Month: November 2019

Skinner is a 22-year-old DIY slouch rock musician based in Dublin who writes, records and produces songs about growing up and overcoming a dirt-flecked 21st century existence.

The DNA of no wave and post-punk acts like The B52s, James Chance and the Contortions and ESG through to alt-rock touchstones Pixies and Morphine combined with an talent for grunge-nodding self-production and pockets of elevated instrumentation is oozing from Skinner’s music.

Skinner will release his five-track debut EP ‘Gunge’ on February 14th and has just released ‘Sometimes My Brain Is Goo’, a song that “highlights the importance of equality within a relationship.” The song received its radio premiere on RTE 2FM with Dan Hegarty. 

‘Sometimes My Brain Is Goo’: “The song is a detailed account of the aftermath and regret of a person who has taken their relationship for granted. Letting the contents of your head constantly spill onto someone else’s lap and expecting them to deal with your problems can be extremely draining for them. The song highlights the importance of equality within a relationship.”

The ‘Gunge’ EP will also featured previously released songs ‘Slouch’ and ‘Headroom’, which has received airplay from KCRW, BBC Across the Line and 98FM’s John Barker. Skinner was chosen as one of Nialler9’s top Irish acts to look out for in 2019.  Skinner and his band have performed at festivals like Quarter Block Party in Cork, Arcadian Field in Dundalk and the Galway Fringe Festival.

Skinner’s next live gig is in Dublin at Whelan’s Upstairs on December 13th with The Wha and Kynsy.

https://www.facebook.com/skekn/
https://twitter.com/skindizzle_
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https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Se7imfs8bxem8G6oVNABJ?si=ioN1h2jMROiVEhAYzq1Bvw

Mount Alaska are delighted to announce details of their debut album, ‘Wave Atlas: Season One’, released through 251 Records on Friday, November 22nd, 2019. 

Their two new singles ‘Back to the Land, My Love’, and ‘The Last Time They Met’ / ‘Lunar’ are out now on 251 Records, a partner label of Faction Records and home to Martin Hayes Quartet, The Redneck Manifesto, and Martin Hayes & Brooklyn Rider. 

The album was written, recorded and produced by Stephen Shannon and Cillian Mc Donnell (the former members of Halfset), in Shannon’s Dublin studio, Experimental Audio, and will be available on CD / digital. 

“The concept for ‘Wave Atlas: Season On’e came from a desire to create a soundtrack for a TV show that doesn’t actually exist,” says Shannon. “I’ve worked on film soundtracks for a few years and really enjoy the process of writing music to picture. It’s a completely different process.” 

Cillian adds; “The idea of presenting a soundtrack in isolation really appealed to us – it was an interesting challenge to deliver a body of work where the music is front-and-centre, but the narrative and plot are secondary. So much is left up to the listener.”

“’Wave Atlas: Season One’ is also an ode to some of our favourite composers: Max Richer, Ólafur Arnalds, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Delia Derbyshire, Rival Consoles and Wendy Carlos,” says Mc Donnell. 

“Previous Mount Alaska tracks were created via dozens of draft versions, but for this album we decided to create the music quickly, using broad conceptual themes. We decided to restrict ourselves to just a few instruments for the making of this record – it made the process more challenging, and the overall sound more cohesive: a 1982 Roland Juno 60 synthesizer, an old piano, and Cillian’s kick-drum make up roughly 80% of ‘Wave Atlas: Season One’, with processed (found), vocal acapellas,” says Shannon. 

 “Our influences, listening habits and studio work hasn’t always been represented by the music we release, so Wave Atlas: Season One is a good way of addressing that, and introducing people to a side of Mount Alaska they rarely get to hear,” says Mc Donnell. “It also leaves the door wide open, creatively and conceptually, for ‘Wave Atlas: Season Two’ … ” 

Live: Mount Alaska play The Fumbally Stables (Dublin), on Friday, November 29^th, and The Roundy (Cork) on Saturday, December 7^th. 

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/mountalaska
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mountalaska/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mountalaska/

The High Kings Finbarr Clancy, Darren Holden, Brian Dunphy and, the newest member, Paul O’Brien, have just released their brand new single for the festive season ‘Christmas The Way I Remember’. The single has already become a #1 hit single as it topped the iTunes Ireland Christmas songs chart on release!

‘Christmas The Way’ I remember is the quintessential sound of the festive season. In a season where music comes to the forefront, The High Kings have captured the perfect sound of Christmas. With the air of ‘Red Is The Rose’ and lyrics by High King Darren Holden, this is Christmas all wrapped up on a song.

