Author: Zoé Piater

Pillow Queens share their latest track and official video for “Like A Lesson”, out everywhere now. The band’s triumphant third studio album Name Your Sorrow is due out April 19 and available for pre-order now. This June, Pillow Queens will perform live across the UK and will support Snow Patrol in Limerick on July 12^th ahead of their biggest show to date on July 13th at Dublin’s, Iveagh Gardens. Tickets are on sale now for all shows via pillowqueens.com/live.

Out today, the guitar-driven “Like A Lesson” explores longing for intimacy and a desire for closeness as well as the fears and insecurities that come with sharing one’s self. On the raw subject matter, the band says the track dives into, “The notion of finding safety and comfort in the presence of love of limerence is emphasized, contrasting with the paralyzing fear of making mistakes or ruining your life or someone else’s. It delves into the feeling of being a lesson for someone, a side character in someone else’s story.” Over a hooky guitar riff, the track swells until the backing instruments fade for a moment and lead vocalist, bassist and guitarist Pamela Connolly belts, “I don’t wanna ruin my life/But I wanna go home with you.” Here, the band illustrates the thin line between fear and desire, and the risk involved in vulnerability.

It slowly became a blend of each band member’s music taste and is now a favourite to play live. The band continues, “Sonically, we were influenced by a range of artists from Blur and REM to Seminsonic, New Radicals, and Squeeze. It began as a song we felt had a strong country music influence and morphed into something that referenced a wide range of our musical tastes. It’s the 90s soft rock song on the album.”

Pre-order Name Your Sorrow HERE.
Hear new single ‘Like A Lesson’ on streaming services here and watch the video below.

Live Dates:

05 June – Wardrobe, Leeds
06 June – The Fleece, Bristol
07 June – Brixton Electric, London
08 June – YES (Pink Room), Manchester
10 June – Cluny, Newcastle
11 June – Saint Luke’s, Glasgow
12 July – Thomond Park Stadium, Limerick (supporting Snow Patrol)
13 July – Iveagh Gardens, Dublin

More about Pillow Queens

The band’s triumphant third full-length album Name Your Sorrow finds the group at their most vulnerable and self-assured as they explore themes of queerness, insecurity, desire and heartbreak as well as the positivity and strength that can grow from pain. Produced by Collin Pastore (Lucy Dacus, boygenius) at Analogue Catalogue in Northern Ireland, the collection sees the group chart new territory as they give fans an all new, uninhibited look at both their artistry and humanity. With masterful instrumentation and raw lyricism, the quartet immerse listeners in a robust, emotionally-charged sonic world like never before.

Each of the twelve tracks peel back an additional layer of the human condition, from grief to joy and everything in between, culminating in a collective catharsis – a newfound sense of strength and hope in a greater sense of self. With moments of harmony and contradiction, lead guitarist and vocalist Cathy McGuinness calls the album one of intensity, loneliness and love. “It is about stages of love, loss and grief and how they can all exist alongside one another–intertwined, messy, beautiful–how both love and loss can coexist.” Tucked away in the quiet Irish countryside, the group bonded deeply, laughing, cooking for each other and playing games which resulted in a safe, supportive environment that allowed each musician to experiment, mess up, and try again. Pillow Queens credit Irish poet Eavan Boland, English poet John Keats, and British writer C.S. Lewis among their literary inspirations during the writing process, and musically, influences range from Vampire Weekend to Barbra Streisand to Frank Ocean, Tool and Lana Del Rey.

Most recently, the band shared the brooding, building track ‘Gone‘, a torturous tale of exiting a collapsing relationship, led by a pulsing beat that feeds a sense of uneasiness. The band says, “‘Gone’ is a song that looks into the vapid nature of brief romantic encounters and the hyperbole that can become so monotonous, it makes you jaded.” The track came about at the end of a jam session during a songwriting retreat in The Burren on the West Coast of Ireland. Lead vocalist, guitarist and bassist Connolly adds, “Lines like, ‘I was in your top five things to do’ convey a lack of self-worth that’s tackled throughout the album. It’s a song that showcases a vulnerability that allows for no silver linings–it’s the reality of how someone is feeling in the moment.” Upon its release, The New York Times praised Connolly’s vocals, unbridled honesty and the track’s fuzzy guitars.

Out everywhere now, the lush, melodic ‘Like A Lesson’ bridges the gap between desire and fear. The third studio album by Pillow Queens, Name Your Sorrow, is due out April 19 and available for pre-order now. Experience Pillow Queens live across the UK this June and later, at their biggest show to date at Iveagh Gardens in Dublin on July 13 with tickets on sale now here.

