DECEMBER 2012
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ARTIST OF THE MONTH
CORRINA JAYE
50 Shades Of Jaye
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Reviews
Pages 4-27
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Interviews
Pages 34 - 39
Photography
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Pages 42 - 43
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Writers - DEC#Issue
Alice Stands
Neil Cathcart
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Dean Ruxton
Paul Mallon
Shaun Cole
Elizabeth Stammitti
Karin Carthy
David Jordan
John Allen
Kevin Carney
Liam Ciallis
James Glynn
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Eoin Gallagher
Daniel Abioye
Catherine Sherlock
Grace Dunne
John Casey
Meghan O’Dowd
This months
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O’Connor and
features Corrina
Jaye
Toxic Melons
Mister Underground
International Accident
Trainwreck
FINALIST
Review by
John Allen
Review by
Eoin Gallagher
Following in the footsteps of the retro pop
culture celebration that was “Melon Jam”,
comes the new four track EP “International
Accident” from Newcastle psychedelic rock
band “Toxic Melons”. Featuring musicians
from six different countries including music
legend Eric Dover, the EP possesses an array
of fantastic talent and arrangements that
come together to create something truly
special for fans across a superb range of
genres.
The EP opens with “Diffidence”, a
wonderfully sweet love song featuring a
soothing piano line throughout. Lyrically it
presents an array of classic love lines of the
past that may at times appear somewhat
cliqued
but
work
superbly
with
instrumentation that grows stronger and more
dominant as the song progress. At its peak,
one of “Toxic Melons” strongest influences,
“Queen”, can be heard through a Brian May
inspired harmonising guitar solo closing the
track.
In contrast with this sweet joyful and tone
comes “Passing Reflection”, a cynical and
dry view of the world in which we live. The
lyrics and instrumental arrangement help to
achieve such a feeling as the music flows
steady and seamlessly as if we ourselves were
watching the world go by.
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“Ode to Procrastination” is the hard rock
anthem of the EP. Featuring a Santana styled
guitar riff, this is truly the stand out track of
“International Accidents”. Nothing is held
back as the song descends from early
“Queen” to “ELO” inspired harmonies. A
fantastic keyboard solo ends such a
memorable track that will no doubt be a
highlight at the bands live performances.
“International Accident” ends with the
child-like amusing track that is “Alex’s
Song”. The lyrics are fun and whimsical,
featuring lines such as how the singer
wouldn’t change a thing about the child
“except his nappy”. There is a clear essence
of “The Beatles” heard throughout the track.
Although it is not the most memorable song
on the EP, “Alex’s Song” ends with the same
iconic retro tone featured throughout it.
"International Accident" will leave listeners
wondering just what is next for “Toxic
Melons” , but most importantly, wanting to
hear so much more that this band has to offer.
It is a truly fantastic EP showcasing a
compilation of huge range of music genres,
unforgettable harmonies and superb musical
arrangements. It’s safe to say the future looks
very bright for “Toxic Melons” fans
everywhere.
www.facebook.com/TheeToxicMelons
The word ‘artist’ has been thrown around and
debased for quite some time, to the point
where shock-celebrities like Lady Gaga and
Nicki Minaj command this title; ‘artists’ whose
talents are PR and the ability to amass cabals
of songwriters and Pro tools experts. I believe
this trend needs to be stopped.
Enter Mister Underground. Hailing from
Belfast, Underground (Chris Boyd) has been
putting himself in the spotlight since the mid
00s with his brand of electro pop. ‘Trainwreck’
is his 3rd studio effort and features an
entourage of collaborators and cameo DJs.
One immediately hears what this is – a
mishmash of dance pop, 4/4 beats and token
dub-step breakdowns. ‘Meine Lady’ sets the
tone for the album; a gutsy, carnal dance tune
with bitchy female vocals that, instead of
turning up the heat, leave one feeling cold.
‘Medicine’ follows suit with atonal vocals, and
‘Pretty Jealous’, while more work was put into
the beat, stays pretty mundane. The title track
‘Trainwreck’ likely delivers for Skrillex
fanboys with its bass-heavy breakdown. ‘Bed
of Nails’ contains an attractive, ambient
sample, but this glimmer of hope is marred by
Boyd’s faulty pitch.
Style over substance is something by which
a significant percentage of the public are
wowed – but let this be a wakeup call. Music
for the sake of music has all but died. Mister
Underground earns a star for the appropriate
title of his album.
www.facebook.com/MisterUndergroundUK
Brave New Storm
Self Titled EP
Twinkle and the Sluts
Self Titled EP
Review by Shaun Cole
Review by
John Allen
It is a genre of ever increasing popularity
because of its fusion of art song with the
traditional ‘rock’ ensemble; post rock – this
time being disseminated by Sheffield band
Brave New Storm. Dual vocalists Siobhan
Bligh and Patrick English join an ensemble of
bass, drums, and strings. The band has already
played Tramlines Festival and Wireless
Festival in London, and bigger stages await if
they refine their sound.
The music is sincere, albeit ambitious. Track
one of Brave New Storm’s EP, ‘The Young
Guns’, could do without the “One, two, three,
four!” intro – I believe they have more
potential than to resort to such indie gimmicks.
A laboured string hook sours the palette but the
song is saved by a winning chorus with a
melancholic refrain. ‘Do you remember the
summer?’ is musically mundane, but Siobhan
and Patrick flicker with promise in the chorus.
The song finishes with a vocal coda quite
unexpectedly and pleasingly. ‘4EM’ is the EPs
smartest song, as it soars with a radio-worthy
energy – here there is truly a sense that the
band knows what it is about. ‘Huxley’s Island’,
an instrumental, instantly reminds one of The
Cure circa Disintegration but fizzles out quite
quickly.
I am confident that this band sounds great
live, but their future is questionable unless they
offer something that hasn’t been done before.
Their EP is about to be launched, and it ought
to be checked out by post rock fans.
www.facebook.com/BraveNewStorm
Twinkle and The Sluts are starting to create
quite a stir and not just because of the
naughty word in their band name. The band
are generating considerable interest with their
unique brand of punk and grunge and their
refreshing attitude towards music.
The ‘do it yourself’ ethic has been around
since Punk in the early to mid 70s. It’s only
recently though, that, with the internet and
ease of home recording, that the punk ethic
has gained a renewed vigor. Now every band
can ‘do it themselves’ and that’s exactly what
Twinkle and the Sluts have decided to do
with their self titled EP being completely self
produced, recorded and mixed in their own
studio, Sluttbox studios.
The other Punk element they clearly adhere
to is their open 'f**k you' attitude. Reading
through their press pack was like an assault
compared to the normal 'hi can you review
this please' approach from many other bands.
Sometimes it can come across as cocky for
bands to do this but when you can back it up
it works, there’s nothing worse than a band
lacking confidence in what they do. The band
openly display their contempt for other music
genres as well as their dislike for particular
brands of shoes, dance moves and other
scenes, all portrayed with that stark honesty
you come to expect from a band like this. The
Punk outlook oozes from the band with every
snarling comment. So the attitude is
definitely there, but how do the songs stand
up, or are Twinkle and the Sluts simply just a
punk rock veneer?
The songs lend heavily from previous punk
pioneers like, X-Ray Specs, Siouxsie and the
Banshees and to some extent The Distillers.
It’s a little too easy to see the similarities
between TATS and every other female
fronted punk band and in some ways this
review could merely be that. There’s more to
it than that though, the band breathe new life
into the genre and it gains a renewed vigor
and aggression that Florence or Marina
simply couldn’t manufacture.
Other tracks including Drag Me To Hell
incorporate Ramones esque, 1,2,3,4 count
ins, Nirvana style discords, Necrophilia
subject matter in Sleaze’s lyrics, (just to keep
things interesting you know?) and openly
presented disdain through Narcissism. The
EP begins to slow down a bit after the
appropriately titled Sleaze until the EP's
finisher Russian Roulette picks things back
up again with the lyrics ‘I will spit in their
face’ which, coincidently, is exactly how the
EP feels. One brash, vile display
demonstrating everything the band stands
against.
Twinkle and the Sluts sound like they would
be at home in Kat Stratford's (the fictional
character from hit film 10 things I hate about
you) most played list. That's not a bad thing
though; the cult film name drops some great
punk/grunge bands including Bikini Kill and
The Raincoats. This EP is definitely one for
anyone whose tastes align with Kat or anyone
who is as bored as TATS are of the music
industry.
www.facebook.com/twinkleandthesluts
www.musicreviewunsigned.com
53
Suzanne Real
Kiss Me Like a Man
Nikolitsa
Under the moon
Review by Daniel Abioye
Review by Dean Ruxton
Based in New York, Suzanne Real is a band
that exudes a certain technical quality that you
usually have to go searching for in
contemporary outfits. The band’s namesake,
lead singer and front woman, Suzanne Real,
possesses an obviously skilled set of old
school blues rock pipes. Mixed with the
glittering musical resumes of the rest of the
setup that consists of Johnny Zeeek, Bob
Racioppo and John Amato, you have an outfit
that can really play.
The band’s latest studio release is “Kiss Me
Like a Man”, a twelve track rock album with
heavy classic rock, blues and soul influences.
The majority of the record is made up of foot
tapping, upbeat rock n’ roll tracks such as “Bad
Habits” or the funkier, more varied “Kiss Me
Like a Man”. The real quality of the record
perhaps lies in the slower, more balladorientated inclusions with “Blood on my
Hands” and “Runaway” being prime
examples.
The band has a slight tendency to lean
towards a generic, album-filler sound, which
peaks with the record’s concluding number,
“Daddy O”. Taking the slight hint of dodgylyric-syndrome that thrives quietly just below
the surface of the entire album to a more
palpable level, the song ultimately concludes
to be a pillar of lyrical drivel and a spectacular
waste of three-and-a-half minutes.
Suzanne Real is a pretty good band and the
new album boasts some cool, skilled and well
produced material. However, whether or not
the band lives up to its promise of bridging a
gap between older music and more
contemporary genres is doubtable. The oldschool soul and rock n’ roll feel is certainly
there in abundance, but unfortunately there’s
an absence of any convincing contemporary or
innovative twists.
www.suzannereal.info
Nikolitsa Boutieros is the founder, songwriter
and lead singer of a New York band called:
‘Nikolitsa and the Comrades’. An
accomplished photographer and multi-media
artist, Nikolitsa has managed to bring her
edge in photography and the arts into her
music.
If you are a photographer or a multi-media
artist or a musician or even a songwriter, then
you will appreciate the level of creativity at
work in this album ‘Under The Moon’. Being
all these at the same time mean Nikolitsa
must have to constantly battle with tones of
ideas in her mind before coming to a
decision, which will explain why it took her
over three years to put this musical project
together.
One could imagine how often she must have
excused herself to be all alone just so she
could talk to herself. And that is what you
experience from this album as you listen from
one track to another; it draws you instantly
into Nikolitsa’s world and puts you on a
journey. You could almost feel a gentle
passion from the depth of her soul powerfully
triggered through her voice and masterfully
blended by the metal band whom she
creatively christened ‘The Comrades’. It’s
like being drunk and sober at the same time.
Another thing that strikes you in this album
is the consistency of her voice with the style
of music: alternative pop rock plus grunge
rock! It is like saying: ‘Yeah, this is what I
am and I am not sorry at all’. Singing with
such luscious sexy voice without missing a
note is tough enough for any girl, but
Nikolitsa did not only do that effortlessly, she
dared go into those phrases that make you
hold on tightly to whatever you’re sitting on
or stop whatever you’re doing to listen to her
with rapt attention and then suddenly
catapults her range from belly to head. It’s
crazy cool…it’s crazy good!
You cannot escape the feeling of raw energy
mixed with deep emotions transpiring
between her mouth and the microphone,
which may shock you to find that all these
inspirations and talents and energy are being
emitted by such an unassuming young lady.
If pop rock/grunge music has a voice, then I
suppose it should be branded: Nikolitsa.
www.nikolitsa.com
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37
Dead Harts
Born Into Rags To Die No Richer
Review by
Shaun Cole
With their hilarious tour videos, cleverly
named title tracks and a lead singer sporting
a killer moustache what’s not the like about
Sheffield’s Dead Harts?
Being from Sheffield Dead Harts find
themselves, knowingly or not, following in
the footsteps of one of the city’s most recent
exports, metal giants Bring Me The Horizon.
Despite the overwhelming shadow looming
though, the band have begun to gain quite a
following in the UK and beyond. A relentless
touring schedule that has included major UK
festivals and a stint across the continent has
put the band in an increasingly good position.
The bands debut album, Born into Rags To
Die No Richer, was released on the 31st of
October for the princely sum of £2 via their
bandcamp page. In the current economy
everybody loves a good deal but are Dead
Harts giving you value for your money?
The songs weave in and out of Every Time
I Die style vocals and the kind of brutality
found in early Converge records. In the
cleverly titled CTRL ALT Defeat lead singer,
Matthew Baxendale, screams the album’s
title with a passion and intensity that you
can’t help but respect. At times it almost feels
like the whole thing shouldn’t work, the
music invites you in and then does something
completely bewildering and unexpected,
keeping you guessing and ultimately,
satisfied. Dead Harts introduce just the right
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Aurora
Fairweather
Review by
Shaun Cole
amount of chaos to keep things interesting, I
mean we’ve all begun to grow tired of the
predictable breakdowns and tandem jump
moments, strategically written into songs. In
Born Into Rags To Die No Richer all these
clichés are abandoned in favour of a much
higher order.
With eight tracks on the album track six
sees an interlude, I (and many others I’m
sure) would normally complain about there
being a filler track on an eight track album
but at such a low price it’s hard and almost
petty to argue. For an album recorded of such
quality and of a higher calibre than most
bands charging a considerable amount more
it’s more than acceptable. The interlude also
adds a much needed dynamic to the record,
an eye of the hurricane type moment that only
serves to highlight the storm of the last two
tracks. The record finishes on Caesar, an
appropriately epic sounding finale, making
you want to join the ranks of the Dead Harts
army.
