11/11/2013

Celtic Rock music gets more power

On Celtic rock band ‘More Power to Your Elbow’s new and third album "Until The Last Note Fades" the band deliver a high octane energetic set that will make your feet tap and will also pull on the heart strings. Recorded by the legendary producer Mudd Wallace, their blazing array of electro-acoustic instruments, driving melodies and rhythms makes the album a must for any fan of Celtic Trad Rock. Top notch musicality amidst each band member that entwines and cements this solid record.
Key tracks: Two new Bows & So far Away

11/06/2013

Ryan Keen releases debut album

A busy year for UK singer-songwriter Ryan Keen touring the majority of 2013 - the past twelve months have seen him play over 200 gigs, supporting everyone from Plan B at the iTunes festival, to Ben Howard, Ed Sheeran, and X Factor star Leona Lewis at the Royal Albert Hall. And he will be soon supporting our own Irish troubadour Gavin James.


Signed to Lookout Mountain who also boast an impressive list of acts such as the adopted Irish son Jamie Lawson, Keen recorded the album in his own garden shed. (Impressed... yes me too). 

On the Room For Lightmarks record, Keen debuted single ‘Old Scars’ which he teamed up with record producer Dan Parry, who previously worked with the likes of Adele and Lady Gaga. Well received on Uk Radio, it is set to hit Irish shores with 'You Know About me' a stunning track which will easily land him his own growing Irish fan base

Having mastered the art of storytelling, Keen is not just your standard singer songwriter but  one fuelled on emotions and passion, (he was  inspired to delve into song-writing after the tragic death of his friend at university), he draws from the every day and pieces the mundane mixed with the realties of life into a musically fluid songbook that will appeal to many.

This first record sounds like his third or fourth - it is that mature- something tells me there will be yet lot more to come from the vastly impressive songsmith Ryan Keen.

Be sure to catch him in Ireland this December with our own Gavin James:

Gavin James
The Forum, Waterford, Ireland
SAT Dec 07 2013

Gavin James
Dolans Warehouse, Limerick, Ireland
SUN Dec 08 2013

Gavin James
Róisín Dubh, Galway, Ireland
TUE Dec 10 2013

Ryan Keen Black Box, Belfast, UK
THU Dec 12

2013 Gavin James
Cyprus Avenue, Cork, Ireland

FRI Dec 13 2013
Gavin James
Pepper Canister Church, Dublin, Ireland

Paul Melia aims to impress on his debut

This album has been on my radar since his single (Lights in the sand) arrived in my inbox a few months back. To be honest I wasn't too gone on the single, which sounded like every other Indie act out there trying to climb the ladder with little of their own unique sound offerings, so the album I was up in arms about...

Fortunately enough I was wrong

It is a slow grower. Intelligent and sophisticated, Melia's music draws from many sources- classical, electronic, acoustic, pop... the list goes on. Although opener and the title track and name of the album 'Hold Onto Colours' sounds like an out-of-date track that missed out on making it onto an episode of Dawsons Creek, the rest of the album contains stronger tracks that draw you in and utterly impress.



Such as the stripped back tracks which soflty introduce just the voice and piano - Melia's strongpoint. This we see in the absolutely stunning Miss You, with its lingering intro and gradual build to its beautiful string section in the middle. It is a superb song that surprises and makes up for any doubt you may have on this multi faceted singer songwriter. His musicality alone in this track embodies the entire album. This would be a great track for radio, especially leading into the Christmas market when you see families reunited at the Airport. After I finished listening to that, on REPEAT, the album began to impress more and more. It is a mixed lucky bag, with some sweets you will like, love and others you will leave there until you have relished on the others. But all in all a superb debut album well worth listening to again, and again and again. Oh and AGAIN.

Listen to: Miss You and Shelter from my Mind.






