bla-di-bla-di-bla

I'm so sick of bullshit. All I want to to do is DJ in a small club to nice people, do a radio show playing what I want and run a blog that a few people like. Fuck me, I'm being quite the bitch these days.

Was having a pain in the arse day until football came along (Galway folk, football, Wednesday's 4:30, the Claddagh, next to the contaminated field)

Lying on my couch vegging out, these two new Tallest Man On Earth songs have just made my day, again.

The Tallest Man On Earth - You're Going Back Alt

The Tallest Man On Earth - Love Is All Alt

Just what I needed. Their 3rd album, The Wild Hunt is out April

p.s ...this is a re-edit of this post, was a bit spaced out writing it originally, spelling was all over the shop!

An old song and a new song.

An old song and a new song.

The new song:

I love these guys! Clever, fun, rock n' roll. Not much to say but can't wait to check out more of their stuff

Django Django - WOR Alt

The old song:

One of my favourite songs by one of my favourite bands, and I thought it was the original. Nope, it's by a 1960's British reggae band, founded by Eddy Grant, who are, from what I can tell from listening to a few of their tunes, pretty fucking great.

The Equals - Police On My Back Alt

And now the playlist has run into Django Reinhardt, I'd never heard him before, but the jazzy guitar buzz makes me feel like I'm in a cool 1930's film in New York. Or maybe the start of a rom-com.

iTest, March 28th

Last night's tracklist. Too tired to talk today. Wrestlemania last night. Not a Wrestling fan but it was fun.

The Drums - Best Friend
Harlem - Gay Human Bones
Windings - Brain Fluid
Stornoway - I Saw You Blink
The Black Keys - Tighten Up
MGMT - Flash Delerium
Hot Chip - I Feel Better (Club Edit ft. Blonny "Prince" Billy)
Broken Social Scene - Forced To Love
Heathers - Remember When
The Middle East - Blood
The Canon Logic - Avenue Of Criminals
Bodega Girls - Prime Time Sex Crime Alt
LCD Soundsystem - Drunk Girls
Broken Water - Kamilche House
MGMT - Congratulations
Radio Dept - Never Follow Suit
Fang Island - Welcome Wagon
Gotan Project - La Gloria
Delorean - Stay Close
Jamaica - I Think I LIke U 2 Alt
Television Keeps Us Apart - I Hate My Friends
Tunng - Don't Look Back Or Down
The Tallest Man On Earth - Burden Of Tomorrow
Holy Fuck - Latin America
Foals - Spanish Sahara
Fang Island - Life Coach
Broken Social Scene - All To All
Teenage Fanclub - Baby Lee
Happy Birthday - Girls FM
Hole - Skinny Little Bitch Alt
Blitzen Trapper - Heaven & Earth
Tokyo Police Club - Breakneck Speed
Booka Shade - Bad To Love
Warpaint - Beetles
Devo - Fresh
MGMT - It's Working
Turin Brakes - Sea Change
Villagers - Becoming A Jackal
The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio

So Cow, still going!

Three fun songs.

King Khan & BBQ Show - God Of Raisins Alt

The Drums - Saddest Summer Alt

So Cow - I Wanna Go To The Sugar Factory Alt

This tune comes from an 8 track release So Cow brought out when he was bored last summer. He performed it once, at a gig in Tuam, Co. Galway with myself, and Conor and Jamie from The Ralphs on fake instruments! He's on a long tour around the U.S and Canada, he sent me a mail today, he's getting tired but still loving it. Here are the remaining dates. If you're near any of the venues go check them out!

