• Album stream: Ciaran Lavery – Other People Wrote These

    September 22, 2013 - By 

    Having already released an album and EP of his own material – the exceptional Not Nearly Dark and You Will Be A Stranger Now respectively – Aghagallon singer-songwriter Ciaran Lavery has unveiled an EP of cover versions, the aptly-titled Other People Wrote These. Produced by Mike Mormecha of Mojo Fury and featuring superb additional instrumentation by Joshua Burnside and Rachael Boyd, Lavery’s re-imagining of tracks from artists as diverse as Talking Heads, Pat Benatar, Lionel Ritchie and Cyndi Lauper bring another dimension of the singer-songwriter’s huge talents, effectively confirming his status as one of the country’s finest artists. Ahead of…

  • Album stream: Squarehead – RESPECT

    September 22, 2013 - By 

    The follow-up to their 2011 debut album Yeah Nothing, Dublin trio Squarehead have unveiled their second studio album, RESPECT, as a pay-what-you-like release. A shimmering and occasionally raucous eleven-track blast of the band’s ever-distinctive brand of indie pop, the album was produced by Les Keye at Arad Studios at the end of Summer 2013 and produced by Liam Grant. Truth be told: it’s already shaping up to be one of our favourite releases from an Irish act this year. Stream or download (for free, if you like) the album below.

  • Gig of the week: Cut The Transmission

    September 22, 2013 - By 

    Our gig of the week this week will see some of the best riff-fuelled band’ – both homegrown and from across the water – assemble to bid the finest of farewell to Derry alt-rock heroes Fighting With Wire. Taking place through the day and night of Saturday, September 28 at Derry’s The Venue, Cut The Transmission – headlined by Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls – will feature performances from And So I Watch You From Afar, Future Of The Left, LaFaro, More Than Conquerors and more. See below for the full poster. Tickets for the event are £20 and available…

  • PINS – Girls Like Us

    September 22, 2013 - By 

    Prepare to embrace PINS, because everyone else will. Before you lies something quite special. The four-piece, all-female line up has struck a gold many bands can only dream of. The gold in question is finding the perfect fit in each other and just the right musical formula: the 14 tracks on their debut LP Girls Like Us is a striking mix of pop perfection and obvious musical talent. Lead by vocalist and guitarist Faith Holgate, the Manchester-native designed to have a four-piece girls only band, in part, because of the closeness four girls can achieve when it’s just girls. And…