On The Record

  • Phantom 105.2 playlist, Thursday October 9

    October 10, 2008 @ 11:24 am | by Jim Carroll

    As played on The Producers, the new music show on Phantom 105.2, Thursday October 2, 8pm-10pm

    Bloc Party “Ares” (Wichita)
    The Secret Machines “Atomic Heels” (TSM)
    MGMT “Kids (Soulwax remix)” (Epic)
    Annie “Two Of Hearts” (Island)
    MIA “Hit That” (XL)
    Manda Rim “Bad Things Happen To Bad People” (This Is Fake DIY)
    Filthy Dukes “Tupac Robot Club Rock” (Fiction)
    Streetlife DJs “We Love the Disco Sound” (Kitsune)
    Crystal Antlers “Owl” (Touch & Go)
    Colourmusic “Yes” (Great Society)
    Gaslight Anthem “Miles Davis & The Cool” (Side One Dummy)
    Jay Reatard “See/Saw” (Matador)
    Passion Pit “Sleepyhead” (Neon Gold)
    Chairlift “Earwig Town” (Kanine)
    Peter Gabriel “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” (XL)
    Vampire Weekend “Ottoman” (Atlantic)
    Parenthetical Girls “A Song for Ellie Greenwich” (Tomlab)
    James Yuill “This Sweet Love” (Moshi Moshi)
    Deerhunter “Never Stops” (Kranky)
    Department of Eagles “No One Does It Like You” (4AD)
    Marnie Stern “Every Single Line Means Something” (Kill Rock Stars)
    Fucked Up “For My Friends” (Matador)
    Dri “Two Are One” (Range Life)
    Horse Feathers “A Burden” (Kill Rock Stars)
    Ray LaMontagne “Meg White” (14th Floor)
    Antony & The Johnsons “Another World” (Rough Trade)
    Wilco & Fleet Foxes “I Shall Be Released” (Live track)

  • Some Days Never End - venue changes?

    @ 10:11 am | by Jim Carroll

    As spotted below by one of our eagle-eyed readers, Neil from Thundercrack Playlist, there appears to be some changes afoot with the forthcoming Some Days Never End mini-fest at IMMA, Dublin later this month from POD Concerts.

    The series is due to feature shows from The Human League with Heaven 17 (October 26), Aimee Mann with Sharon Shannon (October 28) and Seasick Steve with My Morning Jacket (October 29).

    The POD website is still listing these shows at the original venue, but the “buy tickets” link to Ticketmaster gives you a different story. The Human League and Heaven 17 show is now said to be “Postoned - New Date TBC”, Aimee Mann is now switched to Tripod, Seasick Steve has moved to the National Stadium and My Morning Jacket are playing a standalone show at Tripod. Are we seeing another case of “unforseen circumstances” here (Tripod and Stadium are both much smaller capacity venues than a tent in IMMA and this also happened last year with Groove Armada and Dizzee Rascal)? Or has the Ticketmaster computer had a bit of a hissy fit?

  • Hear the new Duke Special album on irishtimes.com

    @ 9:19 am | by Jim Carroll

    The Duke’s latest album “I Thought This Day Would Never Come” is now streaming on irishtimes.com. Click here for more.

  • Mobile phones that come with music - and a catch

    @ 9:11 am | by Jim Carroll

    Another week, another mobile music story: this time, it’s the latest unveiling of Nokia’s Comes With Music.
    (more…)

  • X-Music for x-musicians feeling the crunch

    @ 9:09 am | by Jim Carroll

    With Recession 2.0 now officially in full effect, songwriters up and down the land are no doubt digging out their guitars and trying to come up a catchy lyric which includes “credit crunch”, “recapitalisation” and “George Lee”.

    Songwriters and musicians who have found that their guitars have been decommissioned since the last time they wrote a decent tune need not despair: a new music equipment store, X-Music, opens for business this weekend.

    Located in Dublin’s Red Cow Retail Centre, X-Music is a 20,000 sq ft, muso-friendly plaza stocking gear from such brands as Gibson, Marshall, Korg, Roland, Ibanez and many others.

  • All in a day’s work

    @ 9:08 am | by Jim Carroll

    The word on Stee Downes appears to be spreading.

