Author: Breffni Banks

Pauly Fagan releases new single “Saving Grace” from his upcoming album.

“Saving Grace”was written by Irish singer songwriter Pauly Fagan about the internal struggles between pessimism and optimism, love and loss. The emptiness following a broken heart leads to self-evaluation and eventually a healing. For Pauly, it is the music that heals – his ‘saving grace ‘.

“When I wrote the song, I was working so hard and felt like everything was a struggle. I had to take a step back and came to realise I already had what I really needed – the music”, said Pauly.

The song has a light island feel like you have been on holiday and can finally breathe.

Pauly Fagan is a prolific singer and songwriter. His music and the stories he writes are about the challenges we face and how we deal with them. Often about love and day-to-day life; his music takes the audience on the journey with him through the ups and downs of everyday struggles. His powerful voice and wonderful harmonies amaze audiences. He loves to be in front of a crowd, engaging them with his musical ability playing a variety of instruments.

2016 was a busy year with the release of his first studio album ‘Deeper’. He traveled all over Ireland performing live to welcoming audiences all the while writing new songs and jamming with other musicians. Based in Navan, Co. Meath, Pauly has supported many charities performing at Oxjam, Big Viking Picnic, Earthfest, Women’s Aid Ireland and most recently a fundraiser for Syrian refugees. 2017 has been busy so far and there is no stopping Pauly’s momentum.

Pauly wrote “Saving Grace” as an honest reflection of personal loss and the darkness that holds your heart still. The lyrics reflect the helpless feelings that come with the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship and the efforts to pick yourself up and move on. “Saving Grace” for Pauly is the music itself not a person.

He is currently writing and recording for his upcoming album due for release later this year.

Pauly is also the host of the “O” Sessions which promotes Irish musicians and their original music.

https://www.paulyfagan.com/

County Wicklow trio Wyvern Lingo up the ante with the first taste of their upcoming debut album. Described by the band as a song “about loving the feminine qualities of a man, and encouraging him not to worry about fitting into the male stereotype and just to be himself”; ‘I Love You, Sadie’ showcases Wyvern Lingo’s bold new Indie R’N’B sound just in time for the best days of summer.

The single was recorded in Dublin alongside producer James Kelly, with additional production and mix in London from Neil Comber (M.I.A. / Crystal Fighters), the band are currently putting the finishing touches to the rest of the album.

“I Love You, Sadie” is released on Rubyworks to all good digital download and streaming platforms on Friday 23rd June.

Wyvern Lingo are:
Caoimhe Barry – vocals, drums
Karen Cowley – vocals, keyboards, bass synth
Saoirse Duane – vocals, guitar

http://www.wyvernlingo.com/

Robb Murphy, one of Belfast’s finest singer-songwriters, is set to release ‘Italian Dreams’, a taste of the new music following on the heels of his critically acclaimed second album, ‘Sleep Tonight’. Italian Dreams was written during a long summer in Italy and is a lighthearted song with a 60’s vibe, a hint of The Beach Boys, certain to spark memories of those heady summer days and your first love. The lyric, ‘Dolce far niente’, is an important activity in Italy and translates to, ‘the sweetness of doing nothing’. The song was recorded and produced by Robb himself. Creative support provided by Kevin Carlisle on drums; Dave Bennington on trumpet and bass; Rick McKee electric guitar; with Robb providing acoustic guitar, piano and vocals. Italian Dreams is mastered by Neal Calderwood of Manor Park Studios with Art Cover provided by Ronan Reid. The single is supported by an animated lyric video created by Italian artist Marco Burani. You’re invited to enjoy ‘Italian Dreams’ as a glimpse into the future and allowing Robb Murphy to transport you to those lazy, hazy summer days gone by.

‘Italian Dreams’ is available for pre-release on the 30th June on iTunes and releases a week later in all other stores on the 7th July.

Ralph McLean – BBC Radio Ulster:
“Robb Murphy is a real talent. His songs are melodic and magical. He writes from the heart and the results are spellbinding.”

http://www.robbmurphy.com
https://www.youtube.com/user/RobbMurphy
https://twitter.com/TheRobbMurphy
https://www.instagram.com/therobbmurphy
https://www.facebook.com/TheRobbMurphy
https://soundcloud.com/robbmurphy

‘Hangin’ Around’ is the latest single from rock n roll duo, Morrissey & Marshall. Having just released their second studio album, ‘We Rise’ and with the crowds growing on their current European and festival tour, the duo feel this is the perfect time to let this 3 minute summer pop song fly.

