Michael Kerr – Life Goes On

Because I could not stop for death…

Belfast tunesmith Michael Kerr (top) goes deep on his new single which comes with a powerful video from Danny Mills of Dan Dan Media and starring Richard McFerran as a boxer struggling with grief.

Michael says:

“When I wrote the song I was thinking about a story my uncle told me when he visited my Grandfather in hospital just before he died. My Grandfather was unwell for a while and I think he knew he was ‘goosed’, as he used to say. My uncle said the night before he died he was with him and he determinedly took the oxygen mask off his face and said “its not working, take it away”.

“Despite my uncle’s attempts to force the mask back on him, he realised it was his way of saying I’m ready to go. It was a tough one to hear but that was my Granda, he knew when his time was up.”

Speaking of the video, Michael says:

“I wanted to present the song as an emotive piece of storytelling as opposed to the usual me sitting on a bar stool playing the song. I was not only delighted with it but I was also delighted that I didn’t have to be in it.”

Nick says: …he kindly stopped for me.

Michael Kerr

Zach James Douglas – Anyone Else

Zach to the future.

Breaking up is hard to do for Dublin songwriter and producer Zach James Douglas (top) on this single from his new EP ‘6×3‘, out now on Faction Records.

Zach has drafted in Manamon – his childhood friend and singer with his old band Little One – to deliver the lead vocal.

Zach explains:

“In “Anyone Else” I consider the unexpected feeling of self shame that ensues once you have been broken up with. It is a retrospective comparison of the sentiment felt by both parties in the aftermath, with a focus on the bitterness and resentment that I had to deal with.

“This resentment is not, as some may presume, towards her new partner, but instead is directed towards how seamless the transition was for her. It describes my struggle to come to terms with how quickly she was capable of moving on and meeting someone new, while to this day, I still struggle to engage in a conversation with a woman without feeling an insurmountable sense of guilt, shame and sadness.”

Nick says: How do you mend a broken heart?

Zach James Douglas

Lauren Ann – Lucy

Grunge lives!

Our friend in the North, Lauren Ann Higgins (top) is a teenage indie rock prodigy with a knack for a knockout lyric and a killer hook.

Having just signed to Faction Records, Lauren Ann says about ‘Lucy’:

“It’s about being in a relationship and then one of your friends is getting involved. You’re not angry at them but you’re also not happy about it and don’t know what to do. There’s also a bit of envy in there too, because they’re cooler than you and you’re scared that they might take this person that you like.”

Nick says: Bizarre love triangle.

Lauren Ann

Marcus – Redemption

Animation once again.

Promising Dublin songsmith Marcus (top) offers a visual feast in the video for his single Redemption, directed by Ewan Creed.

Check out his latest single too – April – which can be found on his new EP Not Real. Both songs were produced by Alex Borwick.

Nick says: Dial M for Marcus.

Marcus

Abbacaxi – More Than I Need

And the beat goes on.

Irish multi-instrumentalist Abbacaxi (top) combines his love of disco, funk and classic house on his new single.

Abbacaxi says:

“I wrote this track because I was getting tired of the unpredictability of certain things in my life, which had great value. Over time I started to feel that perhaps less is more. Maybe these things weren’t as important as I initially thought, and life could be just as good without them.”

Nick says: Flaming groovy.

Abbacaxi

Lisa Gorry – It Was You (And Me)

Confessional Kildare singer/songwriter Lisa Gorry (top) opens up about her new single – the title track of her new EP out on October 28.

Lisa says:

“‘It Was You (and Me)’ was the last song to be written for the EP and it was written for the purpose of having a single with the EP’s name as I thought the message was important.

“This single, and the EP as a whole I suppose, is answering the title of the first EP, ‘Is It Me?’, and was a reminder to myself of the work that I had done in the wake of past relationships to become stronger and more self-reliant, and how, while it was helped along by a loving partner who sought to understand, it was me who had to put in the foundational work first to then be able to express myself and set boundaries within a new relationship.”

Nick says: Love’s rich pageant.

Lisa Gorry

Pop Wallace – Wet Whistle

Pop art.

Born in Carlow but now based in Phoenix, Arizona, electronica pioneer Pop Wallace (top) has followed his Good Boy album with a new 6-track instrumental EP Noises Made Figuring Things Out.

Pop explains:

“This song was actually the catalyst for the entire EP. I had essentially gone out to try to make a drum and bass track when starting it. Happy with how it turned out but not necessarily seeing where I could fit in vocals that would accompany it with the style of what my previous songs had sounded like, I realised I didn’t want to have to put something out only if I could sing on it. This inspired me to work on more songs outside of what I had made before and was the inspiration for why I wanted to make this EP in the first place.”

Nick says: Pop in the name of love.

Pop Wallace

Rushes – Lost In Therapy

Skibbereen soul-pop singer Rushes (top) returns with the latest single from his new Glowchild album.

Rushes says:

“I wrote ‘Lost in Therapy’ at my most vulnerable. I was going in and out of therapy sessions every week, shedding pieces from my life. I really lost sight of everything else around me and the people who cared for me. I kind of let them go, even when they were there to listen. I was lost.

“It’s the song I’m most proud of and the song I’m most fearful of putting out at the same time.”

Nick says: Once upon a time in West Cork.

Rushes

Waters Edge – Call It Fate

O sister, where art thou?

Twins Katie and Aoife Lynch (top) from Duleek, County Meath, serve up a treat for fans of The Staves and First Aid Kit with their debut single.

Beginning as buskers on the streets of Dublin, in 2019 they qualified for The Voice UK 2020 and were successful in getting onto mentor Meghan Trainor’s team for the battle stage. Their audition has amassed 4.2 million views on Youtube.

You could call it fate!

Nick says: High Water mark.

Waters Edge

Pic: Rohan Healy

John Francis Flynn – Lovely Joan

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

Dubliner John Francis Flynn (top), a veteran of five-piece folk troupe Skipper’s Alley, commands our full undivided attention on this live performance of a song on his new album I Would Not Live Always.

The vid was filmed in Connolly’s of Leap, county Cork, by director Peadar O Goill.

Nick says: In like Flynn.

John Francis Flynn