ely live), they also watched the construction of a wall
designed to prevent Mexican people from migrating to America. Telling
a simple story in simple words, they cut right to the core of these
complex issues. An overt reference to Guthrie's "Pastures
of Plenty" and an implied one to his "Deportee
(Plane Crash at Los Gatos)" further allude to those
hills and valleys of earth and life-which they put in irrefutable
perspective in the line: For everything this world is worth, we're
all just migrants on this earth, returning to the dust from where
we came.
"After the Storm" and "Homeland
Refugee" form a trilogy of sorts with the Tex-Mex-flavored
"Borderless Love." Over the jaunty notes
of honorary Flatlander Joel Guzman's accordion, the song draws the
conclusion: A wall is a mirror, it can only reveal/one side of the
story that passes for real.
But not all of these tracks are so obviously topical. "Just
About Time" makes seeming allusions to a long-needed
change in leadership, but it's also a song about mortality-the happiest
little rocker about death you're likely to ever whistle inside the
shower. It prominently features that early Flatlanders staple, Steve
Wesson's singing saw-which automatically adds levity just by the weirdness
of its sound. Another original Flatlander, Tony Pearson, performs
mandolin and sings harmony on the disc; both were heard on the band's
first recording, that long-fabled entity from 1972 that finally got
a proper release 20 years later with the title, More A Legend Than
A Band.
Though Ely produced its follow-up, Now Again, and
2004's Wheels of Fortune, Hills and Valleys
was produced by another old friend who grew up in the cotton-furrowed
flatlands of Lubbock: Lloyd Maines. In
addition to their long musical history with Maines (he was a member
of Ely's band for years and produced Gilmore's Hightone Records
debut), Gilmore points out a trait that further strengthens their
bond: Maines' off-the-wall sense of humor is similar to theirs.
His Dixie Chick connection apparently didn't hurt, either; daughter
Natalie's bandmate Martie Maguire contributed some fiddle. A who's-who
of Austin sidemen (and friends) also participated: Robbie
Gjersoe on guitars; Glenn Fukunaga on
bass; Rafael Gayol on drums; Bukka Allen
on keyboards and accordion; Brian Standefer on
cello; and Pat Manske on percussion. Maines played
steel, mandolin, banjo and guitar, and contributed harmonies.
Perhaps all that involvement makes him an honorary Flatlander, too.
But none of them takes the designation too seriously. As with each
Flatlanders album or tour, no one knows about a next one; they're
a product of fate, chance, inspiration, the gods ... and come around
when they come around. They've each got successful solo careers
to keep up as well.
But here they are, 37 years after they were prodded into recording
together the first time, still collaborating-and still the best
of friends. In his soft Texas drawl, Ely sums the philosophy behind
their creativity: "We might as well write music and make
songs up, because there's not anything that we'd rather be doing."
"Hills And Valleys" Tracklisting:
Homeland Refugee
Borderless Love
After The Storm
Wishing For A Rainbow
No Way I’ll Never Need you
Just About Time
Love’s Own Chains
Cry For Freedom
The Way We Are
Thank God For The Road
Free The Wind
Sowing On The Mountain

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The
Coronas are currently recording the follow-up to their multi-platinum
debut album "Heroes or Ghosts" in the famous
Sawmills Studio on the River Fowey in Cornwall with John Cornfield
who has worked with a vast selection of artists including Muse,
The Stone Roses, Supergrass, Razorlight, Oasis and Robert
Plant. The as-of-yet untitled new album is pencilled in for
an Autumn 2009 release so keep your eyes peeled for it!
In addition to writing & recording the new alblum, 2009 has been
a busy year for band. They signed a licensing deal in Japan with JVC
for their first album, which found them travelling to Tokyo in March
for a string of shows. The album ‘Heroes or Ghosts’
had its UK release in May 2009 where the band will be returning for
another tour later this year.
The band will be playing several festivals throughout the Summer,
including the main stage at OXEGEN on July
10th.
::: Upcoming Shows :::
29 May - Volvo Ocean Race Festival, Galway
30 May - Kilcornan House, Limerick
31 May - Kerry Rose Festival, Tralee, Kerry
04 June - The Academy, Dublin
26 June - Ballybunion Festival, Kerry
04 July - Diamond Festival, Donegal Town
10 July - Oxegen Festival, Punchestown Racecourse
16 July - Festival Internacional, Benicassim, Valencia
01 August - Merriman, Killena Festival, Killena, Clare
06 August - Bulmers Live, Leopardstown Racecourse, Dublin
Check www.thecoronas.net
for updates
The Coronas were nominated for two Meteor
Irish Music Awards this year. For the second year running
they were nominated for Best Pop act along side The
Blizzards and The Script. Their second nomination
is for Best Live act with Republic of Loose
and Swell Season.
2008 was been a phenomenal year for The
Coronas. Their debut album “Heroes or Ghosts”
achieved platinum selling status in Ireland, they successfully embarked
on tours in the UK and the US, and they ended the year with an amazing
headline show in Dublin’s prestigious Olympia Theatre. When
asked their highlight of their year recently Graham Knox
(Bassist) said, “It’s hard to pick a highlight
because the year has gone so fast and we’ve crammed so much
in to it. I think for me one of the highlights was playing the Ambassador
Theatre in Dublin in February as it was our first big headline show
and it went as well as any of us could have possibly hoped.”
Danny O’Reilly (lead Vocal, Guitar and Piano)
thought Oxegen ’08 was the highlight for
him. “Playing the main stage at such a big festival was
a dream for us. We had about 30,000 people singing our songs back
to us. It really was a surreal and amazing experience”
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THE
DUCKWORTH LEWIS METHOD
Self-titled Maiden Album Released in Ireland July
3 on 1969 Records
::: New Single ‘The Age Of
Revolution’ Released June 28 :::
www.myspace.com/dlmethod |
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With new ball
in hand, The Duckworth Lewis Method release their
eponymous maiden album, July 3 – exquisitely timed to coincide
with this summer’s Ashes tour.
Written by Duckworth (Thomas Walsh) and Lewis
(Neil Hannon) the album was recorded and mixed in Dublin
and mastered just down the road from Lord’s in Abbey Road
Studios.
All the songs are either loosely or tightly connected to the beautiful
game of cricket, there are no covers, extra covers or cover drives
for that matter. These are all wonderfully crafted pop songs for
cricket lovers and non-lovers equally to enjoy.
First delivery, ‘The Coin Toss’, spins
wickedly into lead single ‘The Age Of Revolution’,
released June 28.
From ‘Jiggery Pokery’, which tells
the tale of the Gatting Ball and features guest cameos from Phill
Jupitus, Alexander Armstrong and Matt Berry amongst others, through
the Trescothian angst of ‘The Nightwatchman’,
to the triple century of ‘Test Match Special’.
This album really hits ‘The Sweet Spot’
(track4!) with a guest appearance from Cathy Davey.
With trademark melodies and glorious harmonies, the anthemic ‘Meeting
Mr Miandad’ is yet another album highlight. It depicts
Duckworth and Lewis' epic road
trip to meet the legendary batsman Javed Miandad.
"The Duckworth Lewis Method is an album steeped in the
love of cricket and pop. The resultant twelve songs are a cacophony
of leather and willow turning through a cosmos of searing melodies
and all round tunes,” says Duckworth
in his post match interview.

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The
Minus 5, led by underground icon Scott McCaughey,
will be releasing a new album Killingsworth in
Ireland on Friday 3rd July 2009.
>>>
For Information / Interview requests / Promotional Copies contact Berube Communications:
Stevo Berube on info@berubecommunications.com
or phone 0872442695 <<<
Killingsworth
is an aptly named thoroughfare that borders northeast Portland's
"Alberta Arts District", where the tracks were primarily
conceived and executed. Scott's old buddy John Moen,
who has been a Dharma Bum and a Maroon
and a Jick, and is now a Decemberist,
wove a noose out of papyrus, and helped lasso his current bandmates
and other notables to flesh out the arrangements on a dismal and
disturbing array of soon-to-be-classics. The effervescent smokin'
drinkin' Little Sue and the four ultra-stylish
priestesses once known as the Shee Bee Gees provided
welcome feminine counterpoint to the song cycle's wanton depravity
(it's not truly a song cycle, nor is it a Richard Strauss tone poem,
but the caliber of the material deserves a modicum of pretension).
Various members of M. Ward's combo, as well as the very great Norfolk
& Western (some of them the same people), played crucial roles
in delivering the goods. They were poorly remunerated. Noted novelist
and Richmond Fontaine frontispiece Willy
Vlautin provided a golden lyrical trampoline, and Timothy
Bracy of Mendoza Line fame collaborated
on the dance-floor-bound "Dark Hand of Contagion".
As ever, Peter Buck (REM) put twelve strings or
less to optimal use whenever cajoled. Ken Stringfellow
sang on a Scandinavian ferry, fully clothed.
Thus begins a new chapter in the Minus 5 saga.
Different than the rest, yet barking up the same monkey tree. And
if you have any questions or comments about the music itself, Mr.
McCaughey would be glad to elucidate all over you, to the best of
his ability, which varies according to the situation.