The album is an aural battering; you are
drawn in and sent back out kicking and
screaming with delight. Clocking in at around
20 minutes, Dead Harts get in and do what
they have to with the minimum amount of
fuss. A no frills record for anyone ready to
tear up the rule book.
www.deadharts.bandcamp.com
Right from the beginning this record takes you,
the first notes, the very first beat instantly
makes you become attentive and attracted to
Aurora’s brilliantly crafted pop-punk. There is
no messing around as the EP dives head
forward into the first track, The North Star
Narratives. It’s well written with its catchy
hooks and the shouty/singing style gives the
song an increased energy. The intensity that the
words are hurled at you makes you really
believe the singer and the whole theme of the
song. Sometimes this style of vocal delivery
can come under scrutiny in the way of it
lacking in pitch, for what it lacks in this area
though it makes up for in its conviction.
Other tracks including Cry Baby incorporate
a We The Kings style of pop whilst One More
Night keeps things firmly in circle pit territory
with a short upbeat burst of raw energy. The
EP then draws to a close on Little Traps, the
kind of song you can imagine hordes of fans
singing along to. It’s a track that unsurprisingly
makes you want to dance, the way the guitar
is panned between the left and right adds an
interesting dynamic that would have even the
most dedicated shoe gazer struggling to keep
their foot from tapping. Aurora sound more
like a band that have been going for years, one
that has perfected their craft rather than a band
with a single EP and, judging from their band
photos, only a handful of shows under their
belt. If they keep up this quality of song
writing and continue to pursue their goal I
have no doubt that you will be hearing more
of them.
www.aurorama.bandcamp.com
Rare Monk
Death by Proxy
Fryday
Ups and Downs
Review by James Glynn
Review by David Jordan
Rare Monk are a quintet from Portland,
Oregon in the U.S. ‘Death by Proxy’ is the
name of their E.P. which anticipates the release
of their third full length album in February,
2013.
The band class themselves as indie rock,
psychedelic, experimental and pop and, while
I wouldn’t disagree with these labels, another
genre I would place the band in is emo. Their
music is exuberant and intensely melodic. It is
made up of layers of music and sound but
when you strip down the songs you get, to my
ears, the emotional expressiveness of an emo
band.
The first track, Death by Proxy, is the
strongest, delivering a powerful, joyful,
melodic punch but the lyrics are quite dark
which creates a bitter sweet vibe. The vocoder
in the second track, Underground, doesn’t
work for me – it is distracting and even a bit
creepy but the violin does work on the track,
I’ve decided after a few listens. The third track,
an instrumental called Mama Bear, has an epic
sound Snow Patrol would be proud of but it is
ultimately indifferent. I’ve already mentioned
the layers of music and sound. These take
away from the music as they make it dense and
unclear. But it is worth checking out the E.P.,
on their bandcamp page, for its outstanding
first track.
www.raremonk.bandcamp.com
'Fryday' are an Israeli three-piece rock/grunge
band whose debut digital album 'Ups and
Downs' is currently available for download
and stream on the band's website.
With 9 tracks spanning over a 42 minute
duration the band obviously enjoyed
themselves in making the album, although
given the morose tone on display, some
listeners may have their doubts. Essentially,
rather than establishing a unique, signature
sound on their debut recording, Fryday have
instead gone for a generic, late 90s/early
2000s post-grunge, light metal sound that is
left ultimately indistinguishable from
anything else in the genre over that period.
With the typical underlying message of doom
and gloom, together with an undeniable
uniformity throughout, the band refuse to
tackle any interesting themes and therefore
fail to make any real statement of intent,
whilst frontman Shy Polka's vocal sounds
like an unfortunate mix of Pearl Jam's Eddie
Vedder and (shudder) Scott Stapp from
Creed.
The initial track 'Believe' at 6min 33sec, is
far too long for an album opener and
unfortunately it's moody, melancholic tone
sets the pace for the rest of the album. One
would have thought the band would have
gone for the more upbeat, to-the-point, 4th
track 'Same Sea' as the album's opener, in
order to reel the audience into their theme
gradually rather than abruptly, although the
presence of the lyric 'We're all individuals
swimming in the same sea' may be a little too
ironic given the subject matter. There are of
course refreshing moments on offer
throughout the course of Ups and Downs.
The presence of some Middle-Eastern
rhythms in some songs is most welcome,
whilst the slight change of pace on tracks like
'Insane routine', 'Stormy End', and the second
part of the closing song 'Sun', ensure that the
listener obtains a degree of variety and
demonstrates that the band do indeed possess
the ability to veer away from their chosen
subject when necessary.
As a whole, 'Ups and Downs' is a reasonably
accomplished albeit unoriginal debut from a
band that show they have the potential to
develop into something more, but seem to
resist the temptation to do anything against
the grade. Ultimately, Fryday should see
success from their debut offering, particularly
among the brooding members of the Twilight
generation, but a group of talented musicians
with an interesting, diverse background such
as theirs should really be aiming for bigger,
and better things.
www.fryday.bandcamp.com
www.musicreviewunsigned.com
11
3
Ockum's Razor
Decapitated Society
Rob Halligan
Another Fine Mess
Review by Paul Mallon
If first impressions are indeed the strongest
then I have a bone to pick with Mr Halligan.
A seasoned songwriter, this being his forth
effort, the foray into more introspective song
writing is perhaps inevitable. ‘Another Fine
Mess’ starts in spirited fashion however, with
Halligan spiting the war chant, ‘battle starts
on your knees’, as the drums march along
accordingly in opener ‘Heavenfield’. The
song works in the same way Mumford and
Sons songs prove affective. Urgent and
honest, Halligan sounds like he’s genuine
musically and lyrically. This all bleeds nicely
into the southern drenched but upbeat
‘Hope’. The song bounces along happily on
a wave of optimism that stays just on the right
side of country to good effect. Sadly for artist
and listener, proceedings take a downturn as
the album nosedives into the mundane.
A songwriter stripping his music back to the
essentials is not a new idea for an artist in
need of a shot of inspiration. That said, the
onslaught of sugary ballads that follows a
promising start to ‘Another Fine Mess’ is
enough to make James Blunt’s nod
disapprovingly. Five mid paced plodders
come and go which can only leave one
guessing what happened to Halligan’s earlier
drive. What’s worse perhaps is the sheer
banality of the lyrics and predictability of
song structures that create the foundation of
the record.
Clichés are rolled out continuously in the
form of ‘Birds have Nests’, ‘Thinking of
You’ and ‘Wouldn’t be Here’, covering the
predictable themes of the greed of wealth and
love and love lost. We’re also greeted with
the obligatory duet on ‘All We Need is Love’.
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Guest singer Esther O’Connor acquits herself
well it has to be said, but it’s a tried and tested
formula. God bothering ‘I See the Light’
seems like a slap in the face to anyone who
persevered through the mediocrity. When the
band try to take off midway it all seems
contrived. Almost as if Halligan himself
realises he needs to shake off his own
complacency.
There are positives late on. When Halligan
finally lets himself loose on Edom Hills we
finally get to see the range of his talents. A
driving anthem with soaring chorus
harmonies, for the first time the power of his
vocals really comes through sounding like a
blues drenched Michael Stipe at times.
Closing ballad ‘Can Anyone Hear’ is the first
truly touching moment on ‘Another Fine
Mess’. It seems a shame that we get the first
moment of true inflection so late on as
Halligan questions the validity of his own
existence asking ‘would anyone notice me
quietly slip away’. For the first time we are
freed from the impression that he is simply
reaching for rhymes and instead we see the
capability to pull emotions straight from the
soul.
As a complete work ‘Another Fine Mess’
feels muddled. At times Halligan's eagerness
to cover a vast musical landscape means
more often than not he is rooted in tried and
tested clichés. He can no doubt pen a tune and
the band performances are assured and
confident for the most part, but the songs lack
conviction and are starved of originality for
substantial passages in the album. Another
fine mess indeed.
www.robhalligan.co.uk
Review by
Louise Wood
The band formed in Saint Louis, Missouri in
2002 and are made up of Topher (Vox &
Keys), Viner (Guitar & Vox, Programming),
Ryan (Bass), Patrick (Percussion). This is the
fifth album by Ockum's Razor.
The band specialise in rock and the album is
host to a medley of excellent songs. From the
intro, Into the Nothing, to the last song,
Manimal, we are taken on a journey through a
host of banging percussion, guitar, bass and
chilled out synthesiser. Listening to the songs
brings to mind the classic musical stylings of
Tool, Pantera, Rage Against the Machine and
even System of a Down. Teach me how to
Learn has the style of Tool and Dawn of Man
is a mixture of haunting piano and synth which
then leads effortlessly into the next song
Nebula, which really shows the diversity of
each member while still gelling together to
create an anthem, the likes of which we haven't
heard since Rage's "Wake up".
The White Horse And Its Rider is reminiscent
of System's Toxicity album and is really
enjoyable. Smooth As Eggs features a trumpet
and bongos and is so diverse it caters to
everyone's tastes. Finally, Manimal begins
with a Spanish style guitar alongside smooth
vocals which transcends into Metal and back
again . Of the eight songs featured, six are
excellent. The mixture of styles is a pleasure
to listen to and this reviewer is now a fan for
life.
www.ockumsrazor.com
The Half Light
Clapham ep
The Mandolas
My Greatest Day
Review by Grace Dunne
Review by Sam Geaney
The Half Light are a South London group
who have been together since the summer of
2011. “Clapham ep” is their second release
following their 2011 EP, “Friday Night”. It
can be a hard task to stand out from the crowd
when it comes to indie music due to large
competition in the genre but The Half Light
succeed in this. The group of indie rockers
provide some solid tunes on this EP.
They have an older vibe to their sound as
oppose to the more new age indie sound more
inspired by electronic music, such as Animal
Collective, and the influences that they sight
are quite clearly heard such as The Smiths
and The Cure. They also have elements of
Britpop in their sound.
One of the strongest points of The Half
Light are their guitar riffs. The riffs, though
not too complex, stay in your head long after
the tracks have turned off.
There are some negatives unfortunately.
The mixing of the tracks is a bit off
sometimes making the sound not rise to its
full potential but with more resources in
recording, I’m sure the group could fix these
minor issues.
The song of the EP is probably the final
track, “Stone’s Throw”. It is a feel good
anthem which you can’t help but bop to. The
group has major strengths with each member
of the band’s skills being heard on this track.
“If You Come to Clapham” is another strong
track, though it is not as strong as the other
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tracks of the EP. The constant changes in the
song make sure that the listener does not lose
interest.
The opening to “Shadows” is spectacular,
dragging in the listener straight away. It can
be hard to hear the lyrics at times due to the
over dominant guitar and bad diction. In
saying this, the track is still a very memorable
one.
Riffs are an element of both Britpop and
Indie Rock that groups do not always
concentrate on too heavily, though it is
clearly a thing that The Half Light care about.
The third track, “Behind” has another
mesmerising riff with the bass also playing a
big part. The level of the bass seems a bit too
low, however, and if it was increased, even
just a little bit, the track would be a lot
stronger. The bass also sounds like it has a bit
too much treble and it would be a much more
powerful, driving bass if its sound was
altered.
Overall “Clapham ep” is a strong release, a
stronger release than many indie releases
nowadays but this band seems to have more
potential than shows in this release. With
more work in the studio, this band could rise
to much bigger things.
Clapham ep is available to download on
iTunes as well as from Amazon You can also
visit their website
www.thehalflight.com
THE MONKEES! ...... Is the first thing that
popped into my head when I heard The
Mandolas. Fifty years ago these lads could
have potentially snatched the worldwide title
from the infamous past and once more give
Ireland some credit for musical talent.
Marianne is the Beatlesque/monkees style
song that also draws parallels with the Beach
Boys. It seems The Mandolas are attempting
to reinvent the past to make folk more apparent
in our pop infested musical climate. There
sound is traditional, folk with a smidgeon of
pop infused rhythm. For four young lads they
personify their music in an old fashioned style
which illustrates that traditional folk is still
very much alive within the modern pop
epidemic.
The group consists of Michael Grace, Colm
Hayes, and brothers Paddy & Dorian Kelly.
(Has to be said a lot of Cork going on there,
although the vocals subject a different dialect
altogether). The Mandolas have clearly
accomplished what they wanted to be as their
webpage states: ‘Drawing inspiration from the
likes of Planxty, The Beatles, The Beach
Boys’. Raise A Glass and Greatest Day again
show the talents and diversity of this group
with Raise A Glass giving you the urge to head
to the pub and sing along like an oul lad
skutered.
There harmonies are well tuned while also
making the listener feel Celtic Ireland is back
up and running. Ireland needed to revamp its
musical tradition and thanks to The Mandolas
were up to date. I would rate them a three star
and hope there is more to come.
You can download the new single Marianne
here on iTunes and help The Mandolas climb
their current chart position!
www.themandolas.com
Coburg’s Widow
Demo review
Review by David Jordan
The label on the package says Indie Rock but,
to these ears, this Hampshire, UK band are
much closer to punk. Not the polished pop
punk which has had such phenomenal success
over the last couple of decades, bands such as
Green Day and Blink 182, but old school punk
such as The Sex Pistols, The Clash and The
Ramones. Of these three punk giants Coburg’s
Widow sound closest to The Ramones,
especially their singer who sounds remarkably
like Joey Ramone in an unaffected way.
There are other influences at work such as
The Beatles on the track, Old Albert, and
Nirvana on Red Phone Box but this group have
the rawness, energy and passion of a true punk
band. They have their anthemic moments on
tracks like Ucked Up and Devil Knows, again,
showing the influence of The Ramones, but
they also display plenty of musicality and
intelligence such as the enigmatic lyrics to Old
Albert and the chord progressions and
melodies that abound.
This band sound like they are on fire and I
would love to see them live which, given their
honesty and directness, I’ll wager is their
natural environment. The outstanding track on
the demo is Ucked Up and it must be the
perfect song to open their live set. I can just
imagine singing along and spilling my beer to
it.
www.facebook.com/coburgswidow
Soapy Jefferson
Balloon
Review by Paul Mallon
I have to come clean. In my research of
Soapy Jefferson I confess to releasing a
heavy sigh when I read of their commitment
to capturing the live performance in the
recording of their latest album, ‘Balloon’.
More often than not this is a fire blanket for
bands with bad playing and worse production
values. In essence, it’s the Babyshambles
defence. It’s about the vibe dude…etc.
