New Irish Music: Superstar Tradesmen

superstar tradesmen

Superstar Trademen are a Dublin based rock/ indie band made up of Connor Quinn, Brian Donnelly and Paul Moran. With gigs already under their belt in venues such as Whelans, the Academy, The Tara Rocks Festival and support to none other than Damian Dempsey, they are I think its fair to say [quite obviously] making fine tracks in the Irish music scene. Keep Writing by Superstar Tradesmen  That said, new Irish music is the title and that pretty much leaves the next bit over to you. In the go forth and listen department and highly recommended is the bands soundcloud page where you’ll find the likes of my favourite track Keep Writing and others like One Night Stand. More than that, the big Q has always been would I spend my hard earned dollars on their first album [?]: you’re damn right I would. Wanna find out more: Superstar Tradesmen … There’s more

Music: The Sweetest Silence by Storyfold

Storyfold have unveiled their latest music video for their brand new single ‘The Sweetest Silence’. Directed by Billy Keane, the video mixes film shot on location at World’s End Studios, Dublin and self-shot videos from the recording of their debut album at Modern World Studios in Tetbury, UK. The Sweetest Silence is the 4th single to be taken from ‘Rocket Science’ but the first to feature pianist Lindsey Hogan on lead vocals. The song was included in music blogger 2UIBestow’s ‘Best 10 Songs of 2011’. He said: From the first few seconds of this track you know this is a special tune. Lindsey’s lead vocals are delightful and work so well with Paddy’s backing vocals. This is a fantastic uplifting song that deserves to be played loud! The band also embarks on a mini Irish tour that includes headlining Whelan’s, Wexford Street this Friday, March 23rd. It will see the … There’s more

New Irish Music: Jerome’s Law

MOAR IRISH MUSIC! MOAR! One more for the road! Jerome’s Law are an indie-pop band from Dublin whose album Not Today is available (even today) from Bandcamp. For freebies! We do love a good freebie here on Culch, especially when it’s as full of delicious ditties as Not Today, and these boys know how to put a tune together. Both Throwing Stones and Say The Word soar without overworking that classic balladry build-up, and Kicking In The Brain is a finger-snapping frolic that’s only getting better with each play, and a serious contender for Irish Song Most Likely To Make You Do The Leo Strut 2012. Seriously charming. Give ‘em a spin.

New Irish Music: Valentine Black

I told you we had a medley of fresh new Irish stuff, didn’t I? Have a sprinkle of this. Kildare’s Valentine Black released debut album Desire Lines on Valentine’s Day, because like our John, he loves it when a plan comes together. With a more than a dash of Springsteen in these songs about love, loss, and post-Tiger Ireland, Valentine Black is probably a lasher in a live setting. I say probably because I’m not able to head out and see him for myself, because I’ve got no money, I’m not content, my mortgage is a fallacy and I’m just paying rent. Yes, I’m paraphrasing. While Desire Lines is occasionally overwrought, sometimes veering into mawkishness, Valentine Black is also capable of moments of genuine brilliance. In The Dead Of The Night is an eerily catchy murder ballad, with disturbing lyrics belted out with cocky cool, and it’s the standout track on the album. Desire Lines … There’s more

New Irish Music: Third Smoke.

♫ Hungry ears/one look at you and we can’t help but leer at your/Hungry ears… ♫ Ok, so our profound lack of lyrical dexterity is why us Culchies never quite took off as a travelling minstrel show. We’ve accepted this, so instead we’re happy to sate your aural appetite by bigging up the musical talents of our fellow countrymen. Today, we’ve got a medley of fresh ingredients for those ravenous organs of yours. Yes, the ones on your head. Pay attention! Dundalk’s Third Smoke are a foursome of bucks who haven’t so much rewritten the rule book as never realised it was there in the first place. Debut EP Tell A Friend is all raucous rock, stompalong beats and shoutalong choruses, and the lads flaunt a flair for harmony and a raspy passion that seems almost rude in such wee gasuns. Whichever blues brother frontman Hugh borrowed that pair of … There’s more

Events: Fingal Folk Club Presents ~ A Night of Love Songs

With this years Valentines falling on a Tuesday, yes, that’s this Tuesday today, it might just leave the Beau in your life wondering if it will be this weekend coming or following when he or even she will have that little something extra in store to say just how much you love her so. Have you still not noticed the hints….. ? Check the door of the fridge ? With the probability that you haven’t hired Martin Byrne to pop around and serenade yours most truly, the higher probability that you may be arrested should you start to sing from the front garden to the bedroom window or just that you forgot to read about the very romantic Valentine’s fondue for two accompanied by strawberries & marshmallows on offer at the local Kettle’s Country House Hotel, do not fear for Culch.ie has unearthed a back up plan for you! another … There’s more

