• The Record: And So I Watch You From Afar @ Start Together Studios

    July 30, 2014 - By 

    In he latest installment of The Record, Jill Moffett exclusively shoots North Coast post-rock quartet And So I Watch You From Afar record their forthcoming fourth studio album at Belfast’s Start Together Studios. Produced by Rocky O’Reilly, the record – expected to be released next year – will be the follow-up to the band’s 2013 Sargent House debut, All Hail Bright Futures. And So I watch You From Afar will play a Sargent House label show at Dublin’s Button Factory Wednesday, August 27. Check out the photos from Start Together below.

  • Track Record: Caoilian Sherlock (The Shaker Hymn)

    June 27, 2014 - By 

    In the latest installment of Track Record – a feature looking at the record collections of Irish musicians and artists – photographer Brid O’Donovan shoots Caoilian Sherlock, lead singer and guitarist for Cork alt-rock four-piece The Shaker Hymn choosing and selecting some of his all-time favourite records, everything from legendary West Coast rappers and local psych-rock masters. The Clash – London Calling This is the only Clash album I actually like. When myself and my friend Oran were fifteen we went to Kerry for a holiday and we had two albums. Oran was the first person I met that knew about records…

  • The First Time: Robyn G Shiels

    May 29, 2014 - By 

    Whether you’re completely new to or just need a little reminding, The First Time is a regular feature by Belfast-based photographer Joe Laverty, in which he meets up with an individual – usually a musician – involved in Irish music, takes a spectacular portrait photo and proceeds to enquire about their musical “firsts” – first album, first gig, first band shirt, etc. Up this time is Kilrea-derived songwriter extraordinaire Robyn G Shiels, a tale-telling master who will launch his long-awaited second studio album, The Blood of the Innocents, at Belfast’s Black Box on Saturday night (May 31). The shoot took place…

  • Cork Heads: Pretty Handsome Studio

    June 3, 2014 - By 

    In the second installment of her wonderfully-titled column Cork Heads – looking at some of the brightest sparks in Cork’s currently thriving arts scene – photographer Brid O’Donovan talks to Billy ‘Pretty Boy’ Browne and Roisin ‘Handsome’ Hanley from Pretty Handsome Studio, a project that combines the DIY aesthetic of screen printing with inspired musings and doodlings in a mission to produce the finest t-shirts, designs and prints for your wondering eyes to feast on. [How it all started] Billy: We were in college together, studying design communication in CIT. We were friends and then we got together at the end of first…

  • The Record #004: Funzo

    May 2, 2014 - By 

    The brainchild of Liam McDermott, Dublin hip-hop group Funzo have had a prolific and tireless journey since their inception in 2009. With 250 live shows – including numerous high-profile festival appearances – under their belt, they launch their debut album, The Great Lonesome, at Dublin’s Twisted Pepper on Saturday, May 17. Talking to us for the latest installment of The Record, McDermott fills us in about his songwriting process, the recording of the “concept” album and his very generous plan for its launch. In-studio photos by Shaun Neary. Hi Liam. You recently recorded your new album, The Great Lonesome. First off, can you tell us…

  • The First Time: Johno Leader (The Radioactive Grandma)

    April 30, 2014 - By 

    Not for the last time, it’s the The First Time time. Belfast-based photographer Joe Laverty delivers yet another wonderful portrait shot, this time of Johno Leader from Co. Cavan acoustic indie-rock band The Radioactive Grandma, and gets the musician’s music-buying, making and loving firsts, traversing everyone from Moby, Val Normal, R Kelly and the Prodigy. First album you bought? The very first album I ever bought was purchased with vouchers that I got for my birthday. I was about 15 or 16 years old and that album was 1977 by Ash. It got played about five times before I was introduced to…

  • TTA @ 1: A Year of Photography

    April 30, 2014 - By 

    Five thousand photographs is an impressive feat for our photographers and an even more difficult task to whittle them down to a gallery showcasing 150 fantastic images that represent what we’ve been doing for an entire year. Having worked as photo editor at State.ie and AU Magazine before starting from scratch at The Thin Air, I found myself in the unique position of hand picking a team of photographers. I was presented with some snappers whom I was familiar with previously, some I worked along side in the pit at gigs and some fresh meat all with varying backgrounds and experience. Quality…

  • Frame by Frame #009: Sullivan & Gold – Glory

    April 29, 2014 - By 

    In the ninth installment of Frame by Frame, Belfast-based photographer and filmmaker Colm Laverty talks to Ben Robinson from Derry acoustic duo Sullivan & Gold and director Michael Barwise about the former’s recent, rather lovely video for their single ‘Glory’. Hi guys. First off, tell us a little bit about each of your roles on this music video. Michael: I was director and editor on the video. In a sentence, what sets ‘Glory’ apart from other Northern Irish music videos? Ben: We’ve wanted to keep Sullivan & Gold something quite organic and homely. Forget Myself was one of the ‘poppier’…

  • Track Record: Somadrone

    April 29, 2014 - By 

    Electronic producer/musician Neil O’Connor AKA Somadrone sits down with Ian Pearce to give his ten LPs that have influenced him. Somadrone’s fourth album, The First Wave, which was recorded in San Francisco and Brooklyn and released in December 2013, is available to buy now via the Bodytonic website. White Noise – An Electric Storm Sixties English Psychedelic Music, but with a twist. Delia Derbyshire, who was part of BBC Radiophonic workshop, did all the electronics, which are stunning. This record was a big one for Broadcast. I went to see them play in the Sugar Club a good few years back. It…

  • Inbound: Under Tears

    April 29, 2014 - By 

    In the latest installment of Inbound, we talk to Berlin-based, Dublin musician Julie Chance (also of Kool Thing) about her current solo project as Under Tears and the emotional inspiration behind it. Exclusive photography featured by Berlin photograhers Wilkosz and Way. Hi Julie. Can you tell us a little bit about Under Tears, how you began and what the name means? After I broke up with my partner and bandmate last summer, I was going through a lot of pain and wrote a few songs about it. That’s basically how it started. You’re also one half of Kool Thing so how does this current…