• Track Record: Danny Carroll (Shrug Life)

    July 11, 2017 - By 

    Gentleman, indie-pop trouveur, broadcaster, podcaster, creative conspirator and Ireland’s answer to peak-era Morrissey (sans the casual racism and declining stature) Danny Carroll of Dublin’s Shrug Life waxes passionate about his favourite records, including Mission of Burma, No Spill Blood, The Specials, So Cow & Squarehead and more. Photos by Tara Thomas. Thin Lizzy – Thin Lizzy A few years ago I made a documentary on Thin Lizzy’s founding guitarist Eric Bell. It remains among the better things I’ve done with my life. He’s an absolute hero and in my biased opinion, is deeply underrated. This is the band’s self-titled debut album…

  • Track Record: Steve Caffrey (Destriers)

    April 5, 2017 - By 

    Studio Manager of Sound Training Productions & Temple Lane Studios and vocalist/guitarist in Dublin experimental punk band Destriers, Steve Caffrey reveals some of his all-time favourite records, including The Locust, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Minor Threat and At The Drive-In. Photos by Colum O’Dwyer. Destriers’ debut 7″ Cynosure will be out soon on Distro-y Records. They play The Poor Relation in Cork on Friday with Bailer, Parthalon, Horse and Ilenkus, as well as The Roisin Dubh in Galway on Saturday, April 8 with Rest & Ilenkus. At The Drive In – Relationship of Command This album came out at a time when Rage Against The Machine, Nu Metal…

  • Track Record: Josh Guyett (Ilenkus)

    April 2, 2017 - By 

    Josh Guyett of Galway metal/hardcore band Ilenkus and tireless promoters FEAST Presents reveals and waxes lyrical about some of his all-time favourite records, including Dillinger Escape Plan, Girl Band and giveamanakick. Photos by Sean McCormack Ilenkus play the following dates to mark the release of their new Hunger 7″. April 7: The Poor Relation, Cork (w/ Bailer/Horse/Partholon/Destriers) April 8: Roisin Dubh, Galway (w/ Rest/Destriers) April 13: Live Video Recording, Dublin (limited spaces available) April 14: Voodoo, Belfast (w/ Unyielding Love/Molarbear) April 16: Dolans, Limerick (Siege Of Limerick) Miss Machine – Dillinger Escape Plan I first heard this record back in ’05 and I literally couldn’t…

  • Track Record: Craig McCloskey (Hornets/Destriers)

    February 28, 2017 - By 

    Craig McCloskey from Belfast bands Hornets and Destriers selects and waxes (ahem) lyrical about some of his most prized records, including Chelsea Wolfe, Baptists, Code Orange Kids, The Chariot and Booker T. & The M.G.’s. Photos by Dee McEvoy. Hornets release their new album, Witch Hunt, on 12″ coloured vinyl and digital download in April. Chelsea Wolfe – Apokalypsis Chelsea Wolfe is relatively huge now, what with her song used in one of the Game of Thrones trailers, but I still prefer her older records that sound way less electronic/produced and a bit more folk-ey.  I love the intro track on this record,…

  • Track Record: Ruan Van Vliet

    October 24, 2016 - By 

    Popical Island co-founder and Dublin-based artist Ruan Van Vliet shares some of the more curious gems in his record collection, including Abigail & The Horsey, Ketaminnie Driver and Ammo Blood. Photos by Aaron Corr. Tutankhamun Joyner – Celestial Brouhaha Already a well known sideman in groups led by John Coltrane, Alice Coltrane and Barry Coltrane, Joyner stepped out on his own with this debut as band leader on the Impulse! label in 1969. Energy music, free skronk, multiphonic overblowing, spiritual yodelling – this is a huge mess and I can’t make head nor tails of it. Nightmare. Peepin’ Tommy Pervis – Outside…

  • Track Record: Ruairi Paxton (Galants)

    October 17, 2016 - By 

    In the latest installment of Track Record, Ruairi Paxton from Dublin noise-pop band Galants lets us into his homestead to have a flick through some of his all-time favourite records, including Guided By Voices, Thee Oh Sees and Galaxie 500. Photos by Pedro Giaquinto. Guided By Voices – Bee Thousand There was a phase between 2006 – 2008 when I was obsessed with this band. There is a documentary called Watch Me Jump Start about GBV. I must have watched it 100 times. I just love this early 90’s lo-fi period. I eventually gave the DVD to a friend Patrick…

  • Track Record: Jess Kav (BARQ)

    October 8, 2016 - By 

    Dublin musician and BARQ frontwoman Jess Kav handpicks a selection of records that have left an indelible imprint on her music and life, including Chaka Khan, Jape, Ella Fitzgerald and Flying Lotus. Photos by Moira Reilly. Hiatus Kaiyote – Choose Your Weapon Future-Soul deliciousness from Australia or, to quote them, “polyrhythimic, multidimensional gangsta shit”. The album kicks you in the face with glitchy vocals and operatic intensity from the first song ‘By Fire’. Nai Palm’s voice can hold so much sass and vulnerability simultaneously, god I fucking love her. I feel like she’s life-coaching me with her lyrics. Listen out…

  • Track Record: Richard Dowling (WAV Mastering)

    September 13, 2016 - By 

    As the most experienced mastering engineer in Ireland, it’s no surprise that Richard Dowling has an extensive, far-reaching record collection. Having founded WAV Mastering 10 years ago this Autumn, 2017 will mark his 30th year working in audio, with clients ranging from Christy Moore, Choice Music Prize winners SOAK and Jape, David Bowie, Foo Fighters and Suede to name a few.  In the latest installment of Track Record, Aaron Corr captures the Limerick engineer selecting some of his all-time favourite records. David Bowie – Hunky Dory ‘Life On Mars’, ’nuff said. Andy Warhol looks a scream, I’ve him hanging on my wall. Chvrches – The…

  • Track Record: Toby Kaar

    July 14, 2016 - By 

    In the latest installment of Track Record, Cork producer Toby Kaar talks us through some of his all-time favourite records, featuring Kanye West, Warieka Hill Sounds and Fleetwood Mac. Various Artists – No Oil Crisis This is a really funny record. A New Thing album in response to the Gulf Oil crisis. I’ve never understood that kind of contrived connection between music and current events. Like the time they sent Rahzel out on a boat to beatbox about melting icecaps. Anyway, I got this in a second-hand record shop in Bristol. The album is a great cross-section of the kind of…

  • Track Record: Cian Ó Cíobháin (An Taobh Tuathail)

    May 30, 2016 - By 

    Presenter of Ireland’s best radio show, An Taobh Tuathail on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, Cian Ó Cíobháin reveals some of his all-time favourite records. Photos by Sean McCormack. Sonic Youth – EVOL Looking back, it now seems to me that this was the album that ‘trained’ my ears to appreciate more experimental sounds.  Picture it.  Prior to discovering this, one of Sonic Youth’s strangest records, originally released in 1986, I had been mostly listening to what was on the radio and perhaps just been eased into ‘indie’ music by The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays.  I can’t recall how or…