Author: Breffni Banks

Mick Flannery has released a second song ‘Morning Rain’, taken from his forthcoming album ‘Goodtime Charlie’.  Mick’s eighth studio album, which was recently announced alongside the signing to John Prine’s legendary Oh Boy Records as their first international signing, is due September 15th, 2023.

‘Morning Rain’ sets a different tone to the previously released single and the albums namesake ‘Goodtime Charlie’, returning to his signature piano emotive rhythms – https://pocp.co/morning-rain

Mick says of the song: “This song has a lighter feel to it, it’s a song of appreciation for a partner, the moments and sentiments shared and reciprocated. I was a little afraid of its chirpiness to begin with, but I got over myself eventually.”

Video: Album Trailer Here

Mick has announced a string of North American tour dates in support of the album release, including headline shows in New York City, Toronto, and Boston.  These shows join an array of previously announced tours in Germany, The Netherlands, Denmark, UK, and Ireland.

Mick will perform at only two shows ahead of the album release this September. Playing at Haldern Pop festival August 3-5th in Germany, and The National Museum of Ireland in Dublin on August 26th, with special guests Valerie June and Susan O’Neill

Stream ‘Morning Rain’ here 

For tickets, visit: https://www.mickflannery.com/tour

Tour Dates: 

August 3rd-5th Haldern Pop Festival, Haldern DE

August 26th The National Museum of Ireland, Dublin IE

September 15th – Dolans Warehouse, Limerick IE

September 21st – Americanafest -Nashville TN

September 22nd  – Zanzabar – Louisville KY

September 23rd  The Ark – Ann Arbor MI

September 24th  Horseshoe Tavern – Toronto ON

September 26th  Le Poisson Rouge – New York NY

September 27th  Crystal Ballroom – Somerville MA

September 28th  Word Barn – Exeter NH

September 29th   Parlour Room – Northampton MA

September 30th  The Falcon – Marlboro NY

October 1st NPR Mountain Stage – Blacksburg VA, USA

October 12th The Empire, Belfast NI

October 13th The Spirit Store, Dundalk IE 

October 14th The Spirit Store, Dundalk IE

October 19th The Royal Theatre, Castlebar, Mayo IE

October 20th The Social Live, Donegal IE

October 21st, Sandinos, Derry NI

October 22nd Hawkswell Theatre, Sligo IE

October 26th DeBarras, Clonakilty, IE

October 27th DeBarras, Clonakilty IE

October 28th INEC, Killarney, IE

October 29th Spiegeltent, Wexford IE

November 6th, Backstage, Munich DE

November 7th, Club Stereo, Nuremberg DE

November 8th, Ostpol, Dresden DE

November 9th, Prachtwerk, Berlin DE

November 10th, Nochtwache, Hamburg DE

November 11th, KGB Club, Langenberg DE

November 12th, Nachtleben, Frankfurt DE

November 13th, Blue Shell, Cologne DE

November 21st, GC De Wildeman, Herent  BE

November 22nd, Paterskerk, Eindhoven NL

November 23rd, Bitterzoet, Amsterdam NL

November 25th Sønderborghus, Sønderborg DK

November 26th Vega, Copenhagen DK

November 28th VoxHall, Aarhus DK

November 29th Gimle, Roskilde DK

December 2nd, Lafayette, London UK

December 29th, Roisin Dubh, Galway IE

December 30th, Roisin Dubh, Galway IE

Connect with Mick Flannery

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Mick Flannery photo credit Susie Conroy

Colin Harper: ‘Better Weather’ is a gentle rumination on the state of the world, written last year. No finger-pointing or hectoring, just a bit sad. It feels like end times – there’s no point pretending otherwise. Still, you never know… A few people have told me it’s my best song and yes, it probably is. We’re all time-poor these days and I can’t expect radio to want a six-minute, slow-burning song that starts like something from Joni Mitchell and becomes something akin to the Who before the embers fade. I couldn’t face trying to cut it in half myself – I’m too close – so I wondered if my great pal Sarah McQuaid, whose songwriting and fearlessness I’ve always loved, and her sound engineer Martin Stansbury would give it a go. They did – and somehow they’ve removed the rock and kept the roll and it still makes some sense.’

Sarah McQuaid: ‘Colin is an old friend and has enlisted both me and my long-time manager/sound engineer Martin Stansbury to work with him on various projects over the years — but never both of us on the same project until now, so I was absolutely thrilled when he asked us to come up with a “radio edit” of his new single, especially as the vocals on the track are by the wonderful Katie Spencer, an artist whose work I admire tremendously. It’s a tricky job reducing a six-minute song to half its original length while trying to retain its “epic” feel, but I hope we’ve managed to boil it down to its essence and keep the lyrics — and Katie’s beautifully understated delivery of them — front and centre.’

