US–based Irish composer Brian Byrne, has received a Golden Globe nomination for his song “Lay Your Head Down”. The song, performed by Sinead O’Connor and co-written by Glenn Close, features on the Rodrigo Garciá directed, “Albert Nobbs”, and has been nominated in the Best Song category. The film score was composed by Brian and performed by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.
“Albert Nobbs”, set in 19th century Ireland and co-written by Glenn Close and John Banville, also received Golden Globe nominations in the Best Actress (Glenn Close) and Best Supporting Actress (Janet McTeer) categories.
Brian Byrne has worked as a composer, conductor, songwriter, arranger and pianist in the US and Europe since relocating to LA from Ireland in 2003. Brian won an IFTA for his score of Irish sci-fi comedy, “Zonad”, and then went on to score indie drama, “The Good Doctor”, featuring Orlando Bloom.
Brian’s previous film work includes conducting and arranging the scores to Jim Sheridan’s Oscar-nominated “In America” and Kristen Sheridan’s drama, “Disco Pigs”.
Most recently Brian was commissioned to write a fanfare for Her Majesty the Queen's state visit to Ireland.
‘I See a Demon’ is the first single from the debut album, ‘Before the Sunset Ends’ by Candice Gordon.
Born in South Africa, Candice moved to Ireland in 1989. She began playing music when she came to Ireland and immediately was drawn to writing. After school she lived in France and then London. She came back to Ireland to record her debut album 'Before the Sunset Ends' with Shane MacGowan. The album is influenced by folktales and is themed around the fallibility of human nature.
Her first single 'I See a Demon' is inspired by the common illusionary phenomenon of visualising devilish faces in dark rooms, and the visitations of various "demons" during the time of recording the album. The video was self animated in a flat in Berlin.
‘I See a Demon’ is available now from all good digital outlets.
Kíla will play their annual Christmas gig in Temple Bar Meeting House Square on Friday 23rd December, under the covers of the brand new retractable canopies! Visitors to Temple Bar will have noticed the construction work going on in the square and the wonderful spectacle of the canopies being tested. Kíla’s performance will be the first ever concert played under their protective cover!
Designed to protect the audience from the rain and snow the four elegant canopies are the perfect backdrop to the wild exuberance that Kíla whip up in their audience.
Doors are at 7 pm and there will mulled wine, Irish coffees and warm drinks aplenty being served at the bar to warm any toes succumbing to the elements!
Book of Tunes
As well as celebrating Christmas and its streets Kíla will be celebrating the publication of their first book of music:
Foinn – Kíla – Book of Tunes. The book features notated versions of all the Kíla tunes, recorded to date and a rich tapestry of photographs, essays and poems to accompany the music. The book, is a work of beauty and where better to launch it than the centre of Dublin where the band grew up.
Kíla
Feted by Bono and Sinéad O'Connor, Kíla have been together for over twenty years and in this space of time they have achieved a remarkable level of excellence in both their innovative and creative recorded output and their energetic live shows.
Their most recent album, Soisín, was given five stars in the Hot Press review and it's unique atmosphere has continued to beguile people's ears. Kíla played this music at the welcoming of the Dali Lama to the Possibilities conference in Dublin in spring.
Focussed on the future yet rooted in the tradition Kíla have remained loyal to the ideal of composing in the traditional vein yet remaining open to influences and ideas from all around the world, which gives the unique sound that Kila produces.
Youth Mass Announce Video and Release Date for Debut Single Wide Eyes
Irish band Youth Mass have announced the release of their first official single, Wide Eyes, on 06th January 2012, with accompanying video directed by Daniel O’Connor (floppymedia.org).
The single, which follows on from the critically acclaimed free download Tony Don’t You Worry (released in 2011), will be available on iTunes, Amazon MP3, Spotify and Last.fm from Friday, 06th January 2012.
After ending 2011 on a high, supporting The Naked and Famous in the Olympia Theatre, Dublin, and a successful stint at Irish Festival, Hard Working Class Heroes, the band are currently working on their debut album with Shane Cullen (K9 Studio), due for release later in 2012.
