iTest, June 27th

Here's the track listing for tonight's show. If you catch this in time pop along to the Roisin Dubh tonight, it's their 6th birthday so Happy Birthday to them. Loads of DJ's, Disconnect 4, Lost Chord and Cartoon Thieves, barbeque, all that kind of thing!

Also, in other Galway entertainment news, I heard there might be a few tickets left for the Gigantic boat party next Saturday. Tickets are €20 and the party rocks on into the Blue Note after!

So back to the show, it kicked off with some Kinks as a wee tribute to Pete Quaife who died earlier in the week.

The Kinks - Waterloo Sunset
Monster Rally - Honey Moon
Wavves - Post Acid
Janelle Monae - Faster Alt
Sean Carey - In The Dirt
Black Lips - Before You Judge Me
Dinosaur Bones - Ice Hotels
Kanye West - The Power
Ugly Casanova - Lay Me Down
Oberhofer - oooOOOoooOOOooo
Tennis - Marathon
ADULTROCK - Hermione
The Roots - Radio Dazer
Stars - Dead Hearts
Reflectional Eternal - Back Again
Chemical Brothers - Horse Power
Les Mange Tout - Weak Week
Gotan Project - Panamericana
El P - Meanstreak In Three Parts
Jamie Lidell - The Ring
Passion Pit - Dreams
Harper Simon - Wishes And Stars
Kissed Her Little Sister - Cocaine
Dead Prez - Fear Not The Revolution
Wolf Parade - Palm Road
Tender Trap - Do You Want A Boyfriend
Aeroplane - We Can't Fly
The Roots - Right On
Kormac - Showtime
The Herbaliser - Starlight ft. Roots Manuva (from Herbal Tonic: Best Of)
Ugly Casanova - Here's To Now
Dinosaur Bones - Royalty
Villa Nah - Running On
Japandroids - To Hell With Good Intentions
School Of Seven Bells - Windstorm
LCD Soundsystem - You Wanted A Hit (Soulwax Remix)
Pogo - Upular
Enemies - Piano
Mark Ronson - Bang Bang Bang
Kissed Her Little Sister - I Am Ben Franklin
Land Of Bingo - Company Hymn
Battles - The Line
!!! - AM/FM
R.S.A.G - Be It Right Or Wrong
The Vinny Club - It's Not You (It's OF)
Wolf Parade - Pobody's Nerfect
The Smith Westerns - The Glam Godess
Villagers - The Pact (I'll Be Your Fever)
Ghostkeeper - Metis Running
Broken Social Scene - Chase Scene
Dead Prez - Soul Power Alt
LaFaro - Penny Nudger
Aloe Blacc - Femme Fatale
Of Montreal - Croquet Croquette Alt

Villagers - Ship Of Promises Video

Second single from Villagers debut Becoming A Jackal. Great tune, but aren't they all? It's actually one of the tracks I like less on the album but if you dip back a few weeks on the blog you'll notice how much I like the album, so that's not saying much.



Becoming A Jackal is out now on Domino Records.

N-E-W: The Roots, Kissed Her Little Sister & Herbaliser (cept that's not new, it's a best of thing)

Short couple of tunes!

First off Kissed Her Little Sister who I've been listening to the past few days have released their album for free through their bandcampp, here's a wee sample, but go download the album and enjoy the shit out of it.

Kissed Her Little Sister - Cocaine Alt

The Herbaliser is a new one for me. Legendary jazzy hip-hop as far as I know but I picked up their greatest hits (Herbal Tonic 1995-2010) today (cos it's out today). I did a fairly old school thing in that I heard this tune on in the music shop, asked what it was and bought the album. Out on Ninja Tune label, which I'm finding is a breeding ground for some of my favourite music I've heard recently (Been listening to Mr. Scruff and Amon Tobin recently, both wonderful)

The Herbaliser - Gadget Funk Alt

And I can officially declare that the new Roots album is flipping brilliant. It's called How I Got Over and it's finally out. Listen to this track, if you like it, buy it ffs!

The Roots - Right On ft. Joanna Newsome, STS Alt

N-E-W: Disconnect 4, ADULTROCK, Javelin (cept that one's not new)

Keeping it local with Disconnect 4! These Galway boys and girl were the first of the current wave of Galway bands to get up and get noticed. They, in fact, were the first band I ever interviewed. I recently found the recordings, a fairly gutting listen truth be told!

This, their first release since their well received Modern Love E.P is one that has been a solid live tune for a while. Sweet melancholic guitar lines, thick synths and pounding bass and drum combo, it's well and truly on. Steve Lamaq, Jim Carroll and Dan Hegarty have gotten their back, well worth a listen!

Turn Off The Lights by disconnect4

Here's a demo from Adultrock, a solo project from Gav from Super Extra Bonus Party, it's gonna be on an E.P that'll be out in a while ....that's really all I got. But I like it! I'll post more once I find more out or hear more ...I'm on it, I swear!

