A Full Irish

Quick few recent or upcoming Irish releases. There's a really healthy feeling about the Irish scene at the moment, and if we can count the North in that too we're talking a wholesome jamboree of wonderful music.

A few weeks back I heard that one of the country's finest bands The Redneck Manifesto have signed to possibly Ireland's finest label, home to Adebisi Shank, Bats and Not Squares, Richter Collective Richter Collective

Well their first single came along today, the album Friendship, will be out March 26th

The Redneck Manifesto - Black Apple Alt

I got this album in the post today, I'm still making my way through it but am looking forward to seeing them live. The band are called The Butterfly Explosion, they sound a little like God Is An Astronaut, but only a bit, sure ahve a listen anyway and if you like it then go buy their album, Lost Trails, when it comes out on March 1st.

The Butterfly Explosion - Crash...See You On The Other Side Alt

Finally, the best new band I've heard in a bit, and I know I posted about them a few days ago, but for anyone who missed it, here's a tune for listening to an if indeed you want to have a listen to more than just this then download the whole lot
here!

The Cast Of Cheers - Tip The Can Alt

Choice Music Prize 2010

The Choice Music Prize is the annual Irish critics prize for finest Irish album of the year. It has been on the go since 2005, with Julie Feeney, Divine Comedy, Super Extra Bonus Party and Jape as the previous winners.

This year, I have been kindly asked to judge the prize! I submitted my top ten albums in December. Today the shortlist was announced, and here it is! (in no particular order)

And So I Watch You From Afar - And So I Watch You From Afar (Smalltown
America)
Bell X1 - Blue Lights On The Runway (BellyUp)
Codes - Trees Dream in Algebra (EMI)
Adrian Crowley - Season of the Sparks (Chemikal Underground)
Dark Room Notes - We Love You Dark Matter (Gonzo)
The Duckworth Lewis Method - The Duckworth Lewis Method (1969/Divine Comedy
Records)
Julie Feeney - Pages (Mittens)
Valerie Francis - Slow Dynamo (VF)
Laura Izibor - Let The Truth Be Told (Atlantic)
The Swell Season - Strict Joy (Plateau)

It's all very exciting! The event and prize itself takes place on March 3rd in Vicar Street in Dublin with some of the acts playing on the night and the judges being locked in a room to decide on a winner. I'll be locked in that room with the following fine folk

Martin Burns (News of the World)
Roisin Dwyer (Hot Press)
Tony Fenton (Today FM)
Cathal Funge (Phantom FM)
Padraic Halpin (Ragged Words)
Sophie Gorman (Irish Independent)
John McMahon (Head of 2fm)
Rob O¹Connor (Beat 102-103, Waterford)
Eva Staic (Spin FM)
Chris Wasser (Evening Herald)
Aoife Woodlock (Other Voices)

Jaysus, I'm a happy camper!

I miss Electric Picnic

I love Electric Picnic. Last year was only my second year but as long as I'm in Ireland I'll be going along to it. I've done four Oxegens, at this stage out of duty to how good the lineup tends to be. But jesus h. it's full of tossers! Since when did paying €240 to sit in a field all day drinking cheap cider while eventually venturing into a big room to roar Whoo Whoo Whoo and Whoop There It Is at whatever DJ is playing before returning to the field to destroy other people shit become a rite of passage?

I'll happily set up a festival in a field, charging half the money and put on a Lady Gaga tribute band and a Deadmau5/Tiesto/whateverthefuckyouprickslistento CD on a loop and you can kick 40 shades of shite out of each other for as long as you want without any security guards "harshin' yer buzz maaan".

Really losing the run of myself here, oh ya, Electric Picnic. Always good fun! Here are a few songs from some of the bands I enjoyed this year. Of course Bowie didn't play, the Soulwax remix was played by 2 Many DJ's

Blitzen Trapper - Furr

Roots Manuva - Witness (One Hope)

David Bowie - Rebel Rebel (Soulwax Remix)

Passion Pit - Let Your Love Grow Tall

Florence And The Machine - Cosmic Love

If you've never been, go. The photo accompanying this post is of the Body And Soul area of the festival. It's a natural amphitheater with a stage at the bottom where bands play all day, with great food and trees and stuff surrounding it and a DJ booth in a treehouse where you can lose your mind late into the night time.

Also, for the record not everyone who goes to Oxegen is a prick, it's just there are so many of them, just check boards.ie for ...oh wait, on second thoughts ...