Over the past 12 years, The High Kings have released 4 studio albums, 2 live albums and 2 DVDs. In 2017 they released a compilation album ‘Decade’ which celebrated 10 amazingly successful years together and also included 5 brand new recordings. In December the band take to the roads of Ireland and kick off a national tour in Donegal that takes them to 21 venues all over the country.

To say that The High Kings are charting a course for Irish ballad music – equal parts rousing and reflective, energetic and insightful – is an understatement. They are, essentially, marking out a new and bright era for Irish folk music.

https://www.thehighkings.com/
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https://twitter.com/TheHighKings https://www.youtube.com/user/TheHighKingsOfficial
https://www.instagram.com/thehighkingsofficial/

Multi-platinum international music sensation, Celtic Woman return with the ultimate Christmas Gift: a collection of their very favourite Christmas songs.

Celtic Woman is the most successful all-female group in Irish history, with a legacy of 12 consecutive Billboard number ones, 10 million album sales, and an incredible 1 billion online streams to date.

From delicate traditional Irish carols to magnificent uplifting anthems, Celtic Woman has a wealth of seasonal music to gladden your heart on their brand-new studio album ‘The Magic of Christmas’. Hear stunning new arrangements of the classics ‘Silent Night’, ‘O Holy Night’ and ‘Auld Lang Syne’ alongside the ancient Gaelic carols ‘Dia do Bheatha’ and ‘The Wexford Carol’. Hear the jingle of bells as you glide through the snowy landscape of ‘Sleigh Ride’ and get ready to sing along when it’s time to ‘Deck the Halls’!

Celtic Woman’s ‘The Magic of Christmas’ fuses shimmering strings, the tinkle of the Irish harp, the proud call of the bagpipes, and the beat of the bodhrán drum, paired with Tara’s lilting fiddle and the crystalline voices of Mairéad, Éabha and Megan.

Following its debut on PBS in 2005, the group has achieved massive success encompassing twelve chart-topping albums, eight DVDs and nine public television specials leading to sales of over ten million albums, with platinum success in nine countries. Each of its CDs – including ‘Destiny’ which was nominated for a Grammy – has debuted at #1 on Billboard’s World Albums chart. The group has been named Billboard Magazine’s #1 World Albums Artist six times.

1. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
2. Angels We Have Heard On High
3. Do You Hear What I Hear
4. Deck The Halls
5. O Come, O Come Emmanuel
6. Amid The Falling Snow
7. Holy Night
8. Sleigh Ride
9. Greensleeves
10. Dia Do Bheatha
11. Carol Of The Bells
12. Wexford Carol
13. Silent Night
14. Auld Lang Syne
15. Feliz Navidad

www.CelticWoman.com 

Facebook.com/Celticwoman 

Twitter.com/Celtic_Woman

Dublin-based five-piece Silverbacks have just shared their new single ‘Sirens’. Nice Swan Records – the indie label which has given rise to the likes of Sports Team, Pip Blom and Fur – released the single on Friday 15th November 2019.

Earning widespread critical acclaim (NME, DIY, Clash, Stereogum, 6Music) for the results, fellow Dubliner and Girl Band’s bass player Daniel Fox produced the last three singles for Silverbacks: ‘Dunkirk’, ‘Just In The Band’ and ‘Pink Tide’. Keeping him on to record ‘Sirens’, we hear the creative spark well intact, with plenty to latch on to. The lushly recorded propulsive rhythm section prompts a visceral response from the three guitarists who weave fuzz-laden riffs, tonally warped solos, and spindly post-punk riffs into the phenomenal mix.

Switching from semi spoken nonchalance to unabashedly catchy glam punk melodies singer Daniel O’Kelly uses these aesthetics to deliver lyrics where he’s camouflaging his disdain towards society with his natural sardonic wit.

Of the lyrics, O’Kelly says: “In ‘Sirens’, the narrator misses riots and important protests taking place in his city because he’s too preoccupied with writing the perfect soundtrack for what is happening. He’s equally distracted by his relationship issues, tennis, and his obsession with his favourite band.”

‘Sirens’ comes towards the end of a very strong year for Silverbacks. Hot off the back of supporting Girl Band on their recent tour, the band have also been on the road with Ride and The Lemonheads, played Electric Picnic (Ireland) and now signing to Nice Swan are just some of the highs.

Having finally completed recording of their highly-anticipated debut studio album this year, 2020 is freed up for a major push. This terrific new band will be unstoppable.