27 Mar 2010: 20:00 529 w/ Sisters: Atlanta, North Carolina
28 Mar 2010: 21:00 Farm 255: Athens, Georgia
28 Mar 2010: 23:30 Nasty World: Athens, Georgia
29 Mar 2010: 20:00 Tipsy Teapot: Greenville, North Carolina
30 Mar 2010: 20:00 Snug Harbor w/ SISTERS: Charlotte, North Carolina
31 Mar 2010: 20:00 Layabout House @ 2702 Lawndale w/ SISTERS: Durham, North Carolina
1 Apr 2010: 20:00 Black Cat w/ SMITH WESTERNS: Washington, Washington DC
2 Apr 2010: 20:00 Ruintown: Baltimore, Maryland
3 Apr 2010: 20:00 Terrace Club w/ Garotas Suecas: Princeton, New Jersey
4 Apr 2010: 20:00 Mercury Lounge w/ Smith Westerns: New York, New York
7 Apr 2010: 20:00 Death By Audio w/ BABIES: Brooklyn, undefined
18 Apr 2010: 20:00 Sonic City Festival curated by DEERHOOF: Kortrijk, Belgium, Brussels-capital
24 Apr 2010: 20:00 Sex Is Disgusting (w/ MAZES): Brighton, South
25 Apr 2010: 20:00 Home Under Ground (w/ MAZES): London, London and South East
26 Apr 2010: 20:00TBC (w/ MAZES) TBC
27 Apr 2010: 20:00 Stag’s Head (w/ MAZES) London, London and South East
28 Apr 2010: 20:00 Now Wave (w/ MAZES): Manchester, Northwest
29 Apr 2010: 20:00 Weirdo Guise (w/ MAZES): Leeds
30 Apr 2010: 20:00 Three Cheers (w/ MAZES): Nottingham

Inbox!

All of you who came down to Substance last night are fucking heroes. It was insaaaaaaaane!! Crowd surfing, strobe madness, drunken lunacy, classic dance hits and emotional moments. I'll be honest, I came close to tears as Underworld's Born Slippy turned into LCD Soundsystem's All My Friends, fucking awesome night, and a great run of a few months upstairs at Kellys, but we will be back!

p.s, any club owners/bookers out there want us to call over for gig, gimme a shout (shameless!)

Before all that madness I caught Wild Beasts, with support from Villagers. 'mazing. I'll have a full review up tomorrow. Fairly epic evening!

So to some newbies, arrived into work today, hanging-the-fuck-over to some songs I hadn't heard before.

New one from LCD Soundsystem, who've just been announced for Electric Picnic. This one was streaming on Pitchfork, got an mp3 of it, quality is ok, I'll re-post it when I get a copy of it in better quality, and of course do go out and spend your money on it when it arrives in shops, if, of course you like it. The album has been completed, it will be in shops May 14th, as of yet it's untitled and on top of their Picnic appearance they're to do two dates in Dublin, April 20th & 21st.

p.s, they're streaming another new track here ...Talking Heads much?! Fuck me, it's the Bell X1 hoo-ha all over again.

LCD Soundsystem - Drunk Girls Alt

Got the new Booka Shade single in the post this morning. Another act set to be at the Picnic! I caught the duo live at the Picnic 2008, they were pretty flipping good! So, eh, yes, More! their fourth album is due out in May. Have a listen, see what you think, deep, housey, a good early in the night tune, DJ's take notice!

Booka Shade - Bad Love Alt

Finally, The Tallest Man On Earth. King Of Spain is already up there amoung my favourite songs I've heard this year, and joining it, is the incredibly Dylan-esque but that doesn't detract from it at all, it's just a lovely song! The Wild Hunt is out April 13th.

The Tallest Man On Earth - Burden Of Tomorrow Alt

Picnic!

Before I get to the Picnic lineup, I got a call last night to say Substance, our Thursday night clubnight is getting the old heave-ho for a few months, economic yadda yadda but I'll keep yis posted. So tonight is the last one for a few months, thanks to everyone who's come down to visit since we launched it, we've really appreciated it, so thanks.

Electric Picnic lineup:

ROXY MUSIC/
LEFTFIELD/
MASSIVE ATTACK/
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM/
HOT CHIP/
THE FRAMES/
PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED (PiL)/
THE NATIONAL/
MODEST MOUSE/
MUMFORD & SONS/
SEASICK STEVE/
GIL SCOTT HERON/
FAT FREDDY'S DROP/
BREAKESTRA/
CYMANDE/
THE WATERBOYS/
AFRO CELT SOUNDSYSTEM/
PAUL BRADY/
STEVE EARL/
IMELDA MAY/
JONSI/
FEVER RAY/
BAD LIEUTENANT/
LIQUID LIQUID/
LOW ANTHEM/
BEACH HOUSE/
NEW PORNOGRAPHERS/
VILLAGERS/
ADRIAN CROWLEY/
BOOKASHADE/
MR. SCRUFF/
CRYSTAL CASTLES/
THE BIG PINK/
808 STATE/
CARIBOU/
MESSIAH J & THE EXPERT/
THE HORRORS/
THE ALARM/
HERE WE GO MAGIC/
MONOTONIX/
REDNECK MANIFESTO/
MEMORY TAPES/
STEVE MASON (Beta Band)/
FIELD MUSIC/
EDAN/
DUBLIN GOSPEL CHOIR

...and that's all so far! I'm really happy with the lineup, but with so many good bands at Oxegen too it's gonna be a tough one to decide on, especially with Fatboy Slim and Arcade Fire announced for Oxegen.