    The Dublin vocalist, DJ and multi-instrumentalist, who has also played a big role in Bodytonic’s Scribble label, is seeing his All in a Day debut album get a worldwide release, thanks to Sonar Kollektiv.

    Downes has collaborated in the past with a wide range of acts, including London’s Loose Ensemble and Echoplex’s Ed Eustace. All in a Day was recorded earlier this year in Croatia with production assistance from Ishfaq.

    Downes plays live at Dublin’s Crawdaddy on October 26th and supports Roy Ayers at Dublin’s Button Factory on December 22.

  • Etc

    @ 9:06 am | by Jim Carroll

    You know the rules - plug away to your heart’s content, but declare an interest where appropriate or don’t be surprised if one is declared for you.

    Birthday one: Belfast clubbing institution Shine turns 13 on November 1st, with DJ Sneak, Green Velvet and many more blowing out the candles.

    Birthday two: AU magazine marks 50 issues on the newstands with a Top 50 Northern Ireland Songs of AU’s lifetime poll.

    Birthday three: Analogue marks its first birthday with “Peek!”, a compilation of Irish producers and acts to coincide with the latest issue. The mag throws a party at Dublin’s Twisted Pepper on October 16th.

    Scandinavian jazz trio The Thing join Japanese noise scene kingpin Otomo Yoshihide at Dublin’s Andrew’s Lane on November 22nd.

    Over-rated Las Vegas chancers The Killers play Dublin’s 02 (Feb 20th) and Belfast’s Odyssey (21st)

    Quote of the week: “Pen a bit harder!” - Girls Aloud’s Nicola Roberts advises Coldplay’s Chris Martin, who says he has been trying to write a song for them

  • Tune of the Week - “Turn the Magic On”

    October 9, 2008 @ 9:26 am | by Jim Carroll

    At the time of writing, 157 Irish albums have been released in 2008.
    (more…)

  • You won’t get me I’m part of the union

    October 8, 2008 @ 9:58 am | by Jim Carroll

    It’s just what the world needs right now as capitalism as we know it comes cap in hand to governments worldwide looking for a few bob - an union for rich rock stars to moan about their lot. Featured Artists Coalition made its way into the world at last weekend’s In The City conference in Manchester and more than 60 acts have already put their hands in the air to say yes to the idea of forming an union to campaign for the protection of their rights.

    Not surprisingly, the bulk of the artists who have already paid their union dues are acts who are well established. It’s always the way - the ones who’ve already made their cash are protecting their necks. There’s Radiohead (the band who became rich megastars thanks to the support and patience of EMI Music, who initially signed the band in 1991 when they called On A Friday and were way worse than they are today), Robbie Williams (the gombeen who declared “I’m rich beyond my wildest dreams” when he signed a £80 million deal with EMI in 2002, but who has gone from seeing angels to seeing aliens in that six years), Richard Ashcroft (you could probably purchase Iceland with the money record labels have wasted on him and his band over the years), Travis (yeah, they’re still around, probably still wondering about the rain) and many others. U2’s application must have got lost in the post from Amsterdam.

    On FAC’s website, they have a whole list of demands and aims. These loosely translate into getting more cash from record companies. They mention “digital distributors and others” in their manifesto, but it’s really the record labels they’re after.

    Ah, the record labels. The same record labels who took a punt on those bands when they didn’t have a clue what they were doing and guided them to where they are today. The same record labels who presented the bands with contracts outlining what they would get and what was expected in return, contracts the bands and their representatives (who seem to be behind the setting up of FAC) then paid a lawyer to read through and explain to them. Lets be blunt here - the bands knew what they were getting into when they signed those contracts. They were, I assume, all adults and took proper, precise, independent legal advice and didn’t just go with the lawyers their managers recommended because they were (a) cheap or (b) mates of the manager. That never happens. Oh no. Bands have brains. Bands think things through. Bands would never sign a contract and then bleat about it when the penny drops that they’ve actually agreed to do stuff. It would be like someone getting a loan from a bank (used to happen pre-’08 when banks had cash reserves) and then expressing surprise at having to pay the money back.

