No Monster Club – Save The Circus

Roll up, roll up…

Life-affirming indie trio No Monster Club return with a sprightly blast of pure pop to counter the all-pervasive doom and gloom.

We needed that. Thanks guys.

The band are Sir Bobby Jukebox, Tim Falcon Prime and Mark Chester with guest appearances here by Kelly O’Donohue, Cherise Thorne and Peter Voronov.

The video was shot in The Grand Social by Gary Sheridan.

Look out for the album Deadbeat Effervescent next month on Emotional Response Records/Popical Island with a limited edition vinyl pressing featuring an exclusive signed press photo.

As it says on their bandcamp page:

“A BAND! REAL DRUMS! STEEL PAN! TRUMPETS!”

How could you resist?

Nick says: Acrobatic for the people.

No Monster Club

Niamh Regan – Two Seagulls

Big birds flying across the sky.

Our look back at some of the undiscovered gems of 2021 brings us to Galway songsmith Niamh Regan (top) whose quiet, intimate Two Seagulls came with this beautifully shot video by Aisling O’Regan Sargent as part of the First Cut! Youth Film Festival.

A special mention goes to the actresses Caoimhe Coburn Gray and Ella Lilly Hyland.

Niamh’s album Hemet is out on Black Gate Records.

Nick says: Wings of desire.

Niamh O’Regan

Fly The Nest – Old Street Lovers

He’s as free as a bird now.

Hailing from the Dublin suburb of Ballinteer, Stephen Cooper (top) is spreading his wings as Fly The Nest.

The single above was one of the standout tracks of last year – and top marks too for the video. Now Stephen has just released the follow-up Say Hello, produced by Pete Doherty.

He also writes music for an advertising company in LA.

Stephen says of the new single:

“Something doesn’t work out, and you’re waiting for that person to come back – you could nearly be waiting till you’re an old man. It gets into that.”

Nick says: May the Nest man win.

Fly The Nest

Brevner – More Of Us

Singing truth to power.

Matt Brevner (top) is a rapper from New Westminster in British Columbia, Canada, and now based in Vancouver.

This is his powerful cri de coeur calling out Covid cult-like behaviour.

Who says the devil has all the best tunes?

Nick says: Are you listening, Mr Trudeau?

Brevner

Somebody’s Child – Crazy

Out standing in his field.

Looking back on the Irish year in music just passed, we must not forget this single from Dublin songsmith Cian Godfrey aka Somebody’s Child.

The bandcamp blurb states:

“Starting his musical journey at age 5 in Paris, Cian took to playing the piano in the family apartment. Upon moving back to Ireland, Cian gained an interest in songwriting, enabling him to tell his own stories. These narratives often reflect upon difficult mental health experiences, as well as the endearing happenings of a youngster growing up in Dublin.”

The video is directed by Sam Follover and edited by Robert Bass.

Nick says: Child’s play.

Somebody’s Child

Trouble Pilgrims – 21st Century Girl

How do you like your eggs?

That’s the question you may find yourself pondering after watching the charming archive video for this single from the recent Trouble Pilgrims album Blood, Glass & Gasoline.

This is old school rock and roll from past masters of the art.

The Pilgrims are: Tony St Ledger, Bren Lynott, Steve Rapid, Johnny Bonnie and Pete Holidai

These Radiators are still hot!

Nick says: Pilgrims progress.

Trouble Pilgrims

Telefis – Falun Gong Dancer

Station to station.

Contrarian Corkonian Cathal Coughlan teams up with ace producer Jackknife Lee on this third single from their forthcoming album A hAon.

The blurb states:

“In contrast with the first two releases, “Falun Gong Dancer” has a very stark arrangement, featuring a cyclical, meditative melody over dissolving piano chords and synth pulses, heard in episodic passages which take the listener on a tour of the world – from London, to the US-Mexico border, to the cities of Australasia – in the company of a hapless narrator.

“Occasional interludes of electronic harmony hint at either a tentative intimacy, or at an isolation which is final and absolute – it remains ambiguous.”

The visuals by film-maker Matt Mahurin are quite startling.

Nick says: No flipping.

Telefis

The Next New Low – Be Glad To Be Able To Help

And in the end the love you give is equal to the love you get.

Brian Mooney‘s life-affirming 12 for 21 project – in which the Dubliner released a song a month on bandcamp – reached a fitting climax on Christmas Eve with this ode to open-hearted altruism.

Brian writes:

“I recorded this with Mark Dennehy some years ago in Stoneybatter. It was late..you can hear that on the track. I wanted accordion and Mark said he knew just the guy. A few phone calls later and I’m told that Maddog is on his way up from Co.Clare and will be with us before 2am. 4.30 am in comes Maddog.

“Some stories of how he slept in bushes and hitched his way to Dublin with his accordion.
Mark goes to the toilet and I see from the control room that Maddog has got his accordion tangled up in his piercings and chains… he’s stuck like a spider in a web. It took the three of us another 30 mins to untangle him from his chains.

“A lovely memory of one of the best sessions I ever did.

“Maddog of course was magic …

“Proceeds from bandcamp willl go to trailblaise, providing bikes to kids at Direct Provision centres (the national shame of our generation ).”

Nick says: Happy new year, Brian.

The Next New Low

Paul Callan – See The World

The glorious 12th!

The 12th and final song, that is, in Louth songsmith Paul Callan’s monthly release project.

A perfect way to close, the atmospheric See The World is straight from the heart.

Paul writes:

“How quickly the year turns around. It is now December and this will be my twelfth single release this year. See The World is just a reminder to lift your head and look around. Everything you need is right under your nose! A simple song with a simple message for any time of the year.

“This year I have written, recorded, produced and released twelve songs. All these songs will be compiled and released, with some other unheard material, early in the new year.

All of my music can be found wherever you listen to music.”

Nick says: A diamond dozen.

Paul Callan