Dublin-based live rock band Brake Loose – frontman Alex Murillo, guitarist David O’Grady, bassist Juanjo Pulpeiro, and drummer Dylan Martin are four 21st-century romantics obsessed with touring and tearing up every single venue they perform.

Led and formed in 2021 by reckless Venezuelan singer and poet Alejandro Murillo, they’ve established themselves as a notable force on the Irish rock scene, perhaps one of the most unconventional Irish bands of today.

Selling out The Workman’s Club twice in the past two years, playing gigs all over Ireland and being featured in Hot Press Magazine as “Hot Irish Acts for 2022” the band is sure a hot one to watch out for.

Their previous single called ‘REBEL REBEL (Evil Like The Devil)’ that hit over 100,000 thousand streams on Spotify and received much radio support and rave reviews, this is to be followed by a full UK & Ireland 2024 tour to promote their upcoming release ‘LOVE ON FIRE’ and the band now hopes to grow themselves.

‘Love On Fire’ is a song about the process of unfolding the true face of your significant other through love. The inspiration behind the song is both a combination of past and present romantic relationships that tend to define your understanding and awareness of love with the passing of time.

New two-part documentary for RTÉ lyric FM’s the Lyric Feature explores how Irish
composers are responding to the climate and biodiversity crisis through their work.
Presented by Jonathan Grimes of the Contemporary Music Centre, We Only Want The
Earth asks if music can inspire us to take ownership of what’s happening and help us
imagine and shape a better future?

A keen cyclist, Jonathan took the route of slow travel to record the series and cycled over a
thousand kilometres from the hills of Belfast to the Blackwater Valley, meeting with
composers to find out how they are engaging with the climate emergency. We hear how
artists are grappling with the crisis at a practical, artistic and existential level, and sounding
the transformation of our world through their music. In a time of overwhelming global
uncertainty, what role can artists play? Can their music bring us hope and inspire positive
action? The series features music and conversations with composers Sebastian Adams,
Natalia Beylis, Éna Brennan, Robert Coleman, Gráinne Mulvey, Karen Power, Judith
Ring, Nick Roth, Jennifer Walshe and Ian Wilson, and contributions from climate scientist
Hannah Daly and musicologist Stephen Graham.

“I think it’s safe to say that I have been listening in the most remote places on our planet and
I have been forever changed by them. And part of that change is in hearing the effects of
humans and of industry […] you can’t unhear these things.” – Karen Power, composer

“[Music is] a powerful platform to voice your opinion. Anyone who has even a small platform
should be using it for good.” – Judith Ring, composer

“Every species has its own way of expressing this delight in existing, so that’s what we need
to tap into. And all of the arts are fuel for that kind of energy.” – Nick Roth, composer

Broadcast Dates:
● We Only Want the Earth Episode 1: Once Heard You Can’t Unhear It
Sunday 17 March on the Lyric Feature, RTÉ lyric FM at 6pm.
Listen back on the RTÉ radio player.
● We Only Want the Earth Episode 2: Music Fuels Life
Sunday 24 March on the Lyric Feature, RTÉ lyric FM at 6pm.
Listen back on the RTÉ radio player.

Photo credit: @pizza_egg

Following in the footsteps of Irish post-rock bands like God Is An Astronaut, And So I Watch You From Afar, and Overhead, The Albatross, Dublin-based Geo Postal are releasing their first single “Planet Express” on March 12th. Produced by David Prendergast (Overhead, The Albatross), Planet Express is the duo’s first crack at breathing fresh life and energy into Irish post-rock. With their unique blend of atmospheric melodies and powerful rhythms, this band will take you on a sonic journey like no other.

Geo Postal have been gigging regularly around Dublin for the past year, building their sound from the ground up, and are now regulars in venues like Fibber Magees and Sin É. Having already lined up their first festival performance of the summer, Geo Postal are looking to build some momentum with a string of upcoming releases. Their second release is already on the horizon, and the pair are headed back into the studio at the end of March to work on two more tracks.

Originating as a solo project by Sonny Campbell (guitar, bass), the pair crossed paths as regulars of the Dublin music scene. Harry Phox (drums, percussion) brought immediate energy and excitement to the sound, and the two have been on a tear since. Combining mesmerising ambient soundscapes with energetic progressive anthems, the duo are just beginning to explore the music that is most exciting to them, and craft their unique and personal sound.

“Geo Postal is a shared passion project for us to explore the music that we find most exciting. We are huge fans of music in general, and try to take inspiration from any sources that create interesting musical ideas.

Aside from the obvious post/prog/math rock influences, we are avid music fans of all descriptions. From small jazz and soul club nights, to raves with energetic and chaotic electronic music, to arenas with a full cinematic orchestra, we find music to be an endless source of magic that we can internalise and transform into something unique to ourselves.