808 State - Pacific State Alt

Beer tasting and new tunes!

Some day. Beautiful sunshine, breakfast with friends, trip to the beach with Yvonne, met my lady, played football, went beer tasting, then student special dinner with some heads. Best day ever!!

Beer tasting was great. It was all to do with Brewers On The Bay (Galway heads take notice), a brand new beer festival in Galway that's going on in the Oslo May 1st and 2nd. It's free in and from what we tasted today it's gonna be a tasty (not to mention possibly tipsy) few days. Details and updates on this evening's beer tasting here

And a lot of lovely music about. Before I get to that, you may have noticed I've posted a few songs recently by a band called Villagers. Well tomorrow night I'll be going along to see them live, supporting Wild Beasts! It's gonna be great!

Fang Island - The Illinois Alt

Blitzen Trapper - Heaven And Earth Alt

Teenage Fanclub - Baby Lee Alt

Inbox!

Happy Birthday - Happy Birthday
Sub Pop: Out Now
Had a proper few listens to this today. After hearing two songs from it I was rather excited. It's pretty good, but there's so much like it at the moment that it doesn't shine quite enough which is a pity. I like this tune a lot though.

Happy Birthday - Zit Alt

Jonny, bassist with So Cow, mailed me a few weeks back about these guys, I myspace'd em to send on some mp3's, but myspace being the steaming pile of shite that it is I never checked it til today and they'd sent me a link to some tunes. Really good band, and coming recommended from Jonny is great, he runs Stress!! in Galway when he's not on tour and puts on amazing gigs and generally has great taste, he plays with So Cow ffs!

White Wires - Ha Ha Holiday Alt

Someone called Le Chev mailed. Le Chev plays bass with Fischerspooner and this is his new project Avan Lava. I explained that I'd read an interview with Fischerspooner in Thrasher magazine when I was about 14 and probably deemed them a bit gay at the time cos back then, if they weren't Slayer, they weren't worth the steam off my piss! This is pretty good though!

Avan Lava - Lemons Alt

iTest, March 21st

Another Sunday night, another radio show! I'm pretty happy with this weeks show, a lot of preparation was done this morning, I turned the couch in my living room towards the balcony, opened out the doors, got a pot of coffee, ran the laptop through the soundsystem and got to work looking out over Galway from my high up apartment in the sunshine. It was lovely. (By the way, I don't live in a fancy loft pad or anything, it's just high up, otherwise it's just a loveable dump. Of course you're more than welcome to call in for tea if you're ever in Galway, it's above Topshop! Best to e-mail first though)

MGMT - Flash Delerium
The Cast Of Cheers - Strangers
Freelance Whales - Generator Scond Floor
Coeur De Pirate - Printemps
Frightened Rabbit - Living In Colour
Cults - Go Outside
Watch Out For Rockets - Heart Poppers
Born Ruffians - Soul Brother
Devo - Fresh
Gorillaz - Superfat Jellyfish
Javelin - Lindsey Brohan
Jonsi - Time To Pretend (MGMT Cover)
Consequence - G.O.O.D Music ft. Common & Talib Kweli
Archie Bronson Outfit - Magnetic Warrior
Harlem - Gay Human Bones
Arms - Heat And Hot Water
Villagers - Becoming A Jackal Alt
Portugal. The Man - All My People
Humanzi - Hammer
MGMT - Brian Eno
Turin Brakes - Sea Change Alt
Radio Dept. - Never Follow Suit
Alex Bleeker - These Days
Frightened Rabbit - The Loneliness And The Scream Alt
Windings - Brian Eno
Shout out Louds - Walls
The Middle East - Blood
Young Jesus - Up All Night With Stereotypes
Television Keeps Us Apart - I Hate My Friends
Tunng - Don't Look Back Or Down
Here We Go Magic - Collector
The Black Keys - Tighten Up
Broken Bells - The Mall And Misery
Japanther - Challenge
Happy Birthday - Subliminal Message
MGMT - It's Working
Holy Fuck - Latin America Alt
Warpaint - Beetles

Yeasayer - O.N.E Video

"O.N.E." by Yeasayer from Secretly Jag on Vimeo.

