Author: Breffni Banks

Irish songwriter & producer, Gavin Glass returns with his new single, ‘Thirty Somethings’, a song that hits you like an overdue notice

The song ruefully relates the realities of modern Ireland now that the housing crisis is back, and how living in an age dominated by social media platforms, supposedly designed to bring people closer together, can leave one feeling nothing but alone.

Glass’ song writing chops are as sharp as ever and their perfectly matched by his unique approach to record production on this epic mini rock opera. Don’t let that scare you though, the only pin-balling going on here is that of hard working-class heroes bumping up against the ropes, being flipped into the out-lanes of negative equity, dependent on the bank of Ma & Da, and bouncing from one early-morning Tinder walk of shame to another. It’s all set against a big, wide sound that evokes Roy Orbison, Berlin era Bowie, a set of verses Elvis Costello would be happy with, and, of course, Glass’ unique blend of American folk, soul & pop music, beloved by discerning pop fans across the land.

This is the second single to be taken from Glass eagerly anticipated fifth long-player, ‘OPUS POCUS’, which lands in June The single’s release follows last year’s ‘Break Your Daddy’s Heart’ which was THE most played song on our national broadcaster Radio 1 for a three month period, and with good reason.

Glass continues to run his now legendary Orphan Recording Studios and since 2015’s album, ‘Sunday Songs’, acts such as Billy Bragg, Joe Henry, Lisa Hannigan, Paul Brady, David Keenan, The Young Folk, The Eskies, The Hot Sprockets, Mongrel State, Fangclub, Pillow Queens & Brass Phantoms have all recorded music within the walls of the sonic sanctuary that is Orphan Recording.

Gavin Glass plays the East Side Tavern in Dublin on Thursday 10th May

‘Flames On The River’ is the second single from Davie Furey’s forthcoming album. The first single, ‘Secret Light’ received huge airplay support helping it go straight to No1 on iTunes (singer/songwriters charts).

The song is inspired by Trumps’ destruction of America and subsequent response from those inspiring kids who were caught up in the school shooting in Florida. “The lyrics are not an in your face protest song, I wanted to say it differently” Davie says. They do however represent a resistance to Trumps’ policies, in particular immigration, The NRA and Syria. “Bound by fear, you know I can’t look back. The past is near and under attack.” Whether we like it or not, what happens in The White House reverberates around the world. “Can you feel it?” Can you feel the change that could happen, the momentum, the togetherness that can overcome this tyrant in the White House.

“So it’s a song of revolution, a song of protest, a song of praising courage, a song of defiance, a song that says you can’t do what you like in the name of people you are supposed to represent.”

Fureys’ debut album ‘Easy Come Easy Go’ was very well received in audiences across the country having been showcased by RTE, BBC Radio both home and abroad, resulting in a worldwide publishing deal with Universal Music. Nominated three years in a row by The Pure M Awards, for Best Newcomer, Best Male Artist and Best Irish Solo Act 2018 . Davie’s knack for telling a story through song and his ability to engage a crowd have resulted in many sold out shows on his previous tours.

Website : www.daviefurey.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daviefureymusic1/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/daviefurey?lang=en
Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/davie-furey-music
Spotify  https://open.spotify.com/artist/0pJVfAuuVnqtwbSbwGPFwe?si=SHLtpXxfTd-XYVje1BdryA

One of Ireland’s best loved and hardest working bands, The Coronas, are set to release their latest single ‘Gut Feeling’, taken from their fifth album ‘Trust The Wire’. ‘Trust The Wire’ was released in June 2017 and went straight to number one in the Irish charts, heralding a new wave of success for the Irish four-piece.

‘Gut Feeling’ reflects a simple message but one which will resonate for most people: to not doubt yourself or overthink things, to go with your gut. ‘As you get older you can doubt yourself in some ways, and sometimes feel the need to give yourself a pep talk,’ says frontman Danny O’Reilly. ‘Myself and Dave went back to basics and wrote this song around a piano with an acoustic guitar. It felt like the right way to write about the simplicity of creating something, and not overthinking it.’

‘Trust The Wire’ has already been certified gold and is on the way to a platinum disc, joining the previous four Coronas albums. The band hit the road in support of the album last year performing shows in Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, the United States and even Dubai. A particular highlight was their sold out biggest ever headline show, with 15,000 people joining the party in Kilmainham, Dublin.

