Month: February 2014

Following on from their critically acclaimed debut album, Broken Conversations, The Hard Ground, purveyors of baroque pop and roots rock, are set to release their sophmore offering, this time in three installments, aptly entitled Triptych.

The Hard Ground have launched a Fund:It campaign to raise €8,000 to put towards the cost of recording, mixing, mastering and manufacturing the entire album. The campaign will run until March 5th and those wishing to contribute to the project can go to www.fundit.ie/project/the-hard-ground—triptych The rewards are quirky and personal and include the originals of the artwork for each of the three EP’s, commissioned specifically for the project and painted by emerging artist, Cliona O’Sullivan.

The first instalment of the album, Triptych:One, is due out in late April and will be a digital only release, as will the second and third EP’s which will emerge over the course of a year. The final product, a collection of all three EP’s, will be available as a digital and physical release.

The Triptych project has emerged as a response to the challenges and opportunities that the rapidly evolving music industry has presented to both musicians and listeners. The project is aimed at bridging the gap between the listener and the band and, likewise, between the band and the industry – it is a real time project that will be influenced by the band’s experiences over the duration of the year.

For more info please visit www.thehardground.com

Florek’s song ‘Lullaby For The Dead’, from his solo acoustic project called Calm State, has made it to the top 10 in the finals of IAMA’s alternative category.

Sebastian Florek has been active on Irish music scene since 2009. Over the years he’s been involved with a number of musical projects and bands (Seb is a lead singer in a Wicklow grunge band Lace Weeper).

Florek’s recent releases include an EP of his solo acoustic project Calm State named ‘La Naturaleza’ (which can be found at www.cdbaby.com/cd/calmstate ) which features the shortlisted song ‘Lullaby for the Dead’ (www.inacoustic.com/winners.html).

IAMA is an acoustic music competition sponsored by a number of big brands like D’Addario or NewMusicWeekly and judged by representatives of all major record labels.

For further info and live dates please visit www.sebastianflorek.com

Fresh from his two very special shows at Dublin’s Button Factory to celebrate the launch of his album “It’s All Good – The Best of Damien Dempsey”,  a celebration of his career to date which encompasses six top 10 studio albums over 15 years.

The album will include fan favourites such as “Sing All Our Cares Away”, “It’s All Good”, “Colony”, “Almighty Love”, “Bustin’ Outta Here” and his Christmas single “The Auld Triangle” with Glen Hansard, along with two new brand new tracks recorded especially for this release “Happy Days” and “St Patrick’s Brave Brigade”.

Damien had an incredible 2013 following the release of his sixth studio album “Almighty Love” in September 2012.  To mention a few highlights:  Damien sold out his Sydney Opera House St Patrick’s Day show followed by headline shows across Australia.  The summer saw a support slot with Bruce Springsteen at Kilkenny Stadium, and his own headline show at Dublin’s Iveagh Gardens, whilst September brought his first US tour in 5 years, encompassing festivals and headline shows including a sold out Bowery Ballroom in New York.

Damien toured Australia once more in November before heading back to Ireland for headline dates nationally before heading back to Vicar Street for his now traditional Christmas gigs.

www.damiendempsey.com

Paul Byrne first came onto the music scene as the young drummer for Dublin new wave band ‘Deaf Actor’ in 1979. In 1983 Paul was a founder member of the internationally successful rock band ‘In Tua Nua’.  With a career including stints in Sugar Candy Mountain, The Texas Kellys, Rocky DeValera & the Gravediggers plus Shane McGowan’s The Shane Gang, Paul has an established track record as a musician,  producer and composer. 

Now it’s time for Paul to come out of the drum shadow and release his own solo material for the first time! “I’ve Got You” is taken from his forthcoming album which is due for release in May 2014. In “I’ve Got You” Byrne has managed to write a feel–‐good love song free of angst and with a good dose of insight and humour.

 Website – www.paulbyrnemusic.com

 Facebook – www.facebook.com/paulbyrnemusic

 Twitter – www.twitter.com/musicbyrnepaul

Femmepop and Timecop1983 have teamed up again to bring you a New Single “Our Time”. The single is released on Valentine’s day, Friday 14th.  