Darren Morrissey had this to say about the single:
‘”Hangin’ Around”, in short and in a nutshell, is a song about a love affair with boozing and partying. It’s about not having the ability to just go home and leave the session, club or party at a reasonable hour for the fear of missing out. It’s about the envy for the sensible ones who know when it’s time to call it a day.

“Who are those people taking the last bus home? They never fail. I feel it’s time to go then you order mine, oh you’re far too kind. Then I rush for the door and you people plead ‘one more’ and here I stay”

Musically it pays homage to the artists who have influenced us. It starts with a 90’s style riffy guitar intro and goes on a journey into a harmony driven 60’s pop chorus.
We teamed up with one of our heroes in comedy, Hugh Cooney for the video because he, just like us, heavily relates to what the song is about. For a long time we’ve wanted to work with Hugh and this project suited perfectly. We had a solid team for this one. It was directed by James Skerrit, Hugh and ourselves. Hugh also did the incredible animation and edited.
I am so proud of this one and feel that it really captures what we are all about in under 3 minutes. It’s my Favourite track on the record.’

In the past, the duo have supported Sinead O’Connor, The Magic Numbers, The Beautiful South and Damien Dempsey to name a few and include Shane McGowan and Cillian Murphy amongst their fans. Their last single ‘She’s Got Love’, was crowned record of the day, record of the week and was A-Listed on Radio 1 Ireland. Their latest album has been incredibly received, and the reviews have been much the same:

“It’s impossible to resist. Roll on summer.”

“proper solid indie guitar anthems, stuffed with uplifting harmonies, harking back to the glory days of Britpop, when shiny bright tunes of this ilk jangled away on every station across the land”

“The two friends appear to possess an innate ability for incredibly catchy indie-pop, and long may it continue.”

“A clear result of the duos evolution, with their smooth guitar riffs and matching melodies in the form of their “simply beautiful unison vocals” still very much present, now however, met with regimented drum bars.”

“Timeless, immaculately tailored”

“infectious indie-pop.”

“Morrissey & Marshall are the real deal”

Anton Glackin may be a new name to many people on the Country scene but others will recognise him as a quality Irish singer songwriter based in Belfast who has worked and shared the stage with some of the world’s biggest talents including Midge Ure, Nanci Griffith, Smokie and Bagatelle.

Anton’s new single Dust Clouds is a reflective ballad echoing the return to the traditional in what could be best described as Country/Americana and the accompanying video has already been well received by the critics and fans of traditional Country alike.

‘Great track, super mix‘ George Jones BBC Radio
..’fabulous songwriter‘ Gerry Kelly – UTV, BBC Radio Ulster
‘Dust Clouds is as good as it gets in country music‘ Peter Anthony- radio Caroline-
‘A fine piece of work’ Charlie McGettigan – Eurovision song-contest winner, Songwriter, Broadcaster
‘I can see a lot of people recording his songs‘ Gloria Hunniford
‘One of the most talented , exciting, singer- songwriters on the Irish music scene‘ Lisa Johnson Belfast 89 FM.
‘Beautiful song‘ Helen schisas- Irish music country radio
‘A tribute to the working class‘ – Eagle Country Radio

Following the sell-out success of Atlantic Sessions in 2016 and its 2017 NI Tourism Award, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council will be bringing Midsummer Sessions to Portstewart during the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.

Over 30 of Northern Ireland’s finest musicians will perform live in coffee shops, hotels, restaurants and bars across the four days, 6 to 9 July – all admission free! Visitors will have an opportunity to see high profile artists in an intimate setting, with the stunning Atlantic as a backdrop. Each artist will play their own music for one hour on the hour, and this will form a music trail across Portstewart.

The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Councillor Joan Baird OBE, said: “Following the recent success of Atlantic Sessions at the Northern Ireland Tourism Awards I am delighted to welcome Midsummer Sessions to Portstewart. With huge numbers of visitors expected in the area for the Irish Open it provides an exciting showcase for our home grown musical talent. World class golf coupled with this fantastic line-up of entertainment means Portstewart is tee-ing up for a memorable start to the summer season.”