    Interestingly, there’s no mention of live promoters or agents in the ya-boo-sucks list. It would seem that the acts are completely happy with the large cheques they’re getting from that particular quarter and have little to say about how ticket prices paid by their fans have ballooned to pay for these pay-days. Funny, that.

    And if the bands think they have been hard done by conventional record labels, that’s nothing to what they’ll encounter with that rabid bunch of snakeoil salesmen currently working to get acts - and surprise, surprise, it’s acts with established audiences these boyos are after too - into bed with brands. You thought things were bad when your record label wanted you to do a couple of aul’ phone interviews to plug a new album? Wait till you get a load of what these brands want you to do for your big cheque. We won’t start on how the digital pimps will rip these acts off for fear that we’ll be here all day.

    All in favour of an all-out strike, raise your hand.

  • The possible giglist for 2009

    October 7, 2008 @ 9:39 am | by Jim Carroll

    Lets throw a few aul’ names into the hat, shall we? I mean, is there anything else to do on a miserable rainy Tuesday morning?

    Oasis! Yes, Oasis. Playing a big outdoors show somewhere outside Dublin next summer, according to Noel Gallagher in the interview he did with Big Richie McCormack which ran on Phantom FM over the weekend. Some readers are thinking Slane, but we reckon it will be more like Malahide Castle (that’s outside Dublin, right?). Any of our many readers in Park Road, Dun Laoghaire who wish to speak now rather than hold their tongues forever can use the comments below. Anyone who wants to tell us how amazing the new Oasis album is should also have a note from their doctor.

    Depeche Mode! Yes, Depeche Mode. Playing the 02 in 2009. You read it here first, pal.

    AC/DC! Yes, AC/DC. C’mon, it has to happen. New album “Black Ice” means a tour and a tour means an Irish date or two. We’re sure that one of the Big 3 promoters will flash an extremely large wad of cash at the group’s Mister 11 And Two Thirds for the rights to this one. Lets hope it’s Croke Park rather than Slane for this one. Actually, lets hope it’s anywhere other than that awful over-rated Co Meath field.

    All other speculation of a non-financial market kind in the comments please.

  • 11 things I know now that I didn’t know a week ago

    October 6, 2008 @ 8:50 am | by Jim Carroll

    (1) Remember this awesome guest post from Paul Tarpey about the early days of Irish club culture? Well, the Irish Blog Awards folks have just gone and given it the nod as 02 Blog Post of the Month for September. Congrats Paul! Memo to self: must get more quality guest posts.

    (2) Most of you culture-vulture folks will already have caught Louis Walsh having a pop at Irish radio stations for not playing enough Irish music. Louis was himself fuming because none of these radio stations would play the new Boyzone single. Feck, it must be really bad so. Thought it was interesting to note that three of the most played records on Today FM last week, per their chart yesterday, were Irish - that’s 30 percent innit? And poor old Lucifer got a little bit of a biff in the Girls Aloud feature in the Observer yesterday. Louis was slated to be the band manager after they won the Pop Stars: The Rivals talent show but ignored the girls for two years. They’re getting on quite well without him, thanks very much. Mmm, whatever happened to the Carter Twins?

    (3) On The Record is getting snippy comments (number 67) from some League of Ireland fans (worse, Bohs fans) for writing about Liverpool FC rather than our lack of coverage for the homegrown league. Hey, we used to be Thurles Town fans until the club went out of business so we’ll go back on the terraces when they come back on the pitch. (Manchester City 2, Liverpool 3).

    (4) Who do you think is going to be the first rapper to rhyme about the credit crunch and banking crisis? Our money (sorry) is on Lil Wayne.

    (5) Speaking of pop and politics, did you know that KT Tunstall, Jarvis Cocker, Feist, Laurie Anderson and Martha Wainwright are on a ship off the coast of Greenland? No? Well, thanks to Peter Paphides, you now do. It’s part of Cape Farewell, a coming together of scientists and artists to form a “cultural response” to climate change.

    (6) Twenty Major has hung up his blogging boots. On The Record understands that he will be appearing on Seoige sometime this week to talk about how he now has the time to join Liberatas, write a duet with Damien Rice, cook the perfect risotto and learn how to play the tin-whistle. We wish him well, wherever he shall roam.

