Cry Before Dawn – Gone Forever
Continuing our series of underrated Irish music since 1960, reader Ross Mac has a soft spot for 1980s Wexford rockers Cry Before Dawn.
The video for this single from 1987 was shot in Dun Mhuire, Wexford.
Ross Mac writes:
“A great emigrant’s lament. A fantastic recognisably Irish tune and certainly underrated.”
Nick says: Dawn chorus.
Saige – Mama
Saige advice.
The Wexford-born singer/songwriter delivers an emotionally charged reaction to living in lockdown on the fourth single she has released this year.
Saige says:
“I wrote Mama about my mental health and my ups and downs in the pandemic lockdown. The song notates a phone call I’d made to my folks, reaching out for help. It’s an introspective and raw track delving into a vulnerable and isolated mind.”
Nick says: Parental guidance.
The Fat Lady Sings – Arclight
Continuing our series on underrated Irish music since 1960, reader Brother Barnabas doffed his cap to this 1989 single from The Fat Lady Sings from their Twist album.
Fronted by Nick Kelly (top second right) – great name but a different guy to yours truly – they were based in London but generated a real buzz here in the 1980s on independent radio stations such as Capital who championed their early singles Fear & Favour and Be Still.
Nick went on to a fruitful solo career, garnering a Choice Prize nomination for his 2005 album Running Dog, and also records under the name Alien Envoy.
An acclaimed film director in his spare time, Nick also sometimes performs live with his friend Sean Millar in Dublin supergroup The Unelectables.
Nick says: Nick gets my vote.
The Yellowhead Project – A Million Minds In Tune
Calling all Beach Boys and ELO fans.
Dublin singer/songwriter PJ Gargan aka The Yellowhead Project layers on the vocal harmonies on his debut single like Drumcondra’s answer to Brian Wilson.
The innovative video by Pilot Media‘s Terry Quinlan has echoes of Peter Gabriel‘s legendary Sledgehammer promo.
A shout out too to Peter Eades‘s sumptuous production.
Nick says: And it was all yellow.
Bawl – Glen Campbell Nights
Continuing our series of underrated Irish music since 1960, reader John Lawrence eulogises about Dublin indie guitar heroes Bawl, who were led by ace tunesmith Mark Cullen (above left).
John writes:
“Year Zero (1996) for me, is right up there as one of the best Irish albums ever made. From the very start to the finish Year Zero is a triumph of creativity in terms of observational songwriting and soaring guitar/drum combinations.”
Bawl had to change their name to Fixed Stars for legal reasons, and singer Mark Cullen went on to form Pony Club and to collaborate with the Lightning Seeds‘s Ian Broudie.
Nick says: Mark of distinction.
Moncrieff – America
Purple reign.
Waterford singer/songwriter Chris Breheny (top) aka Moncrieff returns with a new single from his forthcoming EP The Class Of 2020, due on November 27.
Moncrieff says:
“I had planned to release my second EP earlier this year but I felt, after all the world kind of came to a standstill, that maybe I should hold off. Nobody had a clue what was happening and the music didn’t feel fully right for the time.
“Then I realised these are the times that I had actually always dreamt about writing songs for and being able to make music that had a voice in this bizarre time we’re in.”
Nick says: Bananarama republic.
The Zen Arcade – Don’t Say A Word
Garage rock around the clock.
Named for the 1984 Hüsker Dü album, The Zen Arcade, feature three members of erstwhile Cavan tyros The Strypes.
This new incarnation rocks like a beast.
The band have their own podcast Higher Fidelity.
Nick says: Breaking the Mould.
The Sewing Room – Forewarned
Continuing our series of underrated Irish music since 1960 (unearthed during a recent Golden Discs music competition), I chose 1990s Dublin indie troupe The Sewing Room who were once memorably described by Hot Press journalist Niall Crumlish as sounding “like death cooled down”. In a good way!
Singer/guitarist Eamonn Davis had previously been in Hey Paulette and was most recently seen playing bass in Eileen Gogan’s band The Instructions.
Lead guitarist Stan Erraught had shone in The Stars Of Heaven and drummer Dez Foley went on to join Crumb, The Drays and Acton Bell.
They released two critically acclaimed albums And Nico (top) and Sympathy For The Dishevelled and the Drug Free EP.
For an all too brief time, The Sewing Room had us in stitches.
Nick says: Knitrock.
O’SULLIVAN – Little Bird
Hungary for love.
Introducing Ian O’Sullivan, from Bray, County Wicklow, who for his debut video frolics on the north shore of Balaton lake, Hungary with, top from left: Annamaria Kaptay, Kitti Kulcsar and Charlotte Papp, on the hottest day of the year.
The promo is a collaboration between O’Sullivan, Annamaria and director miki357.
Nick says: Eastern exposure.
Pete Kavanagh – Hold On
A message to the brokenhearted in these hard times.
Kildare singer/songwriter Pete Kavanagh (top) issues a heartfelt plea to those struggling with mental health problems in this covid age.
Taken from Pete’s album Join Up The Dots.
Guitarist Joe Heffernan supplies soothing licks throughout.
Nick says: Lean on Pete.
