Author: Breffni Banks

The Barnets are David Dooley, James Delahunty, and Davey Long. They are a three piece group of Irish musicians. The Barnets are located in Ireland and California. They collaborate across continents, sending music back and forth via file transfer. Their creative process is driven by a mutual respect for songwriting and production. Lyricist David Dooley, multi-instrumentalist/producer James Delahunty, and drummer/percussionist Davey Long have crafted a debut album and are now readying it for release in 2022.

The Barnets debut album Archaic is a ten song collection that showcases both imagination and songwriting craft. As an album, it is a compelling listening experience, often surprising with deft lyrical and musical turns. Archaic is informed by the work of Orwell and Kubrick and its sound is cinematic and ambitious in scope. Guitars, drums, and vocals are interwoven with tabla, synth, and live strings and the result is an expansive tableau. However, the songs are never subjugated by the treatments and this is perhaps the key to The Barnets’ working principle on Archaic…that songs matter.

El Presidente is the group’s opening salvo from their debut album. It is a dynamic single and a brave statement of intent. Its opening dystopian menace gives way to a trip hop break that builds to a dramatic crescendo. Lyrically too, it is an example of the album’s multi-faceted nature. Every line is a suggestion that leads the listener by their imagination, through myriad doors and rooms that are always open. Archaic is an album unrestricted by literalism. It is a work of imagination and ambition. Long live The Barnets.

John Gallen joined us last week for the presentation of an IMRO Award in recognition of his album 1970s.

The IMRO Number 1 Award was introduced to acknowledge IMRO members who reach number 1 in the album charts here in Ireland.

During the pandemic, the multi-instrumentalist put on his software engineer hat to build a home studio and set free the songs which have been buried deep in his soul.

John’s goal? “The ability to transport an audience to a different place, make them look through a different lens.”

Nostalgic, yet relevant. Unheard of but warmly familiar. John Gallen has been biding his time. “I think in rhyme & find melody in everything,” he explains.

Johns debut album 1970s, produced by Grammy nominated Billy Farrell, is out now.

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Ste Kelly and Sean OB, former bandmates in RAGLANS reunite for the first time since collaborating on the hugely successful album ‘RAGLANS’ released in 2014 which charted at no.5 in Irish album charts as well as cracking the top 100 album chart in Germany. This debut album saw the two songwriters and performers travel the entire world performing at the most prominent arenas and festivals while amassing a legion of dedicated followers. Now embarking on  separate solo careers, the two song writing juggernauts have realigned to combine their powers for a ferocious slice of melodic escapism in the form of ‘(Oh To Be A) Butterfly’ released June 6 via Maybe Vagrant Records

‘(Oh To Be A) Butterfly’ is a memorable, driving and raucous indie rock anthem tinged with melancholy, echoing classic bands like Green Day, Social Distortion and The Libertines, highlighting the powers of both artists in their prime and lyrically referencing literary giants Shakespeare and W.B Yeats with a unique modern twist. Documenting relationships gone awry with a steadfast and unwavering clarity that remains the signature of both men’s musical vision. Recorded and produced by Ste and Sean in their respective home studios. The track will be part of Ste Kelly’s forthcoming second studio album ‘Nostalgia Almanac’ which will be made up of collaborations with artists Ste has connected with in his storied journey in the music world and is expected later in 2022.

Ste Kelly Feat. Sean OB – (Oh To Be A) Butterfly – Lyric Video from Stephen Kelly on Vimeo.

STE KELLY BIO

Ste Kelly is an Irish singer and songwriter. He is the founder, vocalist and songwriter for Dublin based Rock band RAGLANS. RAGLANS have toured and released multiple records to international acclaim, their debut album reaching no. 5 in the Irish album charts in 2014 and charting in the German album charts. Stephen was nominated as best songwriter by IMRO in 2017 for ‘Who Knows’.

Ste recently embarked on a solo journey with his exciting debut solo album ‘Bad News Best Forgotten’.

Twelve vividly melodic songs in a Folk Punk style describing the world as seen and heard through Stephens eyes and ears. ‘SIMPATICO’ the first official release from the album was playlisted by RTE 1 recommends in December 2021.

(Oh To Be A) Butterfly is available exclusively at Stephens website and record label/virtual music store Maybe Vagrant Records – www.maybevagrant.com. Stephen co-founded Maybe Vagrant Records in January 2022 as a platform for new music, songs and art with multiple releases already this year by a wide variety of performers and composers.

SEAN OB BIO 

Sean OB is an artist with a voice and attitude that’s unmistakable. Displaying remarkable skills as a songwriter with poignant lyrics set to ferociously catchy rock ‘n’ roll melodies, Sean writes with a hard-hitting no bullshit approach.

If you go for quick and easy comparisons, references to Jamie T and early Arctic Monkeys make a certain amount of sense, but that’s merely a snapshot. Anyone that’s done their homework will see beyond these clichés to hear Shane MacGowan’s snarl, Joe Strummer’s energy and John Lennon’s brutal honesty.

2018 saw the release of his debut EP ‘Half Cut’, produced by the Grammy award-winning Rob Kirwan (Hozier/The Horrors), and resulted in a stream of critical acclaim with national radio and press support in the UK and Ireland.