Tour Dates:

Nov 13 – Great Escape First Fifty, The Macbeth, London UK
Nov 14 – La Maroquinerie, Paris France (w/Girl Band)
Dec 13 – Nerve Centre, Derry Northern Ireland
Jan 15-18 2020 – Eurosonic, Gronigen, Netherlands
Jan 31 2020 – Sebright Arms, London UK
May 13-16 2020 – The Great Escape, Brighton UK

‘Local Boy Ruins Everything’ is the new EP from Irish artist Local Boy, aka Jake Hurley. The Burner Records co-founder wrote, produced and mixed the entirety of the five track project which tells indie infused tales of everyday mundanity and dreams of rock ‘n’ roll stardom. 

Local Boy has recently been featured on some high profile Spotify playlists such as “Lo-Fi Indie” and currently has 30,000 monthly listeners. 

The single Bright Days is set for release on the 29th of November and the EP as a whole on the 6th of December. 

‘100 Snow White Horses’ is the name of a new album from Cork songsmith John Spillane. Currently recording with producer John Reynolds and singer Pauline Scanlon, the songs are full of poetry, Irish mythology, melody and wonder with a fairy-tale feel and an atmosphere of fantasy and enchantment. 

After 10 years working with a label, Spillane is releasing ‘100 Snow White Horses’ independently. In an effort to bring this masterpiece of new releases from ‘The Hit Factory’ to the people, he has launched a crowdfunder with FundIt, an all-island crowdfunding website for Ireland’s creative projects. John Spillane speaks about his upcoming release: “In exploring the rich world of Irish mythology I feel I’m continuing the work of Horslips with the Book of Invasions in the 1970s.” 

Having worked with John Reynolds and Pauline Scanlon for his 2005 EMI release ‘Hey Dreamer’, ‘The Gaelic Hit Factory’ in 2006, ‘My Dark Rosaleen’ and the Island of Dreams’ in 2008, this collaborative core has stood the test of time. “After 10 years and many adventures we are back working together and now that we are all better at what we do, we are combining our skills and painting this, our masterpiece.” Spillane on on working with Scanlon, and Reynolds once again.

Reaching the fundraising goal of €25,000 would enable Spillane to bring the album to life through recording, mixing, mastering, hiring session musicians, duplication on CD and vinyl, artwork and album promotion while enabling Spillane to partner with his fans. “I believe in community and my songs are community based. I wish to form a community around this record.” 

There are a range of rewards that fans can pledge for from digital downloads, to live tickets to John Spillane gigs in 2020, to exclusive vinyl test pressing, all the way to a private gig with John Spillane and his band The Lapwing Nation. 

An exciting time for the troubadour at the beginning of a mystic, wonder filled adventure. For a taster of what the songs will sound like, watch John Spillane’s Fund it video here:

To be a supporter of ‘100 Snow White Horses’ visit the Fundit page here: https://fundit.ie/project/100-snow-white-horses

Following on from the success of their most recent single ‘Shoulda Been’, Irish/ Scottish Duo SIIGHTS return with the second release from their much-anticipated debut EP.

‘One More’ showcases a darker evocative side to SIIGHTS songwriting and sound. Featuring dark synths and piano with hypnotic vocals, the duo’s lyrics are frank and heartfelt, describing the struggle and emptiness of romantic encounters and relationships. 

SIIGHTS say: “Relationships these days can be messed up. Everyone’s hurt and carrying that from one relationship to the next. We talk for months then walk past each other in the street like strangers. We block each other and say things we probably don’t mean.

We don’t even try to understand as we struggle to communicate because everything’s online and people barely want to pick up the phone. The culture feeds it. Online dating culture has created a monster in where you judge each other instantly on one image and two sentences. Maybe we’re hopeless romantics I guess but, isn’t it time to give each other and in turn ourselves a bit more?”

The duo wanted to ensure the recording of ‘One More’ stayed raw and organic so they mic’d up an old Grand Piano which was the actual piano they originally wrote the song on.

SIIGHTS first release from their debut EP ‘Shoulda Been’ made Spotify’s ‘New Music Friday UK’ and ‘New Pop Revolution’ playlists, surpassing 100 thousand streams on Spotify alone and boosting their collective streams to over 3 Million! The track was also recently supported by Mr Revillz YouTube channel with 2.9 million subscribers and has accumulated 2.5 Million impacts on Irish radio!

