Tag Archives: You May Like This

Ryan McMullan – Static

Falling for a dancer.

The star of the County Down (Portaferry, to be precise), Ryan McMullan (top) leads us on a merry dance on the new single from his forthcoming album Redesign, due in September.

Ryan writes:

“Written in the Scottish Highlands with the incredible Foy Vance, Static came from a conversation about finding yourself in something before you’d even come to terms with it. And in turn, coming to terms with it mid-conversation. Ready or not; the heart wants.”

The process of recording the album was shown in the documentary Debut which was directed by Brendan J. Byrne and shown last year at Galway Film Fleadh and on the BBC. The film centres around a four-day recording and listening session in Cruit Island, County Donegal, at the end of 2019.

Ryan plays Custom House Square, Belfast, on August 27.

Nick says: Hotsteppers assemble.

Ryan McMullan

Eoghan Moylan – Dark Disco

This ain’t no disco…

Galway singer/songwriter Eoghan Moylan (top) knocks it out of the park with his debut single.

To quote the press blurb:

“The song is about a man who meets a woman to capture the fun, life, and thrills before it’s too late. Yet the whole tale is navigated with wordplay that is charmingly winsome and witty.”

Eoghan writes:

“I wrote it while isolated, in my old estate in Galway City. But I recorded it a year later, out of a spare bedroom, while I had the chance to travel around Granada.”

Nick says: The Dark is rising.

Eoghan Moylan

Vale – Warning Sign

Sign o’ the times.

Tipperary electro-pop pioneer Eoin Hally (top) aka Vale is on top form on the new single from his six-song EP Aftertouch.

Eoin writes:

“Some of it is rooted in darkness, more of it is questioning our place here. It can sound in places, cold, careless or maybe even hurtful… but it’s quietly hopeful, moving along, step by step.”

Nick says: Hally’s comet,

Vale

James Vincent McMorrow & The Theodora Byrne Ensemble – The Less I Knew

Will you still love me, McMorrow?

The prolific James Vincent McMorrow (top) is releasing two albums this year. The first – The Less I Knew – is out on Faction Records on June 24.

On this intense live video performance of the title track he is joined by the Theodora Byrne Ensemble.

James writes:

“Making music, playing music, living my life in a way that is honest and candid. I’m trying to go easier on myself. I’m trying to make music that lets people know they should go easier on themselves too.

“Because the world is exhausting, and we are not well built for it, we tell ourselves that the toxic parts of it that grow up around us are just something we have to deal with. And sometimes that’s true, some things are beyond our control.

But in the parts we can control, we should be easier with ourselves, I am trying to create work that allows people to be easier with themselves and with others, to know that most of us don’t have our shit together and never will, and that is ok, in fact it’s better than ok it’s great because it’s life and if you don’t appreciate it at the time, if you’re always trying to change it and bend it to your will, then you’ll miss it and it’ll be gone and you can’t get it back.

“We’ve all missed a lot, personally I do not want to miss any more of it.”

Nick says: Amen.

James Vincent McMorrow

Pic: Emma McMorrow

Van Morrison – Dangerous

“I must be getting close to the truth.”

Funny how the same people who used to laud Van The Man as a unique musical genius turned on him the minute he went off-message about Covid lockdowns.

It was of course Robin Swann, Northern Ireland’s Health Minister, who dubbed Van “dangerous” for daring to air his views on the pandemic policies of the government.

Now the outspoken godfather of Celtic Soul answers back on his new single. What will the 77th Brigade make of it all? I’d say we’re about to find out.

To quote one of the commenters under the YouTube video:

“In times of mass deception, telling the truth is truly revolutionary. Very few entertainment celebrities tell the truth. Van puts to shame those celebrities who know the truth but do not speak it for fear of being cancelled.”

FIGHT!

Nick says: Swann song.

Van Morrison

Trick Mist – The Junction

Trick is a treat.

