Smoothboi Ezra – Stuck

Let’s hear it for the ‘boi.

Introducing Greystones, County Wicklow’s new star of indie bedroom pop, Smoothboi Ezra (top), who charms the pants off us with the title track off their forthcoming EP.

The press blurb describes a true pioneer, who prefers to use the pronoun ‘they’.

“They offer an often overlooked take on emotional relationships, as Ezra is writing as a person who is gender non-binary and on the autism spectrum. They are helping people who don’t often see themselves represented in the media to hear themselves in music and to know that there are songs which speak to their experience.”

Smoothboi Ezra writes:

“‘Stuck’ is a song about being in a relationship with someone you care a lot about but you know it’s not going to work out. It’s an unsaid mutual agreement that you can feel the relationship ending but you’re both waiting on the other person to end it.”

The compelling video stars non-binary couple El and Lauren.

Nick says: This ‘Boi’s life.

Smoothboi Ezra

Post-Party – Wasting Time

Their time has come.

Insert hand-clap emojis for the new single by Dublin guitar enthusiasts Post-Party who entertain us with a high energy, hi-octane blast of pure adrenalin and six-string riffery.

The band’s Colin Peppard directed and edited the promo.

The band write:

“The last year has given us the opportunity to really build up on our skills in other areas such as filmmaking. We shot the music video for ‘Wasting Time’ with each of the band members shot individually, in separate locations. The editing process was tedious but we got there in the end and I don’t we don’t think we could be happier with the result.

“There’s a strong parallel between the nostalgic feeling in the song and the VHS footage, which is why we decided to shoot with one of our parent’s old Sony hand-cams. There was a bittersweet contrast between the VHS and Digitally-shot footage, creating a stage of colours on which we performed the single.”

Nick says: Get the Party started.

Post-Party

Tracy Bruen – Better Than This

Bruen up a storm.

Galwegian singer/songwriter Tracy Bruen (top) has given us a profound and affecting song with a joyful video to boot.

The promo was shot by AMW Visual and features the portrait photography of Galway’s EMJ Camera.

EMJ writes:

“All of the photos for this independent ‘Self Isolation Portrait’ project were taken during the first lockdown in 2020, the time when people couldn’t see many other faces or leave their houses. People posed at their safe place – at their doorstep, introducing one of the new hobbies they took up since the world went into a shutdown.

“The agenda was very simple – to show some positive and uplifting news, as well as to link and support each other during the doom and gloom times.

“As a photographer, I wanted to document that current situation through my own angle that had no negativity and give a bit of a bright spark to the community. The whole process ended up being incredibly fulfilling and heartwarming, revisiting some old friends and even making new ones.

“This project taught me that every bad situation can be turned into something positive.”

Nick says: Say cheese.

Tracy Bruen

Lisa Gerrard & Jules Maxwell – Deshta (Forever)

A son of the soil.

Michael Sosna‘s visceral and tactile video for the new single by Dead Can Dance‘s Lisa Gerrard (top) and Jules Maxwell is a sight to behold.

The Irish-Australian chanteuse has collaborated with the Bangor-born DCD keyboard player on a new album, Burn, due next month.

Nick says: The Jules in the crown.

Lisa Gerrard

Jules Maxwell

Declan O’Rourke – Arrivals

Free tonight?

Dublin songwriting colossus Declan O’Rourke (top) celebrates the release of his 7th album Arrivals with a live streamed gig from the Abbey Theatre this evening at 8pm.

Declan will be playing songs from the new record, which was produced by Paul Weller. The video for the poignant title track was directed by Natasha Waugh and features stark images of an empty Dublin airport in lockdown as well as Declan playing the piano in a deserted train station.

This will go down as one of the enduring cultural responses to the present crisis.

Tickets for the show tonight can be purchased here.

Nick says: Arrivals is a new departure for Declan.

Declan O’Rourke

Barefoot Magicians – The Anthem

We should be dancing, yeah.

Dublin-based soul groove ensemble Barefoot Magicians (top) lighten the mood with a vivacious hip-swinging cover of American DJ GRiZ‘s hit.

Dave from the band writes:

“It’s full of positivity and i’m happy to duel with anyone who says it’s not. The dancer is Emphis, choreographed by her good self. Might put peeps in a good mood, then again it might not…”

Nick says: But our commenters are always in a good mood! (*gets coat*)

Barefoot Magicians

Tony St Ledger – The Old Town

“We’re taking back these lonely streets again.”

That’s the spirit. Trouble Pilgrims guitarist Tony St Ledger marks a turning point in our lockdown story with a call to arms to make our capital great again.

Tony writes:

“This song celebrates the opening up of our lives again with the lifting of the 5km travel restrictions on April 12th 2021.

“This is the third song in the Lockdown Demo series. We can finally return to our beautiful beloved city.”

The video comes courtesy of Tony and Louis St Ledger.

Nick says: I sure missed you, honey, when you weren’t around…

Tony St Ledger

Beoga – Breathe

It’s trad, Jim, but not as we know it.

Beoga – the Irish word for lively – put a new spin on an old genre on their new 5-song Breathe EP.

The ensemble – Niamh Dunne; Liam Bradley; Sean Og Graham; Damian McKee and Eamon Murray – mix accordion and fiddle with modern pop sounds to create something new and vibrant.

Having collaborated with Ed Sheeran on his hit Galway Girl, the group have already reached millions of fans around the world.

The video was directed by Billy Cummings.

Beoga play an online concert from the Belfast Limelight on April 17 at 8pm.

Nick says: Where angels fear to trad.

Beoga

Rory & The Island – Miss This

Is this the lockdown anthem of the year?

Former Revs frontman Rory Gallagher has made a heart-wrenching video that contrasts the vibrant life we once knew to the current housebound existence we now find ourselves in.

Rory says:

“It was a simple concept of creating a contrast between old images of normal lively scenes of life such as music festivals, gigs, football games and busy cafes etc against the backdrop of being stuck indoors with my family during lockdown just waiting around and trying to pass the time without going insane.

“I filmed it on my phone and just edited it all together with old footage I had on memory sticks. My two sons – Aidan (5) and Shay (2) – played their parts perfectly and deserve an MTV award. Strangely when I watched it back a week later it looked and sounded less like a lockdown video and more like a mid-life crisis! I hope this flaw makes it timeless, haha.”

Nick says: Great story, Rory.

Rory & The Island