Happily my cynical inclinations were
disciplined, as for once I was convinced that
such an approach to recording music of this
subtle complexity was indeed essential. As
soon as the album’s title track opens
proceedings the scope of musicianship within
the band becomes evident. The beautifully
atmospheric ‘Balloon’ sets the tone for songs
that deserve to be heard, rather than trigger
happy musicians demanding to be
acknowledged. The music is delivered
confidently while the vocals purr along in
approval.
The strength of ‘Balloon’ is in its diversions
into familiar territories in an unexpected
fashion. Hot on the heels of the opener is
‘The Fury Belle’. A spirited affair akin to
Nick Cave at his most mischievous, the song
is nicely doused in southern whiskey before
breaking into a cacophony of sound that
springs Radiohead’s ‘National Anthem’ to
mind. We’ve heard all these elements before,
but not in recent memory with such
conviction and renewed purpose.
What is perhaps most impressive about
‘Balloon’ is the bands ability to maintain the
momentum. ‘Picture on my Eyelids’ is a
welcome change in direction, complete with
a tasteful Leonard Cohen drawl. Ramping up
even further the at times the sinister aspects
of their atmospheric tendencies, the band
seem to change course before the listener
begins to catch their scent.
This is all before we even reach the nucleus
of the album. Sprawling epic ‘The Mad
Captain’ is the sound of the band in full flight.
At its 8 minutes plus, it never comes close to
overstaying its welcome, building to a
stunning crescendo which proves more
powerful due to its simplicity.
That is not to say that ‘Balloon’ is without
hiccups. ‘Skinful of Poison’ is an alarming
breakdown just over the halfway line. The
one track that lacks any source of originality
and complete with a rather contrived Tom
Waits impression, it simply overstays its
welcome. A neat sax solo can’t hide the tired
feel to what is essentially a filler track. This
is one of the niggling aspects to Soapy
Jefferson. When vocals become more
prevalent in songs such as this they seem less
convincing. When embedded in heavy
instrumentation, vocalist Josh Mills seems
assured. Pushed to the fore and we get worthy
impersonations of the greats that inspired the
record, Waits, Cohen and Dylan perhaps.
There’s nothing wrong with this as such
except it juxtaposes the startling originality
in the first act of the album. The limp piano
led outro of ‘Next Exit’ is also something of
an anti-climax in light of what has come
before.
These are minor criticisms however. For the
most part Soapy Jefferson are composed and
obviously deeply connected in terms of
musical chemistry of which the benefits bleed
into the heart of ‘Balloon’ at its best. Most
rewarding is the arrival of an album that tips
its hat to its influences, rather than borrow
shamelessly to the extent of creative selfsabotage.
www.facebook.com/soapyjefferson
www.musicreviewunsigned.com
15
Drawn In
Fisher Kay
Review by Shaun Cole
Review by David Jordan
Mouth Of Madness
The current hardcore scene in Britain, and all
its relative sub genres, is possibly stronger
than it's ever been. When a scene is this
strong it can be a great environment for an
emerging band to be in, it can also be a
double edged sword though. A band may
struggle to stand out amongst the masses of
other bands jumping on the bandwagon and
therefore be ignored the attention they
deserve. Does Drawn Ins EP, Mouth of
Madness, simply fade into the background
then or does is stand out amongst the
bandwagon bandits flocking to cash in?
The EP has an obvious satanic theme, with
one of the tracks taking its name from the
seven deadly sins and the first track, Death,
also contributing. This track opens things up
with its metal riff that leads into an upbeat
hardcore style section. The riffs are brought
in and out almost teasing the listener by never
quite settling into a particular groove. This
might be seen as a bad thing but it serves to
make things more interesting that straight
hardcore (not that there’s anything wrong
with that). The tracks are all very dynamic,
building up to their main riffs and using
appropriate moments to create more of an
atmosphere about the EP.
The only weakness of the EP is the vocals,
immediately it's apparent that they are a little
too high in the mix. This doesn’t take too
much away from the EP though and having
seen a video of the band the vocals definitely
translate better in a live setting. It could serve
the band better in future to try and capture
this live element more when taking their
songs to the studio. They are definitely one
to watch in the coming months, with a debut
EP of impressively written songs and credible
support slots the band can only flourish in the
current scene.
Mouth Of Madness is available for free at
www.drawnin.bandcamp.com
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Weekends
This album is remarkable and a little scary.
How can a 15 year old have so much to say
about himself and the world and say it so
well? He is a poet prodigy.
Some people might object to the ‘bad’
language and dismiss it as the product of a
repressed teenager. This is not the case. The
lyrics show emotional and intellectual
maturity and complexity and the delivery is
professional throughout. The language
appeals to not just teenagers but anyone who
has ever been young.
As far as influences go, I can hear Eminem,
especially the autobiographical element, and
Jay Z in the sound of his voice but the album
is original in its exclusive use of keyboards
and pianos. Also, there are no samples but
this is not out of choice. It is not an option for
an unsigned artist to use samples. In fact,
Fisher Kay turns this limitation to his
advantage by making something original.
The lyrics are flawless: there’s not a bad
line in the entire album. They fit the music
precisely. This is the essence of his talent.
Also, the album sounds really professional,
the production is quality stuff. Watch out for
this new rising star of the rap world.
www.fisherkay.com
The Hymek Manoeuver
Selfish Girl
Review by David Jordan
This single mixes the bare, abrasive
guitars of latter day Radiohead and the
loud, insistent melodies of The Strokes.
It’s a grower. It has a lively tuneful
quality that plants itself in your head and
after a while your mind starts playing it.
The song also has a quirky, eccentric feel
to it but it never loses attitude and
confidence.
The vocals have the indie punk attitude
inherited from the likes of L7, Elastica
and Garbage. Too many bands are
labelled punk these days but the sound is
so raw and in your face that you can’t help
but think it.
Unfortunately, these days most female
vocalists are still solo artists. To see one
fronting an aggressive, guitar oriented
band remains unusual. They can rival any
male singer for energy and passion whilst
adding a certain finesse which is lacking
in most all male groups.
If I had to describe the band in one word
it would be ‘minimalist’. It’s rare to find
a song so stripped down as this whilst not
losing mainstream appeal. In this sense,
The Hymek Manoeuvre are doing
something original and you can’t ask for
more than that.
www.facebook.com/TheHymek
White Fox
Afraid all your life
Review by C.W
‘Afraid all your life’ is the first track from
Swedish electro pop duo White Fox
forthcoming E.P. On their debut single
band members Ted Criborn and Josefine
Persdotter offer up a radio friendly slice
of synth-pop similar to that of fellow
Swedish natives Robyn and Lykkie Li.
The song opens with a jangly bass riff
playing over a thumping bass drum. The
arrangement is basic but the production
value sounds excellent- the bass sounding
clear and precise. Female vocalist
Josefine Persdotter comes in a 0.16
seconds- her vocals are hushed and
dreamy- reminiscent of Nina Persson of
The Cardigans. She is joined by her male
counter-part Criborn on vocals for the
chorus- both voices complimenting each
other. The chorus also sees the addition of
a synthesizer and acoustic guitar to the
mix- it sounds great- again benefiting
from the high level of production. The
songs outro is synth heavy- as Perdotters
voice loops over and over.
This track is polished, fun and catchyexactly what you want from a pop song.
If the rest of the duo’s E.P is of this quality
this band will be going onto bigger things
in no time. The only criticism I could
attribute to the track is that it lacks
originality- it’s very similar to the
Swedish artists mention above; the song
also passes more than a passing
resemblance to The White Stripes- Seven
Nation Army. However- this song was
made for radio and it’s possible that White
Fox have a minor hit on their hands.
www.mrutv.com/WhiteFox
These Curious Thoughts
What is it, and how did it get there?
Review by Shaun Cole
These Curious Thoughts are a band formed
under curious (see what I did there?)
circumstances. The band has only two
members, now before you start with your
White stripes and Death From Above
1979 comparisons this is not the thing
that sets them apart. The two members,
who live in very different locations,
met whilst on holiday in Peru in 2004
and continue to keep contact via the
Internet and email. Jamie (Jim)
Radford, from London, writes the
lyrics whilst Sean Dunlop,
Detroit based, handles the music and
vocals, together they form These Curious
Thoughts.
Since their consequential meeting the duo
have released over 200 compositions dating
back as early as 2009. With so many songs
already out there is the danger that the band
are almost releasing too much, the Internet
has opened up a world of opportunities to
musicians but releasing any old demo can
become a counterproductive exercise. The
bands most recent release is What is it, and
how did it get there? Let’s see if listening to
the five track EP can answer some of the titles
questions.
The songs themselves would probably fit
most comfortably in the 60s/70s psychedelic
genre whilst still managing to maintain a
modern edge. With recent hits from MGMT
taking this genre into the mainstream this
isn’t a bad genre to be placed in;
unfortunately the songs don’t capitalize on
this recent resurgence and leave the listener
somewhat perplexed.
Because She Is Love starts with a folk type,
medieval sound reminiscent of Led Zeppelin
whereas Lost in Confusion has beat poet type
spoken word verses being interjected with a
chorus that sounds almost comedic. This is
not the first time that comedy is evident in the
record the way the keyboard follows the
lyrics in the first track 'In my Lead Balloon'
sounds like mimicry. The keyboard/synth
parts are what let down the whole record,
they sounds cheesy and more like a keyboard
demo than a well thought out piece of music.
Daughter of Morpheus further bewilders the
listener stopping half way through to a
classical piano led instrumental that doesn't
really add anything to the dynamic of the
song or lead anywhere.
The strongest track on the EP
is John Wayne, it doesn’t particularly sound
like the other tracks after the initial
introduction. It’s a track that wouldn’t sound
out of place in some of Bright Eyes records.
Perhaps without the cheesy keyboard sounds
These Curious Thoughts could be in the same
league as bands like this. The melodies are
catchy in places and the vocals have an
interesting delivery that could gain people’s
attention, in their email the band say that
'people say we sounds like an early R.E.M' in
some ways I can see this but it's only vocally
and at particular moments. To me the vocals
sound more like an 'American Indie' band,
similar to the music found playing out in Seth
Cohen’s bed room.
After listening to the EP it’s hard to see the
answer to the bands title question and even
harder to see the connection really. Other than
the bands quirky email/internet band type
thing they don’t really have anything exciting
to offer. Sean in Detroit seems to be handling
the main bulk of things, handling everything
but the lyrics and this is where I lose my
understanding. At first it seemed an exciting
concept but after delving deeper it’s hard to
see the real point of somebody writing lyrics
for someone else on the other side of the
world. Maybe if you like listening to Pink
Floyd lying down in the dark, in reverse or to
Wizard of Oz with the sound off then maybe
you'll get it, but I certainly don’t.
www.thesecuriousthoughts.com
www.musicreviewunsigned.com
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The DeadBeat
Review by
Louise Wood
Coroner for the Police
Gentleman’s Relish
Review by John Allen
Coroner for the Police are four young men
from Manchester who describe their sound as
1920s mobster rock. It presents itself as a
fusion of sounds – Arctic Monkeys, BRMC,
and Jet; one big indie cocktail. They hail from
a city that has a legacy of producing famous,
influential bands, namely The Smiths and
Oasis. Are Coroner for the Police next in
line?
Gentleman’s Relish, a 5-track EP, gives the
listener a blast of what the band is all about –
no nonsense rock n’ roll with minimal bells
and whistles. ‘Kryptonite Blues’ kicks off the
EP with frantic energy and it ends up being
the strongest song of the bunch; up tempo
with a repetitive guitar riff foundation,
culminating in guttural screams – definitely
one to turn up loud. ‘Hat topped head’
retrogresses into a more banal rock n’ roll
sound relying on mixed riffs to generate
interest, while ‘As the Crow Flies’, a bluesy
song with a thudding pulse, lets the tempo
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slip further into leaden territory. ‘Rope’ hits
the accelerator once again, with a chorus
vocal hook certainly worthy of MTV 120
Minutes. ‘The Other’ closes the EP on a
(nother) riff-reliant note that left me feeling
quite cold. The EP is rockin’ riffs galore, the
kind that accompanies a beer and whisky
chaser on a lads’ night out.
What’s ‘in’ now is the stripped-down sound,
and Coroner for the Police certainly have it.
Sadly, we are gone past the decades of lasting
songs like the aforementioned famous
Manchester bands – maybe it’s the influence
of the counter culture that something is
despised in bands that want to be big. Liam
Gallagher once said that “no one’s going for
it anymore; nobody wants to be John Lennon,
nobody wants to be Elvis”. Coroner for the
Police need to ask themselves if they really
want to go for it.
www.coronerforthepolice.co.uk
The DeadBeat are a band from Coolock,
Dublin made up of David McGorman
(vocals & guitar), Gareth Fitzimons
(vocals & guitar), Josh Stanley (bass) and
Darren Fitzsimons (drums). 2012 has
been a really successful year for the band
with the release of three promotional
videos and free downloads.
The band specialise in rock, alternative
rock and indie. Listening to the songs
brings to mind the classic musical
styling’s of U2, The Stone Roses and Blur.
Chase The Sun is a brilliant song which
sounds like Blur's There's no other way.
The vocal is reminiscent of Christy
Dignam from Aslan while the guitars are
easy listening.
Break All Ties, which is easily their best
song, is smooth, fluent and has soulful
guitars.
Turn Me On is another excellent song
similar to U2's Even better than the real
thing. It contains gorgeous vocals which
mesh really well with the hard guitar.
Don't you wanna be free calls to mind
the Pixies and U2. Phoney is another
excellent song reminiscent of The
Strokes.
Having never heard them before, this
humble reviewer really enjoyed the songs
and can't wait to see them live at The
Twisted Pepper, 54 Middle Abbey Street,
Dublin on 27 Nov 2012 at 9pm.
www.breakingtunes.com/thedeadbeat
From Afar
A Theory For You
Review by
Dean Ruxton
From Afar is a relatively new post
hardcore five-piece from Bristol, UK,
that’s made up of Lance R (vocals), Jack
Rowan (guitars), Matt Taylor (drums), Jad
El Alam (guitars) and Gavin Chan (bass).
The band’s latest studio release is a shortbut-sweet 3-track powerhouse entitled A
Theory For You.
The three inclusions, Rome, Burning
Trees and Bastard Son, have a distinct
stylistic common ground and impressive
cohesiveness. The entire feel is one of a
high
energy,
almost
math-rock
disjointedness mixed with a more raw,
angst-driven punk twinge. The abrupt beat
changes and meandering melodic turns
can be hard to get your head around, but
once that happens, you’re left with the
impression of a band that has an incredibly
sophisticated compositional awareness.