Press for Youth Mass:
‘Tony Don’t You Worry is a piece of lo fi loveliness, a gem of a track, you’ll uncover a gorgeous sonorous melody and some fabulously warpy guitar, wonderfully weird stuff’ Celina Murphy Hotpress Magazine
‘I’m getting a certain excited feeling in my gut, post post rock to take your breath away’ mp3hugger
‘Reminds me of the higher end indie tunes I loved when I first started going to gigs’ Harmless Noise
“Gorgeous, with earnest, beautifully written lyrics that are perfectly underscored by strong vocals and cinematic, elaborately developed guitar work and narratively styled instrumentals. I think it's safe to say we're completely sold on Youth Mass’ whatstheruckus.com
Dublin songwriter, RuthAnne Cunningham, is enjoying considerable success at the moment with songs featuring on recent albums by Westlife, Pixie Lott and Professor Green. Based between London and LA, the unstoppable singer/songwriter has an impressive line-up of tunes behind her created for pop-artists including Jojo's hit single with Billy Steinberg, "Too Little too late," which skyrocketed from number 66 to number 3 on the Billboard hot 100 chart in just one week in the US.
RuthAnne has written songs for chart-topping artists including Katharine McPhee, Leona Lewis, winner of Finnish pop idol Anna Abreu and winner of South African idol Jody Williams and Australian band Shakaya. In 2007, RuthAnne had songs on three platinum albums in the US and Europe, and officially became Ireland's youngest songwriter ever to achieve these honors, also winning an ASCAP Award for Best Pop Song in 2007. More stellar cuts and singles written by RuthAnne, including album title track "Turn it up", album track "My Love", and hit single “Broken Arrow”, recorded by British platinum-selling popstar Pixie Lott, followed in 2010.
Recently, she collaborated with Grammy winning producer John Shanks to co-write with Westlife for their ‘Greatest Hits’ album, released November 2011. They have three songs on the album including an upcoming single ‘Beautiful World’. RuthAnne has yet another upcoming single, ‘Love You to Death’, for Pixie Lott, penned with US hit-maker Toby Gad.
After honing her skills over the past four years writing for, and collaborating with, many of the UK’s hottest stars and producers, (Leona Lewis, Sugarbabes, Labrynth, Ben Hudson, Ed Drewett, Devlin, X-Factor winning artist Alexander Burke, Cher Lloyd, JLS, Loick Essien, Tinchy Stryder, Professor Green, Westlife, among them), and having worked extensively with many internationally renowned producers (John Shanks, Julian Bunetta, Jeff Bashker, Red One, Toby Gad, JR Rotem to name a few), RuthAnne is putting all of that experience and creativity into her own album of infectiously catchy soulful-pop, currently being recorded in Los Angeles.
Her first artist feature is with Brit rap star Professor Green, on the hook she penned for one of his upcoming singles, ‘Remedy’, to be followed by a collaboration with Glee TV star Kevin McHale". RuthAnne’s unprecedented foundations in the industry along with her songwriting pedigree and irrepressible ambition, talent and unique vision have marked her a rising star to watch – and a force to be reckoned with!
Check out RuthAnne performing Lil’ Wayne’s “How to Love” here:
The annual IMTV Awards took place recently in The Sugar Club, with the award for Video of the Year going to Lisa Hannigan for the video, “Little Bird” directed by Myles O’Reilly.
The awards acknowledge the best independent Irish music videos of the year.
The awards were hosted by Daniella Moyles, with live music on the night coming from The Peakin’ Trippers, Ham Sandwich, The Gorgeous Colours, The Riptide Movement and The Hot Sprockets.
ECHOGRAM capped off a busy few months winning the award for Sexiest Video for “Conspiracy”, directed by Shaun O’Connor. The Minutes picked up two awards for Best Group Video, “Black Keys” directed by Biba Logan, and Best Live Video, “IMTOD” directed by Simon Eustace. Lisa Hannigan also picked up a second award with “Knots”, directed by Myles O’Reilly, being voted Best Female Video.
Other awards on the night went to Ham Sandwich for Most Original Concept (“Ants”), James Vincent McMorrow for Best Male Video (“Sparrow and the Wolf”), I Draw Slow for Best Styled Video (“Goldmine”) and Funeral Suits for Best Production/SFX (“Florida”).
The Viewers’ Choice Award went to King Kong Company for “Acetate”, directed by John Loftus. Vincent Gallagher was voted Best Director.
A memorable year for Storyfold will finish on a high with the release of ‘Another Year’, the 3rd single from acclaimed debut album ‘Rocket Science’. The band are pleased to announce all proceeds will go to theSociety of St.Vincent de Paul with its release on December 9th.
Another Year, the final track on Rocket Science, has become a favourite for the band’s burgeoning following. Its potential was identified by Hotpress, who compared it to Del Amitri’s anthemic ballad ‘Nothing Ever Happens’.
It’s been an incredible eleven months for the group which began with them recording and releasing their debut album in the first five months of the year, while also playing over 50 gigs including a Croke Parkappearance in front of 30,000 people.