‘Better Weather’ is a microcosm of the Legends of Tomorrow’s ‘supergroup’ ethos, featuring four notable musicians from the worlds of Irish jazz, blues-rock and folk along with Katie Spencer, a fast-rising young singer, songwriter and guitarist from Yorkshire:

Colin: ‘I met Katie through encountering her partner Henry Parker’s music online. I sought Henry out on a holiday in Yorkshire and he introduced me to Katie’s music – which is just as wonderful, but in its own unique way. They both draw deeply from the well of 1960s British folk influences – the sort of artists I’ve written about in magazines, books and box set essays for the past 30 years. I was stunned when I was told they were each reading my book on Bert Jansch, Dazzling Stranger, when they met. Asking Katie to sing on ‘Better Weather’ felt rather karmic. Her performance on it is, as it always is, dazzling – and she’s no longer a stranger. I feel very blessed that she was keen to do it. I definitely owe her a favour, so here it is: Katie, I promise never to play guitar on one of your own records!’

Ard Ó is an Alternative/Rock project founded in 2022 by Waterford (Ireland) native Stephen Keating, taking inspiration from the likes of Biffy Clyro/Muse/Radiohead to the more alternative sounds of Ben Howard/Bon Iver. Stephen spent his teens and early 20s in Irish music group Under Starling playing in various venues around Ireland. He is now living in south London where he has started his first solo project; Ard Ó. Since the release of debut single, ‘Delta’ in October 2022, Ard Ó has hit the London live music scene gigging in various venues across London including Camden Assembly, Old Dispensary, Map Cafe and O2 Academy Islington.

His most recent single ‘Sensory Seeker’ picked up support in Cobra Promotions, Hotpress, IMRO, Ragged Cast, Near FM, WLR FM and many more, making the young artist a close one to watch!

He now hopes to keep on building his momentum with the release of his brand new single ‘Peaceful Illusion’ dropping July 27^th.

Peaceful Illusion

Following on from the release of “Sensory Seeker’ in June, ‘Peaceful Illusion’, carries on following the journey of the struggling protagonist, this time in 1st person where the song focuses on masking of emotion and the finding of temporary solace in substance’s. This moody tune slowly builds with a mix of textures including haunting backing vocals, electronic synths, into a huge ending with distorted guitars and hard hitting lyrics. Mixed and mastered by Dublin producer Matt Morgan, Peaceful Illusion is the last single and title track of Ard Ó’s upcoming EP.

Artist Quote:

“Peaceful Illusion”, the single and the EP as a whole, deals with some heavy stuff, all centered really around mental health and the battles/problems that we create for ourselves. Different people cope with these struggles in different ways, more often than not, in unhealthy ways. This track explores such a coping strategy, where people turn to the drink or drugs in attempts to distract themselves from their own negative thoughts”

‘Peaceful Illusion’ is out now

Connect with Ard Ó

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

WICKLOW MUSICIAN CAOI DE BARRA (WYVERN LINGO)

CONTINUES HER NATIONAL TOUR,

ON HER 125CC SCOOTER

Prim’s Bookshop, Kinsale, Cork July 26^th

DeBarra’s Clonakilty, Cork, July 27th

St. Michael’s Church, Waterville, Co Kerry Jul 30^th

Dolan’s, Limerick, Aug 2nd

The Green Room, Dingle, Aug 3rd

Arundels by the Pier, Ahakista, Cork Aug 9th

Monroes, Galway, Aug 11th

The Music Loom, Killybegs, Donegal, Aug 12th

The Harbour Bar, Bray, Wicklow, Aug 17th

The Fumbally, Dublin, Aug 18th

Berlin-based Irish singer/songwriter Caoi de Barra has been making waves in the music industry after leaving her mark as a member of the acclaimed alternative-pop trio Wyvern Lingo. With her unparalleled talent and unique style, de Barra is quickly becoming a notable presence in the music world. With an artistic style influenced by the likes of Jeff Buckley and Joni Mitchell, de Barra released her highly anticipated debut EP ‘Thicket’ in August 2022.

De Barra recently toured as drummer for Grammy-nominated singer songwriter Allison Russell, (which included an appearance at Glastonbury), and is currently embarking on her own solo tour of Ireland, throughout July and August, traveling from town to town on a trusty 125cc scooter.