The technical ability of each of the band
members is made readily detectable. To
begin with, Lance has an extremely
sellable voice that ranges from the deepest
caverns of hardcore alternative rock and
even metal, to a more conventional,
melodic, indie tone. In terms of the guitar
work, although you won’t find innovation
by the bucket-load, it’s all ridiculously
skilled and devoted to the sound of the
band. Relating to musicianship as a whole,
it’s Matt that steals the show; the drums
are sickeningly good all round.
A Theory For You is a short, exquisitely
crafted, to-the-point record that From Afar
can be really proud of. It’s important to
realise that in general, most post-hardcore
stuff is usually a repellent for the musical
taste of the masses and what you will find
here isn’t any different. It certainly won’t
be everybody’s cup of tea, but thankfully,
it’s not really meant to be.
www.facebook.com/FromAfarBand
Elephant 12
Review by
Eoin Gallagher
London based Alternative Electro Band
“Elephant 12” hope to carve a new niche in a
crowded music market with their selfintituled EP “Elephant 12”. Lovers of both
wailing distorted guitar riffs and electronic
house beats are both catered for in this
explosion of modern sounds and beats. But
can two completely different music elements
work so well together? The answer is for the
most part, yes.
“Holiday” is opening the track of “Elephant
12”which featuring a modern electro beat and
heavily distorted guitar throughout. The style
is reminiscent of Dizzee Rascal with typical
hip-hop lyrics heard in most chart songs
today. I feel as though the band could have
been a bit more adventurous lyrically as the
song losses a bit of the band’s originality.
That being said, the chorus is extremely
catchy and wouldn’t be out of place as a
possible future summer anthem.
The electronic computer beats carry on to
“Diet Coke” which works superbly with a
crunchy guitar rhythm. The melody is
fantastic and nigh impossible to forget after
your first listen. The chorus is simple, yet
catchy and features a descending guitar riff
which adds even further to the track. A
screeching Tom Morello inspired guitar solo
tops off an unforgettable song.
The EP is suddenly turned up to 11 with
explosive alternative rock track “Turn Me
UP”. A strong “Rage against The Machine”
influence is clearly evident here with
aggressive lyrics and heavy guitar lines. This
is the turning point in “Elephant 12” as the
band leave the safe modern charts sound to
one that fans of more alternative music will
greatly appreciate.
“Elephant 12” closes with the in-your-face
rebel anthem that is “Renegade”. The
distorted guitar lines are taken from classic
alternative rock songs of the 90’s that still
hold that same power and passion today. The
chorus is simple but perfect for fans to chant
at future gigs. I have no doubt that this will
be the track that fans will be dying to hear
live.
Although it may not be ground breaking,
“Elephant 12” is an ambitious take on
modern electronic beat driven tracks that
plague the charts in today’s world. Fans of
club beats and alternative rock can both find
something to love on this EP. That being said,
I believe when the band takes a more
alternative rock approach, “Elephant 12” will
truly reach their potential.
www.elephant12.com
www.musicreviewunsigned.com
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Symphony of Sirens
Uplifted
Review by
Kevin Carney
Paul Clancy
Down From The Pillars
Review by Alice Stands
Paul Clancy is a 22 year old singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Co.
Wexford, Ireland. His low-budget EP ‘Down
From The Pillars’, which was recorded in the
back of a friend’s house, has promise of
greatness but is a skeleton version of his full
potential. The transition from competent
song-writer to professional performer of
one’s material is one that doesn’t happen
overnight, but with the right guidance, vision
and system of practise the distinction will be
made a lot sooner. For Paul, it will be a
question of how fast can he turn his
weaknesses into strengths.
The opening song ‘Bad Town Blues’ for me
is the definitive song of the 7-tracks. It’s got
a vibe, strumming a guitar laid-back on a
couch attitude – and it’s got rhythm, which
really adds to the production. His voice is the
strongest on this song, which makes me
wonder was it recorded at a later date than the
others. Still, I wanted to hear more projection,
more confidence, more self-belief and more
Irishness – the latter three of which can be
hard to find innately in an Emerald Isle
native. This is something I would love to see
change and would encourage upcoming Irish
artists, particularly in folk/folk rock, to take
it upon themselves to make that change
happen. Not only would Clancy represent his
country and himself more authentically, he
would become much more distinguishable in
the process.
There was something in the song-writing
that reminded me a little of Jeff Buckley. It
would be interesting to hear Clancy in a
couple of years when he has developed his
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voice and guitar-playing. The songs are more
like sketches of ideas at the moment and the
singing sounds like Clancy is laying down
ideas more than putting his heart and soul
into re-living whatever it was that inspired
him to write them. The whole mood of the EP
is tentative, which he would want to
altogether eliminate before embarking on
recording an album.
There’s a lot of potential in the songs and
the choices he makes with regard to the
musicians he decides to work with and the
sound he ultimately goes for will have a lot
of bearing on the final impact. ‘Poison
Arrow’ for instance, has guitar picking with
harmonica interludes – immediately one
thinks Bob Dylan and American folk, which
is a lot to live up to – and can it really be
improved on by an Irish artist? An alternative
could be to use a tin whistle or fiddle for
instance, and a bodhrán for the rhythm.
‘Rivers’ sounds to me like it would have
much more impact with a driving beat on a
bodhrán than the generic drums currently in
place. This could potentially be a great ‘Irish
sounding’ song with the right musicians –
think Luke Kelly and the Dubliners – and
Clancy projecting out his vocals.
Apart from the first song, there is a
sameness running through the whole EP.
Clancy is talented but he’s not
distinguishable. This is what he needs to
work on. I’d recommend for him to listen to
Irish music like The Dubliners and The
Pogues as well as singers with strong voices
like Nick Drake and Smog.
www.facebook.com/paulclancymusic
Hailing from Halifax, UK, electronica
group Symphony of Sirens make their
debut with this five song EP.
Fever kicks off the album, starting off
slow and building up to a faster pace. A
big problem with this song is that there are
two vocal tracks playing at once, making
it impossible to follow either one of them.
From here it flows into Symphony of
Sirens a slow, mellow-sounding track. It
is a marginal improvement, nowhere near
as clustered as its predecessor.
Unbreakable is a soft ballad, the most
melodic and lyrically meaningful song on
the album so far. It is a subtle track, with
less focus on the electronic aspect and
more on traditional instrumentation.
Thanks for the Memories is upbeat and
uplifting. It's the perfect soundtrack to a
carefree life.
Final song on the debut EP is called Line
of Fire, it has a more old-school sound
than the other tracks. It ends the album on
a somewhat surprising note.
Verdict: 4/6. While suffering from a few
mishaps, this is an album that truly lives
up to its name.
www.symphonyofsirens.net
Happy Ol' McWeasel
No Offence
Review by
John Casey
A Slovenian band that mixes traditional
Irish instrumentation with a metal guitar
sound may scare people away before they
have even heard a note. This début
offering from Happy Ol' McWeasel
however, left me pleasantly surprised.
The approach is simple. Short, catchy
songs, played mostly at a tempo you can
dance to. Six of the albums ten songs are
originals while four Irish standards fill out
the track-list. While they might not get any
points for originality from an Irish listener
it is fair to say that each track is produced
very well and showcases some impressive
musicianship. The choice of musical style
seems to come very natural to the band
despite their background. Singer Gregor
Jancic’s vocals have a decidedly un-Irish
twang that nevertheless complements the
songs very well.
The lyrics, as well as the bands selfpromotion, rely on boozy imagery. This is
not reflected in the music. The playing is
too coherent and tight. Though they
portray themselves as a sloppy pub band,
on this evidence we are dealing with a
group of highly talented musicians who
have made it their mission to be Slovenia’s
answer to The Pogues.
Though the album No Offence is a good
listen it also leaves the impression that this
is a band that is truly at their peak in a live
setting.
www.happyolmcweasel.com
Declan McLaughlin
Self Titled EP
Review by
Dean Ruxton
Having toured with the likes of Christy
Moore and The Frames, you can really guess
the feel of Declan McLaughlin’s work prior
to the first listen. The first track on the Derrybased singer-songwriter’s self-titled EP, is
“Don’t Let Hatred”, which delivers a
refreshing and familiar smack of acoustic
folk-pop draped in a veil of Irishness.
Although that particular song starts off on
shaky ground with an iffy opening verse, it is
eventually redeemed by quite a catchy and
charming chorus. As with the likes of
“Change Your Mind” and “There Was This
Girl”, the opener is stylistically similar to any
common hook based, acoustic-pop, balladlike folk rock; not exactly a hotbed of
dramatic innovation genre-wise, but Declan
does pull it off well. At the very least, its
potential appeal is huge.
Throughout the short EP, Declan manages
to keep you interested; this is usually a hard
feat when dealing with a genre that is rife
with tedious filler efforts. In particular, the
short, punchy song lengths contribute to this
factor. Secondly, the overall style of the EP
doesn’t quite pan out like you expect it to,
with tracks like “Change Your Mind” and
“Take Me Back” using a mix of more
interesting techniques including offbeat,
choppy rhythms that border on reggae, to
organs and brass involvement.
Declan McLaughlin is a good songwriter
and conscientious composer, that much is
clear. His voice may not be the most
technically perfect on the planet, but it’s the
imperfections that add to the character of the
music, while also perfectly complementing
the style. Either way, it’s clear that Declan’s
experience in the business has given him the
ability to craft a decent modern folk rock
sound which has a considerable amount of
foot-tapping appeal.
www.soundcloud.com/declan-mclaughlin
www.musicreviewunsigned.com
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Captures
Vaudeville
Vendetta
Self Titled
Review by Paul Mallon
While listening to Captures agreeable selftitled effort I couldn’t quite relinquish the
mild stirrings of discontent as the album
unfolded. Tight sharp blasts of aggressive
rock, just the right side of mainstream appeal
is always something I rather admire if done
correctly. Audioslave’s first album for
example. The Foo Fighters at their best.
Sometimes with music you don’t want to be
enlightened in any meaningful way but
instead merely ride a wave of energy and
enthusiasm to a powerful climax. Much like
a Tom Cruise film without the under tones of
cultish malice. However such cheap thrills
shouldn’t be a safety blanket for any shred of
creativity and originality.
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where Captures
fall in such juxtaposition. Opener Cavalier
begins proceedings adequately. Upbeat and
full of intent, it’s clear the band offer little
more than power chord charged rock but
that’s not to say that it’s completely
ineffective. One of the problems with the
record is perhaps the inconsistencies within
the limited palate from which Captures draw
from. ‘No Trust for example seems to take its
cue from a more introspective Green Day and
is a fairly adequate offering but it slightly jars
with the opening track. No one would say
that Green Day or The Foo Fighters are a
million miles apart in terms of their broad
appeal and musical scope but when some
leanings stand side by side on one album it
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points to a band bereft of ideas and
consistency.
It doesn’t help that the album has amongst
its reasonable quality has some truly woeful
attempts. It’s quite hard to sufficiently put
into words just how contrived ‘False
Economy’ comes across. The token
political leanings from rock bands
seems to be the norm these days with
most bands it would seem proudly
brandishing their beginners guide to
global politics as if they were
saying anything of worth, let alone
logical. Like much of the album
it has its nice moments but
inevitably
sullied
by
meandering and hollow lyrics. The
finest example of this being ‘Face Ache’.
An utterly banal romp not aided by ham
fisted lyrics such as, ‘carry the Strain, I won’t
be here to fuck it up baby’.
As stated earlier it’s not all bad and when
the band do take off ‘Captures’ can indeed be
rather enjoyable. Solider is by far the best
offering on show. Despite its slightly more
evident mainstream leanings, it’s truly
memorable hook is most welcome. For the
First time Captures breaks away from the
impression of a band chasing their collective
tail.
The problem is that despite peaks peppered
throughout the album it’s hard to truly love
Captures. At equal turns the band seem light
hearted that one doesn’t fully believe their
passion and lyrical intent and then at other
times they seem to take themselves much too
seriously to be endearing as a piss and
vinegar hard rock act. It’s a difficult act of
balance. NOFX being a notable example of
how to demonstrate the integration of light
and shade into music and make it believable
at both ends of the scale.
In the end energy gets them over the line
and undoubtedly Captures come across much
more powerful and authentic in a live setting,
but this is the crutch often used by hard rock
acts. The most persistent niggle is the
confusion of what exactly Captures are as a
band which is baffling considering the lack
of originality on show. Is it emo? Punk? Post
grunge or just mainstream rock? Then you’re
probably asking the wrong question. If the
quality of the songs were consistent such a
question would be deemed irrelevant.
www.captures.bandcamp.com
Review by
Louise Wood
Vaudeville are an unsigned rock band who
have just independently released their
second album, Vendetta. They started out
in 2007 and their debut album Dismantle
the Sky was also independently released
in 2009.
The band formed in Minneapolis,
Minnesota and has just won the Rawkzilla
Battle of the Bands. The band is made up
of Chris Gummeson (vocals & keys),
Timmy Kosel (bass), Chris Schara
(guitar), A.J. Sugar (guitar) and John
Olson (drums).
They are best described as a mixture of
indie, hard rock, alternative and brit-pop.
Vendetta is full of silky vocals and
excellent riffs while Into the Mouth is
reminiscent of The Cure's Disintegration.
White Lights features a haunting melody
which progressively gets edgier and
called to mind Muse and The Manic
Street Preachers. Tainted Passerby is
excellent and sounds like The Killers' Hot
Fuss. Restless Souls features brilliant
guitar with an electrifying base and lyrics.
Of the eleven songs featured, there is not
one song that could be considered a filler.
It's hard to believe Vaudeville have not
been signed yet. In this humble writer's
opinion they are easily as good (if not
better than) any of the rock bands in the
charts these days.
www.vaudevillemusic.com
Carried By Waves
French Bird
The Comebacks
Review by
David Jordan
Review by Louise Wood
Review by David Jordan
I love their overall sound and really enjoyed
the album. They may well have what it takes
to be appreciated in Ireland and hopefully
abroad. It’s really refreshing to hear a Dublin
accent on an indie sound.
This band might benefit from a bass player.