Cork musician, multi-instrumentalist and producer Gavin Murray (top) aka Trick Mist is enthused about his new project.

This is the first installment of a unique music video and podcast series called ‘Tracing Places’ (funded by the Arts Council of Ireland) that involves 4 artists making 4 videos for 4 new songs and an adjoining 4 part podcast series hosted by Trick Mist.

Gavin writes:

“I’ve been working with these amazing artists in an unusual way. The artists were given full creative control over their art, making music videos based purely on their reaction to the song. Basically how it worked was I would send the artist the song and the lyrics. That was it. I would offer no directives. I see the video when it’s finished. Simple as that! My ambition is to emphasise individual perception, place it on a platform and celebrate it.

“When the works are completed I will host a stand alone 4 part podcast series. Each podcast will essentially be a discussion with the artist about the work created, their ideas behind the video, their interpretation of the song and my ideas behind the song.

“We’ll really try and tease out the intersection (if any) between us. There might not be any and that’s cool too. It’s all to play for. This will be the first time our concepts will meet. We’re going to communicate them here, on the podcast, out in the open.”

The video for The Junction was directed, shot and edited by Katie Ball and stars Sarah Reilly.

The Junction is released on Pizza Pizza Records.

Nick says: Up The Junction.

Trick Mist

PORTS – Swimming Pool

And we all float on…

There’s something in the water for Derry indie shoegaze-friendly quartet PORTS.

The band are Steven McCool (Bass and Vocals), Mark O’Doherty (Drums), Ryan Griffiths (Guitar) and Conor Mason (Piano).

Steven says:

“We were using a new lyric writing technique, where we would imagine a scene. So I said I can see someone diving into a swimming pool at night in slow motion.

“The song ultimately became a metaphor for our emotions; if you fight them they become harder to manoeuvre. So, like swimming, you just go with it and it gets easier the more relaxed you are”.

The new album – the follow-up to 2016’s The Devil Is A Songbird – is due later this year.

Nick says: Swim when you’re winning.

PORTS

Pio Hartnett – Roses

A good year for the roses.

Galway-born, Dublin-based genre-fluid singer/songwriter Pio Hartnett (top) is gearing up for his debut summer EP release.

A graduate of BIMM music college, Pio recently formed a 9-piece band “in order to help realise his ambitious vocal arrangements”.

Nick says: Flowered up.

Pio Hartnett

Daithí – Familial

Oceans apart.

Irish electronica pioneer Daithí collaborates with New Zealand filmmaker Ayla Amano on his new single.

Daithí says:

“‘Familial’ started out life as a track I wrote around an uncertain feeling I had about returning to my home county of Clare. Growing up in a remote area, there was a stifling feeling of repressed emotions; people in the area would sometimes find it difficult to say what they really felt. It was quite a personal piece of music to me, but it was transformed into something with even more to say when I began to collaborate with Ayla.

“The idea of finding common ground and themes with a community so far apart from my own got me really excited, and I started seeing the track in a new, more global perspective. The themes are universal.”

Ayla says:

“Originally, the concept for the ‘Familial’ video was set to film in Ireland. We’d discussed themes of family roots and community; ideas Daithí had been exploring around returning to his hometown in Clare.

Then, while on holiday in New Zealand visiting my family, my partner and I discovered that we had a baby on the way, so we decided to stay there for the year.

“Apart from finding myself in a similar situation – reconnecting with my hometown and the community I grew up in – I was also reminded of New Zealand’s unique position in the Pacific.

“Our Pasifika communities are so integral to the spirit of Auckland, and after spending time in Ireland I could draw some unexpected parallels between the two cultures – wildly different on the surface, but both with a real strong sense of family and community, as well as a humour and warmth that my Irish partner immediately connected with.

“There was a real sense of community both on and off the screen. Filming while I was six months pregnant provided yet another layer to the story. We spent a lot of time on set talking about family and reflecting on where we’d come from.”

Nick says: From here to maternity.

Daithí