Love the 90's dancing. Great band.

Fresh Pots!!

One has got to LOL

Gugai at SXSW day 2!!!

Gugai, booker for Galway's wonderful Roisin Dubh venue is in Austin Texas for SXSW. He texted the other day to tell me that Freelance Whales were awesome. I texted back to see if he'd write a few lines for the blog. And he's gone and written and fucking essay. Thanks dude, making me look kinda professional!

...Well, I have to admit defeat - I've had to switch back from flim floms to cons as my feet are fucking killing me. I'll try again tomorrow. I've seen a ridiculous amount of stuff.I don't think there's any way I could properly put it into chronological order, and, being a positive sort of fellow, I'll leave out the bits I
thought were muck...

The Rural Alberta Advantage are not new on the scene but having seen them live for the first time, in the Emo Annex, I was very impressed and have resolved to pay more attention to them. I don't know about Holy Rolling Empire, not to be confused with the Irish Holy Roman Empire. It was promising but not inspiring.

I wandered into a yard where Javelin were playing. I'd been trying to catch them and it was only after I noticed my weary feet bopping and asked who was playing that I found out it was them. Great stuff.

(i'm not at my most eloquent - it's 6am and I've been up since 9)

I went to see a few bands whose records I love but have never seen live, and, in fairness, there I was expecting a LOT. Here We Go Magic did not disappoint; in fact, I enjoyed their live show far more than I
expected to. All the beautiful aspects of the album were more than realised
on stage, and, when I went to see them the second time, they were even better. I couldn't recommend them strongly enough.
I also went to see Warpaint twice. Why? Because they're fucking awesome,
that's why. I was really nervous about seeing The Middle East, because I love their record so much, and it was a REALLY industry heavy audience, but they more than surpassed all my expectations and I think that they'll be one of the highlights of the whole festival. Like our Connor!!! Villagers Connor, He was incredible in Friends on Wednesday night - solo show, had everyone in the palm of his hand. Beautiful.

If The Morning Benders are this years' Grizzly Bear, and The Middle East are Fleet Foxes, then there's a fair chance that Peter Wolf Crier is 2010's Bon Iver. Just saying. I also FINALLY saw Fanfarlo live. Yup. That was fucking great. Once again,
better than I hoped for, and I had hoped for a lot. Also, the new stuff from The Kissaway Trail is savage.

Dan Black, Bear Hands and Fitz & The Tantrums all played stormers up at Beauty Bar Annex. And Efterkalng!!! So much other stuff.

So tired.

Back up in 4 hours.

Slán

Austin out

Before I forget --

I had only heard two songs by The Bewitched Hands On Top Of Our Heads, was very impressed, and was really looking forward to seeing them. It turns out, they're fucking amazing live. I'd describe it, but, well, I'm tired

Also - two years ago at SXSW, after running into the Frightened Rabbit boys randomly on the street, we arranged to meet for frozen strawberry margheritas in the princess bar. For many reasons, we never managed to get there at the same time, but we always brought it up every time we've met since. So anyway, after Midlake, I was strolling down 6th St, and went to pop in to get a frozen strawberry margherita, and who was there smoking at the door of the princess? Only Billy Frightened Rabbit. Oh, how
we laughed. Also, their new stuff is fucking awesome.

Gugai

Here We Go Magic - Collector Alt

Javelin - Lindsey Brohan Alt

Villagers - Meaning Of The Ritual Alt

SXSW!!!

Gugai, booker extraordinaire for the Roisin Dubh in Galway, and curator of Strange Brew, his Thursday clubnight, is in Texas for SXSW, he's been mailing on his to's and fro's, comings and goings etc. etc. Here's what he's been getting up to!

Greetings from a sunny Austin, Texas - live music capital of the world.
I arrived in at 8 last night after travelling for 23 hours, went to
meet a friend of mine I'm staying with at The Scoot Inn and who should
be playing but So Cow. Fancy that. Morning means breakfast tacos in
Guerros. Very delicious. The music kicks off around 11 or 12 - saw
MNDR in the conference centre which was a bit odd. The Morning Benders
were awesome. They're going to be huge in 2010. On the current Strange
Brew CD, so they are, as are the magnificent Warpaint. Freelance
Whales are my highlight so far. It's only 3pm though!