“Another Brilliant Song by Femmepop” Mike Rogers InterFM Japan

“Like it a Lot” Marc Riley BBC Music 6

“You could call it dream pop that sounds like a collaboration between Cocteau Twins, School Of Seven Bells, and Luke Vibert…” Dan Hegarty RTE Radio 

” Hot Property …very good, somewhere between Dawn Landes and Tanya Donnely and musically it’s a distillation of Breeders , Mazzy Star and The Lemonheads” Dublin Castle London

“A true talent. Amazing songs with a wonderful voice someone to watch out for. Richard Usher BBC Radio

“A favourite of ours for ages now, and we’ve finally got her in to record an acoustic Session, and it’s brilliant! Hailing from Cork Ms Pop will blow you away with her beautiful vocals.” Dan Hegarty RTE Radio 

“Margaret O’ Sullivan’s exquisitely heartrending voice would make even Tanya Donnelly want to throw in the towel” “An airy, delicate, intelligent sound that will imprint itself on your bones. Absolutely gorgeous.” Hotpress Magazine

Visit Femmepop Here:
http://femmepop.bandcamp.com/
www.facebook.com/Femmepop
www.twitter.com/femmepop
www.last.fm/music/Femmepop
www.soundcloud.com/femmepop

Buy Femmepop Here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kick-Ep-Femmepop/dp/B0016OLYP4
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/kick-ep/id276851416

We Cut Corners release their second album, Think Nothing on 25th April on Delphi.

Think Nothing was recorded in Donegal with Villager’s guitarist/producer, Tommy McLaughlin and mixed by renowned producer Ben Hillier, who has worked with Blur, Depeche Mode, the Horrors and Elbow among other luminaries of indie music’s recent past.

The album includes 3 songs for which the strings were scored by prolific contemporary Irish composer, John Buckley, and recorded in Rathgar Methodist Church.  Reflecting these collaborations, Think Nothing is a very different record from the first and whilst still recognisably their own. In these ten new songs the band demonstrate the wide range of influences and ideas they have taken on since their debut.

The next single ‘Best Friend’ will be released on 24th Feb. The single will be available to stream and for digital download from the iTunes store amongst others. The video for the single, to be premiered soon, is from the same Polish director’s, Kijek/Adamski, who animated the video for ‘A Pirate’s Life’, which won best animated music video at The Annecy International Animated Film Festival.

The critically acclaimed debut album Today I Realised I Could Go Home Backwards was nominated for the Choice Music Prize for Irish album of the year 2011. We Cut Corners have toured with The Maccabees, Villagers, Bell X1 and Frightened Rabbit amongst others.

The band play a special lunchtime show, accompanied by string quartet, on Wednesday 19th February at St Patrick’s College in Drumcondra, Dublin (free entry).

www.wecutcorners.net

Live Dates in Ireland April/May

24th April  – Limerick, Cobblestone Joe’s

25th April – Galway, Roisin Dubh

26th April  – Cork, Crane Lane

3rd May –  Belfast, Voodoo (Thin Air gig)

9th May – Dublin, The Button Factory

16th May – Dundalk The Spirit Store

Cronin return to the live scene with some dates in Ireland in February and March.

To coincide with the live dates and St Valentine’s Day the band are giving away a new song titled “Bury Me By Your Side.”

The song features contributions from Waterboy Steve Wickham and vibe master BP Fallon and is accompanied by a video shot and edited by the band in various locations in the UK and Ireland.

Live Dates

Sun 16th Feb – Monroes, Galway. With Steve Craddock.

Thurs 20th Feb – Number 1, Mullingar. With Steve Craddock.

Thurs 6th March – Whealans, Dublin. With Leaders of Men.

Weds 12th March – The Crane Lane, Cork.

Sat 15th March – The Brudenell Social, Leeds, UK.

Cronin is the new musical project from Irish brothers Jonathon and Michael Cronin.

Leaving Ireland in the last recession on the early 90’s to live in the North of England shaped their musical influences,style and aspirations.

Since returning to Ireland 10 years ago they have set up their own recording studio, Transmission Rooms in Longford, released acclaimed singles and albums under the moniker The Aftermath, featured music on 2 major motion pictures amongst other things.

They make music in their own Transmission Rooms recording studio that is based in the rural setting in the middle of Ireland. Along with them selves they collaborate with friends and hero’s to make music.

“Immense.” Stuart Clark, Hot Press Magazine.