Author: Breffni Banks

Badhands release new single ‘The Wait’ on Friday October 29th.

The song mixes elements of doo-wop, indie, and gothic-rock and is the first single from the band’s upcoming new album ‘Far Away’ (set for release in early 2022). Taking inspiration from the likes of The Shangri-Las, The Flamingos, and Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds; the song’s brooding, atmospheric verses are contrasted with a whimsical chorus with its catchy, melodic hook.

The song is being released on October 29th along with a mesmerising video, made by acclaimed New York director Emilie Richard-Froozan and featuring Dublin aerial dancer Kate Finnegan. The band will play a headline gig in Dublin’s The Workman’s Club on November 5th.

Badhands is the musical project of Dublin songwriter and musician Dan Fitzpatrick. In late 2018 he released his critically acclaimed debut album ‘Predictable Boy’, working with musicians Aoife Ruth, Tom Cosgrave, Ken Mooney and Chris Barry. The record was described in The Sunday Times as ‘Evoking Nick Cave with it’s guttural swagger, it has taken the Dubliner’s songwriting to another level’, and was made album of the week by Dan Hegarty on 2fm. The single ‘Waves’ received considerable airplay on national radio in Ireland, and was made Song Of The Week by Laura Whitmore on BBC5 Live.

Since the release of Predictable Boy the band has sold out Dublin shows in Whelans and The Workmans Club, and played support slots and festivals of note such as opening for Michael McDonald in Vicar Street, Electric Picnic festival, and the Ireland Music Week showcase.

In 2020 Badhands released the 5 track concept EP ‘Oceans’ – funded by Arts Council Ireland, received a songwriting grant from First Music Contact to write and record an EP (late 2022 release), and recently received an Arts Council ‘Agility Award’ to fund a new project. Fitzpatrick has also composed award winning soundtracks for documentaries such as the 2020 BBC film ‘Wild Cuba’.

Sharon Shannon Big Band, featuring Jack Maher & Carol Keogh, have come together to release a very poignant, reflective song “Written In the Stars” as part of Irish Hospice Foundation “Time to Reflect” awareness campaign on the evening of November 1^st, All Souls’ Night.

“Written In the Stars” is out now on all streaming services.

Irish Hospice Foundation “Time to Reflect” is calling on people to take a moment  between 5-6pm on November 1^st to join colleagues, family or friends or sit alone and take time to commemorate the lives of those we have loved and lost through the power of music and “Written in the Stars”. They are also inviting people across Ireland to share their experiences and views about dying, death and bereavement during the pandemic.

When IHF were putting the “Time to Reflect” campaign together they approached Sharon to be part of it. Through a series of serendipitous events, “Written in the Stars” was created over a period of a few weeks. First of all, Alan Connor had a tune, on which Sharon and himself were working together over the phone making various changes. Then, while on tour in Europe during the Summer, band member Jack Maher and Sharon were walking around a beautiful town in Normandy. Jack pointed out some rare lilies which were his Mother’s favourite flower, and it so happened that this day was his Mother’s anniversary.  The last time Jack had seen those rare lilies was also on his mother’s anniversary a few years previously. Finally, on that same day Sharon’s manager received the request for Sharon to work on a song for Irish Hospice Foundation, and Sharon felt stars were aligning perfectly for Jack to be brought on board to write lyrics for the new melody which was already there…after a few weeks “Written in the Stars” was born.

Sharon’s support for the work of Hospice foundation started with the release in 2018 of “The Secret Sessions” with the Henshaw Family. In 2020 Sharon released the album “Songs for Leo” in aid of Rosabel’s Rooms, it was after this she was asked to be their Ambassador. Rosabel’s Rooms is part of the Irish Hospice Foundation.

For further information on the Irish Hospice Foundation “Time to Reflect”  campaign  please visit www.hospicefoundation.ie/timetoreflect

Alice Kiernan announces her brand new single ‘Blue’, due for release Thursday 28th October across all major music platforms.

Speaking about the release Alice said: “I wrote ‘Blue’ in January 2021 in the midst of what was probably one of the most paralysing times in my life. It follows the feelings of sadness, dejection, and the determination to make it through to the other side – something we’ve all experienced throughout 2021”. 

Alice is a 25-year-old singer songwriter and musician from Meath, based in Dublin. Following the release of her debut single, Running Now, ‘Blue’ is a further step for Alice into the pop world with influences from artists such as Troy Sivan, Maggie Rogers and Phoebe Bridgers. 