Killingsworth is available on CD and as digital
download, full track listing as follows :
01. Dark Hand of Contagion
02. The Long Hall
03. The Disembowlers
04. Th Lurking Barrister
05. It Won't Do You Any Good
06. Vintage Violet
07. Scott Walker’s Fault
08. Big Beat Up Moon
09. I Would Rather Sacrifice You
10. Ambulance Dancehall
11. Gash In The Cocoon
12. Smoke On, Jerry
13. Your Favourite Mess
14. Tonight You’re Buying Me A Drink, Bub

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.jpg) |
"SPARKS
N' MIND"
AWARE - Charity Album
Release Date June 12th Through 1969 Records
Featuring
Cover Versions by Irish Acts:
Bell X1, Republic of Loose, Lisa Hannigan, Ham
Sandwich, Cowboy X, Damien Dempsey, The Flaws, Le Galaxie, Dave
Couse, Dirty Epics, The Thrills
::: Tracklisting Below ::: For More Information Contact stcalbumproject@gmail.com
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"SPARKS
N' MIND" Album Launch
TOWER RECORDS, Wicklow Street, Dublin
Thursday, June 11th
1pm - Ham Sandwich
5pm - Le Galaxie
More Acts to be Announced, check www.towerrecords.ie
for updates.
The Final Year students in the Sound Training Centre are putting together
a charity album with all the proceeds going to “Aware”,
an organistion that provides support and awareness programs for people
suffering with depression. The concept and general theme of the album
is “Songs That Inspire”. The album comprises
of contemporary Irish artists covering influential musicians and songwriters
that gave them the initial spark to start a band. The album is entitled
“Sparks n’ Mind,” as it deals with
themes of personal and creative growth, hope and guidance, which we
feel are relevant to the themes “Aware”
deals with, in helping people suffering from depression.
The artists involved with the album range from the
cutting edge of the Irish Indie scene to the some the most established
acts in the country. The album varies from big selling Irish artists
like Bell X1, Republic of Loose, Damien Dempsey and Lisa
Hannigan, to up and coming alternative acts like Ham
Sandwich, Cowboy X, The Flaws, and LeGalaxie,
to name but a few.
Many of the bands will be recorded in Temple Lane
Recording Studios, state of the art Apollo studio, by the Sound
Training Centre final year students.
The release date is set for the 12th of June through 1969 Records
Tracklisting:
1. The Flaws - The Killing
Moon (Echo & the Bunnymen)
*2. Ham Sandwich - Stay (Shakespeare's Sister)
3. Republic Of Loose - God Moves On The Water (Blind Willie Johnson)
4. Damien Dempsey - The Hackler From Grouse Hall (Christy Moore)
5. Dave Couse - Caroline, No (Brian Wilson / Beach Boys)
6. Lisa Hannigan - Courting Blues (Nick Drake)
*7. LeGalaxie - Maneater (Hall& Oates)
*8. Cowboy X - Gigantic (Pixies)
9. Dirty Epics - Glory Box (Portishead)
10. The Thrills - Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me (The
Smiths)
11. Bell X1 - No Retreat, No Surrender (Bruce Springsteen)
* Featured on the radio promotional single / Copies
available from Berube Communications: info@berubecommunications.com
or phone +353 87 244 2695
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Buffy
Sainte-Marie to release first album in over 15 Years!
Buffy
Sainte-Marie virtually invented the role of Native American
international activist pop star. She was a graduating college
senior in 1962 and hit the ground running in the early Sixties,
touring all alone in North America. She entertained and educated
audiences and record companies with their initial dose of Native
American reality in the first person who expected to see Pocahontas
in fringes.
Her concern for protecting indigenous intellectual property, and
her distaste for the exploitation of Native American artists and
performers has kept her in the forefront of activism in the arts
for forty years.
By age 24, Buffy Sainte-Marie had appeared all
over Canada, Europe, Australia and Asia, her song Until
It’s Time for You to Go was recorded by Elvis,
Barbara Streisand and Cher, and was
voted Billboard’s ‘Best New Artist’
for her very first album. She disappeared suddenly from the mainstream
American airwaves during the Lyndon Johnson years, as part of
a blacklist which also affected Eartha Kitt, Taj Mahal
and a host of other outspoken performers. Her name was included
on White House stationary as among those whose music “deserved
to be suppressed”.
Throughout her career, she has made 17 albums of her music, three
of her own television specials, spent five years on Sesame
Street, scored movies, helped to found Canada's 'Music
of Aboriginal Canada' JUNO category, raised a son, earned
a Ph.D. in Fine Arts, taught Digital Music as adjunct professor
at several colleges, and won an Academy Award Oscar for the song
"Up Where We Belong"
Running For The Drum is Buffy’s first album
since the 1992 release Coincidence and Likely Stories.
The album contains twelve new inspired songs and stories about
current events, art, politics and the aboriginal people that showcase
her emotional integrity and thrilling voice!
The DVD A Multimedia Life, will mark the first
time Buffy's extraordinary life story is told on screen. From
her early days bursting onto the Greenwich Village folk scene
in the 60's, to becoming an Oscar-winning songwriter, a Sesame
Street regular, an international Aboriginal spokesperson and a
pioneering digital artist. The hour long documentary also features
interviews with several well known musicians and includes archival
footage and music from a dozen or so songs of hers including "Up
Where We Belong", the anti-war anthem "Universal
Soldier" and more.
CD Track Listing:
No No Keshagesh
Cho Cho Fire
Workin' for the Government
Little Wheel Spin and Spin
Too Much is Never Enough
To the Ends of the World
When I Had You
Bet My Heart on You
Blue Sunday
Easy Like the Snow Falls Down
America the Beautiful
Still This Love Goes On
DVD - Tracks / Chapters
Opening
Greenwich Village
Growing Up
Consciousness Raising
Until It’s Time For You To Go
Hawaii retreat
Digital Art
Sesame Street
Up Where We Belong
Buffy And Chuck
Cradleboard
Between Two Worlds
Going Home
Ending

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The
loudest Rock band in the World, Spinal Tap, Nigel
Tufnel, David St. Hubbins and Derek Smalls
have announced that they will be returning to the UK this June to
kick off their one time only exclusive special show at London's
Wembley Arena with very special guests The Folksmen.
2009 marks the 25th anniversary of the iconic cult classic rock movie
'This is Spinal Tap' and Spinal Tap are celebrating
this in a big way! By reuniting for the 'One Night Only World
Tour' the band had the following to say:
"If we're going to do a World tour on only one night, at
least it's this world" - Nigel Tufnel
"This show will be dedicated to all of our drummers who have
passed on, either to their reward or to middle management at Sainbury's."
- David St. Hubbins
"One night is not enough, and it's way too much!"
- Derek Smalls
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the cult classic film "This
is Spinal Tap" and now England's Loudest Heavy Metal
Band, SPINAL TAP, is celebrating with the release
of their first new album in almost two decades, Back From
The Dead. SPINAL TAP's last album was 1992's Break
Like The Wind.
On Back From the Dead, Tap members
David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel and Derek Smalls unearth their long-self-suppressed
studio versions of the classic songs from the movie "This
is Spinal Tap," as well as six new additional songs,
and an exclusive hour long accompanying DVD featuring a track-by-track
video commentary by the band. Back From The Dead
also features guest appearances by Phil Collen,
Keith Emerson, John Mayer and
Steve Vai. "This album title says it all.
We're back from the dead. But we weren't dead. But we definitely
are back," proclaimed Hubbins.
Back From The Dead is a deluxe CD/DVD package aggressively
priced and containing 19 original Spinal Tap songs, a one-hour DVD
and unique pop-up diorama package that unveils three 12-inch action
figures (courtesy of Sideshow Collectibles) of the band along with
a proportionally sized Stonehenge. Back From The Dead
is destined to be a collector's item, especially among collectors.
The new album includes the newly interpreted Tap classics 'Hell
Hole,' 'Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight,' 'Heavy
Duty,' 'Rock 'n' Roll Creation,' 'America,'
'Cups and Cakes,' 'Big Bottom,' 'Sex Farm,' 'Stonehenge,'
'Gimme Some Money' and '(Listen to the) Flower
People.'
"While the movie and soundtrack accurately represented
our stage sound at the time, the studio versions of these songs
on this album represent the cosmic maturation of the material, within
a digital context. Also, they're louder," stated Smalls.
The new songs recorded specifically for Back From The Dead
include 'Warmer Than Hell,' 'Short and Sweet,' 'Celtic Blues,'
Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare,' 'Back From The Dead' and "the
first known studio recording of the soon-to-be-long-forgotten 'Jazz
Oddyssey.'"
Back From The Dead once again shows SPINAL
TAP defies categorization, hop scotching from genre to
genre all with moments of brilliance. The album is that perfect
combination of Loudness, Vulgarity and a pinch of Evil. Back
From the Dead promises to finally give SPINAL TAP
their rightful place in history as "The true unsung and
misunderstood geniuses of Rock 'n' Roll" and they dedicate
this new album to all those metal titans the world has come to love—or
at least tolerate.
Back
From The Dead was produced by CJ Vanston, who arranged
and played keyboards on the band's Break Like The Wind
album and was musical director for their 1992, 2000 and 2007 tours.
As a film composer, he has produced music for Christopher Guest's
movies "Waiting For Guffman," "Best In Show,"
"A Mighty Wind," and "For Your Consideration."
