Author: Breffni Banks

Tom Keating Presents is thrilled to announce Dublin quartet The Scratch for this year’s Guinness Cork Jazz in Cork Opera House on October 29, 2023. Tickets go on sale Friday, August 25 at 10AM via Box Office and Ticketmaster.

The Scratch are a four-piece band that sound like no one else you’ve ever heard before, featuring Conor Dockery (guitar, backing vocals), Cathal McKenna (bass/backing vocals), Daniel Lang (cajón, percussion, lead vocals), and Jordan O’Leary (guitar, lead vocals). Like all the great progressive musicians, they turn music on its head and pour their hearts and souls into their art to forge something original and new.

Musicians making the time-honoured leap from acoustic to electric are well-documented, but The Scratch did it the other way round. Bob Dylan famously received a hostile reaction when he went electric in 1965. When The Scratch went acoustic, they ushered in a new and exciting creative chapter. What’s more, they signed to Sony Music Ireland and are on the same roster as Bob Dylan!

Prior to The Scratch, they were a “a full-blown metal band” called Red Enemy, who released an album and toured the UK and US. After Red Enemy fizzled out, four of its five members re-convened. “We started looking at ways to express ourselves a bit more authentically,” Conor Dockery says. “Something we could put our individual personalities into.”

They swapped the electric axes and amps for acoustics. The fledgling band found their feet jamming in their kitchen, creating freewheeling, intrepid music, which is laced with humour, honesty, devilment, and an overwhelmingly positive spirit, refreshingly free from the constraints of a recording studio or rehearsal room. The band then pursued a musical journey incorporating hard-rock and metal dynamics with adventurous acoustic-based music, while additionally using a cajón, a box-shaped drum that originated in Peru.

The Scratch when on to put out a self-released album, Couldn’t Give a Rats. So far, so good. Only problem was its timing, emerging in early April, 2020, literally a few short weeks after the world shut down. Towards the end of the pandemic, the band felt an overwhelming compulsion to give it their best shot as full-time musicians, channelling all the frustration and disappointment of the previous two years in the most positive and proactive way they could. They were invited to appear at James Vincent McMorrow’s Imagining Ireland event at the Barbican, London in May 2022. McMorrow would prove to be a key ally, producing their forthcoming album, Mind Yourself, at Black Mountain Studios. In early 2023, The Scratch signed to Sony Music Ireland. The first fruits of this partnership can now be heard on Trom II- A Slip in the Wind, a remarkable tune that beautifully showcases their singular sound. Mind Yourself is out on November 3. For The Scratch, life is only just beginning.

The Scratch play Guinness Cork Jazz in Cork Opera House October 29

Doors 11.30pm – Late show

Tickets €26.50 + b/fee available from Box Office and Ticketmaster.ie

Wexford hip-hop duo The Ballyboyz join forces with Mullingar artist Scally to release ‘WAITING ROOM’, the first single from the groups forthcoming EP ‘MASS PSYCHOSIS’. The EP casts a reflection on the last three years and injects cynical drops of satire and hard hitting humour into their commentary on sensitive and contentious issues that no other Irish artists dare to touch upon.

‘WAITING ROOM’ amplifies the internal monologues of those sitting in doctors’ surgery awaiting their COVID-19 vaccine. The making of the record started during the lockdown period of 2021 as The Ballyboyz got hooked on the sound of their Dad’s 80s vinyl collection and invited Scally to blend their respective hip-hop & rock n’ roll styles together.

The result is a fresh, anarchistic sound of rebellion, as they dissect the generally accepted news and government narratives with no holds barred and no apologies given.

Scally – “I’m buzzin to get this song out there, it takes you on a deep dive into the mind of a few colorful characters sitting in the doctors waiting room. The lyrics are wild, the groove is a head bop kinda buzz. Collaborating with The Ballyboyz has been extremely fun and fruitful, we’ve formulated a unique sound and we’re rapping about topics that other artists are afraid to go near. Making this record was the most fun I had making a record and I can’t wait for it to be rolled out, so inject it into your veins!”

The Ballyboyz – “When we chopped up the sample and added drums I knew this track had a vibe straight away, I contacted Scally because of his punk background and we created a fresh blend of both our styles. We were all hyped when we finished recording the audio for ‘WAITING ROOM’ but I knew it needed a crazy video to go along with it. We spent a week building & painting the waiting room set and leaned on Green Day’s ‘Basket Case’ for inspiration and Eminem’s ‘The Real Slim Shady’ for colour tones and the results speak for themselves”.

‘Waiting Room’ was recorded & produced at Bally & Scally HQ, mixed and mastered at Jam Studios, Kells by producer Martin Quinn.

‘Waiting Room’ is now available on all major streaming platforms.

Musicians Rónán Ó Snodaigh (Kíla) and Myles O’Reilly recently released their sophomore album ‘The Beautiful Road‘, a soulful blend of folk, traditional, and ambient crossover, via Claddagh Records. Today, they share a new video for track ‘Calling All Angels’, filmed and edited by Myles, and featuring Rónán and Wexford hurler Diarmuid Lyng.

Speaking on the video, Diarmuid says:

“I’ve long admired the work of Myles O’Reilly and Rónán Ó Snodaigh, both individually and collectively. Their first album was my go-to soundtrack for the lockdown. To get the opportunity to work with them was a gift. Particularly because the invite was ‘come as yourself, no acting, no staging of shots—just be as you’d be.’ It’s a rare invite when someone is shooting; it summons a grace that extends beyond the people and their stories. Myself and Ró were free to do as we generally do when we spend time together. We discussed through movement the ways in which music and hurling are similar, what separates us, and what brings us back together. For me, it was a chance to bridge the divide that can be present between the creative and the structured, both in myself and in the game in general.