When we finally stepped into the studio, working with someone like David Prendergast was the perfect choice. We were already big fans of Overhead, The Albatross, and we knew he would be exactly the right person to help us capture the sound we wanted and transform the work into something we could be incredibly proud of. We are going back into the studio at the end of March to work on two more, and will be returning again to finish off an album before the end of the year.”

Instagram: geo.postal
Website: https://geo-postal.com/

Branwen Kavanagh, Anna-Mieke Bishop and Zoé Basha met in a golden wave of underground traditional and folk music in Dublin. Having spent many years orbiting and occasionally participating in one anothers musical projects, in 2018 they travelled across Eastern Europe learning folk songs, and developed a beautiful harmonious dynamic.

They came together as a trio for a one off musical collaboration called Rufous Nightjar in 2020. During the lockdown Branwen composed a number of a cappella songs around the themes of mythology, folklore, landscape, loss and the otherworld. Branwen invited Anna-Mieke and Zoé to collaborate on arranging the songs with the intention of making an album, and, three beautiful residencies, a brass ensemble and a whole lot of recording later, “Songs for Three Voices” was created. This album will not be toured, but there is an invitation to learn and share these songs, which came alive out of a shared love for folk music and acapella singing traditions. The trio hope to make a contribution to folk music with these songs and hope that their listeners will sing them in kitchens, pubs and around fires together.

Rufous Nightjar had a wonderful journey in their brief collaboration, having performed on Other Voices and in the National Concert Hall, they had 2 sold out Irish Tours, were featured on Donal Dineen’s “Make me an Island” Podcast, RTE Radio 1’s Arena, and Myles O Reilly made a video for them in Kilruddery house. There will be a limited run of 100 vinyl records of “Songs for Three Voices” produced by the band for sale on Bandcamp.

Rufous nightjar Website: https://www.rufousnightjar.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rufousnightjarband/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rufousnightjarband/?hl=en
Bandcamp: https://rufousnightjarband.bandcamp.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTCGbD9wAhI

Matthew Devereux will release his new single ‘Uncanny Valley’ on Wednesday, March 13th, It is the second single to be taken from Matthew’s new solo album entitled ‘House Devil’. Best known as the frontman for the legendary Irish band, The Pale, Matthew is finally releasing his first solo album of real songs, having previously only released the critically acclaimed album of Electronic music ‘Tap, Tap, Tap’ in 2003 under his own name. The new ten-song album was written, performed, and produced solely by Matthew will be released on Friday, April 12th on 140g vinyl and is available to pre-order now.

Uncanny Valley will be available to stream and download from Bandcamp and all usual streaming platforms on Wednesday, March 13th.

‘The Uncanny Valley ‘is a phrase coined in the 70s that describes the eerie feeling when something like a doll or robot has almost human characteristics. These days it happens more and more as we try to emulate reality with technology. The question remains of how much humanity will we retain in the face of our desire to augment ourselves and simulate a separate reality to exist in. Here the question is asked ‘Can we remain human?’ Matthew Devereux

‘Horses Involved’ is the fourth and final single from Dublin based rock band San Rocco’s ‘People Verses’ EP. The five song EP was released on the 21st of February, and had already given us three singles, ‘Enola’, ‘Bind My Hands’, and ‘Orderly Lines’.

Keen to emulate their blisteringly energetic live sound the band recorded the EP at Black Mountain Studio, Co. Louth with Peter Broderick (Just Mustard, The Divine Comedy, All Twins) in Spring 2023. The live tracks were produced and mixed in London by Richie Kennedy, bringing his extensive experience working with the likes of The Murder Capital, Interpol and Ed O’Brien of Radiohead. The tracks were then mastered by John Webber (David Bowie, Echo and the Bunnymen) at Air Studios, London.

The second half of 2023 saw the quintet go from strength to strength releasing two singles ‘Enola’ and ‘Bind My Hands’ and supporting Irish indie darlings Sack at a sold out Grand Social in Dublin.

Hotpress listed ‘Enola’ on their Tracks of the Week describing it as a “heavy, pulsating, new wave banger featuring a Peter Hook-esque bass riff and existential lyrics”. When describing ‘Bind My Hands’ Hot Press said “With tracks like this on their debut EP, the only way is up for San Rocco.” The quintet also started 2024 strong debuting the third and final single from the EP ‘Orderly Lines’ and at Whelan’s Ones to Watch.The single has featured heavily on radio including 8Radio.com, Nova and Limerick’s Live 95.

‘People Verses’ refers to the relationship between the stresses of everyday life, and the underlying hum of anxiety we experience in our world today.

