• Trans-Europe Express #3: Lithuania

    April 22, 2014 - By 

    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…

  • Getting Re-Acquainted: Bob Dylan – Jokerman

    April 21, 2014 - By 

    It’s strange how, nearly 50 years after someone shouted “JUDAS!” in the Manchester Free Trade Hall in 1966, Bob Dylan still has the power to provoke a reaction. For many people, he’ll forever be the wiry, electric veined pop-provocateur of the mid 60s, re-writing the rulebook on the way to burning himself out, whilst for others, he’s still the prototype folkie, with his work boots and dirty denims, honking on a harmonica whilst calling out injustice wherever he finds it. Dylan’s 70s records are reasonably well regarded, with 1975’s Blood on the Tracks still remaining the archetypical ‘breakup’ album, and his late…

  • Interview: Old Fang

    April 18, 2014 - By 

    Ahead of its official launch at Belfast’s Menagerie on Thursday, May 15, we talk to multi-talented musical visionary of sorts Thomas Camblin, founder of new-fangled (ahem) record label OLD FANG. Endeavouring to “discover, develop, release and promote new and contemporary artists with a progressive vision” the label is already off to a hugely positive start, with various local artists and creative peers of the Camblin extolling what looks set to be an interesting and exciting project for all involved. Hi Thomas. First off, can you tell us how the label came about – has it been in development long and…

  • Cork Heads: Sarah Corcoran; Stylist

    April 17, 2014 - By 

    In the first installment of her (let’s face it, absolutely ingenuously-titled) column Cork Heads – looking at some of said county’s brightest and fastest-rising talents – Brid O’Donovan introduces us to Cork-based fashion stylist Sarah Corcoran, touching upon her fashion background, figuring out her approach and what the future holds. Brid’s photos feature photographer Michal Zagorsky and the model Amy McNamara. [On Growing Up] I have been really into fashion since I was a kid. I remember there was this thing called a Fashion Wheel. You switched around the outfits using different combinations so I guess that was my first experience with styling!…

  • Inbound: CPNHGN

    April 16, 2014 - By 

    Vowels? Where we’re going we don’t need vowels. In the latest installment of Inbound, we chat to Conor Wilkins from Kildare/Dublin rock quartet CPNHGN about their name, formation, debut album and plans for the next coming months. Hey Conor. Can you tell us a bit about CPNHGN and how you guys got together? Myself, Kev and Donal were playing as a three-piece band for a while and then we thought we should get another member in. The first person that came to mind was Ste, not only because of his rugged good looks and charm, but he really was exactly…

  • Confab Review: Avey Tare’s Slasher Flicks

    April 17, 2014 - By 

    Wait, who?  Avey Tare. He’s out of Animal Collective. Oh right. Has he gone solo? Not really, Animal Collective like to keep themselves busy with side projects. So what’s the Slasher Flicks bit? Is it horror picture music? Well I suppose that might depend on your tastes. But essentially no, there’s no long, suspenseful atmospherics followed by sudden dramatic explosions with added bone-crunching sound effects. Nor is it black metal. Is it just a name then? Good question. It does seem a little bit tacked on, a convenient story providing opportunities for blood-dripping photo shoots, spooky artwork and a comically…

  • Record Store Day 2014 Round-Up

    April 15, 2014 - By 

    Did you know that it was none other than Metallica who kickstarted Record Store Day back in 2008? Yes, James “Yeah-yeahhha” Hetfield and co. spearheaded the tentative inauguration of what has become an annual celebration of all things independent and vinyl-based right across the (ever-increasingly) audibly-appreciative globe. From the rather modest ten special RSD releases from the likes of Death Cab for Cutie, R.E.M. and Stephen Malkmus on its debut, there are hundreds of albums and EPs set to be released this Saturday, April 19; everything from Nirvana’s ‘Pennyroyal Tea’ 7″ to a 5LP Box Set of LCD Soundsystem’s a 5LP Box…

  • Frame by Frame #008: Joshua Burnside – Desert Wine

    April 14, 2014 - By 

    Over the last couple of years, Joshua Burnside has steadily and confidently established himself as one of the country’s more distinctive songwriting voices. Having honed his own brand of increasingly experimental folk, the young artist returned to Belfast’s Whites Tavern recently to launch his latest release, double single ‘Desert Wine/Platonia’. A raucous success (not unlike the launch of his previous EP, If You’re Goin’ That Way the year previous) the show felt a fully-fledged “arrival” of a musician who has been dredging the treasure of his songwriting soul over the last few years. In the latest installment of Frame by…

  • Frame by Frame #007: We Cut Corners – Best Friend

    April 9, 2014 - By 

    In the latest installment of Frame by Frame, Belfast-based filmmaker and photographer Colm Laverty talks to Dublin indie-rock duo We Cut Corners and creative duo Kijek and Adamski about the former’s recent, altogether spellbinding video for their single ‘Best Friend’, touching upon the creative process, the inspiration behind the animation, as well as music videos in general. We Cut Corners headline our next No Tomorrow night at Voodoo Belfast on Saturday, May 3. Go here for the show’s Facebook event page. First off, tell us a little bit about each of your roles on this music video. We Cut Corners: We…

  • Inbound: Arborist

    April 7, 2014 - By 

    Ahead of the release of their debut album, we talk to Mark McCambridge, frontman and songwriting core of Belfast-based band Arborist about the evolution of the project, the thematic foundations of the release and the many benefits derived from the freedom to experiment in the studio. Photos by Dave Timlin. Hi Mark. Arborist has just finished recording your debut album, Home Burial. Before talking about that, how has the journey been getting to this stage? Arborist began in Christmas 2012 and the goal was always to get to this point. A lot of the songs were already there – they…