• Reuben announce 10th Anniversary Edition of Racecar Is Racecar Backwards

    Post-hardcore trio Reuben are set to release a tenth anniversary edition of their debut album Racecar Is Racecar Backwards on November 3 as a double cd and limited edition white vinyl, which includes a download for the bonus disc, which has the following tracklist: 01. No One Wins the War (Live at the BBC)02. Horrorshow (Live at XFM)03. Stuck In My Throat (Racecar demo)04. Oh the Shame (Live at Echo FM)05. Fall of the Bastille (Live at XFM)06. Freddy Kreugar (Stakeout demo)07. Tonight My Wife Is Your Wife (Single version)08. Eating Only Apples (Live at the BBC)09. Our Song (Racecar demo)10. Let’s…

  • Northern Ireland Music Prize 2014 – Therapy? to perform Troublegum

    Following last year’s successful Northern Irish Music Prize ceremony, it has been announced that the second annual event will take place in the Mandela Hall in the Queen’s University Students’ Union on November 15. The ceremony awards a prize to the best Northern Irish album of the last year as voted for by a number of local media and industry professionals. Last year, Foy Vance won the album of the year prize with his excellent Joy Of Nothing, a strong album among many worthy contenders. Alt. metal trio Therapy? play their million-selling, Mercury Prize-shortlisted 1994 classic Troublegum LP in its entirety at the awards show on…

  • PigsAsPeople – The Plot Against Future Plans

    Belfast-based sludgy post-hardcore/noise rock trio PigsAsPeople release their mini-album – entitled The Plot Against Future Plans – with a free-entry show at the Mandela Hall on its launch date of September 25. This will be the follow up to their First Four Months and Idles & Us EPs, released in autumn 2012 & 2013 respectively (each of which are available on Bandcamp on a name-your-price basis). The album was recorded at Start Together Studios by Niall Doran earlier this year, and the tracklisting – featuring all-new songs, some of which have been played at recent shows – is as follows: 1. Rooks 2.…

  • Gigs of the Week: Electric Picnic, Twitch, Sargent House Label Show, Bonnie Prince Billy & Shizz The Fest

    With the now-sold-out largest music & arts festival in Ireland very much looming before us, it’s a relatively quiet week ahead in terms of gigs, but there are a few of doozies in the coming days scattered across the island. First and foremost: Electric Picnic – Stradbally Estate, Co. Laois; August 29-31 Unfortunately for most, it’s now too late to snap up tickets for Electric Picnic, but for those who wish to see out the Irish summer in style, there’s always one of the most eclectic bills on the circuit. For those who are heading, the Picnic contains some acts of…

  • Electric Picnic 2014: Seven Must-See Acts

    Sold out for the second year in a row with good reason, there’s obviously a veritable plethora of talent at Electric Picnic. As a result, it’s never easy to sift through all the bands you may or may not want to catch, so here’s our two cents on some of the acts you should choose to give a few of your minutes to. Slowdive Having reunited in January to play Primavera earlier in the year, Slowdive’s Electric Picnic appearance marks one of a limited number of reunited dates on these isles from the shoegaze masters. They released three albums in their…

  • His New Atlas – Torn Out Lungs EP

    The brainchild of young singer-songwriter Eoghan O’Hagan, aka His New Atlas, releases his new EP, Torn Out Lungs on September 5. The EP – his third since His New Atlas’ early 2013 inception – will be launched with a full band show at the Platform 1 Bar in Armagh on September 12, with further details yet to be announced. He has so far released the video for single ‘His Young’ – although a second single, ‘Pillars’ will be released along with a video in the not-too-distant future – which you can check out below:

  • Stream: Sea Pinks – Dream Happening

    Jangle/neo-surf pop outfit Sea Pinks have just unveiled ‘Dream Happening’, the first track from their aptly-titled upcoming album Dreaming Tracks. The LP will be Sea Pinks’ first release since single ‘An Exploded View‘ was put out last November. The album is to be released through independent Belfast specialist dream/surf/noise-pop label, CF Records on September 29. Stream ‘Dream Happening’ below:

  • Sea Pinks – Dreaming Tracks

    Neo-surf-pop act Sea Pinks release their new album, entitled Dreaming Tracks on September 29 through Belfast-based surf/jangle/noise pop specialist label, CF Records. This will be their first release since single ‘An Exploded View’ was put out last November. Check out ‘Dream Happening’ – the first track to be unveiled – below:

  • Robin Williams Tribute & Suicide Awareness Fundraiser @ The Pavilion

    Out of nowhere, we’ve lost one of the finest comedians of our generation. Gone at a sickeningly young age, Robin Williams has moved plains – instantly elsewhere, tragic, unfortunate but “what would he have wanted?” A party/gathering of aficionados raising funds for charity, that’s what.The night – which takes place at the Pavilion Bar on Friday, September 5 – will feature film, music, stand-up and everything in between. Let’s raise awareness/money for suicide awareness charities, and revel in the sheer comedic majesty of Robin McLaurin Williams, one of the greatest people to have ever existed.Entrance will be free but donations are welcome. Doors…

  • Stream: Mons Olympus – Critical Mass

    ‘Critical Mass’ is the debut single from Belfast’s latest riff-pedalling prog behemoths Mons Olympus and was produced by Mojo Fury’s Mike Mormecha. The track comes from their upcoming debut album Vampyroteuthis, which has a tentative release date of Spring 2015. Having been in the works for the last year, progressive trio Mons Olympus comprises Rory Dee, Luke Burns and John Quinn, the core members of Chocolate Love Factory, who officially disbanded earlier in 2014. ‘Critical Mass’ is available to download for a mere 88p from Bandcamp, but you can stream it below: Critical Mass by Mons Olympus