Produced by Greg Haver (Manic Street Preachers, Super Furries, CODES), Rocket Science confirmed the band’s status as one of Ireland’s most exciting and interesting emerging bands. The Irish Independent described it as ‘a sparkling and accomplished debut’ andBBC Radio1 perfectly indentified their ‘crossover sound that's edgy enough to be cool but commercial enough to be radio-friendly’.
Since selling out Whelan’s venue in Dublin the band have played a succession of barnstorming gigs, rocking festivals nationwide from the recent Arthur’s Day celebrations to The Sea Sessions to Indiependence.
In one of 2011’s highlights, the band were invited by the GAA to perform at half-time in the All Ireland quarter final clash of Mayo and Cork, wowing the 30,000 attendees with versions of radio hits ‘The Battle’ and ‘Delphine Wakes.’
‘Another Year’ will be available for download from iTunes from December 9th.
The band hailing from Tuam Co Galway, who shot to fame by immortalising the N17 could hit No.1 this Christmas – singing about the merits of city life with the one and only Petula Clark- singer of the original 1960’s No.1 hit: Downtown.
Ms Clark (79) agreed to join them in the studio for the recording session in London late this year.
She also appears in the songs official Music Video which was revealed last month and has gathered over 50,000 views already.
The video was Produced by Philip Tennant, Mixed by Cenzo Townshend and was Directed by Eugene O’Connor.
With the backing of many well known dj’s in both the UK & Ireland for The Saw Doctors single ‘Downtown’ to go to No. 1, infamous Irish Bookmaker Paddy Power have placed 7/1 odds on them making the Christmas no.1 and beating the Xfactor finalists Little Mix.
The single Downtown Ft. Petula Clark is out on iTunes on Dec 16th.
For more info on the Saw Doctors please visit www.sawdoctors.com
Cormac Breatnach will be performing tracks from his new album, "Éalú – Foreign Links" at a lunchtime performance in the Kevin Barry Room of the National Concert Hall on Tuesday, 20th December. The performance, which takes place as part of the Soilse na Nollag series, will feature guest performances from Aoife Doyle, Johnny Taylor, Gavin Ralston and Sean Whelan.
“Éalú – Foreign Links”, the new album from Cormac Breatnach, will be released on Mandala Discs and available for download in early 2012. The album, co-produced with Gavin Ralston, can be purchased in physical format through Cormac’s website www.cormacbreatnach.com from 20th December 2011.
Éalú (pronounced “Ay-lou”) means escape, evasion, (unheeded) elopement, passage (of time, of tide). Thirteen years have passed since his last musical journey, and on this recording, in which Cormac plays Susato low-whistles exclusively, he is joined by 17 talented musicians and five singers from four continents.
The album contains 10 new instrumental compositions by Cormac, most of which are contained in the title track, Éalú, which runs to 9.5 minutes. “Universal Sun”, a children’s song penned by Cormac, is sung by Uché Gabriel Akujobi with Niwell Tsumbu. Vanessa Williams from USA (Desperate Housewives) sings a new arrangement of an Irish hymm with lyrics by Theo Dorgan, entitled, “Land of Open Welcome?”
“Éalú – Foreign Links” features performances by Aoife Doyle, Aongus Ralston, Gavin Ralston, Paul McAteer, Martin Dunlea, Sean Whelan, Vanessa Williams (USA), Eamon Murray, Roger Doyle, Fiachra Trench, Kokia (Japan), Uché Gabriel Akujobi, Niwell Tsumbu, Robbie Harris, Brian Dunning, Seamus Brett, Mike Considine, and La Musgana (Spain).
For bookings for Cormac's performance in the Kevin Barry Room on 20th December, see www.nch.ie.
DELORENTOS are delighted to announce the forthcoming release of a 12-track album, Little Sparks, on 27 January 2012 along with a full electric tour to co-incide.
Recorded with Mercury Music Prize Award Winner Rob Kirwan (PJ Harvey), the 12 tracks are the fully-fledged fruits of the band’s recordings over 2011 and display a depth of songwriting prowess that ably eclipses the band’s first two albums and offers a real insight into the ever-growing potential of the band.
It follows hot on the heels of the recent 4-track EP (of the same name) which came packaged with a full colour, 40 page magazine that the band devised and edited – with the help of their friends – and was accompanied by a successful acoustic tour of Ireland (the band’s first ever).
All of which signals a new approach by the band who are keen to embrace and share all aspects of their interests and skills from here onwards.
The band have also just released the first of a series of acoustic videos filmed lovingly by Award-winning film-maker Myles O’Reilly and his crew, which you can find here:
“Hunting” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E8_2HBQz9c
Little Sparks – the Album released on 27 January 2012
Tour Dates so far announced (all tickets on sale Friday 9 December):