Irish songwriter / producer, Frendan releases a new music video for single, ‘My Name’ on the 26th of May 2022. This is the second single from his unreleased debut album, Frend. 

The slow-tempo track serves as a meditation on heartbreak and personal growth, with luscious production and visuals to match.

In the video, we see a scruffily-dressed Frendan immersed in nature; defying the laws of gravity, speaking on the trials of loneliness and the challenges of growing up.

Frendan’s recently released debut single & music video, ‘Content’ received an overwhelmingly positive reaction. An introduction to a unique style that presents a dark intensity within a cartoonish world.

“Drawing strong influence from artists such as Flying Lotus, Aphex Twin and The Streets, Content marks the introduction to Frendan’s singular brand of experimentation”. – Justin McDaid, GoldenPlec Magazine

“Taking inspiration from the world-building of Gorillaz and the genre-agnostic approach of Brainfeeder, Frendan is making twisted rap music without leaving the shadows on Content”. – Dylan Murphy, District Magazine 

Following the release of ‘My Name’, Frendan is set to release his debut album, Frend on the 30th of June 2022. An insight into the progressively unhinged mind of a fictional character, we are taken on a journey of heartache and insanity.

An eclectic mix of genre and tone, Frendan achieves both high intensity head bangers, as well as sensitive entries of insecurity and self disdain.

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Hailing from the Viking City of Ireland, Under Starling are breathing fresh air into the Irish music scene with their unique brand of alternative rock.

All flocks start small, but this gritty four-piece are rapidly forming a group of followers through their energetic live shows and popular releases. Latest singles Icarus, Purple Heights and Mongrel were praised by Hot Press, RTE 2XM, WLR FM, IMRO, Listen With Monger, After The Midnight Blog, 8Radio, Raido Na Life, KCLR 96FM and all audiences on their national tour. Between crowd-surfing, mosh pits, and the interaction Danny has with the audience, the band has always been connected with their fans. The escapism offered by their music and live shows brings people together like a flock of starlings. We are like murmurations.

Beautiful with a bite – Under Starling invoke a feeling of euphoria with their reverb-soaked melodies and dark distorted riffs. Powerful drum beats drive a rocky undertone to their pop styled music. The band draw influence from the likes of Biffy Clyro, Foals, and The Japanese House but their own sound is “difficult to pigeonhole” (Music Republic Magazine).

Under Starling are currently recording their next EP with noted producer Christian Best with plans to release in July.

Under Starlings latest track Arrows is a nostalgic slice of indie rock, reminiscing on the childhood memories of brothers Danny and Tommy. It is the final single from the bands upcoming ‘Mongrel EP’, while also being the most personal and close to home.

From the start, we are given a sweet image of the two brothers being carried by their father on their adventures through the countryside where they grew up; “you carry us all, we’re both in your arms”. The lyrics are ravelled with these symbolic images from Danny’s memories, such as the sycamore tree and the bridge. As the song matures so do the themes. A bittersweet tone is evident in the chorus, with words of reassurance passed from parent to child “when I’m not around it’s alright, cause this worlds not always made of lies”. Growing up and ‘flying the nest’ is an inevitable part of life, and it’s important to embrace the new dawn “to leave this town, watch it all dissolve before your eyes”.

“The take-home message in the song is wherever you are, or whatever you’re doing, family is everything.” – Danny

The Mongrel EP is a body of work that showcases the evolution of the band over the last few years. Each song is enveloped in the emotions of adolescence and inspired by life events experienced growing up. Themes of love, heartbreak, adversity, and perseverance are interwoven throughout the EP. This ‘mongrel’ of a project was recorded over multiple years in various locations – from studios across the country, to the humble shed where the band first began.

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BIG LOVE have officially landed. This powerhouse of a band return with new single ‘Sirens’, a must-listen for fans of War on Drugs and Wolf Alice. BIG LOVE’s music flows between moments of sweet, melodic textures and driving, rapturous sounds. The song’s story is delivered via Rory Gallagher-esque vocals and the result is a raw, powerful production dripping with honesty.

The song highlights the pain of a traumatic event, with lyrics that plant you into the shoes of the singer and a slow build into a chorus that screams out for help. ‘Sirens’ continues the band’s stellar list of releases, with their debut single ‘Lily’ released last year to widespread praise. The band are back swinging with something to prove, drawing audiences in mesmeric melodies and hard-hitting hooks. With their distinct style, BIG LOVE is crashing heart-first into the industry.

‘Sirens’ has a deep personal attachment to the band. Lead artist Cian Ó Maonlaí spoke about the song, saying that “Sirens is my first hand depiction of a traumatic experience that happened to me in a chaotic period in my life. I was getting in a lot of trouble at the time and the event felt like the culmination of years of anger and frustration bottled into one night. The song is an attempt to describe the events of that night, its language and structure reflect how I felt at different times throughout. Moments of pure calm turn to rage and violence and then back again. For me the song is written in the form of a diary entry. Writing it all out in this way proved really cathartic and I believe it was necessary for me to get out like this.”

‘Sirens’ is released on 27 May, and BIG LOVE perform at Dublin’s Grand Social on 29 May.

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