Hurling is a fundamentally creative process, but as we continue down the path laid out by statisticians and sports psychologists, it’s hard not to think that some outlet for our young men, in particular, is being lost—individual creativity suffering function and outcome. At the same time, it’s a celebration of what the game is: a tonic, a community, our way of making sense of the fine line between battle and play—our game, played our way. Ró has been playing with the Katas of hurling from a young age, and we’ve been working on the footwork and movement native to the game to bring them to life. This is something we do when we get together without a specific aim in mind, but then along comes Myles with his camera, and the exploration finds a worthy outlet.”

Myles adds:

“Upon hearing the track ‘Calling All Angels’ for the first time, I immediately recognised it was a total classic. It took me a while to fully grasp the depth of the lyrics, which hold a very personal significance for Rónán. He has written them so beautifully for them to hold a Universal meaning, and everyone has their own experience of angels. So, as we embarked on creating the video, our aim was to avoid a literal representation of the Rónán’s deeper meaning. As he and Diarmuid began to play with their hurls on the Dublin seafront, I realised it was my responsibility, much like Rónán’s approach to his lyrics, to view the scene through a poetic lens. I still can’t describe or explain what exactly they were doing, other than sharing a deeply personal and playful moment in their own private and symbolic way.”

The song featured on Rónán and Myles recent album ‘The Beautiful Road’, praised by the Irish Times as “experimental and intriguing”; Totally Dublin said it is “…a testament to care. O’Reilly and Ó Snodaigh have created an album that is bursting with consideration and contemplation without ever veering too far towards rigid fastidiousness”, and long-time supporters Folk Radio UK described the album as “a calmative, a sonic balm in times of literal and metaphorical noise, but also a reminder of the verve and the life that can still exist in music. It’s an exceptional feat.”

Watch the video below:

CODYY is an Irish singer songwriter whose melodic sound embodies a fusion of organic instrumentation with electronic undertones, to create a synthesised blend that has the ability to get stadiums hopping.

The solo artist originally from Waterford City, Ireland has spent most of his life perfecting his craft of writing, recording, and performing music. From a young age, CODYY formed a natural passion for music, a journey that began with piano and led to guitar, bass and vocals. He has the ability to write, record, produce and perform his music to the highest level.

CODYY has worked with world class producers such as Phil Magee (The Script, Kodaline, The Academic) and Eliot James (Two Door, Bloc Party, The Coronas). Utilising these experiences along with his musical journey so far has resulted in him enhancing his writing and production skills. Patiently penned over the past 3 years, CODYY is now ready to unveil his debut single ‘Time 2 Be’.

Since beginning his solo journey as CODYY in 2020, he has played shows with Gavin James, Aslan, The Blizzards, Academic and Hudson Taylor. These were both full band and solo appearances. This year he aims to continue with similar gigs and a headline show to coincide with his first release.

The focus is now on bringing CODYY’s debut album to life. An album for the times, intelligently crafted with songs of substance and the potential to become a record that is celebrated for years to come.
His ambition is to become an artist recognised on a global scale, touring and performing to sold out audiences worldwide.

Introducing ‘Time 2 Be’ the electrifying debut single from Irish artist CODYY that captures the essence of our pursuit of meaning in a world that often leaves us searching in the wrong places.

Inspired by his personal journey as a solo artist, CODYY delves into the universal struggle of looking outward for significance instead of searching within, seeking deeper meaning while trying to break free from the constraints of the world.

The song’s lyrics capture the longing to uncover hidden truths and find significance amidst the chaos.

With a sense of urgency building from the start, “Time 2 Be” takes listeners on a sonic ride fueled by indie, pop and alternative influences. CODYY’s raw and emotive vocals intertwine with powerful guitar riffs, driving bass and dynamic drums, creating a stadium sound that resonates with fans of anyone from Kings of Leon to Dermot Kennedy.

Produced by CODYY and the wonderfully talented Tom Leach, “Time 2 Be” is a sonic powerhouse that demands attention. Its infectious melodies and unexpected harmonies make it stand out from anything else.

CODYY’s debut single sets the stage for an artist ready to make his mark on the music scene. With “Time 2 Be,” he invites listeners to embark on a journey, urging them and himself to cast aside expectations and embrace the exhilarating quest for significance.

Experience the urgency, the passion, and the raw authenticity of “Time 2 Be” as CODYY sets out to redefine the boundaries of alternative pop music on August 18^th.

Connect with Codyy 

Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Twitter

‘Daylight’ is the final single off of Cork Indie Rock band Little Known’s upcoming debut album As It Is coming out October 27th.

The previous three singles off of the album, ‘Listen’ ‘Slow Daze’ and ‘I Don’t Care About You’ were all chosen as RTE Tracks Of The week when they were released, so we are excited to see what is to come for ‘Daylight.’

‘Daylight’ is a catchy indie rock song that is a crowd favourite already for the band. ‘Daylight’ was written back in 2020 during the Covid Lockdown and was written by singer Liam Daly, inspired by the sounds of bands such as Spacey Jane and Surf Curse with a Little Known twist.

The track was recorded last January in Wavefield Recording Studio in West Cork, produced and engineered by Brian Casey – this is where the band also recorded the other 9 tracks on the upcoming release.

Connect with Little Known

Spotify | Instagram | Linktree