The band’s schedule continues to be hectic, with some Irish summer dates in the diary to satisfy their fans at home. These are followed by another tour of North America which will include larger venues than the previous two tours, along with several high-profile music festivals. Already announced are the band’s debut appearances at the eclectic Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago’s Grant Park on Sunday August 5^th as well as three nights at the annual Milwaukee Irish Fest, on August 17^th, 18^th and 19^th. The major portion of the tour begins in Calgary, Alberta on September 25^th and continues for more than a month of shows in cities all over the United States and Canada. The band then finish off the year with three gigs in Australia.

“It’s been a crazy year but unbelievably enjoyable. We’ve loved it,’ says Danny. And their fans all over the world can only agree.

www.thecoronas.net

TOUR DATES

Dublin dance duo, Alex & Echoes, release their first single for newly formed label CSR on Friday April 20th. The band have also been announced as special guests to Chainsmokers when they play the RDS in Dublin on June 24th.

History dictates that pop music is always evolving. Specific genres often have their moment in the sun and trends come to prominence before they drift away again, but the essence of a killer song never really changes. The hallmarks never go out of style – expertly crafted songwriting with hooks that burrow deep into the memory, delivered by vocalists with power, poise and an innate ability to convey a spectrum of emotions.

These are attributes that Dublin duo Alex & Echoes have in abundance, as demonstrated by their independently released debut track ‘Whiskey’. Recently signed to CSR Recordings the electro-pop pair already possess a body of work that signposts bigger things as 2018 unfolds.

That voice belongs to Jessica Smith, a young talent who comes from a lineage of accomplished vocalists – her father, for example, is a trained baritone. Meanwhile, producer and instrumentalist Cormac Butler’s roots in music go back to childhood when he was taught the violin. Although ultimately far more enamoured by piano and guitar, it gave him the grounding to turn his hand to whatever intrigues him. As Jessica jokes, “Cormac will say he can’t play an instrument and the next thing I know he’s like a wizard at it.”

Both Jessica and Cormac started out playing separately in live bands, but grew disheartened with the band format. “I got into music production when I decided to go it alone,” recalls Cormac. “I couldn’t rely on other people and there were too many opinions.” Jessica shared a similar experience. “It sounds a bit selfish,” she adds almost apologetically, “but I wanted to have more control over it.”

As for what comes next? Alex & Echoes share a range of burning ambitions but mostly they’re focused on the short term. “Over the next year I’d like our name to be on the map,” assesses Jessica, “so people know our songs, see us at festivals and we get our name out there so there’s a bit of a buzz about us.”

The ability is there for all to see and the parts are falling into place. It’s seems to be only a matter of time before Alex & Echoes are a hot tip for the top, both in Ireland and beyond.

https://www.facebook.com/AlexAndEchoes

After 2 of the biggest hits from the past 2 summers, ‘Takin Over France’ and ‘There’s Only One Conor McGregor’, Mick Konstantin brings his first ever live performance to Whelan’s on April 29^th, 2018. In the space of two years, Mick Konstantin has built up a huge following, after two mega-viral hits. Now he releases his new track ‘The Insta Generation’.

Konstantin began his musical career a few years ago, busking on Grafton Street, learning his trade the same way so many before him had done. He first shot to fame with ‘The Ballad of Copper Face Jacks’, a song about the infamous Irish Nightclub that went viral around the country.

A year later, ‘Takin’ Over France’ was written, a tune for the Irish Football team and their fans in the Euros in France. When this was recorded live in Bordeaux by Pundit Arena and posted on Facebook, it had built up over 3 million hits in the space of a few hours. By the next day, the song had become viral all over Europe. He went on to record it back in Ireland a few days later, with it reaching Number 1 in the Irish iTunes charts that very day, and got flown back for the Ireland and France game a week later.

The following summer, no one would have guessed what was about to be in store for Mick. Topping the previous summer’s tune would be serious going, but that he did. On the 2^nd week in August he released ‘There’s Only One Conor McGregor’.  A song which would go on to have international acclaim, written about the biggest boxing fight of all time. Conor McGregor vs Floyd Mayweather.

Millions and millions of hits followed worldwide. As did interviews with the likes of Sports Illustrated, stations in Australia, South Africa, UAE and all over the US. Again, the song reached No. 1 in Ireland for weeks, but also made the top 20 in the UK, many European countries, and Australian Charts. But by far the most exciting part of the experience was when McGregor himself heard the song, and loved it so much that he flew Konstantin over to Vegas, put him up in the same hotel as his family, and gave him 2 tickets to the fight itself. Incredible!!