With a rise in the number, and quality, of musicians and bands making headlines and enjoying success in the international marketplace, and new and innovative music businesses based here, Midsummer Sessions has a significant role to play in developing music tourism, appreciating the ongoing success stories and showcasing this on the global stage.

As with Atlantic Sessions, programming of Midsummer Sessions is by Snow Water, this time in association with Third Bar, and its Director Carolyn Mathers commented:
“Northern Ireland is extraordinary in the richness of its artistic talent and Midsummer Sessions is a perfect opportunity to showcase our creative energy to international audiences, who will have an opportunity to witness our finest singer-songwriters and bands play live in intimate environments. We’re very grateful for the support of the hospitality sector and delighted that interest in Northern Ireland’s music scene is stronger than ever.”

With over 10 venues in Portstewart taking part, artists involved include Beauty Sleep, Brand New Friend, Callum Stewart, Chris Keyes, Cup o Joe with Eilidh Patterson, Emer Maguire, Gerry Norman, Larks, Mandy and Graham Bingham, Matt McGinn, Peter J McCauley, Rory Nellis, Joshua Burnisde, No Oil Paintings, Sam Wickens, Son of the Hound, Tony Villiers & the Villains and Verse Chorus Verse.

For more, check out atlanticsessions.com/midsummer

Midsummer Sessions is admission free and no tickets are required.

Thursday 6th July

Friday 7th July

Saturday 8th July

Sunday 9th July

Diatribe Records proudly presents ‘Stargazer’, the third album fromaward-winning Irish contemporary trad septet, Ensemble Ériu.

In 2014, supported by the Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon, the Model Arts Centre in Sligo hosted band leaders Jack Talty and Neil Ó Loclainn for a two-week residency to spend time with a number of the Jack B. Yeats paintings in the Model’s Niland collection, and compose new music in response to the images.

The Stargazer suite emerged as a complete statement, and the music was first performed by Ensemble Ériu at the All-Ireland Fleadh in Sligo. In recognition of their work in advancing musical collaboration in traditional music, the group were awarded the prestigious TG4 Gradam Comharcheol Award in 2015.

Jack Talty points to the correlation between Yeats’ artistic mode and Ensemble Ériu’s: “He was part of the international aesthetic of Expressionism but he definitely ‘indigenised’ that to represent the local world around him. Works like The Mountain Path and Men of Destiny, in my view, have an Irish identity but are communicated through a cosmopolitan sensibility.” Neil Ó Loclainn recalls the extra sense of freedom they had from the commission: “It gave me the chance to develop new ideas within the arrangements. The work ended up being more through-composed with a stronger focus on texture and instrumentation than the earlier music.”

As well as the familiar lineup of Ó Loclainn on flute and double bass, Talty on concertina, Maeve O’Hara on marimba and vibraphone, Jeremy Spencer on fiddle, Matthew Berrill on clarinets, Paddy Groenland on guitar, and Matthew Jacobson on drums, the closing track Fear an Bhogha features the fiddle playing of Aoife Ní Bhriain.

‘Stargazer’ is released internationally on Saturday July 1st 2017.

www.diatribe.ie
www.ensembleeriu.com

Diatribe Records proudly presents ‘All Soundings Are True’, a new collaboration between world-renowned musicians Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh and Garth Knox.

Since their debut as part of the National Concert Hall’s ‘Tradition Now’ series in 2015, the duo have sculpted a uniquely personal soundworld that draws on a rich shared musical heritage, spanning a wealth of traditional, medieval and contemporary music.

Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh makes music on a 10-string fiddle called the hardanger d’amore, and travels the world as a solo musician, in duos with Dan Trueman, Mick O’Brien and Brendan Begley, and as a member of The Gloaming and This is How we Fly. He has performed on some of the most beautiful stages in the world, including the Sydney Opera House, the Royal Albert Hall and the Lincoln Center, exploring the area where traditional music begins to disintegrate.

Garth Knox is at the forefront of the new music scene in many fields. Drawing on his vast experience as viola player of the Arditti Quartet and the Ensemble Intercontemporain, and his close collaboration with most of the leading composers of today, he has become a unique performer of music of many different styles, ranging from minimalist understatement to the cutting edge of new techniques and new technologies. Thanks to his interest in the viola d’amore, his repertoire has opened up to the music of the past, which he persuasively brings into the present.

