• Playlist: Literature In Music – From Mastodon to Kate Bush

    October 16, 2013 - By 

    On what would have been his 159th birthday (pending a range of frankly inconceivable factors), the status of Oscar Wilde as one of literature’s greatest wits and stylistic visionaries is one completely set in stone. Having permeated the music and lyrics of innumerable composers bands from Prokofiev to the Smiths down the ages, it got us thinking: “Hey, wait a minute! There’s tonnes of songs written about (or that reference) novels and books not necessarily written by Oscar Wilde. That justifies a Spotify playlist, surely?” Admittedly, not the greatest “Eureka!” moment in history but perservere we did in the name of…

  • Watch: Pixies – Andro Queen

    October 7, 2013 - By 

    Alt-rock demigods Pixies have unveiled the Ondi Timoner-directed video to the latest single, ‘Andro Queen’. Taken from the band’s recent EP-1, the single is the follow-up to ‘Indie Cindy’ – the band’s first single without Kim Deal – released last month. Pixies play Dublin’s Olympia theatre on November 18 and 19. Watch the video for ‘Andro Queen’ below.

  • Recap: Hello Skinny, Dig, Survival Knife, etc.

    September 9, 2013 - By 

    This week’s installment of Recap – our weekly look back at the best songs released the week previous – is arguably our most diverse collection to date. Featuring three Irish acts of varying stature and attack, and a new track by a band that describe themselves as… wait for it… “post-music”. More Than Conquerors – Try-Antlers Ahead of the release of their debut album next month, Northern Irish four-piece More Than Conquerors released new tracks, ‘Jaw’ and ‘Try-Antlers’, on Wednesday afternoon. My favourite of the two is the latter – a brilliantly brooding distillation of the band’s increasingly inimitable alt-rock shtick. Dig –…

  • Pixies release surprise EP

    September 3, 2013 - By 

    Despite losing a founding member in Kim Deal a couple of months, Pixies have released a surprise EP titled EP-1 – their first multi-track release of original material in twenty-two years. Set to be the first in a series of EPs by the Frank Black-fronted (above) band over the next year or so, the four-track release is available to purchase digitally and on vinyl here. To accompany the release, the band have also unveiled the video to its lead single, the (actually pretty good) ‘Indie Cindy’. Check out the video and the tracklisting for the release below! 1. ‘Andro Queen’ 2.…

  • Watch: Kim Deal – Are You Mine?

    August 15, 2013 - By 

    Having recently left the Pixies and been busy touring Last Splash as part of its 20th anniversary with the Breeders, Kim Deal has found some time to record some new solo material. Paired with ‘Wish I Was’ – available via her website on 7″ vinyl – ‘Are You Mine?’ has been released with a accompanying video. Undergoing a fit of creativity of sorts, Deal also recently unveiled the tracks ‘Walking With a Killer’ and ‘Hot Shot’. Watch the video to ‘Are You Mine?’ – directed by Kurt Ralske – via Vimeo below.

  • Pixies set to play Dublin in November

    July 1, 2013 - By 

    Three days after they released their first song in nine years – ‘Bagboy’ – the Pixies have announced the first leg of a forthcoming world tour, stopping off at Dublin’s Olympia on November 18 and November 19. With the band’s frontman Frank Black stating the band will play “songs that we haven’t played in ages or never live before” the Muffs’ bassist Kim Shattuck has been confirmed as a replacement for the band’s founding member Kim Deal, who left the band last month. With the first having sold out, tickets for November 19 show are available to purchase via Ticketmaster…

  • Stream: The Pixies – Bagboy

    June 28, 2013 - By 

    Two weeks after founding bassist Kim Deal announced that she was leaving the band, the Pixies have released a brand new song, ‘Bagboy’ Nine years since their latest single release – 2004’s slightly iffy ‘Bam Thwok’ – the band have returned with a genuinely impressive, totally unexpected dose of classic Pixies. Stream the track below!

  • Kim Deal leaves the Pixies

    June 14, 2013 - By 

    Pixies bassist and co-vocalist Kim Deal has announced that she is to leave the legendary Boston band, 9 years after they reunited in 2004. The band posted an announcement on their Facebook page stating: “We are sad to say that Kim Deal has decided to leave the Pixies. We are very proud to have worked with her on and off over the last 25 years. Despite her decision to move on, we will always consider her a member of the Pixies, and her place will always be here for her. We wish her all the best. Black Francis, Joey Santiago…