Firstly it would reduce the number of White
Stripes comparisons, and I’m guessing there
are many, and secondly it would fill out the
sound and act like a glue between the drums
and guitar. You might object that it would
take away from the garage rock sound of the
band but there is enough talent here to take it
to the next level and get out of the garage and
into the recording studio.
The guitars sound great: raw, loose and
deliberately maladroit. There is no need to
lose these qualities in the studio but maybe a
bit of polish would work well.
This band is heavily influenced by the
blues. Though they play electric guitars they
sound more like a country blues band than an
electric one. From early Muddy Waters back
through Robert Johnson to Charlie Patton, the
influence of great country bluesmen can be
heard in these tracks. Another plus is that the
singer sounds a lot like Rory Gallagher, who
played as much country blues as electric.
Like most blues bands The Comebacks
sound really good live but they still need to
grow and improve which means lots more
gigs and lots of visits to the recording studio.
Softly Held Together
FINALIST
When Radiohead put down their guitars in
favour of keyboards and electronica after
the Ok Computer album they were
criticized for changing their sound and
their album sales dropped considerably.
What a lot of people don’t seem to realize
is that yes the sound changed but the songs
were still there and throughout the later
albums they are as powerful and amazing
as ever.
The same can be said of Carried By
Waves’ debut album Softly Held Together.
The layers of sound and music on this
album are mind blowing but the songs are
there at the core of each track.
Kasabian are another band who embrace
electronica but they choose to stay
mainstream. Carried By Waves, judging
by this album, have no interest in
mainstream success. Listening to the
album you get the feeling of a quiet artist
working away in his own garden.
The album sounds amazing. There are so
many layers of music and sound and yet it
still doesn’t sound dense. The blend of
organic and inorganic music is masterful
and there are some gorgeous melodies.
This artist is appropriately named as the
songs are often hypnotic and quietly carry
the listener away. A remarkable album.
www.facebook.com/carriedbywaves
Self Titled EP
French Bird are a recently formed band from
all over Dublin who have an energetic indie
sound with a punk edge. They are best
described as being a mixture of indie,
alternative, rock and jangle pop.
They have just recorded their debut five
track self titled EP, “French Bird". The band
is made up of Addy Dillon (vocals), Dara
Mac (guitar), Finn Houlihan (bass) and
Aidan Ralph (drums).
We Too Remain is full of excellent riffs
alongside beautiful vocals and is
reminiscent of The Pixies, Muse and The
Cure.
Red Pencil brings to mind the musical
stylings of Feeder and The Strokes and
is easy listening. French Bird is a really
good song and sounds like U2’s early
masterpieces. Insomnia is definitely my
favourite track of the lot as it has a brilliant
beat and uses a mixture of instruments and
vocals to make an excellent end product akin
to The Smiths. The last song is Bedrooms
which has a beautiful opening guitar and bass
melody which transcends into an excellent
chorus.
www.facebook.com/FrenchBirdBand
www.reverbnation.com/thecomebacksyeah
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Scattered Few
Review by
Catherine Sherlock
The Anecdotes
Stories To Tell
Review by C.W
Hailing from Warrington, England- “The
Anecdotes” are an indie rock 4 piece who
have just released their first E.P- “Stories To
Tell”. Having only formed in December
2011- this band certainly isn’t lacking
confidence- already proclaiming themselves
to be “the next big thing indie rock band from
the North-West of England”.
The E.P opens with a bluster- album opener
“Dandylions” is a three minute blast of
blistering garage rock. The guitar and drums
are fast and furious over which singer Matt
Hensley vocals are reminiscent of Ryan
Jarman of The Cribs. The lyrics suit the
sound- as Hensley laments the banality of
life. All this combines for a fantastic start to
proceedings.
Opening with a nice duel guitar part - “Red
Lights”- see’s the band drop the tempo. It’s
evident that the band is less comfortable at
this speed; the verse seems laboured and over
the entire track seems too laconic. That said
the breakdown is impressive; the drums
nicely building the tension as the guitars play
off each other.
Track three- “Hang Five” is another knees
up rock number. Sounding similar to “After
Hours” by We are Scientists- this is the
highlight of the E.P. The lyrics are simplenothing profound- the verse charts the
blossoming of a summer romance while the
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chorus charts the inevitable souring of the
relationship.
The tempo is dropped again for the fourth
track “Stagger”. This track is heavily
indebted to The Strokes- almost sounding
like to a pastiche of the New Yorker’s as
Hensley’s northern twang gives way to a
Julian Casablanca’s impression on the
chorus. Despite this- the musicianship is
fantastic- each band member showing there
very accomplished at what they do.
The E.P closes with “Orlando”- the weakest
track on the E.P this sounds a like an
afterthought. Another mid-tempo song- this
again has similarities with The Strokes. By
no means a terrible song- it just sounds like
the band are in there comfort zone here.
For a band that has played together less than
a year- this is a very impressive debut.
Hensley has a fantastic voice and obviously
has good chemistry with fellow guitarist Matt
Ritter- there twin guitar assault a particular
highlight of the E.P. The main criticism I have
of “The Anecdotes” is there lack of
originality- they sound far too much like
there influences at times. That said despite
the familiarity of their work this E.P sounds
fun and fresh. Given more time to find their
own sound- I have a feeling ‘The Anecdotes’
will develop into a very good band.
www.facebook.com/TheAnecdotes
For many bands finding a definite sound
can be a challenge, however Scattered
Few’s hard work has paid off and they
have created a solid and distinctive sound
that they execute very well. If you’re tired
of the usual acoustic stuff and looking for
some unconventional tunes then Scattered
Few are the band for you. Described as
“moody…and
mesmerising”,
the
melancholy tones of Jena’s voice work
well alongside Andrew’s entrancing guitar
playing and together they create some
really atmospheric music.
However, for me I found their sound
quite repetitive. The music is fantastic,
Andrew is a talented guitarist and his
ability to create the distinctive sound that,
in my opinion, carries Jena’s voice, is
what makes Scattered Few good. But,
after two songs of similar tempo and
mood a third seemed one too many. The
way I felt about the first song I heard,
applied to all their other songs and the duo
quickly went from being the focus of my
attention to background music.
While Scattered Few have found a style
they are comfortable with I feel that they
would really benefit from exploring other
genres too, a bit of diversity would go a
long way in making them more appealing
to a wider audience.
www.scattered-few-acoustic.co.uk
Alan Kavanagh
Christmas Far From
Home
Review by John Casey
With some notable support slots and vital
radio airtime it seems that the future is
looking bright for Ashbourne’s Alan
Kavanagh. “Christmas Far From Home”
looks to continue this momentum and help
to propel the young singer-songwriter into
the spotlight.
Released in time for the holiday season
it touches on the familiar festive theme of
being separated from ones loved ones over
Christmas.
The song itself is a piece of melodic pop
music that would not seem out of place on
mainstream radio. It is quite a simple song
that relies on its well delivered vocals to
impress. Kavanagh’s voice is indeed the
selling point of this song; you get the
impression that with a lesser singer the
whole tune would fall flat.
A musical sweet tooth may be required
for full enjoyment of this song. There is
nothing wrong with a well executed pop
song. Those who agree would be doing
themselves a favour by checking this out.
Given the right support and a continuing
production of similarly catchy songs we
should be hearing a lot more from Alan
Kavanagh.
www.alankavanagh.com
We Do This
All These Images/Elevator
Review by C.W
Based in Adelaide, Australia “We Do This”
are an indie/rock three piece who have just
released a double a-side single. The two
singles- “All These Images”/ “Elevator”precede there forthcoming E.P- which will be
released in early 2013.
“All These Images” immediately grabs the
listeners attention- the opening verse sounds
fantastic- the bass line is catchy, the
drumming is tight and singer John De
Michele’s vocals are great. In terms of sound
this track is quite similar to Teenage Fanclub.
The promise of the opening verse is quickly
curtailed by a weak chorus however- the
guitar is flat, the melody seems forced and the
track just never takes off. It’s a shame
because the momentum gained during the
verse is instantly killed. The main problem
here is the guitar - it is just too weak; the
introduction of a grittier sound on the chorus
would do wonders.
“Elevator” is a slower number. The song
opens with DeMichele singing over a
powerful drum beat. This track is closer in
sound to latter work of Taking Back Sundaythe vocals reminiscent of All American
Rejects. This time we’re met with a better
chorus- the hook is infectious, the drumming
is more powerful and the guitar is audible.
The duel vocals on the bridge work well toothe harmony part sounds excellent. Once
again this song would benefit from an
abrasive guitar sound but this is definitely the
stronger of the two singles.
Certainly talented musicians- “We Do
This”- have a lot to offer. De Michele, in
particular, is very accomplished - as well as
handling vocals, guitar and bass- he also
produces both singles. My fear for the band
is that they are veering too close to the middle
of the road- I feel they are putting their pop
sensibilities over their indie influences and
the resulting sound is diluted. Whatever the
case- the radio friendly nature of these two
songs mean there forthcoming E.P will
certainly have an audience.
www.wedothis.net
www.musicreviewunsigned.com
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The Aluskas
Merry Christmas To You
Review by Shaun Cole
Ahhh Christmas tis the season to be jolly
right? And of course the season cash in,
release an aptly cheerful single and make
loads and of cash! Recent Christmas releases
from such artists as Sufjan Stevens, Bright
Eyes and She & Him have all seen great
success in the indie community. It’s no
surprise then, that all manner of bands are
queuing up for a slice of the (mince) pie and
deciding to release there own Christmas
single.
But, wait a minute there Scrooge, before we
get too critical on The Aluskas new single lets
look a little closer at their motives. The
single, due to be released on the 3rd of
December, will donate half of the profits to
Focus Ireland, a charity for the homeless. An
act of kindness that even Saint Nicholas (Are
the Christmas references becoming too much
yet?) would be proud of. This in itself would
be enough to make me want to part ways with
my cash even if the songs weren’t very good.
The truth is though; the songs are really good.
Sure they’re little bit obvious and cheesy in
some places with the Christmas bells and
lyrics but what more would you expect from
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Atlas
The Lost Boys
Review by Shaun Cole
a Christmas single? The A side, Merry
Christmas To You is on the same level as Sir
Paul’s Wonderful Christmas Time and the B
side, Walking in the snow is a beautiful
downbeat meander that would stand up as a
modern alternative to Let it Snow.
Both sides to the single are of an equal
quality but if I was to lean more towards one
as a favourite it would be the B side. It has
that slower tempo that lures you and sends
your mind racing with Christmas nostalgia.
It’s obvious why it’s the B side though, Merry
Christmas To You is the upbeat number with
it’s pounding drum beat and charming guitar
tone that really grabs your attention. The key
changes throughout serve to make the song
more interesting that a straight Santa Clause
infused romp. Overall it’s ridiculously
infectious and hard not to like. Somebody
send Tiny Tim (last one I promise) to get that
Turkey, I’m sold.
The song is accompanied by a Christmassy
video available online and will be released on
the 3rd of December, for more information
head to:
www.facebook.com/thealuskas
The Internet is a marvellous thing, the fact that
someone can find your humble blog with 15
followers and recommend you a band from the
other side of the world still amazes me. This is
exactly what happened with Atlas when their
hometown friends Aurora pointed me in their
direction. Atlas are a six piece from
Massachusetts and released their debut album
on the 31st of October through their Bandcamp
page.
The album, which takes it’s title from the cult
film The Lost Boys, starts with the somewhat
of a mouthful The Durrty Durrty Tales Of The
Heartless Are Here To Stay. This song
perfectly sets the tone for the rest of the record
and clocking in at just over two minutes serves
more as an introduction of what’s to come. It
used to be that being a geek was almost a
shameful thing, in recent times though being a
nerd has become almost cool. No longer are
people afraid or ashamed to admit their love
for a fictional wizard or their sword wielding
friend from the Nintendo 64. This new nerd
coolness is found in Atlas’ cleverly titled songs
and will fill many listeners with joy when they
understand the references and discover that
they have something in common with their
new favourite band.
The songs make use of dance inducing beats
and vocal interplay between screaming and
singing to win over the listener and although
the songs don’t particularly do anything new
or innovative, what they lack for in originality
they make up for in quality. They’re the kind
of songs that a million teenagers with their
hoods placed just atop of their head, feeling
isolated in their bedrooms, will connect with
and swing their arms in a mosh pit for. In some
places they might sound a little adolescent but
this it what makes Atlas endearing, anyone
who spent their youth listening to the self titled
Alexisonfire release, or Silverstein’s
Discovering the Waterfront will find
something in it.
The
album
is
available
here:
www.atlasma.bandcamp.com
Shotgun Honeymoon
The Culmination
Review by
Kevin Carney
Having grown up on a diet of Nirvana, The
Smashing Punpkins and The Dave Matthews
Band, Los Angeles singer-songwriter Shotgun
Honeymoon prepares to make his mark.
Show Me opens the album on a positive note,
making use of an upbeat melody and the
eccentric use of violin.
Ballad 1,000 Years Ago has a more serious
tone. The heartfelt lyrics and slow-paced
instrumentation give this ballad a profound
impact.
Up To Something is a slow song, but has a
lively energy about it. Snapping fingers, a
prominent bassline and the use of percussion
really make the song come alive.
End track How To Fail sounds very
reminiscent of Mumford & Sons and the use of
a female vocalist gives the song a range that is
successful to it's success.
Verdict: 6/6. Making the best of what limited
time he has, Shotgun Honeymoon delivers
something different with each song. What more
could you ask for from an EP?
www.shotgunhoneymoon.com
Halfling’s Leaf
Ain’t No Candy
Review by Paul Mallon
As a former devotee of heavy music, I often
feel my younger self would be disgusted.
Long gone are the Slayer patches and
oversized Pantera hoodies. All have been
long traded in for the gentle crooning of Mr
Wainwright or perhaps a shot of some
balladry from Sir Paul to sooth me to sleep.
That said, I am at pains to argue that this is
not entirely my own fault. The 80’s bristled
with invention in heavy music, with the
thrash movement of Metallica and Megadeth,
then moving further in the 90s with the power
grooves of Pantera and Sepultura. That’s not
to mention the bristling originality of acts
such as System of a Down and At the Drive
In. But then nothing. The new millennium
coughed us up Trivium, Avenged Sevenfold
and such bands that are so numerous I won’t
even strain my brain trying to recall such
mediocrity. Metal bands that seemed like
tightly repackaged Metallicas with
questionable jean sizes and even worse
songs. Even now if one is impartial to some
excellent Lamb of God, they hardly signal a
progression in the genre. There are of course
notable exceptions but we’ll move on.
