Lane del... who??

Our artist of the week goes to Lana Del Rey.

I heard of her first last week, and since then I can not get Video Games out of my brain. Its lush, its eloquently sublime, contagious even. Indeed, there has been a deafening buzz surrounding this New York dame but it hasn’t drowned out her sultry-voiced, string-backed appeal on this debut. Initially, first impressions - Video Games is an unassuming track; then leeks into your brain, enchanting you to near submission; and a star is born. 

Thinks Nancy Sinatra meets Tori Amos. Suberb.

Listen to her performance on Jools Holland recently:

Fling, delightful debut album.

This album isn't exclusively a folk album, though there are some traditional tracks, but rather it's an eclectic, powerful record that highlights the bands intricate musicianship and it's no disappointment. 

The energy is ever prsent in track such as THE BOTTLE OPENER, and the powerhouse of  BANKS OF OHIO, which also has a twist of gypsy going on there. Here, you will see the bands desire to startle and experiment with their musicality, but with a certain maturity and emotional depth, and great variety. 

The traditional instrumental songs on this long payer are eloquent and stunning. Shady Grove, has a Seeger Session sing-a-long feel to it. The precision harmonies are essential here, while there comes a gypsy resonance in tracks like Puerta Del Sol and Banks of Ohio. 

These contemporary songs range from various instrumentally fueled foot stomps and contain a cohesiveness that glues this great folk band together.  The nine or so instrumentals are — two-thirds traditional 1 third gypsy — while the latter are fine songs in their own right, decorated with - easy-to-listen to- vocal harmonies. All in all providing a sumptuous introduction to this Galwegian Band. This is an album worth listening to.

Dublin band The Deadflags, release their EP You Got It Wrong on Oct 28th. You can see them in Whelan's in Dublin On Oct 26th doing their Indie pop thing.

The band muster up sounds that are irritatingly good. An up-tempo Irish equivalent to Razorlight at best, The Deadflags know how to piece together a good tune and have honed in their craft on this illustrious EP. Do yourself a favour and add this to your music collection.

Links: http://www.thedeadflags.com http://myspace.com/thedeadflags http://www.bebo.com/the-dead-flags http://www.sonicbids.com/thedeadflags

being a villain can now be a lotta fun..

Wonder Villains exude a certain amount of fun and mischief all in one musical stance. If you're into silly non emotive straight up in your face fun music, then you MUST check this band out.  Getting ready to share their much hyped music, they will release a brand NEW EP titled ZOLA which CONTAINS THREE TRACKS: 

1. ZOLA, 2. 33, 3. RUNNING IN CIRCLES. 

This will be the band's debut release and will be out through No Dancing Records in October; a bit of a joint release with Third Bar Artist Development. The Wonder Villains; a pop band from Derry, love to make songs about many varying subjects such as ‘Zola’ (yes Gianfranco, the footballer) and Peter Petrelli (the character from Heroes). 

Having just completed their A-Levels they're now busy dishing out helpings of joyful, blistering anti-pop, while finding out how high they can push the distortion on their homemade keyboard sounds.

HERE IS THE OFFICIAL STREAM TO THEIR NEW EP HERE!!

They'll be blazing a trail across Ireland & UK in the coming months and head out on tour with General Fiasco in October.

Tour Dates (Supporting General Fiasco):

Sat 22nd Oct - Academy 2, Dublin 

Sun 23rd Oct - Thekla, Bristol 

Tues 25th Oct - King Tuts, Glasgow 

Wed 26th Oct - Rainbow, Birmingham 

Thurs 27th Oct - Islington academy 2, London 

Sat 29th Oct - Deaf institute, Manchester 

Sun 30th Oct - Queens, Belfast

In the meantime play this record, play it loud, tap your feet & clap your hands!

Links to band: 

http://www.facebook.com/WonderVillains 

http://wondervillains.bandcamp.com/


In the meantime check them out Live at BBC Introducing this year:
http://youtu.be/_ckmxeXaML0

Tom Fuller new album hits home

Tom Fuller is back on the scene with his new album Ask. And in short: it is brilliant.