10/04/2013

Sinead V Miley

OK so unless you have been hiding under an internet rock and have been hidden away from social media... Sinead O Connor wrote Miley Syrus an open letter, giving her concern and advise to the wayward young singer. Miley replied, dug up years old tweets from Sinead's twitter account from when she was battling with her BiPOlar and threw what advise O Connor was trying to give in Sinead's face, more or less. Well we don't really know. Like all things Miley Cyrus related... its a bit unclear...

This is going to be interesting... 

Sineads Open letter to Miley:
 Dear Miley, I wasn’t going to write this letter, but today I’ve been dodging phone calls from various newspapers who wished me to remark upon your having said in Rolling Stone your “Wrecking Ball” video was designed to be similar to the one for “Nothing Compares” … So this is what I need to say … And it is said in the spirit of motherliness and with love. I am extremely concerned for you that those around you have led you to believe, or encouraged you in your own belief, that it is in any way “cool” to be naked and licking sledgehammers in your videos. It is in fact the case that you will obscure your talent by allowing yourself to be pimped, whether it’s the music business or yourself doing the pimping.

Nothing but harm will come in the long run, from allowing yourself to be exploited, and it is absolutely NOT in ANY way an empowerment of yourself or any other young women, for you to send across the message that you are to be valued (even by you) more for your sexual appeal than your obvious talent. I am happy to hear I am somewhat of a role model for you and I hope that because of that you will pay close attention to what I am telling you. 

 The music business doesn’t give a sh– about you, or any of us. They will prostitute you for all you are worth, and cleverly make you think its what YOU wanted.. and when you end up in rehab as a result of being prostituted, “they” will be sunning themselves on their yachts in Antigua, which they bought by selling your body and you will find yourself very alone. None of the men oggling you give a sh– about you either, do not be fooled. Many’s the woman mistook lust for love. If they want you sexually that doesn’t mean they give a fuck about you. All the more true when you unwittingly give the impression you don’t give much of a fuck about yourself. And when you employ people who give the impression they don’t give much of a fuck about you either. No one who cares about you could support your being pimped.. and that includes you yourself. Yes, I’m suggesting you don’t care for yourself. That has to change. You ought be protected as a precious young lady by anyone in your employ and anyone around you, including you. This is a dangerous world. 

We don’t encourage our daughters to walk around naked in it because it makes them prey for animals and less than animals, a distressing majority of whom work in the music industry and its associated media. You are worth more than your body or your sexual appeal. The world of showbiz doesn’t see things that way, they like things to be seen the other way, whether they are magazines who want you on their cover, or whatever.. Don’t be under any illusions.. ALL of them want you because they’re making money off your youth and your beauty.. which they could not do except for the fact your youth makes you blind to the evils of show business. If you have an innocent heart you can’t recognise those who do not. I repeat, you have enough talent that you don’t need to let the music business make a prostitute of you. You shouldn’t let them make a fool of you either. Don’t think for a moment that any of them give a flying fuck about you. They’re there for the money.. we’re there for the music. It has always been that way and it will always be that way. The sooner a young lady gets to know that, the sooner she can be REALLY in control.

 You also said in Rolling Stone that your look is based on mine. The look I chose, I chose on purpose at a time when my record company were encouraging me to do what you have done. I felt I would rather be judged on my talent and not my looks. I am happy that I made that choice, not least because I do not find myself on the proverbial rag heap now that I am almost 47 yrs of age.. which unfortunately many female artists who have based their image around their sexuality, end up on when they reach middle age. Real empowerment of yourself as a woman would be to in future refuse to exploit your body or your sexuality in order for men to make money from you. I needn’t even ask the question.. I’ve been in the business long enough to know that men are making more money than you are from you getting naked. It’s really not at all cool. And it’s sending dangerous signals to other young women. Please in future say no when you are asked to prostitute yourself. Your body is for you and your boyfriend. It isn’t for every spunk-spewing dirtbag on the net, or every greedy record company executive to buy his mistresses diamonds with. 