UPDATE

Also, Ezra Furman & The Harpoons are fantastic. Roky Erickson &
Okkervil River was lovely. Woodhands - more people should have piano
guitars.

Woodhands - Dissembler Alt

Warpaint - Beetles Alt

The Morning Benders - Promises Alt

Freelance Whales - Generator Second Floor Alt

St. Patricks Day.

Happy St. Paddy's day! This will be a rather quick post, as today, so far has involved hosting a breakfast show, followed swiftly by a fair few beers, as today, we Irish celebrate the patron saint of binge drinking, St. Patrick. As far as I know, Patrick was Welsh, kidnapped as a teenager by Viking hoarder/pillager types and sent to mind sheep in the mountains. It would seem the boredom threw him headlong into a mission to bring religion to the Irish. So, eh, thanks Pat. Few brews then I suppose.

But I must run as I'm DJing for the evening, a wonderfully drunken sloppy set, with Fiesta by The Pogues every two or three songs.

Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak Alt

So wherever you are in the world, celebrate the Irish culture by indulging in our favourite stereotypical pastime. i.e going on the absolute lash. Whoop, there indeed it is!

Eddie Grant rocks down to ...a legal avenue!

Eddie Grant is suing Gorillaz! He says Stylo, from their new album Plastic Beach is a rip off of his song Time Warp, sure have a listen and see what you think!

iTest March 13th (w/ New Devo tune!!)

Last week was crazy. Lots of changes and lots of new ideas, the blog will stay the same at the very least so ploughing ahead with all of that!

Last night played a lot of stuff that has had me going over the past month or two, plus a few brand new beauties, kicking off with, well a well old tune!

Toots And The Maytals - Pressure Drop Alt
Couer De Pirate - Printemps
Japanther - Spread So Thin
Humanzi - Hammer
Gorillaz - Superfast Jellyfish
Johnny Cash - Ain't No Grave
Besnard Lakes - Like The Ocean, Like The Innocent pt. II
Tunng - Don't Look Back Or Down
Shout Out Louds - Fall Hard (Passion Pit Mix)
Joanna Newsom - 81
Cancel The Astronauts - I Am The President Of Your Fanclub (And I Followed You Home Last Night)
Jonsi - Boy Lilikoi
Prince - Cause And Effect
The Archie Bronson Outfit - Magnetic Warrior
Mylo - Wings Of Fire Alt
The Cast Of Cheers - Goose (Lost Chord Remix)
Titus Andronicus - Four Score Part 1
Dr. Dog - Stranger
Caribou - Sun
The Morning Benders - Promises
Freelance Whales - Generator Second Floor
Smashing Pumpkins - A Stitch In Time
Christmas Island - Bed Island
Ted Leo - Bartomelo And The Buzzing Bees
Devo - Fresh Alt
MGMT - Flash Delerium
The XX - Crystalised (Keljet Remix)
So Cow - Random Girls
The Redneck Manifesto - Black Apple
Frightened Rabbit - Living In Colour
The Cast Of Cheers - Tigerfox
The New Pornographers - Your Hands
Broken Bells - The Ghost Inside
Foals - Spanish Sahara
Tunng - Hustle
Two Door Cinema Club - Something Good Can Work
Besnard Lakes - The Glass Painter
Titus Andronicus - Four Score Part II
Peter Gabriel - Street Spirit (Fade Out) Alt

Lovely lovely music ...Tunng!

You say folktronica, I say, "ah no, yer grand there, thanks, but eh, no thanks". Cos I'm polite you see. But I'm generally wary of silly sounding genres, not that I don't give 'em a go, but I'm sometimes disappointed you see.

Not with Tunng however. Now I'd heard of them but wasn't particularly familiar with their older stuff. These two songs however, I think are wonderful, and I can't wait to get a copy of the album tomorrow.

Lovely lovely music.

Tunng - Hustle Alt

Tunng - Don't Look Back Or Down Alt

Passion Pit tonight!

I was going to write a long insightful article about music industry revolution and the search for new sounds but I got tickets to see Passion Pit in Cork tonight so I won't.

Passion Pit - Let Your Love Grow Tall Alt Link

Got to say, hats off to the folks at Heineken. They've put on Marina And The Diamonds, White Lies, Neon Indian, Digitalism, Miike Snow, Peter Doherty, Friendly Fires, Crystal Castles and loads more in Ireland, for free over the past two years. I know it's all down to them wanting music fans to associate their beer with good music but fuck it, who cares, lot's of music fans getting to see great bands for free.