ADULTROCK - Hermione (demo) Alt

No Mas by Javelin is one of my favourite albums of the past while, but I'd never heard any more of their stuff til today. This educational song about STD's is lovely. Just gutted I can't play it on the radio, cos it's a bit filthy. Have a listen!

Javelin - STD Fury Alt

N-E-W: Les Mange-Tout, School Of Seven Bells, Tender Trap

Les Mange-Tout make colourful twee indie pop. On top of this, they're name is one of my favourite foods. I do love Mangetout, tis well tasty. And while this kind of music usually lacks enough substance to keep me interested for too long, this band, I feel, may keep me on side for a while. Suffice to say I doubt it'll be the last time I discuss them, the boy-girl melodies and fun little guitar lines embody all the innocent fun of the best childrens birthday party ever ...now there's an idea! Seriously, I'm just thinking aloud (and typing), that might be lots of fun, a clown, bouncing castle, barbecue, facepaints and loads of good bands and DJ's in someone's garden ...well this is going to be great altogether, who's in!?

Oh yes, back to Les Mange-Tout, have a listen and enjoy:

Les Mange-Tout - Weak Week Alt

Bit late to this party but here's the new School Of Seven Bells tune. But do you think the opening wind sound sounds a little like "Smash The Mirror" by The Who?



Perhaps it's just me. Well this is a single released ahead of the July 13th date for the unleashing of their second album Disconnect From Desire. While it could be described as shoegazey it also has an uplifting feel to it that I don't get from a lot of traditional shoegaze. You could say it makes me want to look up from my shoes and see what kind of fun could be had.

School Of Seven Bells - Windstorm Alt

I'm confused, there was an Irish band called The Tender Trap, they've since changed their name in light of The Temper Trap getting so big. Just bad luck I guess. But now another Tender Trap, well new to me at least. I love these guys though. Bop around scuzzed out twee fun from three girls that sure as fuck know how to write a lovely pop song. I'll have some of this please. Dansette Dansette is out today.

Tender Trap - Do You Want A Boyfriend Alt

iTest, June 20th

Few tunes from the show this evening, technology was against me so this is just the list, not an idea of what time what went on and only the songs that I added in this week. Fun show though, despite the fact that I was indoors on such a lovely day, beach tomorrow anyone?

Dum Dum Girls – Oh Me Mein
Pogo – Upular
Japandroids – To Hell With Good Intentions
Yes Cadets – Lies
Rarely Seen Above Ground – The Roamer
Enemies – Fierce Pit Bosses
65 Days Of Static – Go Complex
Wavves – Post Acid
!!! – Am/Fm
Squarehead – Fake Blood
Not Squares – Release The Bees
Kormac – Big Bad Trumpet Player
Stars - Dead Hearts Alt
The Roots – Walk Alone
Devo – Please Baby Please
Mountain Man – Dog Song
Monster Rally - Honey Moon Alt
The Melvins – Electric Flower
Jogging – Bruises Like Bowties
LaFaro – The Ballad Of Burnt Dave
Nas & Damian Marley – Nah Mean
Rarely Seen Above Ground – Hotwire The Heart
Devo – March On
Arcade Fire – Ready To Start
Breakbot – Baby, I’m Yours (Aeroplane Remix)
Aeroplane – We Can’t Fly
Japandroids – Younger Us
Best Coast – This Is Real
Land Of Bingo – Company Hymn
Crystal Fighters – In The Summer
The Roots – Fire ft. John Legend
65 Days Of Static - Mountainhead
Sean Carey – In The Dirt
Low Sea – Never Yours
Magic Kids – Summer
Tennis – Marathon
Black Lips – Before You Judge Me
Enemies - Piano
Pogo – Alice
The Melvins – Inhumanity And Death

N-E-W: Land Of Bingo, The Roots and Sean Carey

Quick question for all of y'all? Does anyone like any of the new M.I.A tunes apart from Born Free? I heard another one today with loads of autotune and powertools and I thought, shit, what a load of absolute bollocks! Really like, pure and utter shite!

Onward now however to music that's actually good:

I am getting more and more into Australian producer Pogo, who samples well known movies and makes crackingly catchy chilled out-yet banging tunes like this:

p.s, if anyone knows a way to contain Toy Story III related excitement let me know, it's getting silly at this stage



Land Of Bingo are a new one for me, they've an E.P coming out in October, and according to their myspace are from Wales, Berlin and Stockholm. Great places by all accounts

Land Of Bingo - Company Hymn Alt

Sean Carey plays with Bon Iver. That's about as much as I know about him. But go to his myspace and read his account of being in one of the towers on 9/11. Then listen to a few of his songs. Piano based, beautiful, beautiful music.

Sean Carey - In The Dirt Alt

The Roots new album, or as much as I've been able to get my hands on is magic. Though never a John Legend fan, bit slick for my liking, is the perfect level of smooth to counteract the gritty Roots flow. I can see this being one of my albums of the year. How I Got Over is out Tuesday.

The Roots - The Fire ft. John Legend Alt