    (7) The Economist thinks initiatives like Nokia’s Comes With Music may well save the music business. Not so sure if that will work for Boyzone. Meanwhile uptown, record label folks are optimistic for the future, chiefly because they still have jobs to go to, it seems, and didn’t take the call from Lehman Brothers (who are still hiring).

    (8) Yeah, old news but, hey, I’ve been out foreign. Two bands with albums of the year bring the noise to the big smoke - Vampire Weekend play the Ambassador on October 23 and TV On The Radio play Tripod on November 15. Hell yeah, we’re excited.

    (9) Per readers of Entertainment Weekly… sorry, the RTE Guide, The Wire is the 49th best TV show ever made. It’s not as good as Blackboard Jungle or Location Location Location, then.

    (10) If you haven’t read Generation Kill yet, Evan Wright’s awesome tale of frontline Marines in Iraq, make amends pronto before everyone starts talking about David Simon, Ed Burns and Wright’s TV take on the book.

    (11) And finally, time to get stoopid. It’s a hard Knux life, folks.

  • Phantom 105.2 playlist, Thursday October 2

    October 3, 2008 @ 11:12 am | by Jim Carroll

    As played on The Producers, the new music show on Phantom 105.2, Thursday October 2, 8pm-10pm

    Lovvers “Human Hair” (Wichita)
    Constantines “Hard Feelings” (Arts & Crafts)
    Cut Copy “Hearts On Fire (Knightlife remix)” (Modular)
    Metronomy “Heartbreaker” (Because)
    Lykke Li “Breaking It Up (John Hill remix)” (LL)
    Grace Jones “This Is” (Wall Of Sound)
    Yo Majesty “Don’t Let Go” (Domino)
    Kidda “Strong Together” (Skint)
    Marching Band “Make No Plans” (U&L)
    Collapsing Cities “Hey Ester, Thanks For The Poster” (Way Out West)
    TV On The Radio “Dancing Choose” (4AD)
    Indian Jewelry “Going South” (Skinny Wolves)
    Times New Viking “Call & Respond” (Matador)
    Onra “The Anthem” (Favorite)
    Rabbits & Carrots “Give It Up Or Turn It Loose” (Vampisoul)
    Max Tundra “Will Get Fooled Again” (Domino)
    Volcano! “Africa Just Wants To Have Fun” (Leaf)
    The Faint “Get Seduced” (blank.wav)
    Deerhunter “Little Kids” (Kranky)
    The Black Keys “Oceans and Streams” (V2)
    Blitzen Trapper “Fire & Fast Bullets” (Sub Pop)
    Sea Wolf “You’re A Wolf” (Dangerbird)
    Chad VanGaalen “Bones Of Man” (Sub Pop)
    Emiliana Torrini “Big Jumps” (Rough Trade)
    Anni Rossi “Artic Swing” (4AD)
    James Yorkston “Tortoise Regrets Hare” (Domino)
    Seasick Steve “One True” (Warner Brothers)

  • BellX minus 1 as Crosby decides to leave the band

    @ 8:59 am | by Jim Carroll

    Bell X1 founding member Brian Crosby has announced that he is quitting the band.
    (more…)

  • Electric Picnic makes a play for the early birds

    @ 8:57 am | by Jim Carroll

    With the list of forthcoming live shows growing by the day, live music promoters will be hoping that the current financial doom and gloom don’t stop people going out.

    Promoters will especially be hoping that Irish music fans continue to exhibit their fondness for getting their hands on tickets months in advance.

    “Early-bird tickets” for Electric Picnic 2009, to be held a week later than usual from September 4th to 6th, go on sale next Friday (October 10).

    Tickets are pegged at €199, the same tariff as for last year’s festival, but this will doubtless rise when the full consignment of tickets goes on sale in 2009.

  • State give it all away

    @ 8:57 am | by Jim Carroll

    It has been a year of ups and downs for new Irish music magazine State .

    Following six outings on the nation’s newstands, the magazine is now joining such titles as Analogue, Connected and Totally Dublin in the free-of-charge zone.

    The latest issue of the magazine will be available nationwide from today. Readers can also subscribe for the price of a stamp and envelope or read a digital issue of the mag online.