So far on her route, Caoi has performed at Frank’s Place, Wexford; IMMA’s Summer party; Live at 1868, Dungarvan, the Woodfield Café, Birr; Poppy Lane Sessions, Kinvara; Pot Duggan’s Ennistimon, and Coughlan’s Cork.

Speaking on the journey, she says: “It’s such a rewarding adventure, it’s actually a bit surreal. So far the venues have varied from wine bars to garden centres, even house shows, and they’ve all been transformed into gorgeously intimate and unique gig locations with amazingly warm audiences. There’s so much magic around this country. I feel extremely fortunate, and a little bit rain-drenched, but I just bought wet gear, so things are looking up!”

See Caoi de Barra live at:

Prim’s Bookshop, Kinsale, Cork July 26^th

DeBarra’s Clonakilty, Cork, July 27th

St. Michael’s Church, Waterville, Co Kerry Jul 30^th

Dolan’s, Limerick, Aug 2nd

The Green Room, Dingle, Aug 3rd

Arundels by the Pier, Ahakista, Cork Aug 9th

Monroes, Galway, Aug 11th

The Music Loom, Killybegs, Donegal, Aug 12th

The Harbour Bar, Bray, Wicklow, Aug 17th

The Fumbally, Dublin, Aug 18th

Tour dates + ticket links: https://campsite.bio/caoidebarra 

De Barra recently shared a new single ‘Treehouse’ – a captivating disillusioned-summer-bop, where the Irish housing crisis leaves de Barra feeling trapped in a perpetual state of adolescence, and the concept of being a self-sufficient artist seems as lofty as building a dwelling up a tree – “It’s really letting my petulant inner child do the problem solving”, de Barra says.

Official Video: https://youtu.be/fGWGihMFutY

Stream/download – https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/caoidebarra/treehouse 

Bandcamp: https://caoidebarra.bandcamp.com/track/treehouse 

Follow Caoi’s journey on Instagram:

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

(Caoi de Barra. Photographer credit Ellius Grace)

Launching a tirade against tiresome notions of cool with a bottle-rocket of fuzzy, frenzied punk-rock thrills; the latest from the Trim, Co. Meath trio takes no prisoners during its lightning-bolt 2’15 blitz.

Laced with self-deprecating humour and a slacker charm, “Trendsetters” is both a bile spattered break-up song and a tempestuous takedown of those with holier-than-thou ideologies.

“I wish my friends were all trendsetters, I wish my songs were so much better” quips Spearside frontman Oisín Walsh, tongue firmly in cheek.

Recorded on a Revox tape machine dating back to 1974 and described by the band as a “complete capitulation to the 70s power pop aesthetic”, “Trendsetters” fizzes with the timeless tuneage long synonymous with the genre, while adding a refreshing tenacity all their own. Barreling headfirst through two-minutes of good-time choral hooks and ageless no-frills riffs, it’s a track that nods to the new wave of US garage rock heroes such as Ty Segall and Young Guv, while beating with the blood of the Irish underground they are quickly beginning to stake as their own.

Speaking about Spearside’s aims for their latest single, guitarist and singer Oisín Walsh explains:

“[Trendsetters is] a shameless pop song about the breakdown of a relationship, and an attempt to capture the energy the likes of Jay Reatard brought to this type of guitar music when it looked dead and buried. Young Guv is currently leading the resurgence of power pop without falling too heavily into the cheesy stylistic tropes that age like milk.

“As much as we love power pop it’s only one aspect of our sound but I imagine it’s something that will always be part of our band even in subtle ways. It feels like we’ve ticked that box with Trendsetters, from here we can explore an array of different sounds. Who knows what we’ll put out next.”

Due to be coupled with a suitably punchy, DIY video by Robert Broaders, standby for its unveiling in the coming weeks.

Rapidly carving out a space for themselves in the colourful world of guitar pop, SPEARSIDE are an Irish indie/rock three-piece comprising brothers Oisín Walsh (vocals/guitar) and Cian Walsh (vocals/bass), along with their friend Dylan Zovich (drums).

With a DIY ethic at the heart of what they do, the band proudly produce all of their music from their own home-studio in Trim, Co. Meath and have so far released a succession of equally immediate singles in the short time since their formation.

“Trendsetters” is available on all major streaming platforms now.

Carlow based music producer Hawk Jupiter has released an action-packed music video to accompany his recent funk-filled single ‘Almighty’.

The tastefully shot production was filmed on-location near Enniskerry in Wicklow, Ireland – a location chosen by Ukrainian filmmaker Konstantin Antipenko who acted as Director of Photography on the production.