Since this experience, Mick has been hard at work, writing and planning for a musical career. And finally, the time has come, for him to set about being a full-time musician. With two releases this month, which have been greatly received, this is the next chapter in his story. The very first gig of many. So don’t miss out! Whelans, 29^th April 2018, here we come!!

The continuing trend of female-led rock bands has a new ally with the arrival of LIERS. The four-piece Dublin rock band have just unleashed their new sound with the rip-roaring ‘Universal Female’ which is sure to prove infectious to the ever-growing new wave of Irish alternative rock fans. The single is due for release on Friday April 20 and will be available on iTunes, Spotify and CD Baby. They will also be joining Sub Motion to open for chart-topping post-grunge rockers Fangclub in Whelan’s on Thursday April 26.

LIERS started life when lead singer Liz Seaver was looking for the right talent to compliment her self-penned music titles. An established singer/songwriter in her own right with two independent albums to her name, Liz has been performing with the line-up for some time at festivals such as Castlepalooza and venues such as the Sugar Club – Lead guitarist Ed Scanlan, Bassist Stephen Farrell and Drummer Ronan O’Hanlon.

Although initially formed in North County Dublin to add a new dimension to Liz’s own tracks, the band meshed well and gradually drew on their shared 90’s influences such as Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Oasis, Smashing Pumpkins, PJ Harvey and Alanis Morrissette to evolve into the edgy sound that is LIERS.

“We all hung around together in Rush and after gigging with the last album we continued to play in local venues and develop what is now the music we all love to play which is heavier, louder and more who we are,” explains Liz. “There is a serious shift in the appetite for rock in Ireland and the UK right now so we knew the time was right to release our sound. Unlike my independent albums, this time I wrote with the band in mind and had more input during every stage of the process. The result is a sound we are really excited about.”

‘Universal Female’ is the first single of an EP due for release later in 2018 on Headwire Records. Although these four talented musicians are not new to the Irish scene. Liz has previously toured with the inimitable Jack Lukeman and shared the stage with other Irish greats such as Mundy, Damien Dempsey and Paddy Casey. While playing alongside Liz over the years Ed, Stephen and Ronan also formed three-piece ‘Long Tail’ who released the EP ‘Your Time’ and have toured nationwide with Fangclub. The energetic and experienced LIERS, who are now being repped by Polite Society (Fangclub, Long Tail, Vulpynes), will surely be ones to keep an eye and ear out for. Tickets are now on sale for their debut at Whelan’s on the 26th of April.

Photo: Graham Keogh

Stripping it right back to the bare bones, Cathy Davey announces her latest release, ‘Live At Dublin Unitarian Church’, which captures the magic of a live Cathy Davey show. The album shows the magic of Cathy’s music with stripped down versions of hit favourites ‘Little Red’ and ‘Sing For Your Supper’ with just three musicians taking on this feat, Cathy and two of her closest musical allies, Derren Dempsey on guitar and Stephen Kiernan on drums.  Fans will also be treated to a brand new music, one song ‘Never Before’ written and recorded for the Road Safety Authority speeding campaign, and ‘Uninsurable’, not only recorded for the first time but debuted in the church that wonderful night.

Cathy recorded the album with a very special show in a sold out Dublin Unitarian Church on Stephen’s Green on March 23rd, 2018. The show was recorded by Andy Knightley (David Gray) and will be released on vinyl for Record Store Day – April 21st.

Cathy said of the live album recording “Derren had a broken wrist during this gig, which he wasn’t even aware of until the next day. I had a throat infection which made the 180 people in the audience root for me in a way that changed the whole atmosphere, and in turn, changed our performance. This recording is the sum of its parts. Flawed and magic.”

Vinyl is thriving in Ireland but it’s about to go into a new orbit with the arrival of Dublin Vinyl – a world class facility which has been pressing records since December. Turning this album around on vinyl in such a short time wouldn’t be possible without owners Hugh Scully and Donogh Molloy, who are thrilled to be involved. As Hugh explains, “We’re always looking for interesting projects to work on in Dublin Vinyl, and Cathy has created an idea that we’re delighted to be able to bring to life.” Cathy is thrilled that she’ll be able to record, master and press her album in Dublin.

Record Store Day is vinyl lover’s Christmas and is huge in Ireland as national organiser Stephen Judge explains. “Forty-Six shops around Ireland take part in Record Store Day and it’s a huge day for all involved. Cathy’s album project is exactly what Record Store Day is about and it’s this kind of exciting creative thinking that drives people into shops on April 21st. We’re delighted she’s doing this.”