    Issue number seven features interviews with Kings Of Leon, Fight Like Apes, The Blizzards and more

  • Etc

    @ 8:53 am | by Jim Carroll

    As always with the weekly Etc post, the floor is yours to plug, plug, plug. Be polite and declare an interest where relevant (ie if you are involved in putting on the show or releasing the record) or it will be declared for you.

    Glasvegas do a spot of DJ-ing at Strictly Handbag’s 14th birthday soiree at Dublin’s Spy on Oct 27.

    First must-see gigs of 2009: David Byrne plays songs written by himself and Brian Eno at Dublin’s National Concert Hall (April 6) and Belfast’s Waterfront Hall (7)

    Irish indie label Out On A Limb marks five years in the business with a bash at Limerick’s Dolan’s on Nov 21 with Crayonsmith, Giveamanakick, Hooray For Humans, Ten Past Seven, Rest and Windings.

    On The Record hearts Lykke Li. The Swedish popster plays Dublin’s Button Factory on Nov 24.

  • On The Record is away

    September 16, 2008 @ 7:00 pm | by Jim Carroll

    Have gone to form a new political party. Normal service will resume on October 3. Comments will be updated between now and then by the Pope. Time for an aul’ song to send us on our way….

  • Guest post - Notes on an Irish disco landscape

    @ 8:42 am | by Jim Carroll

    Paul Tarpey is a Limerick-based DJ and writer from the Cheebah crew who has begun to sketch out a history of the Irish dance scene and clubland. Here’s what Paul has to say about this project.

    “Booking DJs for Cheebah nights in Limerick, I tended to seek out those who DJ-ed around the original spirit of hip-hop that existed in this country since the early 1980s because this breed were morally obliged within themselves to mix all types of beats with active respect to a black history mediated through an Irish experience. As I talked to them about trends coming and going, and particularly the digitalism that is accelerating the scene, the most interesting stories were those where people got the fever before the DJ was taken for granted and gigs happened out of pure enthusiasm.

    I realised that the period before 1993 was overshadowed by the rockist history of the Irish music scene and that these early days merit some sort of record before memories fade and we forget about that scene’s pioneering activities.

    This piece is my introduction to the idea of collecting information for what is hopefully is a definitive story. I intend to seek out more of the participants as the story is not strictly Dublin based. If anyone would like to take part, I can be contacted at tarpeypaul@eircom.net”
    (more…)

  • The weekend in a wrap. Heavy on the guacamole, but no onions

    September 15, 2008 @ 10:11 am | by Jim Carroll

    (1) Liverpool 2, Manchester United 1. Oh, to have been a fly on the wall, dodging boots and Scottish spittle, when Ferguson started to rant and roar and rave at full-time. Our deepest sympathies on this occasion to all the Man U fans who gather here daily.

    (2) While it’s not quite on the same scale as Toronto’s Nuit Blanche, Ireland’s own Culture Night takes place next Friday night with loads going on in galleries, museums, halls and assorted spaces in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick. In a few years time, it will go all night. Like the Luas.

    (3) The best documentary I’ve seen in ages? That would be Man On Wire, James Marsh’s profile of the wide-eyed Philippe Petit, the man who took a high-wire walk between the towers of the World Trade Center in New York in 1974. Before he hit New York, Petit with his team of accomplices, many of whom seemed a little unsure when it came to explaining why they had agreed to be press-ganged into service by the Frenchman, had already scaled Paris’s Notre Dame cathedral and Sydney’s Harbour Bridge.

    (4) There are times when even machines fail. At the end of Kraftwerk’s near perfect display of how they invented techno, electronica and minimal house at IMMA on Saturday night, the curtains began to go across the stage to herald the conclusion of the show. Then, the curtains stopped moving and the four Kraftwerk-ers froze on the spot. They then gingerly walked offstage to huge cheers from the audience. Fantastic show, though. No-one else can do subtle, stately melancholic big-tent electronic sounds like Kraftwerk. My own highlights were “Tour de France” (though I was hoping they’d stick a big picture of Sean Kelly into the slide-show), “Neon Lights” (first time in five times seeing Kraftwerk that this tune has stood out a mile for me) and “The Model” (pure electro pop never goes out of fashion). We also hope that Ralf enjoyed the cycle from Roundwood to Dublin, as much as he enjoyed that spin around the Glen of Aherlow.

