SONGS OF THE WEEK
Neon Wolf – A Place To Call Home
The Kilkenny band have held a solid reputation of purveyors of melodic indie rock for a few years now. Things sound like they're stepping up with the arrival of a new single on UK label Killing Moon, produced by Joe Cross, who has worked with bands like Hurts and The Courteneers. A Place To Call Home is pitched in the same playing field as Two Door Cinema Club's indie pop.
The Grand Wake - Suffragette
Garage-rock is very often a signifier of retro bands who seem more interested in recreating the past than using their influences as a jumping off point for their own explorations. This Dublin four-piece band's new single has a celestial organ running through the centre of the song that lifts Suffragette up from a period piece. The band are recording their debut EP at the moment. Encouraging.
Girls Names – A Hunger Artist
Meanwhile Belfast's finest continue to do exactly that, mine the past for the future's gain. Having shown us Reticence, a dissonant driving cut on new album Arms Around a Vision (due in October), A Hunger Artist speeds past with melodic nods to Roxy Music, a thoroughly theatrical eighties-style vocal delivery high in the mix and sharp post-punk guitar rings that all coalesce into an exuberant race to the finish.
His New Atlas - Saints 19 year-old
Armagh native Eoghan O'Hagan haas been making moves as a singer of torch bearing atmospheric pop music. Saints continues that run of tunes. It's slightly overwrought in its delivery but you can't fault O'Hagan's commitment to the sound which will see him do four dates on a UK tour this month.
NEW ARTIST OF THE WEEK
Joni Ireland has always had a relatively healthy interest in bass and “urban” music (a questionable title) and recently the underground has given a few female vocalists who have bubbled up fortified by experiences in basements and clubs, like Lady Grew and Gemma Dunlovely. It sounds like we can add Joni to that list. The vocalist and violinist has worked with producer Richie Kaboogie on tracks for the last few years and her first proper single Running will get a release on Cork label Feel Good Lost next week.
NEW OLD MUSIC OF THE WEEK
Kaught At The Kampus A recording of a gig recorded at UCC on August 30th 1980 featuring Cork post-punk bands Nun Attax, Mean Features, Urban Blitz and Microdisney has been rereleased by Reekus Records
after being originally released on 12” by the label. It's on Spotify, Deezer, Google Play and iTunes
.
VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Slow Riot - City of Culture
Director: Steve Gullick
The Limerick post-punk rock band's debut single addresses their city's recent cultural status. Pairing the razor-sharps song with a stylised video from punk rock photographer Steve Gullick, who is known for his Nirvana portraits, adds a visceral saturation to the song's delivery.