It's the third studio album from the Tom Fuller Band. Hailing from The windy city Chicago, Fuller is a seasoned musician who while growing up, was a massive fan of Paul McCartney. 

I don't think the dream to one day record and hang out with Mc Cartney's band was ever within his grasp, but as the time went by, one day; it would happen. 

It is that early love of McCartney's music and influence which is ever florescent on Ask. On this third album Fuller is joined with Abe Laboriel Jr. and Brian Ray of McCartney's band to record the album and to fulfill that sound which was resonating in Fullers' mind all these years. And the result: a rockin' piece of music, a well produced, rounded and solid album of great proportions.

Ask begins with a catchy tune "Lovers" and continues with the infectious title track "ASK". Featuring uplifting melodies in an album full of many, it becomes a great introduction to an evenly flowing album. Ask continues with "Doin' Nothin," and it's memorable chorus which keeps an upbeat theme throughout. The album remains consistently buoyant and closes with the captivating "Garden Dreaming Days."

Inspired by the solid soundings of McCartney, this record is a just effort from Tom Fuller & band. His vocals are great, raw and true, buy this record its brilliant. Even better while driving with the windows open and volume up to the loudest... preferably in the sun too.

 9/10 

Download Lovers: A crackin' tune:

  

Ben Glover/ Before the birds

Ben Glover is not just a good looking chap with a guitar in hand, no no no, he is a good looking chap with a guitar in hand, great songs and a hell of an album to sell at gigs.

..Glover recorded new album Before the Birds in Nashville with producer Nelson Hubbard. Naturally when one finds a suitable and stellar workmate, a just relationship is formed where the producer can draw out the very best in the artist. And he did, because 'Before The Birds' is simply stunning. It's one of them more you listen to, the more you hear type of records, each song unveiling parts of Glover that he has laid bare.

His voice is also more heart felt and has developed a slight husky growl that gives his vocals an endearing charm. Opener 'Trick Of The Light' sets the tone for the entire album. The approach seems to be a less is more from the sparse instrumentation to the main focus being put on the vocals this time around and it works really well. Each track is allowed the space to envelope the listener and has a soothing and lasting effect.  

It's definitely a laid back dinner party record but it's also a long drive on a summers day 'lets all be glad about what we have' - type of album as he evokes a happy, hopeful chemistry throughout.  

There are stand out tracks that could hold their own on certain evening and night time radio shows, such as 'Trick of The Light' and 'To Believe'. But I don't see it sitting well between Beyonce and The Script on daytime/morning mainstream radio, as it's just not cast with the same iron, which is not entirely a bad thing either, in a commonplace where artists are slashing around at their integrity to write songs suited for radio it's always refreshing to find a songwriter that remains true to himself without sacrificing too much of his art. Besides, Glovers sound has a familiarity to it, he is like an old friend whom you will listen to when he speaks, this is an artist who can demand your attention as he HAS something to say. 

a fine album well worth checking out.

8/10

www.benglover.co.uk

JOHN EDGAR VOE; WESTERN NOTES; SUPERB

Martin Corrigan fronts folk/ alt country outfit: John Edgar Voe. They will be releasing a Four track EP titled Western Notes on June 24th, which gives a fine example of what is to come in the upcoming album, set to be released in early 2012. 

Their use of syncopation and asymmetrical rhythms with long and irregular melodies reflect the wide open geography of the American landscape, so it's a bit odd to find that they are from Fermanagh. 

There is wit and consternation and wonderful phrasing throughout. 'Highwayman' echoes Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire asserting that very important call-and-response format. While 'The Conscript' contains lyrics that make you want to listen to every word, in addition to every note, delivered in part dialogue and part song, it is one of my favourite tracks on the EP.

Overall, this EP will make a great addition to any Ipod or playlist collection. Corrigan has the uncanny ability to delve into the very soul of a song, he tells it as it is and delivers a song in an uncannily cool and austere manner, like that which only Cash could manifest. His voice is perfectly suited to the narrative style he has chosen for a good part of this project. He draws you into a story like few other people can. It's not surprising so, that here is another exceptionally good high quality act from the North of Ireland.

Like them: FACEBOOK
LISTEN TO THE EP:
    

John Edgar Voe; essential Summer listening