The tags on Halfling’s leaf’s mini album
‘Ain’t No Candy’ stated the band as ‘Avant
rock rock experimental funky groove’ which
for all its specificity is about as vague as you
can get without adding arithmetic. As soon as
you spin the album it strangely makes sense.
This is a record that bristles with ambition
and scope. Trimmed of the fat, the mini
album format is an idea that seems to elude
most unsigned acts. Devoid of filler it’s an
idea that more bands could learn from, if only
to spare the time and patience of yours truly.
When ‘Jack in the Box’ opens proceedings
it becomes clear that the range of Halfling’s
Leaf is remarkable. Between the crunching
riffs and alternating rhythms, the technical
prowess of the band is evident, only adding
to the sheer power and aggression. Think At
the Drive In with Zack De La Rocha on
vocals, dash of Meshuggah and a sprinkle of
The Refused and it’s close but also somewhat
wide of the mark. Such comparisons almost
sell them short in terms of their own
originality which is in abundance.
‘Paul is Dead’ more than keeps the pace up,
quickly relinquishing the fear of a top heavy
record. In fact the album only really dips at
the penultimate hurdle with ‘Ninety Five’.
Perhaps the only track to follow anything
resembling a classic structure, complete with
a gallop into double time for the shredding
outro, it somewhat pales only in comparison
to the standard set by the other four tracks.
Album closer, ‘Sixes and Sevens’, is the best
example of what makes Halfling’s Leaf so
thrilling. The song twists and turns with all
the confidence of a band who play for no
audience. A masterclass in the execution of
technical proficiency without detracting from
the quality of the music.
In the bands bio they proudly claim that
they create music that they themselves want
to hear. This is evidently true and it’s safe to
say that they are not exactly a mainstream
proposition. A glance to the past however and
it can be said that this is exactly what is
needed to stimulate public interest. System of
a Down could hardly be deemed a
mainstream act in their execution. Nine Inch
Nails? Not exactly. To brand Halfling’s Leaf
as simply a unique heavy band doesn’t really
tell the whole story and would no doubt jar
with the band themselves. Their influences
can be spotted but are by no means the pure
blood of their creativity. It’s a relief to hear
music so intense but not at the expense of
creativity. It’s also a welcome reminder that
especially with heavy music, the need to
categorise everything is obsolete with music
of this invention.
www.facebook.com/halflingsleaf
www.musicreviewunsigned.com
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Garr Cleary
Grenade
News Reporter Darragh Faughey
News Reporter
Darragh Faughey
FINALIST
Photo by: Jessica Skelton
Sitting in the delightful Doghouse café of
Howth, Dubliner Garr Cleary cracks a
generous smile as the attractive waitress
delivers his tea. A friendly tone was in place,
and the mood of the day remained just that.
Having settled and removed his hat, Cleary
tells how he began writing music in 2005
following the death of a close friend. It
becomes clear personal experiences provide
the content for his music: “all of my songs
have to be real, I cannot write fiction” he says
significantly. The singer-songwriter considers
Irish talents Glen Hansard and Gemma Hayes
among his major influences and embellishes
his own music with elements of theirs.
In 2011, Cleary spent several months
residing on Collanmore Island; a small
setting off the coast of Mayo, where he
admits he landed a “broken-hearted man” and
had ventured to the island in an attempt to
“simply get away.” While on his brief hiatus,
Cleary worked on restoring boat engines and
more importantly, polishing his songwriting.
He playfully admits how he can often begin
to write a song: “I start with a melody and
then go around telling people I have a new
song, before there are any words.”
Having recently launched his debut EP
‘Goodbye to Yeahman’ (the title is a nod of
praise to a former stage-name) upstairs in
Doyles, Cleary is beginning to enjoy some
success. The Cashel Arts festival hosted the
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www.musicreviewunsigned.com
folk singer for an intimate show and Cleary
bashfully told of how “there were posters on
every window. I couldn’t get over it. It is such
a beautiful place…people just piled in.”
Cleary has many interesting attributes,
mainly the sight of his upside-down guitar;
it’s like a Jimi Hendrix-folk jumble. His live
shows can often include a full band
containing electric guitars, drums, bass,
backing vocals and trumpet.
An unexpected interruption by our coffeesipping neighbour made us laugh. He
imparted a brief synopsis of the cafes unique
history connected with Howth’s old tram
service. “This is great,” Cleary said giggling
in response; “we’re getting a history lesson
too.”
History is where Garr Cleary intends exactly
to leave it. Indeed it is the future where his
music will lay its claim. Cleary can be
regularly found at the Monday Echo in
Whelan’s and the Zodiac sessions on
Wednesday evenings in Bruxelles. There will
be a single release in 2013 as well as a trip
across the Atlantic for 14 dates between New
York and Boston.
Garr Cleary’s debut EP ‘Goodbye to
Yeahman’ is available from iTunes and at
selected Rage and Tower record stores
around the country. Follow him on Twitter
(@GarrCleary).
www.facebook.com/pages/Garr-Cleary
Hold onto your hats! Grenade are about to
explode onto the scene, and will no doubt cause
quite a bit of collateral damage along the way!
Grenade are a three piece band hailing from
Cork, and what makes them unique is their
talent for song writing and edgy guitar riffs that
would make Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood
Mac) question his own abilities.
There is a paucity of “real” rock outfits
consisting of an all female line up right now.
And, in an age where the term “band” is used
all too loosely to describe 4 or 5 pruned and
“groomed for stardom” talentless fops; trained
to wink at the camera, and stand in a row while
they rip off classic tunes, (And, incidentally,
cannot play a tin whistle, or the spoons between
them!), Grenade as a “Real Rock Band”, really
are quite refreshing.
To get an idea of their sound, cross Canadian
rock band The Cliks with Glaswegians
Speedway and throw in a bit of Gossip and you
might be on the right track.
Founding members, Noelle Barry (Lead Vox)
and Jennifer Bowler (Guitar + Vox) have been
writing and performing together for the last four
years. In June of this year, Grenade was born,
with the line up welcoming various female
drummers. However, a change in line up may
see the girls concentrating on becoming a duo.
The girls cite a vast array of influences from
KT Tunstall to Wallis Bird, Pink, No Doubt and
Coldplay to name a few.
Previously recorded original tracks by the
girls include “Revenge” with its edgy guitar
riffs and angst ridden lyrics, would make you
cower in the corner just for listening. The
emotionally honest acoustic lullaby “All or
Nothing” exposes the sensitive nature
underlying the rock façade. But, this exposure
does not last for long; “When will it end?” in
true “Grenadesque” fashion, will blow your
mind!
Their highly energetic live performances offer
a mix of covers and original material. The blend
of harmonies, guitar riffs, and a fast paced
repertoire give off an electric charge that is
palpable in the audiences that roar for more.
The girls will be performing in various venues
over the next few months, and details of future
plans to record will be released shortly.
http://soundcloud.com/jenibob
The Frescaders
Written by Alice Stands
The Canterbury rockers ‘The Frescaders’ have
gone from playing covers to releasing an EP to
becoming SkyHigh Radio’s Unsigned Act of 2012
– all within a year of knowing each other. And at
19 and 20 years old, they are only getting started.
The 4-piece met at Kent University in Nov 2011,
where Joe (vocals, guitar) and Sam (drums), who
were friends, placed a ‘wanted’ ad around the
university that Jake (guitar) and Jack (bass) were
the first to respond to – what Joe reminisces on as
‘lucky.’
Starting out learning a couple of covers together
to get a feel of each other’s playing, the boys
quickly realised they were suited and moved on to
develop some original material. ‘We had some
songs,’ said Joe, that he and Sam had been
jamming together, ‘but they hadn’t been developed
very much.’ After Jake and Jack joined they
worked on this material as a basis and played their
first gig in January, only two months after meeting.
‘We were quite pleased with the way the first gig
went,’ says Joe. ‘The first gig got us going. We
could actually become a band now.’
They spared no time, recording a 4-track EP in
March, which was released the following month.
For just a day’s recording, the result is an
impressive feat, capturing the live energy and
potential of the band. ‘We really just powered
through it,’ Joe laughs. It cost them on average
£40 per person for the studio time. They played
live, recording the instruments on separate tracks
to save time.
The EP does a good job of capturing what their
sound was just four months after meeting each
other, but it’s not a current representation of where
they’re at eight months later, explains Joe. ‘If
you’d listen to the way we play the songs now,
coming up in December, as to how we recorded
them, they’re still the same song but they don’t
sound exactly the same any more. We did it so
close to meeting that we hadn’t quite found our
sound yet when we did it.’ You can hear the
influence of Joe’s favourite bands on the EP:
‘Artic Monkeys, Libertines, The Strokes’. He has
broadened his listening range in the mean time,
taking in 1970’s punk bands like ‘The Jam and
The Clash.’ Jake is still a big fan of Oasis and
Noel Gallagher and Jack likes ‘his oldy stuff,’ says
Joe, naming ‘Led Zeppelin.’
Joe talks about disliking some of the songs on
the EP, including ‘All Along.’ ‘I’ve told them (the
band) that we’ll never play it again,’ says Joe
firmly, ‘because I don’t like it.’ The others manage
to coax him into softening a little on the subject.
He is also not a big fan of the opening track ‘Can’t
Explain’, which was released as a single under
Zuricom Records. ‘I think we’ve got a lot better
stuff that we haven’t got recorded,’ he concludes,
‘which we intend doing.’
On asking them how their sound has changed
since the EP recording, Joe replies ‘I would say
we’re less aggressive, the way that we play.’ The
others agree. ‘We’ve calmed down a little bit,’
adds Jake, ‘we’re not as fast.’ ‘We’ve become a
bit more melodic and catchy,’ says Joe.
The sound is continuously evolving along with
the musicians, who use their gigs as well as their
rehearsals to try out new things. ‘Because we
don’t have unlimited amounts of time to practice,’
explains Joe, ‘when we play a gig we have to use
that as a practice time as well. I’ll change the
lyrics around on stage sometimes whether it’s
because I’ve forgotten them, which happens quite
a lot, or I want to try something out and see how it
sounds.’ Joe, who has never taken voice lessons,
has a strong voice for someone who has been
singing just two years. He says with a laugh
‘nobody else wanted to do it, so I said I’ll do it.
When we started I played the guitar so I just
thought, I might as well give it a go.’ When Jake,
Jack and Sam confirmed ‘you’re not that bad’ he
continued.
I asked Joe, who is an English Literature and
Language student about his lyrics. ‘I use a lot of
literature that I study to influence how I write
lyrics because I read a lot. There isn’t a particular
writer that has a massive influence on me,’ he
adds, though he mentions John Milton as one
particular example. ‘When I read little bits that I
quite enjoy I’ll just put it in and make references.
He describes the songs saying ‘they’re normally
stories so they’re not non-fiction. They’re not
related to anything. Sometimes they’re a bit funny,
witty. I put in some jokes that nobody else would
get except for me.’
As well as winning the SkyHigh Radio
Competition, which Joe explains, ‘I think that
competition was more who has the most friends
(they took it with 47% of the votes) – but it’s a
good feeling to win/It was great to win,’ the
Frescaders were one of eight bands to qualify to
play at their university’s music festival
‘Keynestock’ in a Battle of the Bands competition.
As well as playing to a large crowd, the set got
broadcast live on the radio. ‘We got interviewed
afterwards by the local radio station and local
television station,’ says Joe. ‘We felt quite special.
They really focused on – not just us – but all the
acts. We enjoyed that because it was completely
different. It gave us a small taste of what could
potentially happen.’
Not only are the four boys band-mates, but
they’ve also become great friends in the short time
of knowing each other. ‘We hang out a lot, so we
see each other nearly every day,’ says Joe. ‘We’re
all fun people, we hang out loads,’ says Sam. ‘We
live on the same road pretty much,’ says Jake.
When asked did they take it serious from the
beginning, Joe replies, it was more a case of ‘let’s
see what we can do.’ ‘It’s just about having some
fun,’ adds Jake. Joe concludes with an overview
of their progress so far and sums up how he feels:
‘Considering it’s only been a year, and not even a
year since we played our first gig, a year since we
first met each other, everything has happened
really quickly. So, considering where we are –
well, we’re not particularly far ahead, we’re not
anywhere really – but, we’ve done well.’ The boys
nod in agreement. They seem happy with the way
things are going.
Check out The Frescaders EP for free on
Soundcloud
www.facebook.com/thefrescaders
DyNaMik Records News
We are delighted to announce we have teamed
up with Weisse Hugel quality manufacturers of
hi-end guitars & basses situated in Barcelona,
Spain. Check out their website at:
www.centromusicalcmb.com/weisse
Weisse Hugel’s say everything has been
conceived with the purpose of keeping this
balance, reliability and versatility which
constitutes the main aim & their philosophy
from the beginning & over 50 years experience
working with musical instruments. This is
confirmed too by their innovative concept,
behaviour, ergonomics, tuning, reliability,
sound, balance and by recognized musicians
and artists.
We are also thrilled to inform you that one of
our artists Chris Adams check out his website
here
http://chrisadamsofficial.co.uk/
will
be
endorsing one of Weisse Hugel’s guitars. Chris’
guitar is currently being made for him so we
will add photos everywhere once he has
received it & done a photoshoot.
Contact info:
www.dynamikrecords.org
www.chrisadamsofficial.co.uk
www.chrisadamsofficialfanclub.com
(supported by DyNaMik Records Ltd)
www.centromusicalcmb.com/weisse
www.musicreviewunsigned.com
29
FINALIST
The Mad Hatter
Written by Karin Carthy
Come and join us down the rabbit
hole … perhaps there we’ll find out
who or what is the ‘Mad Hatter’?
If not, then I’ll give you a brief insight. In
2008, a man named Martin was invited to
compose the Eagle Flight Anthem for the
Benfica football team. It went out on the 13th
of February, and played live at a stadium full
on 60,000 people. After putting the track on
MySpace, Martin was soon asked to make it
available to download. Then he was asked for
more tracks.
And so came ‘Arkus’, ‘Wesir’ and ‘Evolet’.
