Month: May 2019

Lisa Hannigan’s spellbinding live album in collaboration with Andre de Ridder’s contemporary-classical s t a r g a z e orchestra is out today via Play It Again Sam. To celebrate, the Irish singer-songwriter is sharing a new video of her and s t a r g a z e playing the emphatic, hauntingly-beautiful ‘We The Drowned’ at Dublin’s National Concert Hall on the night the LP was recorded.

Originally taken from Lisa’s 2016 album ‘At Swim’, produced by frequent collaborator Aaron Dessner of The National (who’s latest full-length features guest vocals from Lisa), the live performance of ‘We The Drowned’ is complete with an orchestral arrangement written by another member of the cult American band in Bryce Dessner. It’s a gorgeous, widescreen reimagining of her otherworldly folk that swaps the sparse, delicate sensibilities for an all-encompassing and deeply moving chamber ensemble comprised of mesmerising piano, emotive string and brass sections and dreamy backing vocals. Talking about the track, Lisa says: “This is probably my favourite arrangement on the record. Thank you so much to Bryce Dessner for bringing his incredible talent to this song! And of course, thank you to s t a r g a z e for making me want to weep throughout.”

‘Live In Dublin’ is comprised of one new cut titled ‘Bookmark’ and 13 more tracks plucked from her extensive back-catalogue; one that’s spanned 17 years and several award nominations, from the Mercury Prize to Ireland’s Choice Music Prize and Meteor Music Awards. This meeting of minds captured on the album was the product of a chance-encounter at Cork’s Sounds From A Safe Harbour Festival in 2015. Both performing at the festival, it was there where Lisa met André de Ridder and the conductor would discuss his work with his European orchestral collective named s t a r g a z e, who had been busy working with everyone from Terry Riley, Nils Frahm and Julia Holter, to Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo, These New Puritans and Iceage.

The following summer, at Berlin’s PEOPLE Festival, s t a r g a z e would end up inviting Lisa to perform a couple of her songs with them on stage and the project spiraled on from there. “Walking in I felt vaguely trepidatious. Sometimes working with classically trained musicians can be slightly nerve-wracking as a singer songwriter because they speak a language so beautifully fluently that I can only fumble towards,” Hannigan recalls: “In a band, so much communication is done through the shoulders, the lift of an eyebrow, the feel of a small group breathing and dancing together. It’s hard to extrapolate that out into twenty, forty, even eighty people! It can feel like a glorious ocean liner tied to a creaking rowboat.”

Thankfully, Hannigan’s apprehensions would prove to be unfounded: “When we started to play though, it felt like all of s t a r g a z e had climbed aboard my rowboat. They approach a song very much as a band would, with an enthusiasm and musicality which immediately felt like home. I was overwhelmed to hear my songs in such a widescreen way, going from black and white to technicolour, and hoped we could do more.” And just like that, the idea of a live album was born: “The idea of eventually making a record and playing more together felt very natural and easy. Having made three records of my own I had a notion of making a live record but wanted to do it in a slightly more unusual way. We called on some wonderful arrangers over the following couple of years and built our setlist up one song and festival at a time.”

Live In Dublin by Lisa Hannigan and s t a r g a z e is out now on digital platforms, vinyl and CD via PIay It Again Sam.

STREAM/PURCHASE THE ALBUM HERE

http://smarturl.it/HanniganStargazeLiD

TRACKLIST

Ora
Prayer For The Dying
Little Bird
Undertow
Bookmark
Anahorish
Nowhere To Go
Lo
Swan
We The Drowned
Lille
A Sail
Barton
Fall

Reckless Records is delighted to present Dublin’s Psych Rockers, Sun Mahshene, who release their gorgeous psychedelic rock ballad ‘This Girl I Know’ on Friday May 31. 

“Since emerging late last year Sun Mahshene have blazed a trail for shoegaze psychedelia that “leaves your ears ringing with Joy.”- Hot Press 

Earlier this year the 5-piece sold out their headline show at The Grand Social and off the back of that success they have secured multiple festival including Jerry Fish’s ‘Electric Side Show’ at Electric Picnic, Indiependence, and Tipp Classical. With rave reviews on their last single, ‘Leave This City’ and radio support from Dan Hegarty 2fm and Gavin Glass from Radio Nova amoung others, it’s an exciting time for Sun Mahshene to share more ear candy before the festival season really kicks off. 

‘This Girl I Know’ is a song about two people, in a relationship, starting out on the biggest journey of their lives. Lead singer Nathan Henderson, whose wife experienced dark feelings of isolation when she first immigrated to Ireland, said “Sometimes people don’t realise the gravity of what they’re saying and the effect it can have on someone who doesn’t want to feel that way in the first place.”

Likened to The Jesus And Mary Chain and Ride, this fresh hook on dark-tinged psychedelic Indie rock is striking a major chord with music enthusiasts, who delight in putting pen to paper as Sun Mahshene put their melodies where their mic is.  

In order to produce an ethereal, mammoth wall of sound the band employ an arsenal of three guitarists to maximum effect, backed by heavy bass grooves and powerful drums. Their agenda is to capture the sonic assault and fuelled aggression of their studio sessions and take it to the masses, and we’re ready for them to show us exactly what they’re made of.  

