• 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.

  • Track Record: Blane Doherty (Gacys Threads)

    October 1, 2013 - By 

    In the second installment of Track Record, Colm Laverty hits up Blane Doherty, guitarist/vocalist with Belfast progressive hardcore/metal band Gacys Threads to have a rummage through his nice and eclectic record collection. Taking us on a trip through the Bee Gees to King Crimson, we get an insight into Doherty’s listening and music collecting habits via both his own thoughts on a selection of his favourite records and Laverty’s accompanying photographs. Missed the first installment in the company of Tree from Belfast prog band Kasper Rosa? Go here. ___ The Secret – Solve et Coagula Love this album. So intense and relentless. I…

  • Everything They’ve Learnt: More Than Conquerors

    September 23, 2013 - By 

    As eagerly anticipated local album releases go, the debut full-length effort by Belfast-based alt-rock four-piece More Than Conquerors ranks right up there. Two years in the making and countless breathtaking gigs since their formation four years ago, the release of Everything I’ve Learnt will surely mark a new chapter in the band’s climb to the top. Ahead of the album’s launch at Belfast’s Limelight 2 tonight, Monday, September 23, we talk to Kris Platt and Danny Ball from the band about where More Than Conquerors have come, where they are and where they want to go. Two years in the making,…

  • 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…

  • In Review: Culture Night Belfast 2013

    September 23, 2013 - By 

    With the dust having settled on just about one of the most absorbing nights of art, culture and music that Belfast has ever seen, we gather the thoughts and verdicts of various people who experienced Culture Night Belfast 2013. If the following short selection impressions and opinions isn’t a glowing testament to the power and need for such an annual event, what is? Congratulations to all the participants, organisers and volunteers. We can’t wait for next year already. Andrew Lemon, The Thin Air reviews editor and freelance music writer: “The official attendance figure for this year’s Culture Night stands at 42,000. It’s impressive…

  • 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…

  • Classic album: Mercury Rev – Deserter’s Songs

    September 24, 2013 - By 

    No-one expected this. Previously, Mercury Rev had been the David Baker fronted psyche-noise outfit that was as likely to pick a fight with the audience than write a work of transcendent beauty. Records like Yerself is Steam and Boces are great fun, full of guitars that are distorted to the point where they cease being guitars, and crazy, stream of consciousness lyrics. But they certainly didn’t position the band as one of the most significant bands of the 90s, and this is exactly what Deserter’s Songs did. A couple of things had to happen in order for this change to take place, though. Baker was out,…

  • In Photos: Culture Night Belfast 2013

    September 21, 2013 - By 

    Ahead of our feature review on Monday, we present a wonderful selection of photographer Joe Laverty’s shots of this year’s Culture Night Belfast. With 250 events taking popping up in 70+ venues across the city to thousands of people, it turned out to be a totally kaleidoscopic exposé of art, music and culture – undoubtedly the annual event’s best outing to date. Check out Joe’s photos below and make sure to check to read our review!

  • Manic Street Preachers – Rewind The Film

    September 20, 2013 - By 

    This must be said as a precursor to this whole review. I love the Manic Street Preachers. I love almost everything that they have done; I’m the type of fan who thinks that Lifeblood isn’t a catastrophic  failure and who has literally spent 11 straight hours listening to their entire discography. Needless to say that I am somewhat bias toward the Welsh trio. But even with this level bias in favour of the band, I say with the utmost integrity and honest that their eleventh and latest release, Rewind The Film, is undeniably one of the best albums the band has ever produced and ranks as…