Alice began singing and playing guitar at the age of 12 and by the age of 16 began her music career by gigging and performing in venues around Dublin and Ireland. She has supported some of Ireland and the UK’s biggest acts including Ham Sandwich, Paddy Casey and Matt Cardle in venues such as Whelan’s, The Academy, and Cyprus Avenue. Through gigging and posting covers and her own originals online, she soon gained a small following which created the foundation and gave her the confidence to start releasing music independently. 

Taking a step back from her acoustic guitar, ‘Blue’ takes inspiration from various female pop artists such as Lorde, Florence, and Ellie Goulding. The song focuses on the desire to wipe yourself clean of any sadness and the feeling of urgency that comes with healing. 

‘Blue’ is available on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music and all other music platforms from Thursday October 28th. 

Following on from the huge response to his recently released single ‘Picture Perfect’, which went on to be named Track Of The Month on iRadio and Track Of The Week on RTE 2fm, as well as playlisted on Irish radio stations Spin 1038, Spin Southwest, Red FM, and FM104, the UK’s BBC Introducing and Across The Line, and Q Radio in Northern Ireland, fast-rising Irish artist Curtis Walsh is now looking to continue his upward trend on the captivating new single ‘Sitting Ducks’.

Produced by the ever-impressive Brian Fennell aka SYML, who released his breathtaking self-titled debut album in 2019 featuring his breakthrough single ‘Where’s My Love’, ‘Sitting Ducks’ looks to elevate the heartfelt and romantic aesthetic Curtis has been curating of late with its bold and euphoric piano-led production. With both artists adding their own distinct energy to the track, the result is a broad and effervescent journey through the artist’s own progressive songwriting and tantalising vocal performance.

Speaking about the new offering, Curtis said, “It’s been the guts of 2 years now in the making. This song is really important to me so I was determined to make sure I got it as close to perfect as possible before releasing it into the world. Everyone has hardship going on in their lives – some worse than others but I’m a strong believer that every bit of pain and discomfort you face is a test for whether you’ll grow or wallow in the suffering – and I know just how easy it is to stop pushing forward and wallow – so this is a song I feel I once needed to hear, and that hopefully a lot of others can use as a driving force into a better future and a better you! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it.

Curtis Walsh has now amassed more than 15m streams across all DSP’s for his releases to date, which includes his shimmering debut EP ‘Breathe’. He recently performed at Ronan Keating’s charity TV show raising funds for the Marie Keating Foundation on Virgin Media TV alongside names such as Niall Horan and UK pop star Anne Marie, and featured on a charity single made in Korea as one of only a few non-Korean artists to be asked to partake.

He will also be heading out on the road for a number of headline shows across Ireland in March 2022, as well as performances at some festivals in the UK. Full details to be announced soon.

 Since his early childhood, Curtis Walsh has been immersed in music. Growing up in the suburbs of Dublin, artists such as U2, Oasis, and Adele became the soundtrack to his earliest years, slowly impacting the way in which he would grow to love and appreciate music. But it wasn’t until his discovery of Ed Sheeran that his inspiration was truly awakened and he began to write music for himself.

After finishing school, Curtis was more than ready to hurl himself into the music industry, releasing his debut single ‘Full Recovery’ just one month later. The track itself reflected the world in which he had grown up. Written when he was fifteen about one of his close friends, it became an emotionally wrought offering that earned him more than one million streams on Spotify in the first week, and praise from the likes of Clash Magazine amongst others. From there, he released his debut EP ‘Breathe’ in May 2019, which has now garnered more than 15 million streams to date.

Throughout the COVID pandemic, Curtis decided to take the opportunity to to focus more on his own style and sound. Swapping personal stories for more existential questions about life and its meanings, he felt that lockdown served as a positive opportunity for self-reflection and a chance for him to explore new ideas and avenues. Increasingly drawing creative inspiration from a genre-wide array of artists such as Bon Iver to Jon Hopkins, Curtis continues to expand and mature his approach to song-writing and production which is evident in the new single Picture Perfect and in his upcoming material lined up for the remainder for 2021.

And while the lockdowns have shifted his focus on the artist he wants to be, his drive and ambition remains relentlessly unchanged. Curtis Walsh is looking to become even more adventurous and prolific in the coming years, with a more reassured feel as to who he is and wants to be as an artist. Get to know Curtis Walsh more through this wonderful video feature.

DISCOVER CURTIS WALSH

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY

Iva Ray is set to release her highly anticipated and firey anthemic track ‘Trouble’ featuring Slick Bullet on October 22nd.

‘Trouble’ was first recorded 2020 written by Iva Ray and Slick Bullet, who is also the music engineer for the song. In the song Iva wanted to capture that moment when you know you are in ‘Trouble’ and the catchy, dancehall, fiery vibe.