TRACKLISTING
01. Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight
02. Back From The Dead
03. (Funky) Sex Farm
04. Rock 'n' Roll Creation
05. Jazz Oddyssey I
06. Gimme Some Money
07. Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare
08. Heavy Duty
09. America
10. Jazz Oddyssey II
11. (Listen to the) Flower People (Reggae Stylee)
12. Hell Hole
13. Big Bottom
14. Celtic Blues
15. Jazz Oddyssey III
16. Warmer Than Hell
17. Stonehenge
18. Short And Sweet
19. Cup And Cakes
+ accompanying DVD giving a track
by track rundown from Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins and Derek
Smalls (60 mins)
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Jinx
Lennon
“Trauma Themes Idiot
Times”
OUT NOW on Septic Tiger (Distribution on EMD)
www.jinxlennon.com
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:::
LIVE :::
04 JuneSugar Club, Dublin
19 June Pavilion, Cork
27 June Spirit Store, Dundalk
30 October - The Picket, Liverpool
IN HIS OWN WORDS:
An awful man Jinx stands at the outer edge of the periphery of the
Hibernian music machine picking the dirt beneath the fingernails
of fading septic tiger landscape while the larvae practise their
new voices in their bedrooms in front of mirror contemplating visualization
for the mid Atlantic voiced shiny ''discover me'' dream that will
enable them to become new chrysalis transformation and escape. Jinx
once lay horizontally in early am before school unconsciously soaking
up the neo nuclear 4 minute warning sirens of the nearby factory
8 am work shift cattle round up, and the spooky echoes of metallic
brewery noise and far off railway line vibrato ghosts. Now he pulls
out these cranial archives into new shapes and TRAUMA THEMES
of word and sound along with the rage built up from border town
omnipresent soccer fascism environment and mundane assembly line
worlds where hard chaw lads and doomed faced women walked along
the conveyor belt towards cement block Invasion of Body snatchers
/ Stepford Wives package existence. JINX LENNON FREE STATE
NOVA is an Irish wordsmith here to primarily uplift people
and squash the unseen energy vampires in all myriad forms. Making
room to weave some modicum of hope and dignity Jinx is the dying
light in the red leech face of disgraced solicitor contrite and
pleading now no longer poster boy for the gimme gimmes, but he brings
the message that one must try their best to FORGIVE THE
C***S and move upwards. These sounds are not just for those
tired of listening to the empty heads, but also for the helicopter
Icarus people who crash land back to earth in these IDIOT
TIMES.
This album deals with isolation, the sort that transforms people
and leads them into difficult situations, it also deals with themes
of spiritual deadness and being aware of this fact in oneself before
one turns into a lifeless Invasion of the Bodysnatchers / Stepford
Wives type entity. It’s slightly darker than the other records
I have made so far.
Jinx
Lennon is a punk / poet / performance artist whose repertoire
contains elements of spoken word, electro, social commentary with
a rage and rawness that is complimented by Jinx's stage partner
Miss Paula Flynn and her magnificent voice.
Tracklisting
1/ TRAUMA
THEMES INTRO 2/ MY HEAD IS SLOWLY DISAPPEARING UP MY OWN ARZZZ 3/
EVERYONE'S GOT A MENTAL HOME I.T.H. 4/ PROTECT THYSELF AND HOME
5/ SPLATTERED EGGS
6/ THE MEN WHO SAVED THE FACE OF FOOTBALL 7/ FUNERAL FAYSIS 8/ TAXI
MAN FACE 9/ THE FERRIS WHEEL AT DOWDALLSHILL 10/ FOLK MUSIC FOR
THE MIDLANDS 11/ THE ORANGE CRANES OF GREENORE 12/ 40 F/GLAZED I
CLUB 13/ BIG PROTEST DAY 14/ YOU C'ANT KEEP EVERYONE HAPPY 15/ AWKWARD
AND REAL 16/ ASCEND! ICEHOUSE HILL
Reviews for TRAUMA THEMES IDIOT TIMES
IDIOTS
BEWARE: JINX IS BACK - NICK KELLY, IRISH INDEPENDENT
This country has produced its fair share of singer/songwriters who
can't see further than their own plectrum and sing about little
else but their own reflection. But with Ireland in the midst of
a collective nervous breakdown, it seems like it's high time someone
tried to reflect in song what's really happening right here, right
now.
I remember going
to see the Fatima Mansions play in the early 1990s. Cathal Coughlan
would often begin a song with a tragi-comic spoken-word intro that
seemed to sum up the state of the nation at any given time. Part
bar-room philosopher, part punk poet, Coughlan aimed both barrels
at his carefully chosen targets, the often surreal imagery of his
steaming streams of consciousness braided John Cooper Clarke with
Bill Hicks.
Having long
since exiled himself to France, I sometimes wonder what the contrarian
Corkonian would make of the fine mess we've got ourselves into now.
There seems to be precious few artists out there with the smarts
or the willingness to take up the cudgels. You could argue that
Damien Dempsey has had a go, especially with his broadsides against
clerical sex abuse ('Industrial School') and the heroin epidemic
that has large swathes of our cities in its grip ('Ghosts of Overdoses').
But there are still too many shades of green in his music for my
liking.
You might also
point to the title track of Paul Cleary's Crooked Town album, which
castigated the cubs of the Celtic Tiger for their racist attitudes
towards our immigrants. Yes, but that was eight years ago.
Do any of the modern day troubadours have the spirit of Cathal Coughlan
coursing through their veins? They appear to be few and far between
-- but I believe Jinx Lennon is one. I like the cut of his jib.
He called one of his albums 30 Beacons Of Light For A Land Full
Of Spite, Thugs, Drug Slugs And Energy Vampires, which I'm sure
is a favourite on the playlists of 4FM.
The follow-up,
Know Your Station Gouger Station!!! featured a photo of our hero
laying prostrate by the side of an anonymous motorway. A star of
the County Louth, Jinx distinguishes himself from his peers by refusing
to sing in the mid-Atlantic twang that has become the industry standard.
Instead, Jinx's
accent is unapologetically -- and unmistakably -- hewn from the
sod of Dundalk. So much so that you half expect him to declare,
a la Stan, 'I'm the gaa-ffer -- what I say goes' . . . an observation
which I'm sure will earn me a clip round the ear next time I find
myself anywhere near Termonfeckin. (But I plead diplomatic immunity:
my dad's an Ardee man!)
Jinx's trademark
get-up of snazzy suit and shades would make him look like a door-to-door
Mormon or shady FBI spook if it wasn't for his habit of Tipp Ex-ing
his sunglasses with his latest slogan -- which instead makes one
think of Northern agit-pop masters That Petrol Emotion (who pulled
a similar trick on the cover of their Babble album). More than the
Petrols, though, Jinx seems closer to an Emerald version of New
York troubadour-poet Hammell On Trial, with whom he has toured here.
Jinx's new album
Trauma Themes, Idiot Times -- released yesterday on his own Septic
Tiger label -- thrusts a steel-capped Doc Marten into the underbelly
of 21st century Hibernia. From heartless taxi drivers watching passively
as their passenger is knocked down, to the soullessness of the new-sprung
ghost estates in the greater Dublin commuter belt, Jinx casts a
withering eye on modern Irish life -- and decides that, yes, it's
mostly rubbish.
Combining the
soap box with the beat box, Jinx is part manic street preacher,
part Mike 'Streets' Skinner. He defends the right of isolated old
people to defend their homes from burglars; he decries the soccer
hooligans of his home town. In 'Folk Music For The Midlands', he
casts a cold eye on life in a part of the country that, Pure Mule
apart, has been largely neglected by our songwriters and filmmakers
(with good reason, says you). From the lonely old pensioner stuffing
her mattress with wads of bank notes to the smug nouveau riche upstarts,
Jinx paints a picture of a people full of fear and (self) loathing.
The factories in 'Ascend! Ice House Hill' belch out carcinogenic
smoke and rats with brain tumours lie dead in the ditches; sinister
gangs of alcoholic middle-aged men with perverted sexual tendencies
lurk on the outskirts of town . . . Local women go missing, never
to be seen again.
As for the general
public at large, Jinx doesn't much like what he sees "all through
the offices and restaurants": "You're not even 23, and
you've already got the sourball, blank, puppet, stupid, quarry-stone
grey, taxi man face."
As chat-up lines
go, I'd say it needs a bit of work. To be fair, there are moments
where Jinx puts down the loud-hailer and tries a little tenderness,
usually with 'Miss Paula Flynn' (she who sang that silky cover of
Bowie's 'Let's Dance' on a TV ad) in tow to soften those Louth vowels.
'The Ferris Wheel at Dowdallshill' is positively romantic.
The worry for
Jinx is that the populace, jaded from the endless drip of bad news
stories from the front line of the Recession, will run a million
miles from anyone banging on about life as it's really lived in
this banana republic.
Somehow, though,
I can't quite see Jinx queuing up for the next round of X Factor
auditions. Jinx Lennon – Trauma Themes Idiot Times –
(Septic Tiger)
IRISH
TIMES /THE TICKET
Trauma Themes Idiot Times Septic Tiger Records
It’s impossible to decide whether Jinx Lennon is a poet, a
chancer or simply a daft scoundrel. He’s
certainly a character, one endearingly out of step with the mainstream.
Think John Cooper Clarke atop a beer-crate soapbox on a dreary Friday
night in Dundalk. Nevertheless, the Louthman revels in eccentricity,
and his latest album brandishes more of his unique social commentary.
Vocalist Miss Paula Flynn provides the occasional melodic flourish,
but Lennon’s lyrical deftness, combining comedy and tragedy
in one fell swoop, means that the mostly jazz-poptinged soundtrack
is ultimately trifling. Regardless, Jinx is a true individual, and
there will always be a place for him – or at least
someone like him – in Irish music. www.jinxlennon.com
LAUREN MURPHY
TRAUMA THEMES IDIOT TIMES: ALAN JACQUES - LIMERICK INDEPENDENT
If the Louth noisemaker’s last album ‘Know Your Station
Gouger Nation’ was a ‘King Lear’-like ‘madness
before the storm’ epiphany with dark swirling clouds casting
an ominous shadow over modern Ireland, then this time round Jinx
uses that very same psychosis as a means of self-preservation as
he dances rabidly on the Celtic Tiger’s mangy and reeking
pelt.
