Nylophone – It’s Always Hallowe’en

Scary times.

Dreampop acolyte Niall Woods (top) aka Nylophone serves up a tongue-in-cheek horror anthem for the season.

The press release says:

“What a horrific year it’s been. Killer plagues and masks all year round make it seem like it’s always Halloween, and that’s exactly the theme of this release.

“Typically Niall’s output tends to be in the vein of melancholic dreampop, but for this release Niall has made use of a much grittier and kitsch sound palette. Think glam rock meets the Addams Family. Throbbing heavy guitars and wonky honky-tonk pianos blast out creepy chords while horror music staples like the mellotron, church organs and wolf howls make light-hearted appearances throughout.

“The lyrics are full of double-edged phrases that could either describe universal horror themes or be specifically applied to the past year.

“Drums were supplied by Chris Con, (formerly of Leo Drezden) and the song was mixed by Rian Trench (Panic Attacks/ Solar Bears).”

The video comes courtesy of Ignore The Spots.

Nick says: The deep dark Woods.

Nylophone

Rachel Mae Hannon – Closer

Neo-soul asylum.

It’s a vintage ’70s feast for Monaghan-born, Dublin-based pop/soul newcomer Rachel Mae Hannon (top) in the video for this single from her new EP Like It Is.

The press blurb says:

“‘Closer’ is about not being able to have physical contact with people in your life during the pandemic. It is about the longing of getting closer to people, yet the uncertainty of where people’s boundaries now lie.”

The video was directed by Rachel, Barry Kavanagh and Tim Shearwood.

Rachel has also just released another single – Tell Me – from the EP.

Nick says: Neo-soul sister.

Rachel Mae Hannon

Partland – After The Movie

Paradise in the picture house.

Galway-based singer/songwriter Partland aka Thomas McPartland (top) delivers an intense and emotional rock ballad that comes with his own stop-motion animation video.

The press blurb states:

“Borne out of Partland’s musings on the fairy-tale story arc of romantic films, ‘After The Movie’ considers what happens after the couple overcome their struggles and get their happy ending. Once the credits stop rolling, do they stay together?”

Look out for his forthcoming album The Empty Atlantic, which will feature a stop-motion animation film for each song, created by Partland himself.

Nick says: The battle of the sexes in the cineplex.

Partland

Michael Kerr – Life Goes On

Because I could not stop for death…

Belfast tunesmith Michael Kerr (top) goes deep on his new single which comes with a powerful video from Danny Mills of Dan Dan Media and starring Richard McFerran as a boxer struggling with grief.

Michael says:

“When I wrote the song I was thinking about a story my uncle told me when he visited my Grandfather in hospital just before he died. My Grandfather was unwell for a while and I think he knew he was ‘goosed’, as he used to say. My uncle said the night before he died he was with him and he determinedly took the oxygen mask off his face and said “its not working, take it away”.

“Despite my uncle’s attempts to force the mask back on him, he realised it was his way of saying I’m ready to go. It was a tough one to hear but that was my Granda, he knew when his time was up.”

Speaking of the video, Michael says:

“I wanted to present the song as an emotive piece of storytelling as opposed to the usual me sitting on a bar stool playing the song. I was not only delighted with it but I was also delighted that I didn’t have to be in it.”

Nick says: …he kindly stopped for me.

Michael Kerr