• 20 Years of Being Brave – How Marillion Crawled Back From Obscurity

    February 20, 2014 - By 

    Twenty years ago, a record called Brave hit number ten on the UK album chart. It was by a band who had best been known for ‘Kayleigh’, a hit single they’d had nine years earlier, fronted by a different singer. It’s all ancient history now, but the band are still going, and whilst they’re still largely known for that hit single, the hardcore fans have been celebrating the Brave anniversary with much fanfare, a veritable army of fans rhapsodising over the raw, emotive music contained within the album. But how can a band who are arguably remembered for one 29…

  • Interview: The Return of the Dangerfields

    February 18, 2014 - By 

    Having disbanded back in 2010 after a decade and innumerable (and unforgettable) performances, Belfast punk rock/heavy metal heroes Dangerfields are returning to the stage for “one night only” at Belfast’s Warzone on Friday, February 21. Touching on the whys, whos and whats of their highly-anticipated comeback, we talk to the band’s drummer/vocalist Andrew Griswold. Hi Andrew You’re set for a “one night only” return at the Warzone on Friday night. I suppose the logical first question is… why now? Basically because Christopher Owens kept pestering me. I really didn’t want to get the band back together, even for one night, but…

  • Frame by Frame #003: Feet For Wings – Cathedral St

    February 17, 2014 - By 

    Having just unveiled the stunning yet subtle video for their new single single, ‘Cathedral St’, Belfast acoustic-folk band Feet For Wings talk to Colm Laverty about its production, the thematic and inspirational impetus behind its creation and their individual thoughts on music videos and the making thereof. Warning: contains a single reference to Miley Cyrus. Proceed at your peril. First off, tell us a little bit about each of your roles on this music video. Dave: The whole band contributed in finding the location to shoot the performance and generally sort things like dates, gear etc out. Apart from that…

  • Classic Album: Bark Psychosis – Hex

    February 14, 2014 - By 

    You’re familiar with post-rock, right? Long, usually instrumental tracks that start off quiet and pretty, build slowly then BOOM – erupt into cathartic crescendo, before tailing off with a swooning little coda. That’s post-rock. Beautiful and yes, intense, but formulaic; “alternative” muzak safe enough to accompany football highlights, teen melodramas and Sir David Attenborough whispering feverishly over infra-red footage of rutting beasts. Let’s rewind back to 1994. Mojo hack (and subsequent alt-music historian) Simon Reynolds slips the promo from a new British band into his stereo and presses play. The sounds which ooze from his speakers are alien – an…

  • Inbound: Women’s Christmas

    February 17, 2014 - By 

    Comprised of members from Dublin bands Villagers, Jogging and No Monster Club, lo-fi indie rock three-piece Women’s Christmas are much more than just an intriguing band name. Having released the superb debut EP, Tremendous, last month, we chat to the Ronan Jackson from the band about their formation, the recording of the aforementioned release and what 2014 holds in store for the band in terms of playing, recording and getting their music out there. Hi Ronan. First thing’s first: how did Women’s Christmas come into being? It was a pile of guitar songs that I had kicking around for about two or…

  • Me vs. You: An Alternative Valentine’s Day Playlist

    February 14, 2014 - By 

    That time of year is upon us again. The time when florists and chocolatiers hike up their prices and card makers try to make us feel somehow unfulfilled because we don’t have a significant other in our pathetic and worthless lives. And all in an attempt to guilt us out of our hard earned money in some fake show of affection. Well, I say fuck that. Take your soppy love songs and cringeworthy Hallmark sentiments and shove ’em where the sun don’t shine, baby! It is time for those of us who are single (by choice or not), for those of…

  • Classic Album: The Smiths (1984)

    February 13, 2014 - By 

    Hindsight is a wonderful thing. After 30 years of disappointments, you can look back and see exactly what started it all, throwing all amount of history and emotional baggage on top of it to make some kind of distorted, grotesque picture of what it was like. But when you sit down to listen to The Smiths‘ debut album, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this month, you’d be forgiven for wondering what all the fuss is about. For an album that supposedly changed everything, it’s so damn ordinary. The Smiths’ debut had a tortured genesis, involving betrayal, back room deals, and…

  • Hardwell and the Defence of Dance

    February 12, 2014 - By 

    To read the hysterical coverage following last week’s Hardwell concert, you’d think that end times were upon us: thousands of feral, drug-abusing teenagers on the rampage with the Dutch DJ as their dark prince. The debate over the next couple of days was depressingly predictable, with fingers pointed at dance music, drugs and “prinking”, or pre-drinking – a catchy new name for a custom as old as the hills. Hardwell’s Edinburgh show was even cancelled as a frankly bizarre precaution. But there’s no need to panic. This was a 16+ event featuring a globally successful dance music star, in a…

  • Interview: Maximo Park

    February 11, 2014 - By 

    In the nine years since the release of their Mercury Prize nominated debut album, A Certain Trigger, Newcastle indie rock band Maximo Park have evolved and expanded upon their boundlessly energetic and impassioned approach to accommodate their collective desire to avoid repeating themselves. With their new album, Too Much Information, embracing a decidedly more electronic approach to an exceptional end result, the Paul Smith-fronted are once more commanding critical clout for their unmistakable brand of zealous and adrenaline-fuelled indie rock. Ahead of their highly-anticipated return to Belfast on March 1, Shannon O’Neill talks to the band’s keyboardist/vocalist Lukas Wooller about the writing of…

  • Frame By Frame #002: September Girls – Green Eyed

    February 10, 2014 - By 

    Following on from a feature on the making of Cliff Richard by Abandcalledboy, Belfast-based photographer and filmmaker and Colm Laverty chats to Jessie from Dublin noise pop band September Girls about her brilliant and thoroughly DIY video for the band’s recent single, ‘Green Eyed’. First off, tell us a little bit about each of your roles on this music video. I’m Jessie and I play the red guitar in the band… and I also directed this video! In a sentence, what sets ‘Green Eyed’ apart from other Irish music videos? It was a very DIY affair, made by the band,…