With rapid economic growth in Ireland during the nineties and noughties
we were happy to sell our souls for sunshine holidays, houses with
two cars in the driveway, nights on the beer, golf club membership,
lapdances and IKEA furniture.
Dundalk legend
Jinx Lennon, a revolutionary musical figure compared by actor Keith
Allen as “a cross between Johnny Cash, Joe Strummer, and Ian
Paisley” tolled the death knell for our boom times with intelligent
and witty lyrics spat out at a bullet pace in a thick and deadly
border-town brogue.
Now that the
party’s well and truly over, Lennon is back with a new album
‘Trauma Themes Idiot Times’ examining our spiritual
deadness and how we have turned into an Island of ‘Invasion
of the Bodysnatchers’/’Stepford Wives’ type entities.
However, this is no bleak winge-fest of a record but an uplifting
call to arms for every Irish man, woman and child to redeem themselves
of that ‘gimme gimme’ mentality and dig deep within
their souls to find true hope and purpose.
In his own words
this unique and inspiring artist explains, “These sounds are
not just for those tired of listening to the empty heads, but also
for the helicopter Icarus people who crash land back to earth in
these Idiot Times”.
‘Trauma
Themes’ is a much darker record than ‘Know Your Station
Gouger Nation’. Throughout the album Jinx comes across like
a bacon and cabbage-chomping version of Patrick Bateman, the well-groomed
serial killer from Bret Easton Ellis’s ‘American Psycho’
novel. There is a claustrophobic atmosphere to most of the songs
here as we are lured into the murky and unhinged corners of a mind
tormented and suffocated by loneliness and frustration brought on
by the apathetic nature of the world around it.
“I am
institutionalised behind walls/ my house is like a purgatory box/
I use a machine of plastic, steel and glass to take me to nasty
places I haven’t seen before/ without leaving my room,”
Jinx earnestly confesses on ‘My Head Is Slowly Disappearing
Up My Own Arzzzz’.
A visionary
and poetic lyricist, Lennon walks that fine line between madness
and genius as he delivers lunatic bursts of exhilarating social
commentary filled with rawness and rage. But he needn’t worry
about his own sanity as it soon becomes evident on ‘Everyone’s
Got A Mental Home Inside Their Heads’ that he does not hold
the exclusive rights on crazy.
“There’s
no need to walk round town like you are a SIM Card in a new range
of phobias/ Cos no matter what you do or where you go/ There is
one thing that quickly becomes apparent and that is/ Everyone’s
got a mental home inside their heads,” he assures us adamantly.
A man who believes
in standing up for his rights, Jinx Lennon is a formidable foe that
is not to be crossed. A true maverick, this punk-poet messiah has
a distinct style and forceful energy that would slay you as fast
as look at you with its provocative out of step beats, incendiary
one-chord riffs and hot-headed bullhorn rants. He has the ghosts
of Muhammad Ali, Che Guevara and Ian Dury riding in his corner so
God help you if you tried to break into his Pearse Park bachelor
pad. He stoutheartedly opines on ‘Protect Thyself And Home’
that everyone should be entitled to protect themselves in their
own house.
“If someone breaks into your house to murder you/ You should
be entitled to stick a knife in their eye and say/ Listen if one
of us is going to die/ It’s not going to be me,” he
proclaims with a serene calmness that would give you goosebumps.
Thankfully Miss
Paula Flynn is on hand on tracks such as the poignant ‘The
Ferris Wheel At Dowdallshill’ and ‘The Orange Cranes
of Greenore’ to help subdue the murderous fury that streams
out of Jinx’s every pore. And while her soft and sultry tones
add a wonderful sense of creepiness to ‘Trauma Themes’
it quickly becomes apparent that there is no containing this barking
headbanger.
He takes a swipe
at nonchalant protesters on ‘Big Protest Day’ with his
insightful glimpse into the psyche of people who turn out to support
trendy causes just to be part of the crowd. “What is this
protest about anyway? / Oh cluster bombs/ Well isn’t that
nice/ And maybe later on we can get to the sales before the shops
all close.”
On ‘The
Men Who Saved The Face Of Football’, one of the album’s
16 highlights, it’s boorish and pea-brained football hooligans
that feel the crappy end of Jinx’s stick.
While elsewhere
the Mark E Smith-tinged ‘Taxi Man Face’ lets fly at
the indifference of today’s society and how our selfish wants
zap our lust for life. “You had a red face eager beaver/ Now
you are no longer a believer/ Now you are full of rust/ You don’t
believe you are going to the road to damnation/ But you must,”
Jinx warns in a chipper tone like a man just gagging for the opportunity
to gun down these mopish sheep.
Jinx Lennon jumps from genre to genre — electro, folk, chant,
rap, and poetry — at breakneck pace. ‘Trauma Themes
Idiot Times’ is a record that steadfastly refuses to be pigeonholed
and while there is no question that Jinx’s ubiquitous style
is an acquired taste; with music this original and rousing on the
menu, you’d be an absolute idiot to not at least try and relish
its mouthwatering flavours.
(5/5)
ANALOGUE
MAGAZINE TRAUMA THEMES IDIOT TIMES BY KARL MC DONALD
One of Ireland’s less grumpy musical poets Mumblin’
Deaf Ro once talked about disrupting the small set of perspectives
that music deals in, by writing from new perspectives. The idea
was that breaking up the cosy relationship between the self-regarding
“I” and the imaginary female “you” would
help little-respected song lyrics move forward, and be a little
more like literature. On his fourth album, Jinx Lennon goes a way
towards fulfilling that mission. Over beats that are sometimes surprisingly
catchy, he writes songs about the Other side of modern life - not
so much angry complaints, which are plentiful and pouring out of
everyone from Green Day to Lily Allen, but “awkward and real”
criticisms. Rather than shouting nihilistically, Lennon seems to
simply shine a light on things-as-they-are and say “see for
yourself”. It works.
Some of the
“trauma themes”: The fact that a football team is not
a satisfactory replacement for actually living a worthwhile life,
in ‘The Men Who Saved The Face of Football’. A study
of the “don’t get involved” phenomenon of the
unconcerned modern world in the particularly Fall-like ‘Taxi
Man Face’. Sticking a knife in the eye of a house invader
in ‘Protect Thyself And Thy Home’. Anything is potential
subject matter.
It’s also a little refreshing just to hear the voice of the
towns - a guy who speaks in a fairly thick Louth accent and makes
no apology for it. There is no secondarity about it, no effort to
squeeze through some sort of US/UK/urbane mould. Who else would
bother with ‘Folk Music For The Midlands’, as Lennon
does on the tenth track of this album? Where else are you going
to hear about places like Oriel Park, Dowdallshill, Delvin Co. Westmeath
or the De La Salle school from Ravensdale Forest? Or “mormons
on bikes and in pairs” or even “some bollocks from Jonesboro
I did an electronics course with”?
I suppose part
of Jinx Lennon’s project is to make poetry out of those places
and those people. There’s nothing that says they’re
not worthy, and Lennon follows in a proud line of Irish poets and
writers from Patrick Kavanagh through to John McGahern and Patrick
McCabe by writing about them. That’s the way to get to “modern
Ireland”, you see. You can’t just work in generalisations.
You have to dig a little, notice things outside Dublin 2. Jinx Lennon,
as much as anyone else, is writing the story of this country. Romantic
Ireland is long gone and all but forgotten. What’s there now
is a “tape recorder/answering machine/type voice”, a
blankness with “rusted Pope’s medals” and memories
of Italia 90 keeping people linked to a time long ago, but little
else to permeate the bullshit of housing estates and “selfish
stupid automatons”.
It’s not
just a gloomy State of the Nation address though. It’s also
incredibly funny, in a very dark way. And its songs, some of which
come complete with potentially shout-along choruses, are eminently
listenable. Which is convenient, because it’s almost important
that people listen to this record, so that they can have the proverbial
“one good look at themselves” in Jinx’s nicely
polished looking glass.
JOHN MEAGHER IRISH INDEPENDENT
TRAUMA THEMES IDIOT TIMES
The punk-poet from Dundalk is one of the country's singular talents.
Once you've heard Jinx Lennon's acerbic, witty words, you're unlikely
to confuse him with anyone else. His spoken-word 'songs' can pack
quite a punch. He has made his name dissecting the ills of modern
society, and there's no let up on this 16-track album as he offers
his unflinching take on malevolent nightclub bouncers and football
hooligans.
I would recommend
seeing this man in action -- this album certainly suggests the live
experience is not to be missed -- but as an album, this will have
very limited appeal once heard, absorbed and appreciated. Maybe
that's just me. **
CONNECTED
MAGAZINE
Jinx Lennon Trauma Themes For
Idiot Times *****
A punk poet in the vein of John Cooper Clarke, Jinx Lennon's one
of Ireland's greatest living storytellers – a comedian, a
preacher, a troubadour and a rebel but, overall, a Celtic Tiger
philosopher. Track two, 'My Head Is Slowly Disappearing Up My Own
Arzzz' sets the tone wonderfully. 'Protect Thyself And Home' argues
that everyone has the right to 'stick a knife into the eye' of burglars.
Nobody can listen to Jinx Lennon and not be affected. Instantly
he becomes your best friend, your blood-brother, your cooler cousin;
giving priceless advice in this f**ked up world
CLARE
PEOPLE
Trauma Themes Idiot Times
Jinx Lennon -Trauma Themes Idiot Times
8/10
There is no one – and I mean no one – in Ireland making
music quite like Jinx Lennon. With the release of his latest album
the Louth poet come punk-songster it finally stretched his legs,
ready to take flight.
