• Track Record: Chris Somers & Ruairi Dale (Elastic Sleep)

    In the latest installment of Track Record, photographer Brid O’Donovan captures Chris Somers and Ruairi Dale from Cork-based dream-pop band Elastic Sleep choosing and talking about a selection of their favourite records – everything from Kate Bush to Steely Dan. The band launch their new single ‘You Only Live Twice’ at Cork’s The Pavilion on Saturday, 23. Steam the song and watch the video for the track at the bottom of the feature. Chris | O Emperor – Vitreous “I bought this record at the secret listening party they had in Coughlans during the summer. I stayed up all night listening…

  • Lesser Known Pleasures: James Brown – Get on the Good Foot

    Lesser Known Pleasures is dedicated to celebrating great albums that are often overlooked in the hope of gaining them some more of the attention they so deserve. This time, from a surprisingly large choice of decent James Brown full lengths, Get on the Good Foot receives the LKP treatment for it’s breadth and because, for a funky pop album, it gets plain nutty… It is perhaps fair that James Brown is considered a singles artist. From the mid-50s on he was responsible for an endless stream of 45s saturating the R&B market. Served up in what seemed like throw-enough-at-the-wall tactics…

  • Other Voices to return to Derry next year

    With its three day residency back in February still lingering fondly in the memory, it has been announced that Other Voices will return to Derry for another stint next year. Broadcast on RTÉ Two, the TV programme is world renown for featuring staging some of the finest and most intimate live musical performances and interviews from various Irish and international artists and musicians at its base in Dingle, Co. Kerry. Damien Dempsey, SOAK, Savages and Neil Hannon were amongst the acts who played the show’s Derry showcase earlier this year. Across February 7, 8 and 9, the Glassworks in Derry will…

  • Director’s Cut: September Girls – Heartbeats

    Can you introduce yourself to us and a give us a little background? My name is Jessie Ward O’Sullivan and I’m a filmmaker/musician originally from California, but have been living in Dublin since 2002. I went to NYU film school originally to become a camera operator, but found I preferred directing, editing and working on a smaller scale. How did you get into directing music videos? I think it was music videos that got me into filmmaking in the first place. I grew up watching videos like ‘November Rain’ and Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’. I just loved the creativity and the…

  • Watch: Jetplane Landing – Beat Generation… Ha!

    Taken from their fourth studio album, Don’t Try, Derry alt-rock quartet Jetplane Landing have unveiled the video to their forthcoming single, ‘Beat Generation… Ha!’ Referencing beat literature exponents such as Gregory Corso and Lawrence Ferlinghetti, the video features cut-and-paste text from the likes of Corso’s poem ‘I am 25’, poetry works including A Coney Island Of The Mind by Ferlinghetti and press articles on the literary pioneers. ‘Beat Generation… Ha! is released on December 2nd via Smalltown America. Watch the video below.

  • The Counselor

    Ridley Scott is not a great director. In the past the man has made great films such as Blade Runner and Alien, which represent some of the strongest efforts Sci-Fi has to offer. But having made eleven films in twelve years, the majority of which toe the line between mediocre and awful, Scott’s lack of  consistency showcases how fundamentally he is not a great director. But he can be. When given the right script, Scott can allow well formed story to transcend itself and become something  much more than the sum of its parts. When the news that Scott’s new…

  • Gig of the week: Shellac @ Limelight 2, Belfast

    Our gig of the week this week is a slight departure from our normal rule of thumb of featuring local artists. Fronted by  incomparably influential musician and legendary producer Steve Albini, Chicago, Illnois noise rock trio Shellac stop off at Belfast’s Limelight 2 on Thursday, November 21 ahead of the release of their forthcoming fifth studio album. The band will also play Dublin’s Whelan’s on Wednesday, November 20. Los Angeles-based cellist Alison Chesley AKA Helen Money will provide support on both dates. Tickets for the Belfast are £18.50 and are available to buy here. Go to the show’s Facebook event page…