Cathy will be appearing at WOW benefit for Aidlink in Whelan’s on April 26^th as well as appearing at the inaugural Vinyl Festival at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham on May 6^th, 2018. Cathy also plays Balrothery Church on October 13^th, 2018.

http://www.cathydavey.ie/

‘I Defy’ is the second single from Dublin singer-songwriter Baba and it’s pro-woman, pro-choice, pro-equality and pro-doing what the hell you feel like as long as you aren’t hurting anybody.

Following on from her gentle debut single ‘Empty Arms’, Siobhan Lynch is back and she’s packing a punch in the shape of ‘I Defy’, a fiery pop song that challenges traditional gender roles. ‘I Defy’ is a response to a man in a pub who told Lynch that any woman who has a one night stand ‘is a slut’ and ‘deserves everything she gets’. Shocked that anyone could still think like this, Lynch wrote the chorus on her way home from the pub and by the next day, the rest of the song’s mission statement was complete. Produced by Gavin Glass, there’s a sense of well-timed urgency to ‘I Defy’. Using religious imagery and poetic flair, Lynch has penned a song that reflects the conversation that women are having across the world.

“The lyrics touch on everything that I feared growing up as a girl and that now –  to some extent – still fear as an adult. Not being good enough, pretty enough, slim enough, clever enough,” she says and in a time that requires strength and that wonderful thing called sense, Baba’s ‘I Defy’ becomes a protest song.

‘I Defy’ was written by Siobhan Lynch and produced by Gavin Glass in Orphan Studios, Dublin 8.  You can pre-order ‘I Defy’ on iTunes and Spotify from May 1st.

The ‘I Defy’ single and video launch will take place on May 10th in The Grand Social.

babamusicface.com

soundcloud.com/babalynchmusic

Since the release of her debut E.P. in 2014, Laura Elizabeth Hughes has received widespread acclaim, establishing herself as a rising talent among a fresh new group of emerging Irish songwriters. Her unique voice has seen her build a substantial fan base from across the world with her YouTube channel amassing an astonishing 2.5 million views. Over the past four years Laura has focused on honing that craft and getting involved with a number of different writing ventures, which have led to her being held in great esteem among the songwriting fraternity. Most recently, the song ‘Together’, co-written by Laura with fellow Irish musicians Ryan O’Shaughnessy and Mark Caplice was chosen to represent Ireland at the 2018 Eurovision song contest in Lisbon.

Now, after four years away from the stage, Laura is back with a brand new EP of fresh material.

‘Ceremony’ is the latest collection of songs to be unveiled with each song being born from her life’s experiences. The four song E.P. captures a journey from darkness to light and showcases the distinctive vocal and writing talent of a songwriter on the cusp of something very special.

‘The Dark’ is the first single to be taken from ‘Ceremony’ and will be released on 27th April with the full E.P. to follow on 25th May.

LIVE
May 3rd The Sugar Club, Dublin (Special guest to Justin Nozuka)
May 15th The Ruby Sessions, Doyles, Dublin

lauraelizabethhughes.com
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John Blek is set to release double A side ‘Needle & Thread’| ‘Salt In The Water’.

Catharsis Vol.1 is the third solo album from Cork, Ireland-based songwriter John Blek. Best known for his work with his band John Blek & the Rats, John has begun a new journey influenced by the folk music of Ireland, Britain and the US. With his solo work, he delves into the world of fingerstyle guitar and reveals the deeply personal and poignant lyrical aspects of his character.

“I spent much of the early part of 2017 in and out of hospital with some mysterious illness that was intent on wasting my now 30-year-old body. My energy was at an all time low and all that gave me joy had been stripped or put on hold. All but my guitar and what was left of my feeble voice. So to fill the days and occupy my mind, I wrote. I wrote of resilience, of pain and uncertainty. Of new love through fevered dreams, of strength, hope, distance, sedation and the cure. I did it every day and recorded the demos sitting up in my hospital bed accompanied by the electronic bleeps of the machines and punctuated by the nurse’s concerned enquiries. I had a reason. For me this is cathartic. For me, this was the panacea.”

LIVE SHOWS

April

Saturday 21st Dublin, Whelans 
Sunday 22nd, Cork, Leap, Connollys

June

Sunday 17th, Clare, Doolan Folk Festival 

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