The upbeat and narrative-led video fuses a dystopian setting with action packed stunt sequences, magical rituals and a nod to the ancient Ogham language.

The action-led video matches the pace set by the high octane single which meshes 90s rave inspired-synths with a funk-inspired bassline.

‘The storyline is set in a dystopian Ireland, where drinking water is a scarce resource,’ mentions producer Hawk Jupiter. ‘It’s essentially about one person’s quest to tap into their inner might – matching the spirit of the lyrics which are self-affirming.’

Stunt coordination was provided by Philip Condron, Director of Screen Combat Ireland. Philip also took on the lead role within the video. Up and coming actor Niamh O’Rourke plays a support role, along with actors Patrick McEvoy, Anthony Harte and Jack English.

Throughout, Wicklow’s unmistakable scenery is beautifully captured on film.

‘This was my first production to write, direct and produce with a full cast and crew,’ mentioned music producer and director of the video Hawk Jupiter. ‘It represents a step closer to my vision of creating compelling narrative-led visuals that are every bit as engaging as the track itself. Working with the cast and crew was phenomenal and I look forward to building more creative teams in the future.’

The video is available to watch on YouTube here:

Glen Hansard is set to release his fifth solo record ‘All That Was East Is West Of Me Now’ on October 20. It will mark the singer-songwriter’s first record in over four years and follows a period that found Hansard moving between collaborative work with Eddie Vedder and Cat Power to live performances with The Frames and Markéta Irglová/The Swell Season. The effect of which helped give direction to All That Was East Is West Of Me Now, a record that is by all turns noisy and meditative, sprawling and hypnotic, Hansard’s most rock record since Burn the Maps-era The Frames.

The record opens with a call to arms in the powerful and stately “The Feast of St. John.” Evoking echoes of “On the Beach” Neil Young and ‘Magnolia’-era Songs:Ohia, the song features Warren Ellis (The Dirty Three/The Bad Seeds) on violin and feels like raucous bit of apotropaic magic from the westernmost edge of Ireland.

All That Was East Is West Of Me Now came together through a series of five word-of-mouth gigs Hansard arranged at his small local pub over the course of November 2022. “A song only becomes what it is through witness,” says Hansard and in the presence of an audience, “the song finds a different way.” By the end of the residency, the record had taken shape and recording commenced with long time co-conspirator David Odlum at his home studio on the outskirts of Dublin.

Hansard further explains: “I told no one. We set up in the corner and played to the locals, some of whom were only half listening. A collection of farmers and workers, dart players, pool sharks. I played two hours of new songs each week, some songs finished, some half-baked. Through this process I realized what I had and what I had to work on further – which songs landed and which ones were only good in my imagination. It solidified my choices right away. It was as if the album appeared in that bar. And not before.”

The title, which Hansard says, stems from the “sudden realization that there’s more behind than ahead,” suggests a survey from a great height, taking in terrain travelled and yet also that which is still to be discovered. Though the passage of time may be a central theme, these eight tracks focus more on the promise for the future than thoughts of regret or nostalgia.

Next month Hansard will begin a run of headlining shows alongside Irglova performing at storied venues such as the Ryman Auditorium and Radio City Music Hall. He will follow that up with a European tour this fall, which will reach the UK, Germany, Poland, his homeland of Ireland and many more.

“The Feast Of St. John” is available on all major streaming platforms now.

Mark Prendergast’s new project Man Alive is a leftfield step away from his international chart-conquering success with Kodaline, as evidenced by his debut track ‘Be Someone’ which earned attention from the likes of NME, Clash and Hot Press as well as a broad sweep of Irish airplay and nine global Spotify New Music Friday playlists.

Now it’s time to dive deeper into Man Alive’s whirlpool of emotion with the news that the project’s debut EP ‘Colours’ will be released on 15th September and is now available to pre-save HERE. The EP is announced alongside the release of its title track and new single. Listen HERE. Watch the official video HERE.

Mark says, “I was just like a kid in a candy shop when making this EP. When you’re in a band and you get it right, there’s a confidence that comes from a gang mentality, and that’s great, but this was the total opposite. Just the idea of going solo was a thrill, but the songs always came first and drove everything. Like everybody else in this world, you go through moments where you’re fucking great and you go through moments where you’re not. I suppose each song is just about a different kind of emotion, and that discovery of figuring out who you are and all that kind of craic.”

The new single ‘Colours’ is a blissed-out Tame Impala-esque waltz which sets sun-kissed psychedelia through the glittery prism of a disco ball, all with an undercurrent of sophisticated and orchestrated pop which sets the perfect ambience for lyrics which celebrate the purity of being in love.