Themes:
Enola – Losing our humanity
Bind My Hands – Losing at love
Orderly Lines – Losing grip on reality
Horses Involved- Losing hope

And a new single from Niamh Murphy is an event to take note of. This is the third single from Niamh’s collaboration with acclaimed producer/musician Declan Sinnott.

‘Where We Will Always Be’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmbpPMnuEEk 

‘I’m headed for the water, I’m crawling on my knees. You got me in a corner won’t the heavens help me
We’re all somebody’s daughter, we’re shining in the sun
What would you turn this into? you’re such a hungry one’

In the Summer of 2021 Niamh and Declan Sinnott began recording. They found more than a little in common, but also revelled in their differences. They soon realised they were making something really special.

Declan says “Niamh’s voice and her songs paint very complete pictures. She takes you somewhere really true.”

All set to a beating rhythm of emotion, the song will carry you right back to that place of the heart, where we will always be.

‘Crème de la crème of Ireland’s hottest emerging music talent.’ Hotpress Magazine.

‘Five stars.’ The Irish times
“Niamh is a wonderful lyricist and singer.”  Steve Lillywhite (One of Niamh’s songs was awarded top prize in the ISC, International Songwriting Competition)

Dublin indie songwriter Tommy Cullen presents ‘Home’, the third single from his upcoming debut album. Built on an undulating sample, ‘Home’ was created in a flurry when Tommy accidentally looped one of his older tunes on TikTok. The finished track fuses ‘80s LinnDrum with emphatic piano and soaring synths to deliver his punchiest and most direct song yet. To keep things simple, this one’s about loving somebody, moving in together and feeling happy about it.

From the moment he picked up an acoustic guitar, Tommy wanted to make music and little else. He grew up in a world of art, the son of creative parents – his father is the celebrated painter Stephen Cullen – and his songs found their first outlet with alternative rock band The False and the Fair, who eventually broke up after a six-year run on Dublin’s underground scene. Starting over again as a solo artist, Tommy threw himself into home recording and created an eclectic series of indie singles, which took flight on a seven-date tour of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, a live acoustic EP, hometown shows, numerous live streams and an informal residency busking in the picturesque surroundings of Dun Laoghaire.

Something bigger started to take shape, and soon a debut album was born. Set to release in April, Enjoy the Glow represents the culmination of Cullen’s creative life to date, exploring the past few years through tales of everyday drudgery, true love, UFO sightings and trips to Ikea. ‘Home’ adds an element of ‘80s fusion to the record’s broad palette of indie sounds, which take additional influence from alternative/slacker music, bedroom pop pioneers and the classic ‘70s albums of his parents’ record collection. ‘Home’ features additional production by London-based producer Marcus Jay, and backing vocals by Yazmyn Hendrix. The track was mixed by Marcus Jay, and mastered by Ivan Jackman at Hellfire Studios.

To celebrate the release of Enjoy the Glow, Tommy will be playing his biggest show ever in the Sound House, Dublin on 26^th April – backed by the TC AllStar Band, with special guests TBA. Tickets are now available at thesoundhouse.ie

“With a string of releases… Tommy Cullen has quietly carved out a presence as one of the most promising singer-songwriters in the country.” –  Hot Press

“Cullen’s ability to express a range of emotion through minimalist arrangements is mesmerising.” – IndieBuddie

“It’s clear that Cullen has an immense passion for writing music. Each of his songs drips with emotion, courage, and empathy.” – Paul Downey, DeMars Magazine

“Tommy’s vocals penetrate your chest and pull at your heart strings.” – Dave McMahon, Bayview Sounds

WEBSITE – INSTAGRAM – FACEBOOK – SPOTIFY

Irish band Thewlis are proud to present their sixth single While The Red Light’s On.

It is a slice of propulsive power pop produced by the legendary Radiators From Space and Trouble Pilgrims guitarist Pete Holidai.
He helmed the production of Thewlis’s previous single The One Before The One which has become the most successful of the releases by the duo consisting of Danny McElhinney and Cormac Curtis.

In the guise of an incredibly catchy guitar-driven song with tight harmonies Thewlis’s sixth single speaks to the power and effect of music on both the artist and the audience. It hints at everything from the tragic events at the Rolling Stones’ 1970 Altamont concert to artists self-destructing and dying before their time.

“I’ll stay until I’m gone and while the red light’s on, feted from sea to shining sea.”

Thewlis will travel to Donegal to play their first live show at the Balor Arts Centre in Ballybofey. The show is part of the centre’s popular Ghostlight Sessions and takes place on Thursday April 11^th.

Prior to While The Red Light’s On Thewlis have released five singles since December 2021.

The Boy Behind Bowie; County Level; One Day Summer, The Manslaughter Ballad and The One Before The One received extensive local and national radio play.

These tracks can also be found on all streaming platforms.