The song was actually created based kind off to a real-life situation (Not Iva’s) that inspired her, “basically about a girl who’s attracted to a guy she knows she’s not supposed to be attracted to but she can’t help it for reasons she can’t explain. She knows he’s Trouble but can’t stop herself”

Iva Ray is a singer and songwriter based in Dublin, with interest in creating music that resonates with her and others and not sticking to a specific genre.

Iva Ray started her singing journey at age of 6 when her mother noticed her talent and signed her up for music tutor for the very first time. Iva loved it and had many performances for the next 10 years. She started experimenting with song writing and acting at age of 15 and had a music studio with her first producer and friend in Bulgaria.

After moving to live in Ireland, she starts recording again and her first ever English single (produced by 21 Beats) is released on BBC UK Radio. Excited by this, she then continues to develop her songwriting skills which lead to her next duet song ‘U gonna Like this’ (with Reuben James).

Iva is currently planning to release her debut Album in 2022 and her first music video of her song ‘Trouble’ (featuring Slick Bullet) is coming out on 22nd of October 2021!

INSTAGRAM  TWITTER  FACEBOOK  

FeeF, aka Siofra, is back with her next single release following on from the success of her last offering. Having just returned from a 2 week musical trip around Ireland with three other musicians from different genres, Siofra is hitting the ground running with two releases this month; first up is ‘Don’t Look Down’.

Hailing from rural Roscommon, ‘FeeF’ is the brainchild of singer/musician Siofra Jordan. Living on a barge in the waterways of the county’s heartlands, she is heavily influenced by nature and the surrounding lakeland environment. Her music is genre fluid; alternative/folk/pop with blues, jazz and reggae influences. As a kid, she absorbed the songbooks of pioneers such as Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell and was heavily influenced by the early Motown releases.

“’Don’t Look Down’ was written about addiction in every sense of the word, we are all addicted to something, someone or someplace, my intention was to release the emotion in a positive way, and hope it will resonate with people”, says Feef.

‘Don’t Look Down’ is out October 20th

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMwZbdXS9c7wt8sNSHg9zaw

https://feefmusic.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/music.feef

Davie Furey presents his brand new song ‘The Rain That Falls On Palestine’, recorded in October 2021 in Jam Studios and Produced, Mixed and Mastered by Martin Quinn.  It is a song that reflects what the Palestinian people are experiencing at the hands of the Israeli government. All proceeds from the song will be going to HDIP (Health, Development, Information and PoIicy Institute of Palestine).

There will be a single launch for the song, ‘The Rain That Falls On Palestine’ on Friday 22nd October in Belfas,t and Saturday 23rd October in Dublin.  The Palestinian Ambassador will be saying a few words also.

“I was brought up listening to songs by Woody Guthrie, Luke Kelly, Tracy Chapman, Billy Bragg, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and a whole host of other songwriters who, at times, reflected on world events through their music.  I believe that the Palestinian people have been bullied, oppressed and abused for many years now.  This song is for those proud people of Palestine.”  – Davie Furey

“The Mission of the State of Palestine would like to thank Davie for highlighting the issues that are affecting the people of Palestine through his song ‘The Rain That Falls On Palestine'” – Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid, Ambassador of the Palestinian  Mission to Ireland

Website: www.daviefurey.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daviefureymusic1/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/daviefurey?lang=en

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daviefureymusic/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/davie-furey-music

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0pJVfAuuVnqtwbSbwGPFwe?si=SHLtpXxfTd-XYVje1BdryA

Photo credit: Ruth Medjber 

Singular Artists is happy to announce a one off show Upstairs at Whelans for Marcus (YourCuzMarcus) on Friday, December 3rd.

The show follows the recent release of his debut EP ‘Not Real’, and the single ‘Apri’l, which featured on Spotify’s New Music Friday, A Breath of Fresh Eire, Fresh Finds UK & Ireland, and many more.

Speaking about the live show, YourCuzMarcus said: ‘I’m buzzin’ about doing this show in front of my hometown crowd. I’ve released five singles and the EP over the past 18 months and now I will finally get to play them and other new songs live with a band.  I’m looking forward to the show’

Marcus (YourCuzMarcus) has received huge support for his singles ‘Redemption’, ‘The Juice’,  ‘Let Them Know’, and ‘April’. They were picked up by likes of Wonderland, The Independent, Irish Daily Star, Official Charts, RTE, Hotpress, and the Gary Crowley show on BBC Radio London and were also featured in influential Spotify playlists; New Music Friday UK, A Breathe Of Fresh Éire, Alt-Pop, Easy and Chilled Pop Hits.

