Lowli – Worlds Above Us
Free tonight?
Galway composer and musician Lowli aka Roisin Lowry (above) will be caressing the ivories as special guest of Úna Keane in The Pepper Canister Church in Dublin 2 this evening at 8pm.
Roisin is filmed playing live in Dublin’s Camden Studio in this video (above) shot last November by Dock Visual. She is accompanied here by Aisling Bridgeman on violin and Rob Campbell on cello.
Also on the bill is Stephen Shannon.
Nick says: Lowli is flying high.
archmotors – Space
Up, up and away.
Archmotors are Sean Lynch and Gary Landers and this is the third single from their forthcoming album The Swimsuit Edition.
The quirky animation is by videographer Marc Corrigan.
According to the band, Space is…
“…partly inspired by Alfred Bester‘s sci-fi novel ‘The Stars My Destination‘ and partly inspired by loss, loneliness and months of highly irresponsible drinking. Space is a song about the breakdown of a relationship and how quickly and how far we can fall apart.”
Nick says: Interplanetary pop craft.
Aoife Nessa Frances – Geranium
Flower power.
Dublin singer/songwriter Aoife Nessa Frances (top) is in bloom with the new single from her debut album The Land Of No Junction which dropped in January.
Its spectral indie folk vibe has drawn comparisons with Angel Olsen.
The video was directed by Cait Fahey and Anna McCarthy.
Nick says: Heavy petal.
The votes are in.
Last week, with two tickets to the WORLD premiere screening of the new Boomtown Rats documentary in Dublin’s Cineworld on Parnell Street, Dublin 1 on March 3 on offer, I asked you to name you favourite Rat (or Geldof solo) track.
You answered in your tens.
In fact, so strong were the entries I am giving two extra tickets to a joint winner.
Third Place:
Banana Republic by The Boomtown Rats
Rosette of Sirius writes:
I could say that like it because It was also written by Pete Briquette. Clearly his nickname was the funniest and coolest from back then. But no. Or I could say I like it for its acerbic portrait of the Ireland we grew up in. But no. I like it because of the change in style from the punky new wave sound of their previous records to the emerging ska and reggae sound from the early 1980s.
Joint Winner:
When The Night Comes by The Boomtown Rats
Scottser writes:
When the night comes, the last track on the Fine Art of Surfacing. It’s that album’s Rat tTap – long, complex and multi layered. It’s a song about the prison-like routine of 9-5 living delivered in frenetic and dynamic style. Check out the guitar break, where Spanish and electric guitar play out a cool little dance – it blew my 12 year old mind when I heard it first.
By the way, my first gig was seeing the Rats in Leixlip (1980). I’ve also owned The Fine Art Of Surfacing on every single medium, even Mini Disc FFS. And today is my birthday. Seriously.
Joint Winner:
This Is The World Calling by Bob Geldof
Seamus Hogan writes:
My dad had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer It was constantly on the radio here in Ireland, those very poignant lyrics…. ‘Close your eyes and sleep tonight’. Still give me chills even after all these year’s thank you Bob for helping me through a tuff tuff time.
Thanks all.
Last week: Win Nick’s Tickets
Marcus – Obey
Bonnie & Clyde do Bray.
That’s the gist of the quite wonderful video for Dublin singer/songwriter Marcus’s debut single.
Alan Dunne and Stubborn Monkey Media directed the film of the young lovers on the run as they zoom over the Sally Gap on their motorbike…
Marcus credits Amy Winehouse, Frank Ocean and Mos Def as influences but his own personality shines through on this very promising first release.
Nick says: O Bray!
Arborist – Here Comes The Devil
Fans of Bill Callahan should check out Arborist, the musical project of Belfast’s Mark McCambridge (top).
This is the second single from the wonderful new album A Northern View.
Sam O’Mahony directs the cryptic hallucinatory promo.
Arborist plays Ulster Sports Club, Belfast, on Friday and The Set Theatre, Kilkenny, on Saturday.
Nick says: Feels like heaven.
Barry McCormack – You Will Understand, In Time
Paranoia in the key of E.
Our surreptitious, shadowy surveillance culture is explored with a droll sense of humour in the new video by former Jubilee Allstars guitarist Barry McCormack (top).
Taken from last year’s album Mean Time, the promo was shot in Helsinki, Finland and Killiney, County Dublin and edited by Raymond Beggan.
Nick says: Start following Barry.
Video Blue – What Have You Got
And relax.
Video Blue is the musical project of Jim O’Donoghue Martin (top) from Dundalk, County Louth, and based in Hackney, east London.
In Freddie Leyden’s video, Jim larks about in a dinosaur costume, holding balloons that read Breathe Easy.
It’s a spoken word piece that circles around themes of anxiety and self-care with a smart ambient electronica soundtrack.
Look out for the forthcoming album Night Painting.
Nick says: Blue is the warmest colour.
State Lights – Let You Go
Size matters.
That’s why this big emotional synth-rock anthem works so well. It reaches for the sky.
Singer Shobsy (second left) gives it socks and is ably assisted by, from left: Joe Regan (guitar), Paul Ridgeway (drums) and Noel Perry (bass).
The song is released as a double ‘A’-side alongside their cover of The Blue Nile’s Tinseltown In The Rain (great choice, lads).
The video by Paul Barnes was shot partly on Sandymount Strand, Dublin 4.
The band, who met at the BIMM music college, play the Button Factory, Dublin, on April 25.
Nick says: State of the art.
Ryan McMullan – Ruthless Cupid
Cometh the arrow, cometh the man.
Ryan McMullan (top) quivers at the mythological matchmaker on the title track of his new EP.
The singer from Portaferry, County Down, says:
“These songs reflect a handful of times where it felt like Cupid has been toying with me. Amusing himself by throwing me into situations where I’m either out of my depth, hoping for reconciliation, or unable to escape the truth that even at the end, I’m still holding on to even the worst of my attempts at love.”
You can catch Ryan live on his Irish tour in May.
Nick says: A fine romance.
