• Trans-Europe Express #3: Lithuania

    Nestled between Russia’s Kaliningrad Oblast, Poland, Latvia, Belarus and the Baltic Sea, Lithuania’s geographic location in Europe’s northeastern corner has had a significant effect on the evolution of the country’s music scene. Under Soviet rule for fifty years from 1940 to 1990 – save for a brief period under German occupation during World War II – the growth of an alternative music scene in Lithuania was stunted somewhat due to Western influences, especially rock, being surpressed by a communist regimé which viewed such styles as products of decadence and a source of social corruption. But nonetheless, Western music still managed…

  • Watch: We Cut Corners – Hunger

    It’s not long now until our next No Tomorrow show at Belfast’s Voodoo Bar on Saturday, May 3. Performing on the night is Jason Deadman (DJ set), Liza Flume and Dublin indie rock duo We Cut Corners, who have just unveiled the video for their new single, ‘Hunger’ Taken from the band’s hugely impressive second album, Think Nothing – set for release on April 25 in Ireland) and May 12 in the UK – the video for the track is the latest in a series of visual accompaniments by the fast-rising duo. Produced by We Destroy You/Dang and directed, filmed, edited by Kendy Ty the…

  • Stream: GO WOLF – One More Night

    Having recently (and very deservedly) secured the support slot for Wild Beasts at Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival on May 8, Belfast indie-pop band GO WOLF have released a slick new track, ‘One More Night’. Set for release on June 2, the song – recorded by Rocky O’Reilly at Start Together Studios and mastered by Robin Schmidt of 24-96 Mastering – charges forth confidently, gleaming synth-lines and bobbing rhythms meshing to form a strong three and half minutes, its main earworming melody lingering in the mind well after a first spin (which is no bad thing, of course). Check out the…

  • Croupier to call it a day

    Having played a stellar show at We Play Here’s Record Store Day Weekender show on Sunday, Wicklow indie rock band Croupier have announced that they are parting ways at the end of May. After six years together, the band released the following statement regarding their disbandment: “As some people may already know, as of June 2014, Croupier will be coming to an end. It has been a difficult decision to make, however, we feel it is the right moment for us to finish. It’s been an amazing experience in which we have had the opportunity to not only play music as five close…

  • Watch: Cave Ghosts – Come Into My World

    Released as part of this year’s Record Store Day (and, indeed, Gay) Dublin alt-pop band Cave Ghosts‘ sublime rendering of Kylie Minogue’s ‘Come Into My World’ has more than a touch of Devotion-era Beach House about it. Helping raise funds for Dublin’s Outhouse LGBT Community Centre, the woozy cover was released in the name of Record Store Gay on Saturday. Speaking about the track, the band said, “We wanted to completely reimagine the original song and create a visual accompaniment in the form of a music video. We desired a more lush sound to our previous recordings and achieved this…

  • Ciaran Lavery Announces EP Details

    Just over a year since the release of his exceptional debut album, Not Nearly Dark, Northern Irish singer-songwriter Ciaran Lavery has revealed details of his forthcoming new EP, Kosher. Set for release on June 19 at Belfast’s Black Box as part of this years’s Open House Festival, check out the EP’s tracklisting and wonderful artwork by DMC and Ben Connolly of Angel and Anchor below. 1. ‘Left For America‘ 2. ‘Sophomore Rising’ 3. ‘Boxer’ 4. ‘A Ragtime Song’ 5. ‘Orphan’ While you’re here, feel free to stream the jubilant ‘Orphan’ from Lavery’s forthcoming EP via Soundcloud below. Photo by Cathal Goodwin

  • Castlepalooza Announces First Acts

    An annual fixture at the breathtaking Charleville Castle in Tullamore, Castlepalooza have announced their line-up for 2014. With a handful of acts yet to be announced, Super Furry Animals’ main man Gruff Rhys (pictured), indie-pop duo Summer Camp and Franco-Swiss DJ Gilles Peterson top the bill of acts performing this year. Several Irish acts including Hurdles, We Cut Corners, The Clameens, TVVINS, Affleck and Ships also feature in this year’s line-up. Buy tickets and check out full line-up for the festival – taking place across August 1, 2 and 3 – over at Castlepalooza’s official website. Here’s the launch poster for the festival and…