The record is released internationally on Saturday July 1st 2017.

www.diatribe.ie
www.caoimhinoraghallaigh.com
www.garthknox.org

Hard Working Class Heroes festival is making its annual call to Ireland’s musicians, bands and singer-songwriters to apply for the chance to play and take part in this internationally-recognised event which runs in a variety of venues across Dublin showcasing Ireland’s best emerging talent.

Log on to hwch.net and click on the “BANDS APPLY HERE” button – applications will be through the artists’ Breaking Tunes profile.  Closing date for applications is July 14^th.

HWCH is fifteen this year, and as with all teenagers, it’s going to shake things up a bit to mark the occasion.

The first change is going to be the date 28^th-30^th September.  We pop back in to September every four or five years the way weekends fall, so be sure to put that in your diary.

Secondly, to give things more of a competitive edge, fewer bands will make up this year’s final line-up.

And whilst it is still a three-day event, the live showcases will only take place across Friday and Saturday night. More will be revealed next month.

First Music Contact, who run HWCH, work with Irish acts from the very beginning of their careers. This annual showcase is an opportunity to offer Irish acts some vital exposure provided by the stellar mix of influential Irish and international delegates who attend HWCH.

First Music Contact under the Irish Music Export office Music From Ireland help fund artists and present Irish showcases throughout the year at Eurosonic, SXSW, Canadian Music Week, The Great Escape, Reeperbahn, Mondo NYC and many more.

“As we are planning to expand our showcase portfolio through Music From Ireland in 2018, so to that end we are adding the bookers from BIME Portugal, Primavera Sound,  and the Central Park Summer Stage to the event this year. The HWCH team will take an even more hands-on approach in terms of targeting the delegates for measurable outcomes for the artists taking part”. Angela Dorgan CEO

Some of last year’s big successes to progress from the festival include acts such as Soulé, Elm, Ailbhe Reddy, Maria Kelly, Talos, Barq, Loah, A.S Fanning and Le Boom.

Since its inception in 2003, the festival has showcased many of Ireland’s best-known acts including Hare Squead, Saint Sister, recent Choice Music Prize winners Rusangano Family, Villagers, 2013’s breakthrough act Hozier along with Girl Band, Delorentos, Fight Like Apes, Jape, Coronas, Pleasure Beach, Le Galaxie, The Strypes, Otherkin and many more.

It has never been more important to showcase all the talent this country has to offer. Keep an eye on the socials for tips from some of the local and international judges between now and the application closing date on July 14^th.

HWCH is supported by The Arts Council, Culture Ireland and Failte Ireland/Tourism Ireland

http://hwch.net/

http://musicfromireland.org/

Twitter #hwch17

As a prelude to her upcoming second album Unbroken Line, Dublin singer-songwriter Ciara Sidine is launching four videos of live material from the record.

She kicks off with a single-take recording of the track ‘Trouble Come Find Me’, filmed by videographer Steve Mogerley at Camden Recording Studios. The dynamic recording captures an arresting live energy and showcases Sidine’s extraordinary vocal, in a song that is a statement as much political as personal, a feminist call seeking out trouble in order to keep the fires of change burning.

Sidine says, “‘Trouble Come Find’ me was inspired by the turbulent journey of a close friend, a woman who devoted her life to working with women, in the fight for meaningful choice in our reproductive lives.

“It is a call for women to unite to keep the fires of change burning, as there is so much still to be fought for in Ireland, not least our right to bodily autonomy. I wanted it to impart a sense of something brewing, an edge of danger. We live in dangerous times, where instead of being enhanced, human rights are being eroded across the world. We need to make trouble now more than ever.”

Further live videos from this alt country artist will be released over the coming weeks in anticipation of her album launch and Sugar Club gig later this year on 21 September.

Singer-songwriter Ciara Sidine was born in Dublin, Ireland. Her first album Shadow Road Shining was critically acclaimed, and her upcoming album Unbroken Line will come out in Sept 2017.

www.ciarasidine.com
www.facebook.com/ciarasidine
@ciarasidine