During this time, Martin was also in a rock
band, and ended up playing for 50,000 people
in Portugal. Even though they made a live
album out of it, the band didn’t get the
recognition he’d hoped for. The album was
recorded with an orchestra, something Martin
says was difficult to do, as he was used to
“playing rock music very loud … it was quite
a challenge to use the ears”. They got a good
response from the crowd
30
www.musicreviewunsigned.com
So Martin came to Ireland, and since then,
he’s been working solo on the Mad Hatter EP.
He created ‘ZiZi CaTdOg’ records in order to
promote himself, and as something he can
use for future projects. The name was, as
Martin said, “because you really need to be a
bit mad to start at the very beginning … with
no support”.
There are four songs on the EP – the original
ones that Martin made a few years ago for
MySpace. ‘Evolet’ has been nominated in
MRU’s
Music
Awards
for
Best
Composer/Sountrack, and it’s easy to see
why. Martin’s songs evoke a feeling of Celtic,
folksy music, with the modern addition of
electric guitars. It’s got a rhythmic beat to it
that’s hard to find, combining lyrical
traditional dance tunes with sounds of the
present. Evolet lures you to some far off
place, and the upbeat energy encourages you
want to dance. It’s a tricky combination of
music genres, and it could be a disaster, but
Martin has managed to weave them together
to create a positive sound.
There’s a beautiful, tinkling use of bells in
‘Arkus’, while ‘Wesir’ combines what feels
like pan flute music with a strong guitar
melody. The song that started it all, ‘Eagle
Fly’, feels like something you’d listen to as
you prepare yourself for an epic battle.
There’s a mystic, exotic feel to all his songs,
and the Mad Hatter EP is a beautifully
composed first album.
www.reverbnation.com/label/zizicatdogrecords
Don't Judge a Musician By His Facial Hair
M
Written by Neil Cathcart
usic was pouring out of the
Mercantile Venue as I turned off
George's Street onto Dame Lane.
Truly one of Dublin's most musical streets
with a number of different pubs holding gigs
on a daily basis. I was in the mood for some
acoustic chilled out music. Dimestore
Recordings in Sweeny's didn't disappoint.
Arriving upstairs to the weekly roundup of
unique acts of all sorts I was presented with
a odd looking and slight individual on stage
simply known as G Star. An apt name as he
looked like a man you'd see with a guitar
slung over his shoulder walking down the
road, Jack Kerouac's 'On The Road' that is.
His ZZ-Top beard and bushy hair says as
much about him as does his songs, easy,
interesting and funny. If you’re to believe his
final song this supertramp once worked in the
fashion industry and all the trappings of the
consumer world this just adds to the mystic
that is G Star. He promises to be back on the
internet with some new material well worth
looking out for.
Tonight was a lesson in 'Don't Judge A
Book By Its Cover' or rather a 'Musician By
His Facial Hair' as the next two acts were not
as the seemed.
Next up was a larger fello with a deep black
beard, honestly looking more like he should
be fronting a metal band. It’s good to be
wrong once in a while. Russell Hogg is a
story tell in the truest sense of the word
mixing the corner stones from the rock,
country and folk genres to develop his own
voice. He pulls his inspiration from his
personal life. Like 'Sister' a little bit of a
simple song perhaps but touching and
positive. All about his sister getting married,
moving on and the impact it has on their
relationship. It was the closest to a normal
song structure too with recognisable chorus'.
Russell isn't afraid of writing about the
underbelly of society too, his song 'Red Light'
tells the tale of a lady of the night. This
subject wouldn't work for most new singers
as they simply can't pull it off due to lack of
experience but Russell's voice is similar to
Eddie Vedders, it is deep yet soft, so what he
says becomes more meaningful and
believable. The best of his set had to be
'Falling'. Which at first could easily be
dismissed as a typical break up song but as it
progresses it becomes a dark break down
song. Where our singer is crying out to be
saved.
Russell Hogg's album is due out in
roll. The place began to fill up and it was hard
to hear the name of the songs. However, you
can certainly hear him play the blues. With
the harmonica and slide guitar, a rare
instrument to see played these days, he
achieves that deep south sound. This
combination also allows Mick to breath more
life into his songs as without it would lose its
folksy feel and become very predictive.
If you are a fan of blues, even if you’re not,
his album with also be out in February again
because like the whole night it will no doubt
contain a few surprises.
G Star
February. I can't wait to see what approach he
has taken with it. Will there be a full band
accompanying him to really give it a full rich
sound or will he have the courage to strip it
down to just to him and his guitar?
The final act again was a little surprising.
Guitar, harmonica, slide guitar and a foot
stomping Mick Heslin is an acoustic one man
band. Dressed sharp he jumps into a cover of
one of the earliest Rock and Roll artists
Robert Johnson. A good guy to imitate and
this sets the mood for the set, a mix of
contemporary and old Mississippi rock and
Russell Hogg
LINKS -
Dimestore Recordings
Every Thursday night upstairs in Sweenys
www.facebook.com/DimeStoreRecords
Russel Hogg
www.reverbnation.com/russellhoggsings
www.facebook.com/russell.hogg.35
Mick Heslin
Mick Helsin
www.myspace.com/mickheslin
www.facebook.com/pages/MickHeslin/341020289487
www.musicreviewunsigned.com
31
Linda Welby
LINDA WELBY ALBUMS & SINGLES
lindawelby@eircom.net
www.lindawelby.com
Written by Meghan O’Dowd
Plucked from the heart of the midwest, in the good old US of A, came a
rare gem of talent with a story to tell...
StillLine, all the way from Champaign,
Illinois, have had a long hard road to get to
where they are today. If you don’t believe me,
just read their biography... it has a length of
epic proportions that could rival my
university thesis! Regardless, they have
slammed themselves into our sights with their
latest offering – a full length album entitled
We Are All Asleep.
Apart from leaving us wondering if we are
entangled in some deranged, Inception-style
battle of reality, this second album from the
band has had a refreshing impact on our sore,
abused ears with some addictive musical
content. Boasting 11 tracks, the album is
reminiscent of a gritty, grunge sound of the
early 90’s, oddly combined with an
acclamation of more contemporary
musicians.
Songs such as The Callout (the introductory
track on this release), seem to be most
exemplary in this, and one can’t help but
think it’s a little odd. However, by the time
the track progresses a mere 30 seconds you
can’t help but feel like it works. Vocals on the
track performed by lead Brian Clover are
done so with a conviction that you cannot
fault, and in perfect harmony too. Add into
this some apprehending guitar work, with
riffs and overlays that as enticing as... well,
whatever you find most appealing yourself.
The best part of it all for me was that all of
the elements in this song offered nothing but
encouragement to the overall result, with
none becoming overpowering.
The title track itself brought an almost
overwhelming dynamic to the album with a
song of epic proportion, that you can’t help
but think is designed to test your
expectations. We Are All Asleep pumps with
tension and power, with compelling drum
beats that add nothing but suspense and
excitement. The guitar work here is well
structured, with riffs that bend and move with
the lyrics. Listening to it, you almost feel
caught in a sweeping momentum of emotion
and excitement. Honestly, if this doesn’t
switch you on to the band, nothing will.
A final mention has to be given to the track
Under the Storm; a blind-sider if ever I heard
one. This song boasts a more melodic and
soothing introduction than the others, which
develops into a hefty ballad tinged with
sadness. There is a sweetness in the vocals
here that simply does not appear before, and
StillLine
We Are All Asleep
is a welcome change from the gritty nature of
the other tracks. It is undoubtedly an
emotionally fuelled song, which is
approached with a certain delicacy. It is
handled with a more considered touch and a
tenderness which simply seem to serve their
purpose. Yet it is none the less powerful. It is
definitely one of my favourites from this
band.
As a whole, StillLine are a band that simply
blew me away. The fluidity in their music
simply cannot be contested. The instruments
and the musicians behind them seem to offer
nothing but encouragement to each individual
song. But it is never overpowering. In my
opinion this is a true representation of wellbalanced, well-crafted musicianship. If
anything, Under the Storm as a single track
displays the sheer diversity of the band
themselves, in their ability to pull influence
from a wide range of technique and genres
and combine them to create something that is
not just impressive – but truly beautiful.
To find out more about the band or check
out their album, you can find them at
www.stillline.com
Their debut video for The Callout can also be
seen on YouTube at;
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-W3fVxJPII&feature=plcp
www.musicreviewunsigned.com
33
KOPEK
K
Written by Meghan O’Dowd
opek is a home-grown Irish rock
band originally from Dublin. Since
2002 they have made their mark on
the Irish and International stage, growing
from strength to strength. It’s not often we at
MRU get to hear of a long-time underground
Irish band making their mark globally, but
Kopek’s story is as inspirational as they
come. In 2009 they signed with Religion
Music for a multi-album deal, which elevated
their success to new heights.
Their luck brought them to feature their
music across television and film, with tracks
by the band appearing in films such as the
American Pie film “American Reunion” and
TV shows such as “Punkd” and “The Real
World”. Their debut album ‘White Collar
Lies’ was released in May 2012, putting the
band on the map in the U.S.A. and Canada
with several Rock chart rankings.
Despite a hefty tour schedule and more
besides, we at MRU managed to catch up
with the band to hear their opinions on the
Irish music scene, and what it means to make
it to the international stage.
When you guys started out, did you ever
think you would reach this level of
recognition?
We are really happy to finally see the fruits
of our labour pay off. The reaction has been
really positive to the debut record and may it
long continue. We have are blown away with
the level of support from everyone at home
in Ireland from our fans to all the good press
we have been receiving for this record &
band. It is great to finally get even some
recognition in your home town!
You’ve received raving reviews from the
likes of Radio Nova’s Marty Miller and
Hotpress. What does it mean to you to be on
the receiving end of such immense support
from home?
Amazing. Ireland is our base and our home
so getting any kind of good reviews from
here is a big deal to the band. It has always
been the dream when reading those
magazines or listening to those radio stations
that one day you would hear your own music
on that platform. It’s even better when your
been praised for your efforts!
Looking back on the past ten years, how do
you think you have grown or changed as a
band?
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www.musicreviewunsigned.com
Regardless even the last ten years of being
mates in a band we have grown in so many
ways; our song writing, playing live and
general outlook on the music business.
We have so much still to learn, but there is
nothing like touring for 6 months straight in
a van hauling ass around America to make
you learn the business and yourself as
musician's very quickly. We could probably
do our Vh1 documentary already at such an
early stage of our professional music career
with all the stories and tales we have from the
road.
As a musician I don't think you ever stop
learning, adapting and growing its what
keeps it fresh and interesting.
As an unsigned act on the Irish music scene
for many years, how do you think the music
culture here has affected your music and your
outlook on the music industry?
It’s not an easy time for new music. The
money isn't there to support new acts from
labels so it’s increasingly hard to get signed.
You have to be the finished product to get
signed these days and there is no room for
development with artists which is a shame.
We are at a weird time in music with the way
the industry is. My outlook on new talent has
always been really positive because I see
amazing bands on my travels but getting this
new talent the shot it deserves is where my
issues are with today's music industry. I think
the industry hasn't really tackled this problem
and it still needs to sort out a proper realistic
solution to illegal downloading so that this
lost label income can go into finding brand
new talent out there and working them.
You’ve obviously worked hard for your
success, but are there any things you would
have done differently in hindsight?
Were to begin! In hindsight everything! Yeah
you can look back and say yep that totally
was a waste of time, but at the end of the day
it got us to this point and we are happy were
this is going and the reaction we are getting.
It’s a roller coaster of highs and lows in a
band and if you think about it too much you
would probably have a nervous breakdown.
We put our "fuck ups" to lessons learned and
"our achievements" in music for the reason
why we started this in the first place, the love
for playing and writing music.
What have the best/worst things that you
have experienced as a band, and why?
We have experienced so many amazing
things from our music; we have been to a lot
cool countries, places and have had some
amazing gigs in our time together over the
years. Last year was a blast. Three mates in a
van playing rock n roll for six months touring
America. The laughs, experiences and buzz
from that adventure alone money could never
buy!
Our worst experiences can be just like a
million bands out there, knowing you have
something good to show everyone and know
one paying attention. You have to go through
a lot of bullshit to get where you wanna get
the music business and that can be really
draining on a band. But it’s all a part of the
process, only the craziest will survive to keep
going!
How have you guys handled criticism of your
music? Do you see it all as constructive in
some way?
I think you must be able to take criticism
being in a band. You putting your work on
show to the world and telling everyone to
check this out listen to this. It’s not easy to
take criticism but its part of the job. You don't
always like what you hear but sometimes it’s
better to hear it than just having a yes man in
your ear all the time. Brutally honesty is a
good thing as a musician sometimes.
Everyone has got an opinion these days,
everyone is a blogger, everyone has a
comment to post, and its social media world
we live in. So I think just take the good and
bad from what you can and make it work for
you.
If you could start you own label right now,
what band or musician would you sign first
and why?
I think The Minutes are a good solid rock
band. I really like their sound and vibe. I wish
more bands would go back to the basics like
these guys and just play straight up rock. I
think bringing it back to basics approach in
rock n roll is the way forward, no gimmick's
just good rock songs and these guys I think
have this approach. Kopek would use the
same approach, so I really like to see this
coming through in other bands. It’s about
bleeding time to!
Do you think your personalities bring
different qualities to the band and to the
music?
Oh yes. We all bring something different in
all aspects from writing music to the live
show. That's what makes a great band is all
the different personalities mixing around and
somehow it all working together to make that
crazy ass sound in the studio and on the stage.
You have to be a lunatic with a messed up
personality and shit loads of issues to wanna
be in a band in the first place, so you’re
already off to a good start!
And finally… Have you got any last words
of wisdom or messages for the MRU readers?
As a great band once said... ‘It's a long way
to the top if ya wanna rock n roll!’
To find about more about the band or catch
them on tour, check out
www.kopekofficial.com
What advice would you give to unsigned acts
who are trying to get their music heard?
Playing live is a great way to get out there &
win new fans over & to get people to pay
attention to your band. Just try and put
yourself out there as much as you can. Try
write and record your music to the highest
standard you can and then say your prayers!