If words are gospel then you won’t be disappointed with Sun Mahshene’s brand new studio offering ‘This Girl I Know’.

https://www.facebook.com/sunmahshene/
https://twitter.com/Sun_Mahshene
https://www.instagram.com/sun_mahshene/?hl=en
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2k0vIFTcp2hM0Ijhms9Veo
https://soundcloud.com/sun-mahshene
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6zHZSAqCiCEBTgVG7P4-0g

Hailed as one of the standout guitarists to emerge from Ireland in recent years – not to mention his mastery of songwriting – Paul Casey has returned to his electric guitar roots with his album ‘Moving On’.

Set to bring his classic guitar sound to radio – along with shades of Mark Knopfler – the album is peppered with songwriting sensibilities and evocative lyrics that reflect a maturity beyond Derry native’s years.

‘Moving On’ was recorded in Casey’s own Cable Junction Studio, which has seen a litany of world-class albums through its sound-desk in recent years, including mixing credits on Christy Moore’s No.1 album, ‘On The Road’.

With a string of songs made for radio, this is a wonderfully crafted album, produced and performed by Casey, and shines a dazzling light on his unmistakeable guitar playing and distinctive voice.

Part 1 one the album includes 10 brand new songs while Part 2 gave the songwriter/producer a chance to revisit his older material by reimagine and re-recording 10 fan favourites.

Casey’s songs have been making waves the US, on hit TV series on the ABC Network, including  ‘The Neighbors’ and ‘Wildfire’ as well as MTV’s ‘The Real World’. Paul was the studio engineer for Chris Rea on his album ‘The Santo Spirito Blues’, and toured with Rea as a guitarist and guest act on numerous European and UK tours. A household name in the North of Ireland, the self-effacing guitarist, singer-songwriter has been quietly honing his craft and looks soon to lose his ‘best-kept secret’ tag. Paul has supported everyone from Huey Lewis to Snow Patrol throughout his career.

www.paulcaseymusic.com

Ahead of their performance in St Anne’s Park, Dublin this June Bank Holiday weekend, IMRO took the opportunity to present Kodaline member Vinny May Jnr with an IMRO Award on behalf of the band in recognition of their album ‘Politics Of Living’.

The IMRO Number 1 Award was introduced to acknowledge IMRO members who reach number 1 in the album charts here in Ireland.

Kodaline released their eagerly anticipated album ‘Politics Of Living’ in September 2018 on Sony Music.

‘Politics of Living’ sees Kodaline team up with some of the hottest production and writing talent imaginable including hitmaker supreme Steve Mac (‘Shape Of You’ by Ed Sheeran), pop guru Johnny Coffer (Rag’N’Bone Man, Beyonce), Jonas Jeberg (Dizzee Rascal, Kylie Minogue), Stephen Harris (Miles Kane, Kaiser Chiefs) as well as long-time collaborator Johnny McDaid (‘What About Us’ by Pink).

This was the first collection of new music since 2015’s ‘Coming Up For Air’, which went Gold in the UK. The band’s debut album, ‘In A Perfect World’ has sold over a million copies worldwide and imprinted itself on the nation’s consciousness with streaming figures well into the 100s of millions, with ‘High Hopes’ on 100 million Spotify streams alone. On Vevo the band’s videos have had over 200 million views, and they have sold over a million singles.

www.kodaline.com

101 Management and Run in Records are delighted to announce RUN iN RED’s first headline show of 2019 in Lost Lane on Saturday July 20th. With special guests Strawman and The Jackdaws and Nerves.

Honing their live skills on the Dublin circuit RUN iN RED have been described as ‘urgency transcribed into music’ and deliver indie rock through a wall of harmonic layers and musical dynamics.

Last July the quartet supported Pillow Queens at Dublin Quays Festival and after that played two special shows in Dublin and Derry; at The Workman’s Club and at Sandinos for the release of ‘A Song For You’ and second EP ‘Undercover, Overthrown’. So far this year the band have supported Makings in Whelans, taken the main stage at The Button Factory and opened for Jamie Adam in Belfast.

With airplay from Pandora Radio, 2FM, FM104 and BBC Radio Foyle, the band have also been featured as JOE.ie’s ’Song of The Day’ twice for two of their previous singles.

To coincide with their Lost Lane show, RUN iN RED will be releasing their next single ‘Dirty Spirits Design’ on June 14th and are also playing more shows across Ireland, with dates in the US and UK kicking off next week.

RUN iN RED live at LoSt LaNe, Saturday July 20th.

Support on the night comes from Strawman and The Jackdaws and Nerves.

Tickets are on sale now from €7 @ runinred.eventbrite.ie  

Special €5 ticket price for BIMM students by using their BIMM college email at checkout.

Five albums in and 11 years on the road, Irish band The Lost Brothers announce their biggest headline gig to date at Vicar St on Saturday 21st March 2020. With fans ranging from Richard Hawley to Paul Muldoon, the band have built up a loyal following both at home and abroad. Since 2008 they’ve toured and collaborated with the likes of M Ward and Elvis Costello. Their 2018 album ‘Halfway Towards a Healing’ was included in the year’s “Best Of” in Mojo Magazine.

Vicar St has become the go-to venue to see great music in an intimate space. Don’t miss what will be a special gathering of song and friends on March 21st.

Tickets priced €30 go on sale this Friday 31st May at 9am through www.ticketmaster.ie & usual outlets nationwide.

https://thelostbrothersband.com/

‘Sit With Me’ is the first single to be released from ‘The Fallen’, the debut EP from Mayo artist Tracy Gallagher. ‘Sit With Me’ is a wistful, raw and honest showcase of Tracy’s rich, mellow vocals and sharp and insightful songwriting style.

The single is released 31st May.