And if ever their was an artist who possessed the ability to diagnose
a nation in the middle of a nervous breakdown it’s Lennon.
The tone is
set early with the deliciously self deprecating ‘My Head Is
Slowly Disappearing Up My Own Arzzz’. What follows is 16 songs
of anger and pain, fantasy and joy – no holds barred, no ideas
left unchallenged, no feeling left unhurt.
But the key
is that hand-in-hand with the punk-poetry comes a soundscape that
is immensely listenable. Much of the credit for this must go to
the increasing prominence of Miss Paula Flynn - you remember, the
girl who sand ‘Lets Dance’ on the Ballygowan advert.
True, this album
is still unlikely to get too many spins at your local club but you
can easily listen to Trauma Themes Idiot Times without feeling like
you’ve been through a soul destroying sermon.
Andrew Hamilton
SUNDAY
BUSINESS POST
Jinx Lennon Trauma Themes Idiot Times
Louthmouth is back. Jinx Lennon, the soi-disant punk poet from Dundalk,
has returned with a fourth album which, as ever, casts him as a
sort of border version of John Cooper-Clarke, only with even rougher
edges and less polish.
To a backdrop
of simple, no frills garage rock, Lennon belts his yarns of Louth
life out in a pleasingly unsanitised Dundalk accent, even if you
find yourself thinking once or twice that Steve Staunton has wandered
into the studio. But there’s a surprising amount of anger
here – Protect Thyself And Home advocates murdering anyone
who breaks into your house, Taxi Man Face ridicules an ageing cab
driver ‘‘full of rust’’ in ‘‘a
soft dull place’’, and Big Protest Day is a broadside
at barricade-manning marchers who don’t even know what they’re
railing against. The rough-and-ready nature of much of the music
is a big problem: the bellowed, wordless chorus of Everyone’s
Got a Mental Home Inside their Head sounds totally silly, and The
Ferris Wheel at Dowdallshill is simply a hastily-strummed mess.
You can imagine a lot of this stuff being much more effective in
a live setting, so it’s no surprise that Lennon is renowned
for being a fine on-stage performer – another thing he has
in common with Cooper-Clarke, whose records have never matched the
glory of his gigs. *** J O’B

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“The
Prodigy’s fifth studio album sounds just like The Prodigy should.
Only leaner, harder, and even faster than before.” Q
****, April 2009
“It’s hard to imagine many better records being release
this year.” London Lite, 5/5, 16th February 2009 |
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:::
Upcoming Irish Dates :::
LIVE AT THE MARQUEE --
June 18th, 2009 ~ Docklands, Cork ~ Info on www.aikenpromotions.com
LIVE IN THE PARK -
June 19th, 2009 ~ Donard Park, Newcastle Co. Down ~ Info on www.planetlovemusic.com
SLANE CASTLE - Supporting OASIS
-- June 20th, 2009 ~ Slane, Co. Meath
~ Info on www.mcd.ie
Back at the
top of their game with the release of their 5th album ‘Invaders
Must Die’ (which went straight in at No. 1 and is
already one of the best selling album this year), The Prodigy
get ready to release the all out monster ‘Warriors
Dance’.
One of the many highlights of the album, ‘Warriors
Dance’ is old skool Prodigy –
a grizzly mix of 91’ hardcore warehouse rave and ecstatic
diva vocals only catapulted confidently into the modern age. The
perfect reminder that yes, there have been a fair few pretenders
attempting to emulate them in recent years, but quite simply …
no one does or could ever sound like The Prodigy.
The band are about to embark on a sold out arena tour, taking in
two Wembley Arenas and have just announced a third date at 02 Academy
Brixton on April 18th. This will be an all night affair with support
from Dizzee Rascal, Kissy Sellout
and Chase And Status. Tickets are priced at £35
and go on sale Thursday 26th March.
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::
LIVE :::
07 May 2009 - Whelans, Dublin - Album Launch Show East
12 June 2009 - The Roisin Dubh, Galway - Album Launch Show West
*
Recorded and produced by long term member Darren Flynn.
* The new album is ten songs long and is as concise and direct
as the title suggests.
* The Pale will be touring in Ireland and Eastern Europe this
Summer to promote the new album.
* A single called "Chocolate Factory" has already been
released from the forthcoming album. It was released last year
as a free downloadon the band's website.
Here
is what Hot Press Magazine had to say about it ...
The Pale "Chocolate Factory" (1969 Records)
"An exotic Mediterranean flavour permeates this catchy little
acoustic ditty from the always-enjoyable Pale. After a well-received
return last year with "The Contents Of A Shipwreck",
it seems yet more new material is in the works - and if this single
is anything to go by, we could be in the middle of something of
a golden age for Pale fanatics" - Stephen Errity, Hot Press
Here is what 1969 Records had to say about The Pale recently...
"There are also rumours of a collection of Pale music and
tracks for later on in the year. As anyone who has seen the recent
live shows will know, there is still a great affection for earlier
tracks and notwithstanding the long unavailability of these tracks
on CD, this is something that the band are hoping to address in
the coming months, as well as including some rare material"
- Daragh Bohan , 1969 Records
______________________________________________
Here's what some reviews had to say about "The Contents Of
a Shipwreck"...
"The Contents Of A Shipwreck is a welcome return by an oft
missed, much needed band" John Brereton
"File
under Welcome Back" Jackie Hayden
"As comebacks go, then,The Contents Of A Shipwreck is one
of constant, delightful suprise" Eamon de Paor
"The Pale are back with a new album that adds even more to
their reputation" Stephen Rapid
For Gig Bookings Contact Eoghan Kavanagh phone 0863967391
For Record Company Contact www.1969records.com / daragh@1969records.com

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5-piece The Chapters release their debut album Perfect
Stranger on 3u Records on June 5th 2009. The eagerly awaited
debut from The Chapters nearly didn’t happen
when the label initially due to produce the record crashed in the
financial downtown. A band with songs like these were never going
to be homeless for too long and within 48 hours had signed a deal
with Dublin based independent label 3u Records, home
of The Coronas. With
the deal signed, there was no holding back a band that have been
together since they met in college. Brilliant up and coming Irish
producer Ciaran Bradshaw took the band through
Beechpark & Suite studios to produce a fantastic album of brilliant
song writing.
Debut single
VIDEOTAPES was released as a digital only release
charting at No: 15 on the iTunes Top 100 and No:
2 on the iTunes Rock chart making the track the highest
ranking Irish track that week. The Single also charted at No:
41 in the main Irish charts, an incredible feat for a download
only debut single.
Despite the
initial chart success, it is on stage where The Chapters
really come into their own, having sold out their Dublin return
at the Academy 2 on April 30th, they now embark on a nationwide
tour in support of their debut album. The tour includes;
June 1st --
Greystones Theatre, Greystones
June 6th -- De Barras, Clonakilty
June 14th -- Cyprus Avenue, Cork
June 18th -- Whelans, Dublin
June 19th -- The Stables, Mullingar
June 26th -- Electric Avenue, Waterford (w/Floyd Soul & The
Wolf)
August 1st -- Castlepalooza Festival, Tullamore
August 2nd -- INDIE-PENDENCE Festival, Mitchelstown
Many more live
dates and Instores to be confirmed!
What
the Press said:
“The
Chapters find themselves nicely positioned somewhere between Smog
& Talking Heads, a rug cutting piece of funk punk”
4/5 – Kevin Courtney, The Irish Times
“The
next big thing in 2009”
- Claire Connellan – 98 FM
“Sh*t
Hot”
– Sinister Pete – Phantom FM
“Something
of a best kept secret, they could be your new favourite band, just
give them a try” –
Gareth Maher – Totally Dublin
“….one
of the best things to come out of Ireland in years…great songs
that set the bar higher then its been in a long time … they
have what it takes for the long haul…” –
Niall Stokes – Hotpress
The Chapters
debut album Perfect Stranger is one of the best Irish albums to
be released this year. You only need to listen to it to believe!
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:::
LIVE ::: 2009 Irish Tour
May 4 Dublin, Whelan's (upstairs)
May 5 Galway, Roisin Dubh
May 6 Cork, Cyprus Avenue
May 7 Belfast, Errigle Inn
May 8 Roscrea, Leap Castle
“FOLKSONG” - THE
NEW 2 DISC SET FEATURING A LIVE DVD RECORDED IN CALIFORNIA AT THE
MAVERICK SALOON AND AN AUDIO CD FEATURING FOUR NEWLY RECORDED SONGS
INCLUDING “ WHEN THE
LILACS ARE IN BLOOM” AND
“NEVER FAR FROM MY HEART”
IS NOW AVAILABLE.
>>>
For Information / Interview requests / Promotional Copies contact Berube Communications:
Stevo Berube on info@berubecommunications.com
or phone 0872442695 <<<
Coming up in spring 2009, Sarah Lee Guthrie and
Johnny Irion will release two new projects including
Sarah Lee Guthrie & Family's "Daddy's Shoes"
and "Folksong," a live HD DVD capturing
their unforgettable Valentine's Day 2008 show at Tales from The
Tavern at The Maverick Saloon in Santa Ynez, California.
Sarah Lee Guthrie & Family's "Daddy's Shoes"
invites four generations of Guthries and Seegers to sing, play and
clap along to 13 newly recorded children songs. "Daddy's
Shoes" features previously unreleased Woody
Guthrie lyrics set to three new songs, two traditional
children songs and nine original compositions written by Sarah
Lee Guthrie and her husband Johnny Irion.
