Padjo Dolan – Rings Of Saturn

Another girl, another planet.

Clare tunesmith Padjo Dolan (top) goes interstellar on his slow-building, anthemic new single.

Padjo writes:

“I had bought this Japanese import. Totally illegal on the road. I tore up the road, day and night. My girlfriend in the car beside me – it was a moment of magic. As for the name, about Saturn – I felt so free I could have been in outer space.

“Life is short, and those moments of magic are what make it worth living.”

Ain’t that the truth.

Dolan teamed up with Cian Boylan (Sinéad O’Connor), Conor Brady (The Blades, The Drays), Robbie Malone (David Gray) and Dave Hingerty (The Frames) to deliver a ‘feeling of discovery’ across its arrangement.

Nick says: Some things hurt more than cars and girls.

Padjo Dolan

Graham Coe – Right By My Side

At the end of a storm…

A songsmith from Blessington, County Wicklow, Graham Coe (top) finds a light in the darkness of the past 2 years on his new single.

To quote the press blurb:

“The song tells of a musician’s lament about the loneliness, uncertainty and numbness of long days during the pandemic and the realisation of having a strong partner and family by your side can help you through these tough times.”

Chris O’Brien and Graham Murphy from The Production Suite, Dublin, were behind the controls.

Nick says: A Wicklow lullaby.

Graham Coe

Paul Woodfull – But I Like You

“A curmudgeon’s love song.”

A legendary figure in the Irish entertainment world for many years, the one and only Paul Woodfull (top) has provided us with many a belly laugh thanks to his glittering cast of comedic alter egos, from The Joshua Trio to Ding Dong Denny O’Reilly & The Hairy Bowsies as well as his work on the musicals I, Keano and Copperface Jacks: The Musical.

Now Paul is back with a new video that is charm itself.

Paul writes:

“This is a new venture for me. This song and video will be the first of many, I hope – I have quite a few songs written. People are probably expecting this stuff to be going for big laughs but it’s not. These songs and videos will be humourous but other things besides.

“I know I’ll lose some of you but I’m hoping a few of you will stick with me. ‘But I Like You’ is a love song, albeit a love song for cranky gits. We cranky gits have a need for love too. Hope you like it.”

Musicians include Mark Flynn (piano), Cormac Moore (bass) and Brian Moylett (drums).

Nick says: Welcome back!

Paul Woodfull

Niamh Regan – Late Nights

Falling for a dancer.

Galway songsmith Niamh Regan (top) enchants with the new single from her EP In The Meantime.

It was written while Niamh was living in the Galway village of Kilrickle during lockdown.

Niamh describes Late Nights as being about “navigating family guilt, growing up and leaving behind little bits of yourself as you enter a new chapter of thinking.”

The strikingly shot video was filmed and directed by Laura Sheeran with choreography and dance performed by Robyn Byrne.

Nick says: Come dance with me in Ireland.

Niamh Regan

Skinner – The Slump

I’m a slacker, baby.

Introducing Skinner (top): “a 24-year-old DIY slouch rock musician based in Dublin, who writes, records and produces songs about growing up and overcoming a dirt-flecked 21st century existence.”

Skinner writes:

“The song channels a feeling of nothingness and attempts to see the humour in it. Everyone goes through periods where every day feels like a slap in the face so I wrote this weird disco song to distract myself from the monotony of it all. I was trying to escape everything and make something fun, something you could dance to.”

The Slump is out now on Faction Records and follows the Gunge EP on 12” vinyl, a collection of five singles released from 2019 to 2021.

Nick says: With added sax solo.

Skinner

Eoin Jordan – Amber

Jordan: the comeback.

Cork singer/songwriter Eoin Jordan (top) will pique the interest of roots and Americana fans with his impressive latest single.

The press blurb says:

“‘Amber’ tells a tale of discovery of who and what you can become and more importantly in coming to terms with it. Amber as a crystal is known for its healing properties, and this is a key facet of the composition and the underlying premise of the song.”

The song features the slinky slide guitar of Declan Sinnott.

The video, which stars Aoibhinn Byrne Jordan, was filmed and edited by James Walsh and was shot in Ballinacurra, county Cork and Wallis’s Town Hall Bar, Midleton, county Cork.

Nick says: Southern comfort.

Lauren Ann – Blatant

Don’t go breaking my heart.

Irish grunge-pop raconteur Lauren Ann (top) dissects affairs of the heart on this single from her forthcoming EP on Faction Records.

Lauren Ann writes:

“‘Blatant’ is about a blunt end to a relationship that you cared about. It’s about being let down by someone you didn’t think (or rather didn’t want to believe) could hurt you. It’s about being left out in the cold, yet you still care for them even though they don’t care for you anymore.

“My songs are centred around heartbreak and anger. I didn’t want to write love songs as it’s not who I am. So I ended up doing break-up songs instead.”

Nick says: I know it’s over.

Lauren Ann

Abbacaxi – Endless

Lord of the trance.

Multi-instrumentalist Abbacaxi (top) adds dancefloor beats to a mellow melody on the title track from his new EP Endless.

The mind-expanding animation is by Des Garvey.

Abbacaxi writes:

“I experienced a lot of highs and lows in a short period of time but I realised I wasn’t the only one around me feeling depressed from time to time. For every really bad experience, there is an amazing one waiting around the corner. Life is so much easier when you remember that.”

Nick says: Good advice.

Abbacaxi

Una Keane – Kyiv Not Kiev

Masters of war.

Acclaimed Dublin composer and pianist Úna Keane has just released her powerful artistic response to the Ukraine crisis on her bandcamp page.

Una writes:

“I wrote this track in response to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia on 24th February 2022. I wanted to do something to help, something meaningful. So I set about writing this piece of music the week beginning Monday 28th February, and released it on Friday 4th March. A special thanks to Dublin based Artist / Graphic Designer John Brady for allowing me to use this powerful image as artwork for the track.”

Una plays Piano, Soundscapes, Electronics + Spoken word

All revenue from sale of track will be donated to UNICEF – Ukraine.

Nick says: A city under siege.

Úna Keane

Gavin Fox – Lay Down Low

Fox news.

Irish singer/songwriter Gavin Fox (top)has words of encouragement on the new single from his forthcoming album Awakened.

Gavin writes:

“I spent a long time in my head, with my own thoughts, at times with fear and anxiety. But then I experienced a kind of awakening, to be honest. I met my true self for the first time and decided I wasn’t going to listen to negative thoughts anymore.

“This song is about rebelling against that, fear and anxiety, and not being afraid to be loud about it. It’s about being yourself.”

Nick says: Fantastic Mr Fox.

Gavin Fox