Album Review: Delorentos – Little Sparks

Any dismissal I’ve heard of Delorentos’ charm seems to centre on the undeniable fact that they’re easy to listen to. They’re not challenging. You don’t have to wince through an album twice to “get” them. They don’t grow on you. They are immediately accessible, stirring from the get-go, and joyfully addictive. Anyone who believes this makes them a lesser band, or that they need to somehow atone for their user-friendliness, is a sneering numpty who needs to be clattered with an anvil. That said, there’s no doubt that new album Little Sparks is greater than the sum of everything that came before it. It’s an expansion of Delos’ sound, reintroducing them as an almost hyper-real version of themselves. Their trademark hooks are even punchier, their melodies sweeter, their danceability more likely to imperil the soles of your shoes. Album opener Did We Ever Really Try? is classic Delos deliciousness, hookier … There’s more

Real Trad Irish Session: Fingal Folk Club Returns for 2012

Returning for 2012 this Friday January 20th… In what looks like from the outside [and is if you must know] an old Irish national school hall, every Friday takes places what can only be one of Ireland’s hidden music gems. The great ones always are. Step inside however and you might be quite surprised…. Inside decorated cloth drapes the windows, lighting shines within certain parts of the rooms, image are blown onto the walls and the table tops are covered over with night lights placed in their centre. A little dark Parisian café-ish, but Irish. The musicians travel from all over and the difference ?

The Real Traditional Irish Music Session

It might not look like a place for a thumping night and due to life and natural cycles the trad session in Ballyboughal did take a mild reprieve [Dont we all do that], possibly explaining why it hasn’t appeared in my audio stream for some time. But it’s back…. and it seems better than ever before. Sometimes, it doesn’t even make sense, to some, when I explain this outside of Ireland; That it costs nothing. Nothing to enter or to listen to the music. That the musicians don’t get paid and – yet they come here, to play and to listen. Not in its favour ? In case you haven’t gathered, it’s no city centre superpub. Just for the pure craic.

New Traditional and Irish Music: Martin Byrne

Singer songwriter Martin Byrne has come a long way since we first spoke about him here on Culch.ie. After the release of his debut album My Ireland Martin has literally gone from strength to strength as earlier this year his song Home Sweet Home was covered by Louise Morrissey  and again most recently Matt Leavy also sang Home Sweet Home as he made his way to 2nd place in Glór Tíre on TG4. A singer songwriter could not ask for a greater compliment. Over the last few weeks at The Black bull Inn, Drogheda, Martin has compiled some of his personal favourites and some of his own tracks for us to enjoy. The video above is a little sampler of what you can expect. The album ‘My Ireland’ is available to buy in iTunes, at all good record stores and of course at any live gig. For Live Gigs and … There’s more

New Music: Land Lovers – Confidants

Despite tradition dictating that it should have been yesterday, and despite the earthy folk in Newgrange having arranged their whole calendars around it, the Winter Solstice apparently only staggered in this morning, bedheaded and bleary-eyed as we suppose December affairs should be. Today is the shortest day of the year, folks! So why not make it a little more deliciously cock-eyed by blasting some sweetshine indie-pop through your own inner chambers. Take that, natural order of things! Land Lovers are a Dublin pop band who sound like Supergrass crossed with Stornoway crossed with skinny-dipping in candyfloss. They make you want to dance like this. Ooh, lovely. Their new album (their first full-band album) is called Confidants and it’s making waves you’ll be tickled pink to get swept up by. Certainly it’s making Sinéad bop around Culch Towers like a dashboard bobble-head, which we think is just swell. Confidants – a … There’s more

New Music: Jericho

I do so love finding new Irish bands, so long as it’s not at the bottom of my bed at 3am, or in my welly on the third morning of Electric Picnic (could happen, John found a spider in his). And this new Irish band is something special. Jericho are a Cork five-piece funk-piece who draw inspiration from the likes of Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Earth, Wind and Fire. Not your usual local folksters, then. Frontman Darragh sounds like classic Michael Jackson after a wallop of fifteen unsugared coffees; smooth but gutsy, with a cheekiness that’s just the right side of legal. Jericho offer a slick take on the sexier end of soul, as much for fans of Friendly Fires than James Brown. The gang have just released the EP “Tantra”, and it’s available for free download here. Go on, oil up your hips for a wiggling and give it … There’s more