As for the shedding of the Hannah Montana image.. whoever is telling you getting naked is the way to do that does absolutely NOT respect your talent, or you as a young lady. Your records are good enough for you not to need any shedding of Hannah Montana. She’s waaaaaaay gone by now.. Not because you got naked but because you make great records. Whether we like it or not, us females in the industry are role models and as such we have to be extremely careful what messages we send to other women. The message you keep sending is that it’s somehow cool to be prostituted.. it’s so not cool Miley.. it’s dangerous. Women are to be valued for so much more than their sexuality. we aren’t merely objects of desire. I would be encouraging you to send healthier messages to your peers.. that they and you are worth more than what is currently going on in your career. Kindly fire any motherfucker who hasn’t expressed alarm, because they don’t care about you. 

 Mileys response:
 
ANOTHER OPEN LETTER TO MILEY CYRUS by Sinead O Connor:
Miley… Really? Who the f*ck is advising you? Because taking me on is even more f*ckin’ stupid than behaving like a prostitute and calling it feminism. You have posted today tweets of mine which are two years old, which were posted by me when I was unwell and seeking help so as to make them look like they are recent. In doing so you mock myself and Amanda Bynes for having suffered with mental health issues and for having sought help. 

 I mean really really… who advises you? have you any idea how stupid and dangerous it is to mock people for suffering illness? You will yourself one day suffer such illness, that is without doubt. The course you have set yourself upon can only end in that, trust me. I am staggered that any 20 yr old woman of the 21st century could behave in such a dangerous and irresponsible manner as to not only send the signal to young women that its ok to act like prostitutes but also to the signal that those who have suffered or do suffer mental health problems are to be mocked and have their opinions invalidated. Have you no sense of danger at all? or responsibility? Remove your tweets immediately or you will hear from my lawyers. 

I am certain you will be hearing from all manner of mental health advocacy groups also. It is not acceptable to mock any person for having suffered. It is most unbecoming of you to respond in such a fashion to someone who expressed care for you. And worse that you are such an anti-female tool of the anti-female music industry. I hope that you will apologise to Amanda Bynes and to any person who has been wounded by your mockery of those who have suffered. 

And I hope that you will wake up and understand that you in fact are a danger to women. Furthermore you posted a photo of me tearing the pope’s photo .. as if to imply insanity.. by doing so all you have achieved is to expose your staggering ignorance. I suggest you read The Philadelphia Report, The Boston Report, all the reports which will illuminate for you why that action of mine remains sane and valid. By mocking it you mock every child who suffered sexual abuse at the hands of priests and had it covered by the Vatican. You could really do with educating yourself, that is if you’re not too busy getting your tits out to read.


In Miley's latest response, she said she was too busy to write to her because she was rehearsing for her SNL performance this weekend, but if Sinead wanted to meet up, she should let her know. 

Today, Sinead says she's no interest in meeting with Miley...in her third open letter to her:

Miley,
I have no interest whatsoever in meeting you. You had plenty of time yesterday to abuse Amanda Bynes .. an entirely innocent party.. and myself.. who also did nothing to deserve your abuse.. along with every other sufferer of mental health problems and every person who suffered abuse at the hands of priests. 

You can take five minutes today between g- string fuckin' changes to publicly apologise and remove your abusive tweets. If you do not then you don't give a shit who you mock and what damage you do by being so ignorant. 


When you publicly apologise to Amanda and myself and all mental health sufferers as well as all who were abused by priests that will end the matter as far as I am concerned.
what you did yesterday was designed to damage me and my career and has caused me enormous distress and harassment and has potential to damage my career, since you deliberately gave the impression those tweets of mine were not two years old but reflect my current condition. If you cannot apologize I will have no choice but to bring legal proceedings against you since it is extremely hard to be given work when people think one is suffering from mental illness. 


I have no interest in or desire to cause you trouble but if you do not apologise for having deliberately tried to cause me hurt and trouble personally and professionally I will have to bring pressure upon you. 


When you end up in the psych ward or rehab I'll be happy to visit you.. and would not lower myself to mock you. 


Be a proper woman and make the public apologies I have listed above. Your hosting SNL is a bullshit reason for not taking five minutes to do the right thing and your behaviour yesterday will rebound upon you very badly. 


