• Monday Mixtape: Pissed Jeans

    March 4, 2024 - By 

    It’s early days but if Pennsylvanian hardcore heroes Pissed Jeans didn’t just return with one of the records of the year in Half Divorced, recorded sound – I’m afraid to report – is officially over. Released on Friday, it doubles as the band’s first album in seven years and delivers a dozen sludge-punk face rippers that rank right up there with their very best. Good luck finding fucked-off finesse more compelling than this in 2024. Which is to say we seriously wouldn’t advise that you pass on the band’s show in Dublin next month. Taking over Whelan’s main room on…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 1st March

    March 1, 2024 - By 

    Have at the very best Irish tracks and albums out today – and from the final week in February just gone – from Chalk feat. Fears, Pixie Cut Rhythm Orchestra, M(h)aol, Connor McCann, THEE U.F.O., Oisin Leech, Danny Carroll and more M(h)aol – Pursuit Pixie Cut Rhythm Orchestra – Problem Child Reevah – Golden Danny Carroll – I Am The Cheese I Am The Cheese by Danny Carroll Oisin Leech – One Hill Further THEE U.F.O – Bursting Egos Chalk feat. Fears – Bliss Connor McCann – Ever The Dreamer Shark School – 411

  • Chatting To The Cheesemonger: An Interview with Danny Carroll

    February 28, 2024 - By 

    A quintessential indie rock showman-turned-millennial songsmith in the classical mode, we have a chat with Danny Carroll ahead of the release of his solo debut LP I Am The Cheese, out this Friday. Your debut LP I Am The Cheese shares its title with a 1977 young adult fiction novel, written by Robert Cormier. Could you tell us about the poignancy of that title to yourself and this body of work? It’s a book I read when I was 12 and was pretty haunted by. The final lines of the novel refer back to the folk song ‘The Farmer In…

  • A Band Apart: An Interview With Gilla Band

    February 29, 2024 - By 

    Next year marks a mind-melting decade since we hosted two sold-out headliners by Gilla Band at Belfast’s Bar Sub. Coming off the back of a trouncing set in support of Slint at the Limelight – and their second EP The Early Years – the shows confirmed the arrival of a blitzing force in forward-pushing noise rock. Three genre-defining LPs, a two-year hiatus, one name change, and heaps of well-earned international recognition later, the Dara Kiely-fronted four-piece are on the cusp of a thrilling new era. Ahead of their long-awaited return to Belfast next week, we chat to guitarist Alan Duggan…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 23rd February

    February 23, 2024 - By 

    Take it from us, it’s a bumper week for world-beating Irish music. Get lost in the very best of it, from Blue Whale’s perfectly-titled ‘I Wanna Be Your Da,’ to HAVVK, MELTS, PANIKATAX, Chubby Cat, Conn Thornton, Anamore Drive, KAJA and beyond Blue Whale – I Wanna Be Your Da HAVVK – Take It From Me MELTS – Altered Fishwyfe – Ricky Peer Pleasure – Rest In Bits PANIKATAX – Hand In Hand KAJA – MRNG TRX MRNG TRX by KAJA Chubby Cat – 100 Miles an Hour Conn Thornton – Acrobat Mathman – Show Me Anamoe Drive – Procrastination…

  • Digging Deep: Introducing DUG

    February 21, 2024 - By 

    Off the back of their first-ever show and debut single ‘Jubilee,’ Dublin-based folk duo DUG, aka Lorkin O’Reilly and California native Jonny Pickett, speak to Ciara Byrne about new beginnings and what looks set to be a very bright future. In the aftermath of their debut single, ‘Jubilee,’ and two sold-out shows at Whelan’s in Dublin, DUG injects fresh energy and a comedic twist into the age-old fusion of Irish folk and American old-time music. October 2023 marked the inception of the project, a collaboration between songwriter Lorkin O’Reilly and California native Jonny Pickett. Their musical journey began amidst the…

  • A Strange, Much-Missed Feeling: The Return of Casavettes

    February 21, 2024 - By 

    Last month, the news of return of Limerick emo legends Casavettes after four years away was met with no shortage of rejoicing on Irish music Twitter (and Instagram etc. etc.) Ahead of a handful of eagerly-anticipated shows from the band – kicking off in Galway on Friday – Mike Ryan picks the brain of frontman Diarmuid O’Shea about second acts, sonic evolution, Ireland’s DIY scene and – an old classic to end all old classics – the strange passing of time. It’s been 5 years (almost to the day) since your debut album, Senselessness, and just over 4 years since…

  • Monday Mixtape: Trá Pháidín

    February 19, 2024 - By 

    In our debut – that is long overdue – Monday Mixtape as Gaeilge, Connemara’s many-headed experimental enigma Trá Pháidín takes us on a sonic traipse via Astrid Sonne, Little Simz, Mabé Fratti and more Image provided: The Human Bridge of Carrick-on-Suir, sponsored by Paolo Soprani An 424 by Trá Pháidín Floyd Tillman – I Love You So Much it Hurts Chuala mé seo don chéad uair ar cheirnín de R. Stevie Moore darbh ainm “Glad Music” agus tháinig mé ar aríst i bailiúchain ceol tíre darbh ainm “Colombia Country Classics” ar útube. Cíneal gas é cloisteáil i gcomhthéacs eagsúil den…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 16th February

    February 16, 2024 - By 

    After a relatively quiet few weeks, delve the best of a big week for Irish music, featuring new singles and albums from Fears, Boyfrens, Cherym, Lemonade Shoelace, Trophy Wife and more Fears – 11249 feat Jemima Coulter and Ailbhe Reddy Boyfrens – Dublin Based Icon EP Dublin Based Icon by boyfrens Cherym – Take It Or Leave It Laytha – Throat of the Wind Colm Warren – Alright Trophy Wife – Partygirl Robbie Stickland – Lastingness Lastingness by Robbie Stickland Dug – Jubilee Living Things – If Even Neil Brogan – Outside Chance New Light EP by Neil Brogan Lemonade…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 9th February

    February 9, 2024 - By 

    Alpha Chrome Yayo, Gurriers, Lucy Gaffney, DUG and Niamh Regan are among the heavy hitters for new Irish music this week. Delve in below. Gurriers – Des Goblin Alpha Chrome Yayo – Home for Hitodama Home for Hitodama by Alpha Chrome Yayo Lucy Gaffney – Big Love DUG – Jubilee Cosha – Fire Me Up Niamh Regan – Madonna Really Good Time – Retreat To The Cubicle Stomptown Brass – The Earth Was Flat Ria Rua – Asking For It Asking For It by RIA RUA