Local Natives gig review, by Michelle O Grady!

Local Natives,The Academy,March 10th.

These indie rock LA natives gave a flawless performance downstairs in the Academy last night. They said they felt like they were playing in someone's basement and I think most the audience concurred.

The first half of the gig was not overwhelming but they built it up in to a crescendo with the crowd pleasing 'Airplanes'.

Maybe I am being particular here but it was almost like their sound was too perfect so was relieved when they began to let loose on stage. They engaged with the crowd which is so important in my humble opinion and even threw in the token 'We have been sampling your pints in Ireland' comment.

I cant write about the gig without an honorable mention of their AMAZING support,Peggy Sue. It was one of those cases where you did not want the support to end. This London/Brighton based trio (formerly known as Peggy Sue And The Pirates) sang songs of love and loss but through the medium of incredible harmonies, percussion and an accordion, but of course! Lord knows, nothing spells out heartache better than an accordion and a glockenspiel I always say!



Peggy Sue - Hatstand Blues Alt

http://www.myspace.com/peggywho

Overall, I think the intimacy of the venue did not represent the magnitude of the talent last night. These guys are set to be and already are a big feature on the 2010 music calender.

Local Natives - Airplanes Alt

http://www.myspace.com/localnatives

...The Shellzo

Lost Chord remix The Cast Of Cheers!

I had this in my inbox when I got home last night. It's a remix by David Phelan, singer with Lost Chord, a Galway band. So two bands I've been rather excited about over the past while. Brilliant! I'd generally be wary of band members remixing songs under a name that's already familiar (not to say that Lost Chord are a massive band), but after hearing Jape's Fight Like Apes remix, which I really hated, and recently I heard another Cast Of Cheers remix by one of the Super Extra Bonus Party guys which, again, I thought was balls. I love Jape and Super Extra Bonus Party, but it's all left me further wary of remixes. If they don't enhance the original in an interesting or dancefloor friendly (see Soulwax Nite Version of Gossip's Standing In The Way Of Control, or MSTRKRFT's remix of Justice's D.A.N.C.E). Jaysus I'm ramling, but hey, if you're up for a bit of musical discovery today there are two remixes to check out, as well as four of the best Irish bands around today, The Cast Of Cheers, Lost Chord, Jape (and The Redneck Manifesto, of whom Jape is a member) and Super Extra Bonus Party!

The Cast Of Cheers - Goose (Lost Chord Remix) Alt

iTest, March 8th

Two more acts have been added to the Oxegen lineup, ARCADE FIRE AND FATBOY SLIM, WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! ...best day ever I guess.

This is the playlist for my radio show, i102-104fm in the west of Ireland or online at i102104.ie, Sunday's from 6 til 9

Gorillaz - Superfast Jellyfish
Shout Out Louds - Fall Hard
The Redneck Manifesto - Black Apple
Horse Feathers - Belly Of June
Portugal. The Man - 1000 Years
Two Door Cinema Club - What You Know
Radio Dept - You Stopped Making Sense
Prince - Cause And Effect
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Long Way Down
Titus Andronicus - Four Score, Part One
Dan Le Sac Vs. Scroobius Pip - Get Better
Bermuda - Kisses
Vampire Weekend - Holiday
Japanther - Spread So Thin Alt
Gorillaz - Rhinestone Eyes
Tame Impala - Skeleton Tiger
Local Natives - Airplanes
Shearwater - Black Eyes
Archie Bronson - Magnetic Warrior Alt
Field Music - Measure
Free Energy - Hope Child
The Cast Of Cheers - Tip The Can
Humanzi - Hammer Alt
Foals - Spanish Sahara
Hot Chip - One Life Stand
OK Go - This Too Shall Pass
The New Pornographers - Your Hands
Rogue Wave - Good Morning (The Future)
The Sweet Serenades - Die Young
Jimi Hendrix - Bleeding Heart
Smashing Pumpkins - A Stitch In Time
The Besnard Lakes - And This Is What We Call Progress
Crystal Antlers - Little Sister
Freelance Whales - Generator Second Floor
Coeur De Pirate - Printemps
Broken Social Scene - World Sick
Frightened Rabbit - Living In Colour

Drum'N'Baaaasssssss!!

This one's for Graham, he hadn't heard it before.