Arlo Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Tao Rodriguez Seeger,
Johnny Irion and seven grandkids contribute guitar,
ukulele, banjo, autoharp and vocals amidst Sarah Lee's beautiful
voice. Carrying on the Guthrie tradition of timeless family friendly
songs, Sarah Lee Guthrie & Family's "Daddy's Shoes"
is a playful and charming set of down-home, country-folk tunes fit
for an assortment of family occasions.
"Folksong" is a 2 disc set featuring
a HD DVD film of Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny
Irion's Valentine's Day set at the Maverick Saloon and
an accompanying audio-only CD of the 13 songs performed that special
evening. "Folksong" includes four new
compositions and highlights the duos' caressing harmonies, high-lonesome
folk melodies and unadorned American roots music.
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"The
Prefect Remedy for doom laden ression Talk: Unstoppable Euphoric Pop"
- Hot Press
"A Single Worth Saving For" - The Star
"The Band The South East has Been Looking For"
- Brendan Keane
"Saving J prove themselves diligent students of the golden
age of 90's US Pop" - Hot Press |
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CLICK
HERE to View the Crackin' New Video for ABC!
Kilkenny-based purveyors of power-pop SAVING J return
with their 5th single, the blissfully dark "ABC"
which takes the band's sound down a rockier road from their usual
back-beat brilliance complete with buzz saw guitar licks and ultra
deadly lyrics! It's yet another string in the Saving J
bow!
The band continus to tour the country with the likes of The
Coronas, The Blizzards, Ham Sandwich,
winning the musical hearts of all and bouncing all over the radio
waves with their blitz of quality singles. Doing it the good old fashioned
way by releasing a steady flow of brilliant singles, their ‘live’
following has grown to impressive numbers. Definately one to watch!
The video for ‘ABC’ was produced &
directed by Alan Slattery from Mycrofilms
in Kilkenny, who also made the band's "Kick Off"
video.
Upcoming SAVING J Live Dates:
07 May - Cork - Pavillion, Cork
09 May - O’ Keefe’s, Clonmel
13 May - De Burgos, Galway
29 May - Cuba, Galway
31 July - Kazbar, Waterford
More to be announced; check www.savingj.com
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HAYSEED
DIXIE
“Golden Shower Of Hits: The
Very best Of Hayseed Dixie”
Irish Release May 15, 2009 on Cooking Vinyl
www.hayseed-dixie.com |
American
“Rockgrass” raconteurs, Hayseed Dixie,
are releasing a retrospective of their 9 year, 7 album career,
titled: Golden Shower of Hits: The Very Best of Hayseed
Dixie
For Information / Interview requests / Promotional Copies contact
Stevo Berube
Berube Communications: info@berubecommunications.com or phone 087-244-2695
Blending together exceptional musical skill with extreme irreverence
and brash humor, Hayseed Dixie have performed over
1,000 live shows in 21 different countries since forming in the
Appalachian Mountains of the Southeastern United States in the Fall
of 2000.
Since the release of their first album, “A Hillbilly
Tribute To AC/DC,” in April of 2001, critics and
audiences alike have been extremely divided on Hayseed Dixie,
either absolutely loving the band or absolutely hating them. And
that suits the band just fine. As singer Barley Scotch
says regarding record reviews, “I don’t give a damn
about the opinions of people who don’t have to pay for their
records. But either way, we play music that we like to play while
we’re drinking beer – we do it for ourselves and all
the other beer drinkers around the world. And since we’ve
sold over 600,000 albums worldwide, that tells me there are a lot
of beer drinkers out there.”
Golden Shower of Hits collects 18 of the most popular
songs from the band’s previous 7 studio albums, featuring
classic original songs such as the tender love ballad, “I’m
Keeping Your Poop (In a Jar)” along with their rockgrass
reinterpretations of songs from acts as diverse as AC/DC,
Motorhead, Black Sabbath, Green Day and Scissor
Sisters.
Whether simplemindedly dismissed as a novelty or wisely heralded
as musical pioneers, this album is a testament to Hayseed
Dixie’s perseverance and endurance for nearly a decade
as they continue to do what they love: get stark-raving plastered
and rock out in their own unique and inimitable way.
From the fertile valley of Deer Lick Holler, deep
in the heart of Appalachia, comes a sound that is old yet new. In
an area completely isolated from outside cultural and musical influence,
this band of acoustic musicians grew up playing the traditional
music of their forefathers. Then, as fate would have it, one crisp
fall afternoon a stranger passed through the holler. Well, he almost
passed through.
Unfortunately for him, but fortunately for appreciators of great
music worldwide, the stranger crashed his muscle car into a stately
old oak tree at Devil's Elbow curve. Sadly, the stranger expired,
but his legacy lives on. In the back seat of his car the boys found
a box of old vinyl records as they went through his belongings looking
for some identification. The name of the band on the records was
AC/DC, and though all they had on which to listen
to them was an old Edison Victrola that only played at 78 R.P.M.,
the boys all agreed that it was mighty fine country music - a bit
different, but mighty fine just the same.
In memory of the stranger who had perished, the boys set about learning
these new songs, injecting elements of their own traditional mountain
style. And thus, from these unlikely beginnings, an entirely new
musical and cultural synthesis was set in motion. Rockgrass
was born. As if the Creator Himself had uttered, "Let there
be Rockgrass!"
HAYSEED DIXIE are … Barley Scotch - singer, fiddle,
guitar / Dale Reno – mandolin / Don Wayne Reno – banjo

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BOOKER
T
::: LIVE ::: Two
Rare Irish Shows Announced
New Album "Potato Hole" Out Now
on Anti-Records
www.bookert.com
Dublin - Vicar Street ~ Monday July 20th
Galway - Roisin Dubh ~ Tuesday July 21st |
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Hammond
B3 alchemist Booker T Jones is one America's most
prolific, distinguished and instantly recognizable musical forces,
and the arrival of his new Anti- album, Potato Hole,
not only re-affirms his greatness, it also re-introduces the neglected
all-instrumental format to a noisy, crowded marketplace crying out
for precisely the type of soul satisfying pleasure which Jones excels
at.
With choice accompaniment by the capable Southern rock visionaries
Drive By Truckers and a sound often pushed into
over drive by the volcanic lead guitar of rock and roll legend Neil
Young, it is an altogether extraordinary set. Featuring
a mixture of newly written songs and a trio of intriguing covers,
all recorded in a scant one weeks time, Potato Hole
captures Booker T at the critical peak of a renewed
creative phase in his storied career.
"I really feel like I've been opened up again, I've got
the creative muse working for me," Jones said. "It's
like I have discovered a new method, a little road I can take to
open it up, and I'm excited about playing this music."
The album rolls through a selection of far-ranging compositions,
each separate and distinct pieces that, by turn, manifest his characteristic
adoration of the groove, exploring and exploiting each mood to the
limit. Whether it's a case of cosmological serenity or funky staccato
chicken peck work-outs, Jones' melodic vision and expansive arrangements
are delivered with a mesmerizing quality. The album also pushes
into sometime previously unvisited-by Jones territory: lead track
"Pound It Out" is a brawny, relentless
exercise in hard rock, an intense, driving song that's far more
of a head-banger than a blast of steam-heated soul.
If that seems out of place, you don't really know Mr. Jones; "I
like rock music, always have." he said. "Otis
[Redding] did too, and we were getting into it a bit, but couldn't
really do it back then. It just wasn't right for Stax."
The statement is more than a bit provocative, but the musician tosses
out such revelations like carelessly hurled thunderbolts, an arsenal
accrued over the course of his remarkable career.
Born in Memphis, Tennessee on November 12 1944, Booker's interest
in music manifested itself early, and as a child he both sang gospel
in church and received classical training on the piano. A fascination
with the Hammond B3 grew to the point where he
funded his own organ lessons with newspaper route money and by his
teens, Jones found himself at Stax Records, first
as an underfoot hanger-on and soon on staff, as leader of the house
band. Backing fabled stars like Rufus and Carla
Thomas, Otis Redding, Sam &
Dave and Eddie Floyd both in the studio
and on the road, the teenager's multi-instrumental prowess--on keys,
brass and reeds--was impressive.
With his Memphis Group cohorts Steve Cropper,
Donald "Duck" Dunn and Al Jackson,
Jones laid out the blueprint for the fabled Stax sound and reaped
his own rewards with a string of hits that frequently crossed over
to the pop charts. Jones post-Stax resume has been equally impressive,
recording with everyone from Bobby Darin to John
Lee Hooker and producing for numerous artists (including
Bill Withers' signature Just As I Am
album and Willie Nelson's 1978 multi-platinum blockbuster
Stardust). Jones and the MGs re-formed to serve
as house band for the famed 1991 Bob Dylan tribute
at Madison Square Garden (which led to a sustained
alliance between Neil Young and Jones). Along the
way, he's also scored numerous films and enjoyed induction into
the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.
Potato Hole demonstrates that not only is Jones'
talent and power undiminished, it also reveals how much there is
to his music that we've never heard before. Jones has a remarkable
knack for telling a story with his melodies, compositions so thoughtfully
constructed that one can almost visualize narrative events, as the
self-explanatory "Pound it Out", the
room-to-room filial warmth of "Family Reunion",
the illimitable intimacy and affection of "Nan"
(Jones' wife), and, in the case of title track (the term is a 19th
century Afro-American colloquialism for the spot where smuggled
food items were stashed beneath slave quarters), a cinematic, almost
epic recounting of the struggles and spiritual resilience slavery
imposed.