It offers a very different approach from the spacious beauty of its lovelorn alt-folk predecessor ‘Be Someone’, and that contrast hints at the vast array of sonic touchpoints that Mark is drawing upon for Man Alive. The postcard intimacy of ‘Five Minute Drive’ offers “a place to park your broken heart” while another new song, ‘Everytime I See Red’, possesses a similar warmth, all richly textured vocal harmonies and dreamy acoustic pop. The EP’s closing track ‘What Are The Chances’ finds the sweet spot between its anthemic, stadium-sized scope and a very personal touch, complete with the darker heart of lyrics such as, “I know I burned your neighbourhood to the ground.”

While Mark Prendergast has always written songs for Kodaline, he has also composed and demoed other songs simply for his own pleasure. But then the one-two combo of a break-up and lockdown hit, and suddenly he was in the midst of a purple patch of inspiration. He had never even casually entertained the thought of becoming a singer, but the catalogue of songs he had written was just too personal to hand over to someone else.

To date, Man Alive have played just two shows: a raucous house party in which Mark’s band included Gavin James and members of Soft Launch, while his friend Aisling Bea guested as MC, and Tuesday’s sold-out debut headline show at The Waiting Room in London.

The title track, ‘Colours’, is available on all major streaming platforms now.

Irish rising talent VJ Jaxson unveils anthemic single “Waiting On The Day,” taken from his forthcoming sophomore EP Changes. 

Led by warm vocals and heartfelt lyrics, the track captures Jaxson’s everyday struggles, perseverance and relentless belief in his own potential as he inspires others to embrace their dreams and overcome obstacles to put their energy into celebrating their triumphs. 

“Waiting On The Day” is an anthemic number that captures Jaxson’s everyday struggles, perseverance and relentless belief in his own potential, thus inspiring others to embrace their dreams, overcome obstacles, and remain focused on their well-deserved triumphs.

Having been warmly received on his debut EP ‘Finding Myself’ in 2021, VJ proved his ability to flit across topics of love, introspection, mental health and faith within his soul-stirring mix of hip-hop, R&B and indie rock, and lyrical realism all centered upon his brave self discovery-laden explorations. 

Emerging from Tallaght, VJ has established himself as a force to be reckoned with, with a powerful and transportive artistry framed by an unyielding determination to unleash his talents upon the world and leave an indelible mark on the music scene.

“Waiting on the Day” is available on all major streaming platforms now.

RTE Choice Prize nominated artist Nealo serves up a second offering of the year entitled “Tears You Cry”, a self-reflective piece infused with the mood of a smoky jazz club. Joined by longtime friend, Jehnova the new single encapsulates a conversation between friends sharing past troubles and hopes for a brighter future whilst navigating through life. Nealo leads oozing with charisma as his captivating voice and edgy lyricism rivet around the sprawling beat poetically promising to show up for friends on any and every occasion. Evoking pleasant feelings that are reminiscent of good times with friends and loved ones. 

His collaborator Jehnova on the other hand takes “Tears You Cry” on a sonic journey illustrating an earnest yet tongue-in-cheek retrospective of their life experiences. Enlightening listeners with an admirable perspective that is nothing short of godly. Harmonised by the angelically and hypnotic vocals from Sivv the chorus sends you adrift into a different frequency. Whist the saxophone line sways you adding a dream-like wonder to this of much needed summer single.

In his own words, Nealo explained “‘Tears You Cry’ has to be condensed to anything, it is a celebration of my friendship with Jehnova. For me, the song has become so synonymous with us doing it live with him looking at me and singing my verse back. The song itself came from a group of sessions that I had with Jehnova, Sivv, Adam Shanahan & Adam Garrett. We had planned to do a project with me and Jehnova on the cover back to back like Mel Gibson and Danny Glover.

With an admirable track record since the release of his debut album” All The Leaves Are Falling” in 2020, North-west Dublin rapper Nealo has continued to impress with new music, marking the start of a new era with his last release ‘Forest’. Having performed in most of the country’s venues and been rounded up an Irish Times Top 10 Artists alongside RTE Choice nomination.

Known for his sharp lyrical narratives, his songs candidly document experiences and explore themes that resonate with his fanbase. Nealo’s impact on Irish music has never been seen before as providing honest, soul-touching and vulnerable music to a generation in need. Address society and all the problems ingrained in Irish culture, Nealo’s voice is set to free the nation.

‘Tears You Cry’ is available on all major streaming platforms now.