Snow - Informer (Aphrodite Cover) Alt

Radio show from 6 this evening (Irish time), loads of new gems, have a listen at i102104.ie and click listen live

Woo!!

Choice Music

The other night I was on the judging panel for the Choice Music Prize 2009 album of the year. A truly fascinating experience! Adrian Crowley won, with his excellent album Season Of The Sparks. Here's his acceptance speech!



Check out his album, it's very good indeed! Check these out too, quite a few rather fine albums indeed!

* And So I Watch You From Afar – And So I Watch You From Afar
* Bell X1 – Blue Lights on the Runway
* Codes – Trees Dream in Algebra
* Dark Room Notes – We Love You Dark Matter
* The Duckworth Lewis Method – The Duckworth Lewis Method
* Julie Feeney – Pages
* Valerie Francis – Slow Dynamo
* Laura Izibor – Let the Truth Be Told
* The Swell Season – Strict Joy

Feckin' sunshine!

The sun is beating down outside, I'm going for a swim, maybe some football and cans later before going to see DJ Kormac's Bakesale in Bar 903 tonight!

Ahhhh...

The Kinks - Father Christmas Alt

DJ Kormac - Scratch Marchin' Alt

New Foals single

Taking a break from listening to Choice Music Prize albums (there's one particular album that terribly shit that I have to listen to), to catch up with the real world!

New Foals tune. Holla, whoop and LOL.

Foals - Spanish Sahara Alt

It's a long and winding beauty. I was genuine worried that they might make a carbon math-copy (heh heh) of their 2008 album Antidotes, but thank feuuck they haven't.

Total Life Forever is due out May 10th

iTest, Feb 28th

Hello there! Apologies for not posting over the past few days, I've been crazy busy, filling in on pop shows, DJing a lot, got a bit sick and getting ready for the Choice Music Prize on Wednesday (Ireland's version of Polaris in Canada or Mercury in the UK, critics choice, and this year, I'm a critic!)

But I managed to horse a few tunes together for the radio show last night and here they are.

P.S, as ever the idea with the blog is that songs are up for sampling. I must stress for the Shane McGowan and Friends song, if you like it AT ALL, please download it as it's a Concern For Haiti charity single. The lineup on it is astonishing, Nick Cave, Bobby Gillespie, Paloma Faith, Chrissie Hynde, Glen Matlock, Mick Jones and Johnny Depp. On top of that it's a cover of Screamin' Jay Hawkins I Put A Spell On You, which was famously recorded after the producer got everyone drunk to achieve the air of lunacy that was eventually put down on record. No better man than MacGowan to cover it then!

Refreshing, after hearing that fucking monstrosity of a cover Simon Cowell's likkle demon spawn did on REM's Everybody Hurts.

Club 8 - Western Hospitality
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Conscience Killer
Gorillaz - Superfast Jellyfish Alt
The Souljazz Orchestra - Agbara
Gil Scott Heron - I'm New Here
Potugal. The Man - The Dead Dog
Egyptian Hip Hop - Rad Pitt
Johnny Cash - Ain't No Grave
Two Door Cinema Club - I Can Talk
Jello Biafra And The Guantanamo School Of Music - Clean As A Thistle
The Cast Of Cheers - Tip The Can
So Cow - Random Girls
Damian Marley And Nas - As We Enter
Coeur De Pirate - Printemps
I Blame Coco - Caesar ft. Robyn (Miike Snow Remix)
Shane McGowan & Friends - I Put A Spell On You Alt PURCHASE HERE
Not Squares - Aye Yo Pa
Gorillaz - Stylo (Alex Metric Remix)
Josh Ritter - Change Of Time
Titus Andronicus - A More Perfect Union
Dr Dog - Shadow People
Phantogram - As Far As I Can See
The Ambience Affair - Lost At The Start
Broken Social Scene - World Sick
Casiokids - Fot I Hose
Groove Armada - Paper Romance (Classixx Remix)
Fang Island - Daisy
The Redneck Manifesto - Black Apple
Freelance Whales - Generator Second Floor
The New Pornographers - Your Hands Alt
Ted Leo And The Pharmacists - The Mighty Sparrow
The Morning Benders - Excuses
The Roots - How I Got Over
We Were Promised Jetpacks - A Far Cry
The Cast Of Cheers - Tigerfox
Kassidy - Secrets Tell A Lie (demo)
Prince - Cause And Effect
Tunng - Hustle