There is no formula for quick success in a
rock band and if anybody has worked it out
give us bell as soon as you can. I think you
need to really stick at it and work your ass
off. Whatever it takes kind of attitude!
www.musicreviewunsigned.com
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50 Shades Of Jaye
News Editor - Feargal Daly
E
very so often there comes an artist
on the unsigned scene that is so
passionate about their work and
believes they really have what it takes.
That artist is Corrina Jaye.
Corrina is undoubtedly one of the more
focused artists we’ve come across. She
knows what she wants, what she is capable
of, and strives for nothing more than the best.
It’s an infectious attitude that some more
cynical folk would easily scoff at but when
we discovered her passion for music we too
believed. MRU recently had the chance to
interview the Dublin songstress and got the
scoop on numerous aspects of her journey in
the music business. We talked the past,
present and future along with everything in
between; the industry, false starts and
successes along with a deeper look at her
latest single ‘Dark Room’ and doing things
on her own terms.
Concerning how Corrina got into music
there are some interesting surprises and twists
in the tale but ultimately it was an inevitable
decision. “It’s always been a big part of my
family. Every Sunday at my Nana’s house we
had to do a party piece. I used to love
performing and it was a real singing and
dancing fest every Sunday” One of the more
surprising aspects of her journey is coming
out of college with a degree in business and
law, an achievement that Corrina notes
wasn’t one she particularly intended to
pursue. Her true passion was always with
music however - “It was about 21 that I
started to get tunes into my head; melodies
and words” she states.
Eventually in 2006 Corrina would take the
first step in making things happen. The
product of this time was a collection she
called ‘Help Me Out’, but while the dream
never really took off it certainly helped build
the path. “I never actually officially released
it” reveals Corrina. “I put it on a website but
never anything official. It was available to
download and it actually broke the top ten of
an unsigned download chart”. While nothing
ever came of it Corrina went on to explore
other musical ventures. “I was the singer of a
band called Suneva. They were more into
rock but liked what I brought lyrically. The
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band just kind of faded but I enjoyed that
experience.”
When pushed for influences or inspiration
Corrina responded with quite a surprising but
believable answer - “I don’t really look for
inspiration if I’m honest; the songs just come
to me.” Corrina states when pressed for
where the ideas come from, “Sometimes
when a hook comes to me I have to sit down
and just figure out - “How is this going to
go?” – the ideas just always come to me”.
That kind of mentality has always carried
over to the live performances and she is
always trying out new things on the live
scene. When it comes to performing, Corrina
actually encapsulates her shows into two
separate categories; solo and with a band.
“It’s a separate kind of animal” she says.
FINALIST
Qualification) I just knew it was now or
never. I’ve always been spending time
writing, always working on it”. Eventually
the culmination of those ideas became the
foundation for Corrina’s upcoming debut
album she intends to release in the New Year.
“I have a great album here; I need to do
something with it” she claims.
“I just knew it was now
or never.”
-Corrina on the foundations of her debut album
Almost like a split personality, the live show
can encompass two opposing atmospheres “For smaller gigs I’m happy with a guitar but
I do like a band because a lot of my songs are
up-tempo and I do like to get that feed from
them. For some songs you just need the
instrumentation to ignite it.”
With a second shot seemingly bringing up
another false start Corrina may have felt a
little bit jaded. Trying to find a leg to stand
on, Corrina fell back on her qualifications –
a smart decision to stick with in the end – and
even managed to become a qualified teacher
in Ireland. It was during this period of
normality that she began to feel the melodies
and songs come back to her. “I have always
been at the music” she assures us. “Last year
when doing my H.Dip (Teacher
That first step in finally make things happen
actually occurred in 2010 when she finally hit
the record button. One of the first songs to
come out of this session was ‘Invisible’, a
collaborative effort with producer Paul
Murphy. Initially intended as a charity single,
this hauntingly beautiful and melancholic
tune caught the ears of some renowned
industry folk. The track made it into the top
20 of the RTÉ show ‘The Hit’ and with that
achievement brought the attention of
legendary Grammy award winning producer
Steve Lillywhite who certified the song as
one to watch. “I was really thrilled with that,
and I hadn’t intended it to be released. I really
felt like I was on the right track.” she
enthuses. “Paul’s done an amazing job on it.
I would love to release it maybe next
Christmas as a charity single as intended. I
have always envisaged it as being one; I don’t
feel like the song belongs to me.”
With the debut album in the process of
being completed for the New Year, Corrina
promises a mixture of sounds and that we can
look forward to an eclectic mix on the album.
Having said that, each debut needs a strong
first release to propel the artist into the
spotlight. If public opinion is to be considered
then her latest track ‘Dark Room’ fits the
criteria perfectly. It’s a catchy, melodic and
well produced track that utilises a more
traditional medium in the form of a music
video as its primary marketing feature.
Conceptually, the video oozes in sex appeal/
soft eroticism and is not shy about wearing
its influences on its sleeve. Corrina was a
huge fan of the recent hit novel ’Fifty Shades
Of Grey’ which would go on to aid the
concept for the video production. Out of the
frenzy that ensued since the books release
www.musicreviewunsigned.com
37
actually became her idea for me to appear in
a sort of cameo video.”
Getting the backing from the creator of a
viral video to appear as a cameo part has got
to be a daunting prospect yet it was one that
Corrina jumped on. “I thought – “What am I
going to do?!”- So that’s where Andrew
Jordan (director) came in.” I guess there’s a
simple mantra then behind all of this; if you
don’t ask, you don’t receive! As a
collaborative effort in the making, Corrina
enlisted some of the finest local and
upcoming talents from various backgrounds.
As mentioned, Andrew Jordan, a young
aspiring director, was called up to help shoot
and produce the original content of the video.
“Andrew is terrific, he really is. I don’t want
to take all the credit. He had some great ideas
and it was all shot in a matter of 4-5 hours.
There were a lot of one takes and he simply
does an amazing job – And he’s only 19!”
As a collaborative team, Corrina is
optimistic that she would work with him
again - “I would love to. I have a few very
interesting tracks on the album. I’ve already
got ideas for videos and I absolutely trust him
implicitly.” Fergus Kealy, an upcoming
model was assigned the lead male role and
from there the impressive black and white
video was born. When you see the finished
product you’ll be amazed at the production
quality and chemistry within the visuals,
perfectly complimented by the track itself.
Aspiring musicians take note – If you’ve got
an idea, go for it; it’s not impossible – Corrina
has proved that.
“I trust him implicitly”
-Corrina on her collaboration with Andrew Jordan for Dark
Room
“I believe I can achieve
what I want to do.”
-Corrina speaks about the passion and self-belief in her music
many have taken the idea into their hands and
crafted unofficial fan-made movies, trailers
and more. On YouTube alone there are many
fan made trailers for an apparent upcoming
film adaptation. One such video doing the
rounds caught the attention of our songstress;
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a trailer that had gone viral for a campaign to
get actor Matt Bomer to play the male lead
created by über-fan Dann Brbaz and
amassing around upwards of 3.6 million
views on YouTube. “I wrote this song and it
was influenced by the book. One day I just
Googled the title and I saw this trailer that
absolutely blew my mind. I looked up her
Facebook page and sent her a message simply
saying “I have a song, what do you think of
it?”” she reveals. “She went crazy, she loved
the song so much and she was excited! It
The video has been nothing short of a
success for Corrina as at the time of this
article going to publication it is well on its
path to exceeding 23,000 views on YouTube
with a further 6,500 for the duplicate upload
on the directors channel – Impressive!. Not
only is the view count rising but the video has
been met quite favourably by audiences and
is set to take off at a moment’s notice. It’s
easy for musicians to become tired of their
work, but this is not so for Corrina as she is
clearly among the ranks of those currently
loving the track - “I absolutely love ‘Dark
Room’, there’s just something special about
it. I just knew I wanted it to be the first
single.”
As anyone clued into the music industry in
some capacity throughout the world will
know, it’s in a completely different shape to
its glory days. That being said, while it is in
a state of limbo, it opens up many new paths
for creating self-success stories. Corrina is no
stranger to this having achieved everything
so far without the aid of a record deal or label
backing. When pushed for whether she would
accept a deal considering her demonstrated
ability to do things her way she claims - “It
would have to be the right kind of deal. I
would have to have a fair amount of creative
control and working this hard I know exactly
what I want and wouldn’t settle for anything
less. I believe I can achieve what I want to
do” as she declares “I’m just hoping that if I
push it myself, then the right opportunity will
present itself”.
Corrina had a few favourable words to say
about the media surrounding the Irish
unsigned scene, even taking a moment to
applaud the hard work MRU do -“I’ve got a
certain group of people who believe in me,
that definitely push me. Organising the
awards is fantastic, it’s exactly what Irish
(and unsigned) artists need at the moment”.
Having been nominated in three categories of
the MRU Awards 2012, Corrina has every
reason to believe she is on the right path.
Keep an ear out for Corrina in the near
future and be sure to pick up a copy of ‘Dark
Room’ on iTunes now. Along with that,
Corrina has a lot that we can look forward to
in the New Year so we sure to keep an eye on
Facebook, Twitter and MRU for more from
Corrina and her future successes.
www.corrinajaye.com
A special thanks to Brown Sugar, MakeUp-Forever and La Stampa hotel for
offering their services free of charge for
this photo shoot.
All photos taken by Mark O’Connor
www.facebook.com/marksmagiccamera
www.musicreviewunsigned.com
39
FIN
A
LIST
S
Congratulations to all the finalists picked for the very first MRU
Music Awards, we would like to thank all the acts that entered, it was
not an easy task and we are still not done yet. We would like to invite
all the finalists to our live award show that takes place on Sunday
December 16th at 8.30pm sharp! The event will be held at The
Mercantile hotel on Dame Street, Dublin 2 and we will be
announcing the winners of each category on the night.
Best Female Artist Sponsored by Disc & Print Centre
Cat Dowling
Lynda Cullen
Sinead McNally
Rachael McCormack
Corrina Jaye
Best Male Artist - Sponsored by Disc & Print Centre
Eric McGrath
Peter Tierney
David Hope
Nigel Connell
Chris Keys
Best Newcomer 2012 - Sponsored by Gigs Ireland
In The Willows
Corner Boy
Jenny Liston
Tod Doyle and The Troubled
Connor Hutcheon
Best Single 2012 - Sponsored by Disc & Print Centre
Kodakid – Portis
Keith O'Brien - Light It Up
Dead Til Friday - Sweet Disposition
Garr Cleary - Twenty Percent
Bennett vs Matrix - Snow
Best Album 2012 - Sponsored by Phonic Studios
OCHO - Young Hunting
Autumn Long - Drown The Truth
The Radioactive Grandma - The Radioactive Grandma
Frantic Jack - Last One To Leave
Knots - Velcet Mindset
40
Best Video 2012 - Sponsored by Disc & Print Centre
Wocko - Summer Days
Fancy Crazy - Seven Sea's
Terawrizt - Unlimited Limitations
Fiach Moriarty - Lullabye
Corrina Jaye - Dark Room
Best Indie/Rock - Sponsored by Ruby Music
Protobaby
The Radioactive Grandma
Soldiers Can't Dance
Boy Lights Fire
Frantic Jack
Best Blues/Rock - Sponsored by Live Loud Music
Crow Black Chicken
Mama Kaz Band
The Notions
Cold Comfort
Donna Dunne
Best Electronic/alt - Sponsored by Lakeland Studios
Cocaine Ponytail
Cfit
Echogram
Ocho
Carried by Waves
Best Punk/alt - Sponsored by NorthSouth Festival
Hassle Merchants
Deerstalker
Makeshift
24 Broken Amps
Thumbprint
Best Alternative/Rock - Sponsored by DyNaMik Records
Futurism
The Selections
Lorcan James
Autonomous i
Factions
Best Metal/Heavy Rock - Sponsored by David Doyle Photography
Bakken
Time Is a Thief
This Rising Tide
Making Monsters
Kerouac
Best Pop/alt - Sponsored by Crux Entertainment
Parallel
Strange Boats
Sinead McNally
Chris Keys
Morgan Macintyre
Best Trad/Folk/alt - Sponsored by Rockit Music Management
The Henry Girls
Fiach Moriarty
Laura Ann Brady
Lights Camera Sundown
Fling
Best Soul/Jazz/Funk/alt - Sponsored by DyNaMik Records
Allison McGrath
Fox.E and the Good Hands
Oddsocks Revival
Pia Dunne and The Eleusians
Suzanne Savage
Best Hip Hop/Rap - Sponsored by The ReSessions
Icarus Rising
Mc Jay Red
Mugsy The Juck
Terawrizt
GERARD i2
Best Composer/Soundtrack Sponsored by DyNaMik Records
Fran Stone/Pat Cushe
Paul Byrne
Fusion Trip
Mad Hatter
Best UK act 2012 Sponsored by DyNaMik Records
The Dusk – Cheshire
Angus Powell – Shrewsbury
Toxic Melons - Newcastle Upon Tyne
Michael Reeve – Lincoin
Cyanide later – Midlands
Best Country/alt - Sponsored by Irish Country Music Radio
The McGetigans
Nathan Conway and the River Valley Band
Stephen Young & The Union
SpiritRiders
Donna Marie Sludds
Best International act 2012 - Sponsored by DyNaMik Records
Volume Conflict - South Africa
Madelene Jænsson - Sweden
NewNobility - Australia
Jordan Andrew Jefferson - USA
The Urban EarlyMen - India
Best Reggae/ska/alt - Sponsored by NonFloating Records
Bocs Social
The Barley Mob
J Roots
Intinn
Dem Fools
Best Unsigned Artist 2012 Sponsored By linda welby
Soldiers Can't Dance
Wicker Bones
Peter Doran
Bamboo Party
Crow Black Chicken
Best Acoustic/alt - Sponsored by Rockit Music Management
Dave Morrissey
Satori Stream
Pauly Fagan
The Thomas Donoghue Band
Jimi Cullen
Best Live music night - Sponsored by NUMU Promotions
DimeStore Recordings
Saucy Sundays
Apollo Sessions
The Zodiac Sessions
The Ruby Sessions
41
Cheerios Childline conc
Photos of Lawson, Level5, Little Mix, Hudson Taylor, Stooshe, Jedward, JLS, The Script
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cert 2012, O2 Dublin
All photographs taken by
David Doyle, head over to his
facebook page to see the full
album of photos -
www.facebook.com/ddpdotcom
www.musicreviewunsigned.com
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www.numupromotions.com