John Blek – Cormorant

And your bird can sing.

Prolific Cork songsmith John Blek (top) enchants with the latest single from his new album On Ether & Air, due next month.

The song features guitarist Kris Drever from the Scottish band Lau.

John writes:

“Chance encounters and some fortunate timing led to me being able to work with some of my favourite musicians. Getting people with such unique playing styles involved went a long way in defining the sound of On Ether & Air and creating an album of which I am immensely proud.”

The evocative vintage-style video for ‘Cormorant’ was filmed and directed by Blek himself using Super 8mm footage he filmed around the Port of Cork and his own garden, which was then edited and projected onto the faces of John and his wife Ciara.

You can catch John live at: 10th September, The American Bar, Belfast; Fri 8th October, Cleere’s Theatre, Kilkenny; Sun 10th Oct, Spirit Store, Dundalk; Sat 16th Oct, Triskel Arts Centre, Cork; Sun 17th Oct, Workman’s Club, Dublin; and Sat 23rd October, The Black Gate, Galway.

Nick says: One day I’m going to soar.

John Blek

Carrie Baxter – Something In The Water

Yoga mat blues.

London-based, Waterford-born singer Carrie Baxter (top) offers a new look at old habits on the new single from her forthcoming EP What Now, due October 22.

Carrie says:

“This song is very much written in retrospect. I wrote this song both from my own personal experience and from situations I have witnessed. There was a point in my life I thought perhaps meditation and yoga sessions would save me and outweigh the awful things I was doing to my body – but I was young and naive and failed to recognise that the real practice is out in your life, not on a mat! Thank heavens I am wiser than the situations in this song now.”

Nick says: Here comes the sun salutation.

Carrie Baxter

Tommy Keyes – The Emigrants’ Blues

A long way to Tipperary.

Veteran Dunboyne singer/songwriter Tommy Keyes (top) goes full banjo on the third single from his new album Radio Days.

The press blurb says:

“The song evokes the hard lives of the Irishmen who worked on construction sites throughout the world in the 20th century, their “days filled with sweat and nights filled with booze”.”

The atmospheric black-and-white promo was shot and edited by Daniel Buckley in Darkey Kellys bar, Dublin.

Nick says: Songs in the Keyes of life.

Tommy Keyes

Ryan Sheridan – Fine Wine

Anyone for vino?

Monaghan singer/songwriter Ryan Sheridan (top) whets the appetite for his third album, due next year on Rubyworks, with this Americana-tinged single.

Ryan writes:

“‘Fine Wine’ is about the people that make your life better. The people who pick you up when you’re down, listen to you when you need to talk and tell you some hard truths when you need to listen.

“It was written on the back of a new Americana covers album that I produced over lockdown. It was a new direction I was exploring and this is the first song I wrote in that style.”

Nick says: Life is a Cabernet, old chum.

Ryan Sheridan

Moxie – The Place Above

You should be dancing.

Irish trad ensemble Moxie will get your toes tapping with this infectious pop/soul number from their new album The Dawn Of Motion out on September 3.

Moxie are Darren Roche (accordion); Jos Kelly (accordion, keyboards); Cillian Doheny (banjo, guitar); Ted Kelly (banjo, tenor guitars); Josh Sampson (drums) and Julia Spanu (a French vocalist/songwriter with Vietnamese/Italian roots).

Moxie play Friday 3 September, Doolin Hotel, Co Clare; Saturday 4 Sept, Claremorris Folk Festival, Co Mayo; Friday 17 Sept, Meet Me In The Garden, Birr, Co Offaly; Tuesday 21 Sept, Monroes, Galway; and Sunday 26 Sept, Andersons Live, Sligo.

Nick says: Moxie music.

Moxie

Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell – Keson (Until My Strength Returns)

The wizard from Oz.

Legendary Australian chanteuse Lisa Gerrard – the daughter of an Irish Olympian – joins forces with her Dead Can Dance touring keyboard player Jules Maxwell (from Bangor, County Down) on the latest single from their album Burn.

The video was directed by David Daniels.

Nick says: Maxwell that ends well.

Lisa Gerrard

Jules Maxwell

John Spillane – Under That Old Clare Moon

Remembrance of things past.

Cork national treasure John Spillane (top) serenades us with the second single from his album 100 Snow White Horses.

Produced by John Reynolds and featuring Pauline Scanlan on backing vocals, the ballad is accompanied by a brilliantly shot video directed by Barry Donnellan and choreographed by Karena Walsh. It was filmed at The Everyman Theatre, Cork.

John writes:

“I composed the song in 2016 and first performed it in Cratloe, County Clare, on Valentine’s Night 2019 in the house of well-loved local musician Ger O’ Donnell. I then had the huge honour of performing it with the iconic Kilfenora Céilí Band at the Leinster Fleadh that same year. They gave it the ultimate Clare stamp of approval!”

John’s tour starts this Saturday at Magic Nights by the Lee in Ballinlough Park, Cork.

Nick says: John, I’m only dancing.

John Spillane

Ciaran Lavery & Soft Sports – I Love The Inevitability Of Death

The man in white.

Ciaran Lavery, from Aghagallon, County Antrim, finds humour and cheerfulness in unusual places on this new single from his forthcoming EP Happiness.

Ciaran says:

“A while back I spoke to a friend that was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He was fully aware of his timeline, and talked about how it had changed his outlook on both life and death. One thing he told me was the sense of relief that he didn’t have to concern himself with the daily stresses and general unwanted shite any longer.

“His focus shifted toward spending time with the ones he loved, that was it. He talked about everything becoming simpler. Knowing this made me feel my own sense of calm, firstly for him, and then for myself. It struck me that there is something deeply beautiful about accepting what is beyond our control in life, and death.”

The video was directed by Richie O’Connor and choreographed by Emily McDonagh and was filmed in The Braid, Ballymena.

Nick says: The Great Beyond.

Ciaran Lavery

N.O.A.H – Hands Up

When you dance I can really love.

Meath-formed, Dublin-based pop newcomers N.O.A.H deliver a summer anthem with a spectacularly well choreographed video to boot.

The band are: Ryan Hill, Adam Rooney and Ronan Hynes.

N.O.A.H write:

“‘Hands Up’ is a song that is packed with energy and it really drives home the feeling of letting loose and letting go. Sonically the tune is super cinematic, and the music video really captures this, with Director Dave Fox doing an amazing job.”

Nick says: Don’t be afraid of the Ark.

N.O.A.H

Mick Flannery & Susan O’Neill – Trouble

… with a capital T.

Cork singer/songwriter Mick Flannery teams up with Clare chanteuse Susan O’Neill (aka SON) for this single from their new album In The Game, due September 3 on Rosa/Believe Records.

Mick says:

“Modern technology and modes of communication allow us all to be aware of the troubles of the world on a mass scale, whilst also dealing with our own personal struggles. This song speaks to the nature of this awareness and how we can (and sometimes have to) turn away, for better or worse.”

Susan says:

“It’s a nod to some of the old proverbs that many of us grew up hearing.Mick pieced many of them together including ‘Wear the shoe, walk the mile’ and ‘Spare the rod, spoil the child’. In this song they have become intertwined with a chorus suggesting we must carry on the journey in the face of all experience.”

The video was directed by Christopher Luke.

Nick says: Game on.

Mick Flannery

Susan O Neill (SON)