    (5) The scariest newspaper headline of the weekend? “Kilkenny’s All-Ireland Champions of 2013?” from the Tribune yesterday. After Tipperary’s under 21s failed to stop Kilkenny’s gallop yesterday in Croke Park to give the Cats a clean sweep of silverware for 2008, there’s more than a germ of truth in that headline. That said, as Davy Fitz put it after Brian Cody’s men had mauled his over-hyped Waterford the previous Sunday, someone will beat Kilkenny some day. Just hope it won’t be until 2014.

    (6) The only question which made the six managers participating in the Hard Working Class Heroes management panel yesterday afternoon squirm was, naturally, the one about money and their percentages. I was chairing the panel and I thought it was a good, robust exchange of views about how the role of the manager has changed in music business 2.0, with interesting points of view coming from all participants. I didn’t get to see as much of the HWCH showcases as I’d planned but you can read what Ian has to say here and I assume the State reviews will be up as soon as they get out bed this afternoon. (And Lauren Murphy and Jenny Mulligan’s reviews of the weekend for Entertainment.ie are here)

    (7) Abercrombie & Fitch, Habitat and Lidl may have said no to the sixth most expensive shopping street in the world, but American Apparel are set to set up shop on Grafton Street in the near future. Yep, Dov Charney is coming to town. Liveline researchers, please note.

    (8) This week, I will mostly be listening to old-school hip-hop from the early 1990s thanks to The Wackness, a wonderfully witty and quirky flick about a high school graduate spending a summer selling dope in New York. My ’90s rewind will start, naturally, with “Illmatic”.

  • Phantom 105.2 playlist, Thursday September 11

    September 12, 2008 @ 11:01 am | by Jim Carroll

    As played on The Producers, the new music show on Phantom 105.2, Thursday September 11, 8pm-10pm

    My first time in The Producers seat and it was really cool to play just new music for two hours (albeit with one or two wee diversions into the recent past to plug a few things). That TV On The Radio album just gets better and better with every listen - easily one of the three best albums released this year - and I’m also looking forward to playing more from Passion Pit, The Gaslight Anthem (cheers to John for giving me a lend of the album), Marching Band, Telepathe and that buckwild new Yo Majesty album. Also that Robert Wyatt and Bertrand Burgalat tune is just sheer disco bliss (even without the Hot Chip remix).

    TV On The Radio “Halfway Home” (4AD)
    Bloc Party “Talons” (Wichita)
    Abe Vigoda “Animal Ghosts” (Bella Union)
    Passion Pit “Sleepyhead” (Neon Gold)
    The Aliens “Magic Man” (Pet Rock)
    Annuals “Confessor” (Ace Fu)
    Frightened Rabbit “I Feel Better” (Fat Cat)
    Peter Gabriel “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” (XL)
    Glasvegas “It’s My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry” (Sony BMG)
    The Ettes “Crown Of Age” (Self-release)
    Fiery Furnaces “Single Again (Live)” (Thrill Jockey)
    A Place To Bury Strangers “I Know I’ll See You (The Clapp remix)” (Killer Pimp)
    Vivian Girls “Blind Spot” (In The Red)
    Larsen B “Marilyn” (Try Harder)
    The Gaslight Anthem “The ‘59 Sound” (Side One Dummy)
    Dengue Fever “Tiger Phone Card” (Real World)
    Minotaur Shock “Am Dram” (4AD)
    Marching Band “Make No Plans” (U&L)
    Telepathe “Chrome’s On It” (No Pain In Pop)
    Final Fantasy “Blue Imelda” (Blocks Recording Club)
    Mahjongg “Pontiac” (K)
    Justice “Dior 1″ (Ed Banger)
    Gang Gang Dance “House Jam” (Warp)
    Yo Majesty “Grindin’ And Shakin’” (Domino)
    Lil Wayne “A Milli” (Mike Waxx/MF Doom remix)” (Doomed)
    Roots Manuva “Again & Again” (Big Dada)
    Robert Wyatt & Bertrand Burgalat “This Summer Night” (Domino)

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