This quality is so pervasively seductive that you may find yourself
singing along, as if Jones was telegraphing lyrics that exist only
within the listener. Even the three songs here that did not originate
with Jones (Outkast's "Hey Ya,"
Tom Waits' "Get Behind the Mule"
and the Drive By Truckers' own "Space
City") are transformed into vintage Booker
T jams, shimmering with relaxed, after-hours atmosphere
and full of the fiery, taut organ work for which he is rightfully
prized.
Whether laying down a meditative ramble or hard-charging rocker,
Jones' sense of artistic liberation and depth of involvement on
every track here is breath taking--with Potato Hole,
the cat is going into orbit. "The Hammond B3 and me have
this thing goin' on. It's always there inside me. I've heard whole
pieces in my head that I'll never even remember--and now I'm finally
getting them out." he explained. "It gives me
a freedom that I didn't have . . . I sort of had it with the MG's
in the 60s, but even then it was more murky. This is lot more clear.
I don't know how to put it, except it's like I can see again."
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STEVE
EARLE
"Townes"
Irish Release on May 15, 2009 on New West Records
www.steveearle.com
~ www.myspace.com/steveearlemusic
~ www.newwestrecords.com |
15-SONG
SET COMPRISED OF SONGS WRITTEN BY THE LEGENDARY SINGER-SONGWRITER,
::: TOWNES VAN ZANDT :::
Features Guest Appearances by TOM MORELLO (Rage
Against The Machine, The Nightwatchmen), ALLISON
MOORER, and appearing on a Steve Earle
Record for the first time, JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE
>>>
For Information / Interview requests / Promotional Copies contact Berube Communications:
Stevo Berube on info@berubecommunications.com
or phone 0872442695 <<<
Steve
Earle is set to release Townes, his highly
anticipated follow up to the Grammy Award winning album Washington
Square Serenade, on May 12th via New West
Records. The 15-song set is comprised of songs written by Earle’s
friend and mentor, the late singersongwriter, Townes Van
Zandt. Townes will also be available as a deluxe two-CD
set, as well as double Limited Edition 180 gram vinyl.
The album was produced by Earle at his home in
Greenwich Village, at Sound Emporium and Room and Board in Nashville,
TN and The Nest in Hollywood, CA. The track “Lungs,”
was produced and mixed by the Dust Brothers’ John
King and features Tom Morello of Rage
Against the Machine/The Nightwatchman on electric guitar.
Earle’s wife, the acclaimed singer-songwriter Allison
Moorer, is featured on backing vocals on “Loretta”
and “To Live Is To Fly.” Three songs
cut in Nashville, “White Freightliner Blues,”
“Delta Momma Blues,” and “Don’t
Take It Too Bad” feature a bluegrass band consisting
of Dennis Crouch, Tim O’Brien,
Darrel Scott and Shad Cobb.
Earle met Townes Van Zandt in 1972 at one of Earle’s
performances at The Old Quarter in Houston, TX. Van Zandt was in
the audience and playfully heckled Earle throughout the performance
to play the song “Wabash Cannonball” Earle
admitted that he didn’t know how to play the tune and Van
Zandt replied incredibly “You call yourself a folksinger
and you don’t know ‘Wabash Cannonball?’”
Earle then silenced him by playing the Van Zandt song “Mr.
Mudd and Mr. Gold,” not an easy feat due to its quickly-paced
mouthful of lyrics squeezed into just over two minutes of song.
Their bond was immediately formed. On Townes, Earle and his son,
singer-songwriter Justin Townes Earle (named after
Van Zandt) trade verses on the tune, a song the two of them have
been playing together since Justin was a teenager.
The songs selected for Townes were the ones that meant the most
to Earle and the ones he personally connected to (not including
selections featured on previous Earle albums). Some of the selections
chosen were songs that Earle has played his entire career (“Pancho
and Lefty,” “Lungs,” “White Freightliner
Blues”) and others he had to learn specifically for
recording. He learned the song “(Quicksilver
Daydreams of) Maria” directly from Van Zandt, and
taught himself “Marie” and “Rake”
specifically for the album’s recording. Once a song he played
during his live show, Earle relearned “Colorado Girl”
in the original Open D tuning that Van Zandt played it in. Earle
recorded the New York sessions solo and then added the other instruments
later on in order to preserve the spirit of Van Zandt’s original
solo
performances to the best of his recollection.
When speaking about Townes, Earle stated, “This may be
one of the best records I’ve ever made. That hurts a singer-songwriter’s
feelings. Then again, it’s some consolation that I cherry
picked through the career of one of the best songwriters that ever
lived.”
TRACKLISTING:
Pancho And Lefty
White Freight Liner Blues
Colorado Girl
Where I Lead Me
Lungs
No Place To Fall
Loretta
Brand New Companion
Rake
Delta Momma Blues
Marie
Don’t Take It Too Bad
Mr. Mudd And Mr. Gold
(Quicksilver Daydreams Of) Maria
To Live Is To Fly
Deluxe Limited Edition 2 x CD content
– Acoustic version of the album. Fold out poster of the cover
art. Expanded liner notes with lyrics.

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Dolores
O’Riordan, songstress and critically acclaimed voice
of The Cranberries, has announced that she will be
releasing her second solo album, No Baggage, in Ireland
on Friday 21st August.
Co-produced by Ontario-based Dan Brodbeck, the album
sees O’Riordan exploring many emotive subjects. “I
probably haven’t worn my heart on my sleeve like this since
the second Cranberries album [1994’s No Need to Argue],”
she says. “It’s at times very confessional and dealing
with my true emotions. Everyone, through their experiences or their
background, has had terrible moments where they think they can’t
handle it. With this record I’m trying to show that, no matter
how bad things may seem, it’s not really that bad in the big
picture.”
Looking forward and backwards – sometimes simultaneously
– is one of the new album’s primary themes, as evidenced
on tracks such as the quasi-Beatlesque ‘Fly Through’
and its yearning for unambiguous solutions, the bittersweet nostalgia
of the insinuatingly catchy ‘It’s You’,
and the blunt, seemingly self-critical ‘Stupid’.
‘Skeleton’, meanwhile, takes its title
not just from the physical structure at each person’s core
but also from the all-too-common “skeletons in the
closet” that we all have. ‘Throw Your
Arms Around Me’, with its Indian-styled instrumentation
and structure is a song that O’Riordan is clearly proud of.
“That song’s really about how there are two kinds
of people: those who are believers and have faith, and those who
scoff at such things,” she says. “It has a
kind of mysterious sound to it, unpredictable; it doesn’t
sound anything like normal.”
Available on CD and as a digital
download, the album’s full tracklisting is as follows :
1. Switch Off The Moment
2. Skeleton
3. It’s You
4. The Journey
5. Stupid
6. Be Careful
7. Apple Of My Eye (new version)
8. Throw Your Arms Around Me
9. Fly Through
10. Lunatic
11. Tranquilizer
Since
leaving The Cranberries, who sold more than 40
million albums worldwide, O’Riordan has been splitting her
time between Dublin and Ontario, Canada. Her interests in life extend
far beyond her musical abilities; she is a devoted wife and mother
to four beautiful children, and is also a gifted visual artist.
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One
man mariachi Camilo Lara aka Mexican Institute
of Sound, has announced he will be releasing a new single,
Yo Digo Baila on Monday 11th May.
Taken from the forthcoming album Soy Sauce, the single,
which Lara describes as “my most to the point dance track
- it has sounds of cumbia but in a very radical way”, will
be released as a digital download only.
By day Lara works as the head of EMI Mexico but by night he emerges
as the conveyer of what can only be described as electronic works
of art; a true icon of the city as well as the underground.
“Soy Sauce” (Irish Release Friday
1st May) traverses his wild musical imagination with a witty sense
of humour for good effect - whether it’s converting the traditional
sounds of cumbia to a full-on electronic dance track, paying tribute
to hip hop luminaries J Dilla and Biggie with Mexican sonidos, or
singing a love song as if Serge Gainsbourg had spent time in the
Mayan jungle.
Produced by Holger Beier (one half of Bungalow’s
Le Hammond Inferno), the album features almost entirely original
songs recorded with a live band and vocals. Lara also invited some
of his influential musician friends to perform on the album, including
Café Tacuba lead guitarist Joselo
Rangel, and Ad Rock of the Beastie
Boys who remixed ‘Alocatel’
– an explosive dance anthem that bridges the worlds between
Mexico City and New York.
Mexican Institute Of Sound’s 2007 album Pinata
received incredible critical acclaim, including Rolling
Stone magazine calling it “One of the 10
Best albums of the year”, and tracks were featured
on Ugly Betty and in adverts for Pizza
Hut and FIFA 2008.
>>>
For Information / Interview requests / Promotional Copies contact Berube Communications:
Stevo Berube on info@berubecommunications.com
or phone 0872442695 <<<
Camilo Lara never set out with the
intention of taking his personal musical career seriously. At first,
he was simply creating holiday mixes for friends. But then his friends
convinced him that he should take his songs off his computer and
into the studio. Now four years later, Lara, known as the Mexican
Institute of Sound (M.I.S.) is building on the momentum
of his breakthrough sophomore release ‘Pinata’ with
a highly-anticipated new album “Soy Sauce”,
released on Monday 4th May
“Soy Sauce” traverses Lara’s
wild musical imagination with a witty sense of humour for good effect
... whether it’s converting the traditional sounds of cumbia
to a full-on electronic dance track, paying tribute to hip hop luminaries
J Dilla and Biggie with Mexican sonidos, or singing a love song
as if Serge Gainsbourg had spent time in the Mayan jungle.
