Jolly Green Giants

Our wee green Island is on the ball at the moment!

Quick rant first. I can imagine if Louis Walshe or Hotpress had a look at my playlists they'd have something to say. It's true, hands in the air, I'm not a massive noise on Irish music. That's Hotpress' job. But I'm standing behind my position on music for the radio shows, if it's good, it get's played.

I'm against the idea that radio should be forced to play X amount of Irish music. Radio is about entertaining people, it shouldn't be an accessory used to promote another industry. It also sends out a poor message to bands that get played. Bands like The Blizzards and The Coronas get massive amounts of play and exposure here and can pack out any college bar/town arts festival in the country based on familiarity. Now it's possible that if Irish radio wasn't forced to play X amount of Irish they'd still get the same amount of play, but I highly doubt it.

Rock bands that lack credibility amoung rock music fans, protected by laws that allow them huge publicity will only end disappointed when they stray outside their privelaged status i.e once they try and "break" the UK/States/Europe etc.

My real problem with these laws is that when a band do get played on Irish radio, how can they tell if it's out of nessecity on behalf of the radio station to fulfill their quota of Irish music or if the presenter genuinely flipping loves the band?

Here's a one off declaration. If you see an Irish band here on the blog, they're not there because they're Irish. Or because they're local. The only upside on them being Irish is that there's more of chance they'll be playing locally (supporting live music) and there's more a chance of coming across them (the chances of a Korean bands first demo ending up on my desk is pretty unlikely).

They're there cos they're a really fucking good band. I'm sorry for the semi-political shiting on, I just wanted it on record.

Now, here are some really fucking good Irish bands about at the moment.

This CD has been sitting on my desk for too long. I checked these guys out this week. I rather like them.

Yes Cadets - Rufio

From Bangor. Massive hype. Worth it.

Two Door Cinema Club - Costume Party

Fionn Regan has taken too flipping long to come up with a second album! His first, The End Of History was abn incredible effort, though it surprisingly lost out to Divine Comedy for the Choice Music Prize. Fairness, losing out to the guy who wrote the theme song for Fr. Ted ain't the worst thing in the world. But I do like Fionn better. His second album Shadow Of An Empire is out on February 8th.

Fionn Regan - Genocide Matinee

I caught these guys last Friday supporting Disconnect 4, best support band I've seen in a long time. They gave me a tape after the show, to add to my colletion! Two guys playing synth and bass (like a synth and bass each) and an absolute animal of a drummer. From Belfast, you'll catch them on Richter Collective, one of the country's better labels.

Not Squares - Asylum

Adebisi Shank have been decimating live audiences around the world for a few years now. Their debut album This Is An Album By A Band Called Adebisi Shank came out in 2008, also on Richter Collective. new album due out this Summer.

Adebisi Shank - Oyasumi

Lost Chord are a Galway based 5 piece, their debut E.P There Is No is out next week. The E.P launch is this Thursday in Roisin Dubh.

Lost Chord - Ronald And Nancy