The times they are dismaying so a swamp blues protest song of sorts is very much called for.
Step forward former Trouble Pilgrim Paddy Goodwin, who delivers a scathing j’accuse of our political overlords.
His backing band here includes Horslips legend Jim Lockhart on flute and keyboards and we must give a shout out to Enda Whyte for the powerful visceral video.
Paddy can be seen in action on September 19 when he plays guitar for The Atrix at their album retrospective launch in The Sugar Club.
Welcome back to the wonderful and frightening world of Dara Kiely and co.
One of the Irish indie scene’s marquee names, Girl Band have turned to director Bob Gallagher for their startling new video. Cue the sinister shrink hypnotising his bewildered patient.
Are Girl Band this nation’s saving grace? See for yourself when they release their sophomore album The Talkies on September 27.
Last week, with two free tickets to the Jeff Buckley tribute night in Whelan’s [Dublin 2] on August 22 on offer, I asked you to name your favourite song by the late troubadour.
You answered in your tens.
But there could be only one winner.
Runners-up:
Brian the Lion writes:
‘A girl and I made love listening to Grace on repeat and I will never forget it. hallelujah and nakedness. Amazing. There was a moment when the the band comes in to Eternal Life at the beginning and my stomach butterflies even to this day. It was summer and it was raining and it was the day after a party. If I ever loose some parts of my memory, I will fight to keep that one.’
Andrew writes:
‘Last Goodbye. Really reminds me of a friend I lost this year. Too young to die and I think about him everyday. I can’t understand it. Lilac Wine is beautiful too.’
Winner:
Niamh writes:
‘I was quite a sensitive soul at school, so one of my teachers gave me a lend of ‘Live A L’Olympia’ to tape onto cassette. At one point Jeff sings ‘manger beaucoup de fromaaaaaaaage’ into the mic between songs. The favourite was always ‘Dream Brother’…my mam yelled up the stairs at me to turn it down.God but Jeff was beautiful. PS please give me the tix. I want to ask a cute boy out.’
It’s a frankly unbelievable 25 years since the late, great Jeff Buckley released his debut album Grace.
In fact, on the day it came out Jeff played an unforgettable show (top) in Whelan’s of Wexford Street, Dublin 2.
To mark the occasion there will be a special tribute show in the same venue featuring the same house band who recently played a blinder at the Elliott Smith tribute gig.
To be in with a chance of winning my free TWO tickets to I Heart Jeff Buckley on Friday August 23, simply tell me below what your favourite Jeff Buckley song or memory is.
The Howth Roots and Blues Festival kicks off across Howth, County Dublin with a bunch of FREE gigs exploring roots, blues and Americana. More details below.
If you are partial to rattling post-punk guitar stylings with moody gothic lyrics, then you are going to love The Murder Capital.
The video by Ethan Barrett and Tom Gullam evokes pagan midsummer rituals that may convince you to avoid that walk in woods.
Singer James McGovern and the gang’s promotional tour for their new album When I Have Fears starts THIS afternoon at 1pm in The Thomas House basement venue on Thomas Street, Dublin 8.