While early M.I.S. songs combined a variety of
vintage samples into instrumental tracks, “Soy Sauce”
features almost entirely original songs recorded with a live band
and vocals. “Holger Beier, the mastermind behind German
act Le Hammond Inferno, is the producer for the album,”
Lara says. “He helped give the songs structure and brought
new flavours for my ideas.”
Beier’s contribution is most evident on a song like ‘Yo
Digo Baila’. “This is my most to the point
dance track,” Lara explains. “I have to thank
Holger for pushing me to being open minded to these sorts of ideas.
What I like is that it has the sounds of cumbia but in a very radical
style.”
Lara also invited some of his influential musician friends to perform
on the album. “When I was working on ‘Soy Sauce,’
I was obsessed with Café Tacuba’s classic album ‘Re’,”
Lara says. “I wanted to record an album like that - going
from polka to punk in one second. That’s why I had found it
so fascinating. I wanted my album to really cover the entire scope
of my musical tastes.”
So he ended up recruiting close friend and Tacuba’s
lead guitarist Joselo Rangel to play on the tracks
‘Hiedra Venenosa’ and ‘Alocatel’.
From there, Ad Rock, of hip hop icons the
Beastie Boys, decided he wanted to remix the track ‘Alocatel'.
“I’ve been friends with Mike D of the Beastie Boys
for a long time,” Lara explains. “So one night
after one of their shows in Mexico City, I had the group over to
my place for dinner. Mike introduced me to Ad Rock and I gave him
some of my music from the new album that I had been working on.
Months down the line, he got back in touch, saying that he wanted
to collaborate.”
The result is an explosive dance anthem that bridges the worlds
between Mexico City and New York. It represents a common theme across
the M.I.S. catalogue; fusing the sounds of contrasting
music genres and cultures. On ‘White Stripes’, M.I.S.
makes its own personal tribute to hip hop legends J Dilla and Biggie.
The song features the vocals of Mexican pop star Paty Cantu. “I
had wanted to do a hip hop track with a Mexican vibe,” Lara
says. “The result? Well, it’s the opposite.”
As
the M.I.S. recording and songwriting process has
evolved, so has the live show. It has developed from simply "pushing
buttons" to incorporating a live drummer, bassist and DJ. In
the past year, M.I.S. has brought the band to rock
stages from Central Park Summer Stage in New York
City all the way out to Japan, and the group will be performing
at this years prestigious Coachella Music Festival
in California in April.
In the past,
Lara has attended Coachella as a fan but performing for the first
time has special meaning. “For me, it is part of the Mount
Olympus of rock,” he explains. “This includes
feats like getting covered in Rolling Stone, Spin, Q and playing
Coachella, Reading and Glastonbury. Yet another dream to cross off!”
Full tracklisting as follows :
01. Cumbria
02. Alocatel
03. Yo Digo Baila
04. White Stripes
05. Hiedra Venenosa
06. Te Quiero Mucho
07. Jalale
08. Comité Culificador Part 1
09. Comité Culificador Part 2
10. Karate Kid 2
11. Reventon
12. Sinfonia Agridulce
13. Alocatel (Ad Rock remix)
14. Chiflideur

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The
Broken Family Band has announced it will be releasing its
seventh album, Please And Thank You in Ireland
on Friday 24th April, which includes the single Salivating.
Mixed by veteran producer George Shilling, Please
and Thank You is, according to singer and lyricist Steve
Adams, an album loosely centred around the uncontroversial
yet indeterminate idea of “being nice to people”.
From its stomping opener ‘Please Yourself’,
a sceptical look at hipsters (with ‘cocaine in your moustache’)
offended by his cheap guitar with nods, lyrically and musically
(and not accidentally) to Elvis Costello’s classic masturbation
anthem ‘Pump It Up’, to its conclusion, a gentle ode
to burying the hatchet, country-tinged ‘Old Wounds’
(the only trace of their folksy origins), it covers a lot of ground.
The gentle ‘Mimi’ is about a beautiful
girl who worked in an 'adult' shop, according to its writer, while
the drably titled ‘St Albans’, effectively
a short story about a man who went to the wrong place to have sex
with an Eastern European girl set to an ominous melody, started
out as the more exotic ‘St Petersburg’,
a title that was deemed to be “unrealistic”.
‘Borrowed Time’, with its anachronistic
plea to “keep on choogling, even when we’re tired”,
neatly captures the band’s split personality while ‘Cinema
Vs House’, a witty dissection of the eternal dating
seesaw, starts sweetly and ends up as a rock juggernaut. Eight years
in, The Broken Family Band have gradually shed
the accordionists, the cute girl singers, the banjo players, even
the American drawl, and reduced themselves to the unchanged core
of Adams, bassist Gavin Johnson,
guitarist Jay Williams and drummer Micky
Roman. And they’ve made their best album so far.
Available on CD and as a digital download, the full track listing
is as follows :
1. Please Yourself
2. Salivating
3. St. Albans
4. You Did A Bad Thing
5. Cinema vs House
6. Borrowed Time
7. Mimi
8. Don’t Bury Us
9. Stay Friendly
10. Son Of The Man
11. The Girls In This Town
12. Old Wounds
THE BROKEN FAMILY BAND is … Steve
Adams (vocals/guitar) / Gavin Johnson (bass) / Jay Williams (guitar)
/ Micky Roman (drums)

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ALPHASTATES
"Human Nature"
Featuring the singles "HUMAN NATURE"
& "CHAMPAGNE GLASS"
Out 24/04/09 on Maji Records
www.myspace.com/alphastates |
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Prepare to be blasted
by pop delusionists of grandeur. Alphastates deliver
their sound under the blanket of unselfconscious art. Fed on Joy
division, Portishead, Tom Waits, Sonic Youth, Edith Piaf
..., this band will manage to reassure you that there's still urgency,
passion, and art left in music.
They
continue to blend slow elastic beats with delicously dark pop soundscapes
on a grander scale. Graced with the addictively evocative vocals of
Catherine Dowling and with music that is beautifully
pop yet ethereally alternative. Alphastates have
the potential to leave a massive imprint. "Human Nature"
is the follow up to their critically acclaimed "Made
from Sand" Music
and misfits always come together. An after-hours gig in a warehouse
in Dublin introduced Catherine Dowling to Gerry
Horan. Some years later they formed alphastates.
In the hands of music composer Gerry Horan, Dowling
expressed the dark comedy of the Human Condition. "Pop
is a perfect avenue for human tragedy". Shy of performances
and people, they hung in the background. She sang her twisted off-kilter
melodies over his guitar and electro noise assaults. Other talented
misfits joined the melting pot. It started simple and their only
goal was to write beautiful songs.
Champagne Glass was the first single taken from
their very beautiful second album "Human Nature",
the follow up to their critically acclaimed "Made from
Sand". "Human Nature" will
be released to the public on the 24th April 2007. Already making
its way to the dance floors in New York, Champagne Glass
is a pop song draped in house beats but smiling through the eyes
of disco. Featuring two remixes by acclaimed production duo "Arveene
and Misk" and mastered by Nilesh Patel,
the face behind the mastering of Daft Punk's Homework,
Champagne Glass is a hook-laden pop sparkler that
won't leave your head once inside.
Having toured
with Cat Power, Mercury Rev, Deus,
Zero 7, Sinead O'Connor, The
Beta Band to name but a few, alphastates
have had their music appear on both Irish and International film
productions. They've played Oxegen numerous times
as well as the Electric Picnic together with an
a number of high profile festivals across Europe. Currently put
the closing stages to the contract with their US record label, "HUMAN
NATURE" is to see a release date Stateside at the
end of 2009.
With music that
is beautifully pop yet ethereally alternative, alphastates have
the potential to leave a massive imprint.
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“With
an endless barrage of dry humour and damn catchy riffs, plus lush
harmonies and of course some mean guitar solos, the world is a better
place because of this band.” – Big Cheese
“The Seattle band’s quirky pop is clearly at odds
with current trends, yet that’s a huge part of the appeal. They
don’t care if they sound different or weird. So they create
songs like Bad Times and Truckstop Butterfly that are full of wit,
charm and amusing anecdotes. And as PUSAs enduring popularity shows,
there’s always a place for music that puts a smile on your face.”
– Rocksound
“Pop magic” – Plan B
“Hard, fast, good-time rock’n’roll”
– Classic Rock |
THE
PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA |
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:::
LIVE ::: Friday April 3rd, 2009 - Vicar Street
- Dublin
The
Presidents of the United States of America has announced
it will be releasing three digital EPs next year.
Each EP will feature two songs, plus a brand new video. Each lead
track is taken from the band’s latest album, These
Are The Good Times People (Released Backin March
2008).
Full digital
EP tracklistings and release dates below:
Monday 26th January – Ladybug
EP
1. Ladybug
2. Rooftops In Spain
3. Ladybug video
Monday 23rd February – More
Bad Times EP
1. Bad Times
2. Ballad of the Unstoppable Female (The Anna Nicole Smith Story)
3. Bad Times video
Monday 30th March – Rot In The
Sun EP
1. Rot In The Sun
2. Scrappy Puppy
3. Rot In The Sun video
Since the Seattle-based trio first burst into the public eye in
1995 with its twice Grammy-nominated eponymous debut – on
the strength of radio smashes like “Lump”
and “Peaches” – the band has
been serving out its trademark joy-pop to crowds worldwide ever
since. Their latest offering, These Are The Good Times People
is an inventive, uplifting and often brilliant rock & roll album.
Recorded with Northwest legends The Fastbacks’
and Young Fresh Fellows own Kurt Bloch
(Robyn Hit | |