Growing up in a varied musical household, Marcus’ influences came from two distinct areas; his Dad’s love of musicians such as Bob Dylan, David Bowie, and Bob Marley, as well as his growing love affair with hip-hop. These two almost polarising tastes are what first engaged the artist to create his own direction, fusing the creative and inventive style of so many acts he admired to create something he could call his own.

His new EP ‘Not Real’ has been born of a variety of influences and inspirations over the years. While growing on a diverse mix of everything from early folk artists to modern-day hip-hop, Marcus has developed a sound that is distinctly his and looks to bring his eclectic direction to the forefront of this new collection.

Tickets are available from www.singularartists.ie from Thursday, 21st October at 10 am.

Following the completion of their sold out UK tour Inhaler release the ‘My Honest Face’ EP, which includes the band’s cover of Billie Eilish’s single ‘Your Power’ and the track ‘When I’m With You,’ previously only available as part of the deluxe vinyl edition of the band’s #1 album ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’.

Originally released in 2019 and a fan favourite, ‘My Honest Face’ was reworked during sessions for the album and has now amassed over 25 million combined streams.

The band’s cover of Billie Eilish’s ‘Your Power‘ had previously been an exclusive on the Apple Music At Home EP and was performed for Annie Mac on BBC Radio 1 in the summer.

The Dublin quartet are one of the most exciting bands to emerge over the past few years and debut album, ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’, lives up to their thrilling potential. Singer and guitarist Eli Hewson, bassist Robert Keating, guitarist Josh Jenkinson and drummer Ryan McMahon have made a record that captures their evolution from exciting upstarts to refined songsmiths. It takes in a dazzling array of sonic textures, where huge, hooky choruses perfectly meld with intricate, dynamic instrumentation.

Recorded with long-term collaborator and producer Antony Genn at London’s Narcissus Studios, it’s a coming-of-age record about losing yourself and finding yourself again, trying to make sense of the world when the world doesn’t make much sense. It charts a path of sonic exploration, from the sweeping urgency of the title track to the lush synth-pop of ‘Slide Out The Window’ to the lithe, space-y grooves of ‘A Night On The Floor’. It is a debut of depth and colour and includes the track ‘Totally’ which is featured on FIFA 22.

An idiosyncratic, challenging and richly lyrical singer/ songwriter, Junior Brother is the pseudonym of Co. Kerry, Ireland singer Ronan Kealy. Following his acclaimed debut album Pull The Right Rope (a Choice Music Prize nominee for Irish Album of the Year), Junior Brother has whipped up a dedicated following thanks to unmissable live shows, and music both excitingly forward-looking and anciently evocative. His strange stories unfold with reckless abandon upon an idiosyncratic guitar and foot tambourine accompaniment, influenced as much by the avant-garde as music from the middle-ages and his home place in rural Ireland.

His new single ‘Life’s New Haircut’ is out October 18th. The video was directed, edited and produced by Ayla Amano.

“The blades of razors split the sky long after this poem was put onto a page a few years ago. The recording of the song to tape happened to finally come just before all our worlds closed down. It found its true meaning shortly thereafter with the new shape the world span in accentuating its sentiments. Although allegorical, I believe this song speaks for itself. Aren’t you glad we’re not alone?”

Spreading the good word in iconic venues such as The Beacon Theatre (New York), Blackpool Opera House (UK) and Vicar Street (Dublin), he has played support for a variety of like-minded acts such as The Proclaimers and Glen Hansard, the latter bringing him on a tour of the US East Coast in July 2019.

Pull The Right Rope, Junior Brother’s trailblazing debut album, was nominated for the Choice Music Prize Award for Irish Album of the Year. Two nominations were also earned at the 2019 RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards, for Best Folk Album and Best Emerging Folk Act. Vigorous approval from modern-day Irish figureheads such as the Rubberbandits and Cillian Murphy has furthered Junior Brother’s stock, the latter playing Junior Brother several times on his BBC6 Music Radio Show. Along-side further airplay in Ireland on all major national radio stations, his television performances include appearances on the Tommy Tiernan show, Other Voices and the Choice Music Prize Prize night in Vicar Street.

Tour Dates

26 Nov Whelan’s, Dublin

27 Nov The Great Eastern, Edinburgh

04 Dec Dolan’s, Limerick

16 Dec De Barra’s, Clonakilty

19 Dec Spirit Store, Dundalk

30 Dec Róisín Dubh, Galway

Available now on limited edition 7” from strangebrew.ie & juniorbrother.com