The duo’s previous singles ‘Tell Me Lies’ & ‘Broke It With Me’, spent 9 weeks in Ireland’s Shazam ‘Top 10’ and 5 weeks in Spotify’s ‘Viral Top 50’ charts (simultaneously). With their recent collaborations surpassing 1.5 million views on YouTube and support from BBC Radio 1, The Chainsmokers and Kiss Xtra along with being chosen to feature on Elton John’s ‘Rocket Hour’ (Beats 1), the Duo are looking forward to sharing more new music.

‘ONE MORE’ is OUT 22nd NOVEMBER via LAB Records

David Dee Moore is celebrating 40 years of playing, writing and producing music with a new self-titled album in the Spring of 2020.

In the run up to the album release, David will be sharing a few tracks; the first of these is his brand new song Strawberry Freckles and one of his more popular tracks on the live circuit, Peaches and Green. Both are available on all platforms from November 22nd 2019.

• Strawberry Freckles is a beautiful guitar and dobro driven Americana pop song held together with Irish rhythms and sweeping strings. The song is a fictional story of a young man who tries in vain to catch the attention of a beautiful woman who is already smitten with someone else. He’s prepared to wait in vain.

• Peaches and Green tells the tale of a road trip taken by David from Atlanta Georgia to Asheville North Carolina and the interesting people and things he comes across along the way. The song is so infectious and dares you not to sing along with the hook line.

Musicians involved with the tracks include ‘Track Dogs’ trumpeter Howard Brown, Eamonn Mulderrig from ‘Vickers Vimy’ on brushes, celebrated fiddle players Joseph McNulty and Brian McAteer, Colin Henry on dobro, Derek McGowan on guitar and Rebecca McRedmond on backing vocals.

David Dee Moore celebrates 40 years of music-making having spent the last 20 years playing in the West of Ireland especially in Matt Molloy’s bar (The Chieftains) to packed audiences with his rhythmic foot stomping set and he recently played at the Westport Arts Festival, the Belfast/Nashville festival and a series of select Irish venues.

Originally from Belfast, Dee Moore as he was known, grew up playing music with singer/songwriter Bap Kennedy, teaching him his first guitar. He played bass guitar in punk band The Ex-Producers appearing on such programmes as the BBC series ‘Something Else’ which featured bands like the Clash, Ian Dury and the Undertones and also winning a BBC songwriting contest which set David up for a career in music. Completely against the grain, David then turned his hand to traditional folk music joining ‘A Handful of Earth’ where he met up with fiddle player Brian McAteer who became his long time musical accomplice. David and Brian joined the touring folk rock band Clíbin with Uileann piper and cellist Neil Martin, another musician who features regularly on his albums.

This experience in traditional music and folk rock culminated in the creation of ‘The Loose Connections’ with Niamh Parsons and one of the worlds finest Uileann pipers John McSherry. The band released the Album ‘Loosely Connected’ in 1993 on the Scottish Greentrax label. It featured a few songs from David like ‘Little big time’, ‘Don’t give your heart away’ and ‘Play a merry jig’ and it immediately became one of the top folk recordings in the UK and Ireland that year. The album is considered a classic and catapulted the band to major popularity around the world with the Green Linnet label in the USA signing up the band and re-releasing it to critical acclaim. A second album followed, ‘Loosen Up’ which was produced by David with most of the tracks including traditional sounding tunes all written by him.

David and Niamh split in 1998 with their last gigs together at the Dublin Ohio Irish music festival in the USA and the Tönder Festival in Denmark. David continued writing songs and playing session bass, collaborating with artists like Steve Wickham (The Waterboys), the legendary Liam Clancy, Juliet Turner and Jerry Fish. His talent was still sought after and he wrote music for films and documentaries for RTE, BBC and Channel 4 (UK).

In 2010, David began work on a demo CD for a brief tour of the USA which featured a collection of new and old songs under the title ‘The Almighty Warrior’. This whetted the appetite for David to begin work on his acclaimed CD ‘The sun, the moon, the stars…and other moving objects’. This is a collection of Irish, Americana and contemporary songs that features legendary musicians, Nick Scott (Gilbert O’Sullivan, Van Morrison), Pete McKinney (The Waterboys, 4 Of Us) and John McCullough.

The album was recorded at Red Box Studios in Belfast, co-produced by Donal O’Connor and released in 2013. In 2015, David released the self-produced EP ‘Burst’ showcasing 5 songs with a pop flavour and followed it with his ‘A Sea So Shallow’ EP in 2018 which celebrated David’s home on the West coast of Ireland.

He is now recording and putting together a compilation of songs celebrating his 40 year career in the music business. This will be released in Spring of 2020.