You have no business abusing Amanda Bynes or anyone else. How do you think you made her feel yesterday? How do you feel when your friend Britney Spears is mocked and humiliated for having had mental health problems? I know I personally want to bash those who treat her that way. If she is your friend and more importantly if you are a true friend to her.. you ought apologise for joining those who mock and humiliate women who have been too nice frankly, to manage the music business without sensibly losing their minds.


Cease behaving in an anti-female capacity. You will become the victim of it shortly. Soon it will be you the media 'crazy' .. and you will not enjoy it.. and you will appreciate people (like myself) standing up for you. Which I will be happy to do.. if you earn my respect today by apologising publicly.

9/14/2013

Animalistic


Lola Bell is polished, stunning and has a song that will impress on both side of the pond. With her catchy-as-a-flu-this-time-of-the-year debut single 'Animalistic' scheduled for release in late Oct, the single is bound to be picked up by radio dj's who have been waiting for an Irish act to push out there and call their own with a proud stance. Radio friendly ready and armed with a song that will absolutely impress anyone who is loving the likes of Kesha, Rita Ora and Katy Perry. Animalistic is a sassy vibrant song that marks Lola Bell's entry onto the music scene with a loud bang that will have heads turning.

8/29/2013

The Hot 'as a cat on a scorching tin roof' Sprockets are back with a new single and its whopper

The ever epic stylishly handsome flock of cool dudes that are otherwise known as The Hot Sprockets have had quiet a year so far, gracing the airwaves recently with their single Soul Brother which finally put them firmly on the map. They are back now with follow up Comin On which will be released on iTunes Sept 20th and is the latest single off of their highly anticipated, yet to be named, album. 


Check out the new video for the single below. And get this - it was all shot in one take!



Do we love the Sprockets more after hearing that the follow up to a monumentally mega tune didn't disappoint? - hell yes we do. Is marriage on the horizon, yes. Yes it is. Well done lads, take a bow and thanks for keeping the Irish Music Scene that one bit cooler.

But don't take out word for it, see for yourself!



8/26/2013

The Furious Haze live from Whelans review.

“The night I wrote the riff for this song is the night I got banned from a friend’s apartment” queue screams, shouts and the smashing of more than one glass. A perfect introduction to the latest addition to Dublin’s live music scene.

The upper saloon in Whelan’s is packed to the rafters and while some folk band tickle away at acoustic guitars downstairs The Furious Haze are making their way to the stage. The warm up formalities have been brilliantly taken care of with Markus Carcus putting in a Johnny Cash tinged shift and Nella Dwyer ushering in a beautiful calm before the storm.

Along comes the main act, rattling through their first three songs with enough pace to make sure that the dance floor is full come the strum of the last chord. The Furious Haze are a beer drinking, fist fighting, working class man’s rock group with a rhythm section that you just can’t stand still too. This is local rock and roll at its very best.

The band have also got some news to share with their rowdy faithful following, “WE’RE GOING TO THE PICNIC”, bellows the enigmatic front man to an explosion of cheers, claps and shouts. The announcement of their upcoming appearance on The Salty Dog Stage at Electric Picnic takes the gig to an entirely new level.

Launching straight into their brand new single ‘Crazy Jane the Hurricane’ the band are being fuelled by their fan’s energy. The crowd begin to jump, the floor starts to shake and bottles dance across tables until one by one they tumble to the floor.

You get the feeling that this headline show is a real milestone for The Furious Haze and on the back of their Electric Picnic news they continue to thunder through a brilliant set. This is rip roaring, sweat dripping, couldn’t give a sh*t what anyone says rock and f*cking roll!
In an industry infected with so much pretentious, over meaningful self-indulgence The Furious Haze are a refreshing breathe of smoke filled air.


Check out ‘Crazy Jane the Hurricane’. And see the band play Electric Picnic on Sunday at the Salty Dog Stage at 11pm! Its gonna be a stomping set!

By Adam Higgins