Neon Atlas

Cork based indie band Neon Atlas are back in the groove as they return with their latest single Fever, due for general release November 16th.

Fever is a harmonious mix of ebow progression united with a fragile and compulsive vocal which meanders into an infectious chorus. The final result slowly allures you with its intricacies and delicate craftsmanship which hugs you like your old favourite woolly jumper. 

Fever is lifted from their forth-coming but as yet untitled album due for release early in 2018; in the meantime Neon Atlas will be touring nationwide. 

Needless to say Ralph is playing this gloriously radio-friendly track on the Bonfire Night Indie Show Special on Radio KC so remember to tune in on Sunday the 5th of November via rkc.noip.me Internet Radio from 5-7pm GMT.

Áine Duffy & The Hypnotyst - Video Of The Week

Ralph's featured video this week is Grit by Áine Duffy & The Hypnotyst.

With GRIT Áine Duffy & The Hypnotyst flirts with dance, rock and funk to innovatively combine genres and moods, creating their own individual sound which is designed to get concert venues rocking and the dance floors moving.

Written, produced and recorded by Áine Duffy & The Hypnotyst.
Mastered by Emily Lazar at The Lodge Mastering, New York.

Shot in Kinsale Co. Cork, Ireland.
Actors: dale Coleman and Rogan Gee. Makeup: Sinead O Neil.

 

December 1st:          The Harbour Bar     Bray, Ireland                 Tickets & More

December 3rd:          Madame Claude     Berlin, Germany            Tickets & More

December 17th:        Hackett's Bar          Skibbereen, Ireland       Tickets & More

The Grey Merchant

Cork based recording collaborative, The Grey Merchant, today announce details of a debut single release, Spotless (The Protecting Veil), which was released last week.

The Grey Merchant is the collaborative recording project of Cork based Indie trio Neon Atlas’ bassist Enda O’Flaherty and a collection of friends and fellow musicians. 

Drawing comparisons with classic noise and stoner rock, influences like the late lamented Slo Burn, Unida, Kyuss and Fu Manchu can certainly be heard.






Recorded with friends in kitchens and abandoned buildings then mixed at Whitewell Studios, Cork and Studio Silo, Stöðvarfjörð, the result is some self-proclaimed 'mood rock combining guitar, bass and drums with a vein of political irritation, the old fashioned way'.

With shades of Ralph's Life favourites Fold, they've overlaid the monologue from Chaplin's The Great Dictator on an impressive, soaring soundscape. Ralph's already featured the track on the Radio KC Indie Show.

This is the debut release from The Grey Merchant on Demeanour Records, with further singles and an EP to follow in 2017. 

Not Monsters - Video Of The Week

Ralph's video of choice this week is Sharpshooter by Dublin based rockers Not Monsters. 

They are self-proclaimed "fans of highbrow, complex social satire" and the video is their version of how the controversial US Election would have played out if it was contested by a fight to the death on Dollymount Beach on the north coast of Dublin Bay, however Not Monsters didn't quite get the outcome right!

Not Monsters are Noel Duplaa, Des Hickey, Dave Newell and Jakub Was.

The video was directed by wannabe Jack Russell Terrier Penny Merelle-Grey.

Cfit

In a list of bands with opaque names Dublin outfit Cfit are certainly in the Top 10. Formed in the bedrooms and homemade studios of that fair city they've developed into a very assured group who; in their words, produce 'an ornate collection of woozy, bruised and meloncholy anthems'.

Following the release of debut album, Triage and three singles Cfit are releasing Throwaway Survival Machine, an album that kicks off with the delightfully dreamy, moodily meloncholic and absolutely anthemic Salvo which trips into the Dream Poppy Dust Silhouettes.

Don't Be Discouraged on the other hand starts like Public Service Broadcasting before the chant-like vocal and underlying addictive drum beat veer off into the late lamented Wolf Parade type territory. 

Whilst Cfit draw on various influences they're fusing them into their own very individual sound.

Apres Moi, La Deluge is evocative and haunting in the style of many a classic Blue Nile track and it's ably followed by the orchestral Toska and All That Is Solid Melts Into Air.




The Lack Of Shark and Vitamin C are baleful and brooding before Tell Me I'm Okay sees a return to their familiar and obviously well loved roots. Throwaway Survival Machine is more grown up than Triage as Cfit look to have found their rightful place in the musical firmament. Needless to say Ralph will be giving them a further spin on his Radio KC Indie Show.

SEPT 11

C F I T Album Launch @ The Grand Social, Sept 11 - w/ Wob! / Punch Face Champions / Not Monsters The Grand Social in Dublin, Ireland

Cormac O'Caoimh

It's second time round for Ralph having a listen to Irish singer/songwriter Cormac O'Caoimh. A year ago he'd released his second solo album since leaving The Citadels called 'A New Season For Love' and this time round it's 'The Moon Looses It's Memory' and he's bringing us 14 tracks of love and regret, hopes and dreams, cars and girls, (OK, OK,  I've run out of descriptive song titles). Speaking of 'Love and Regret' and 'Cars and Girls I'm getting hints of Ricky Ross and Paddy McAloon (this is a good thing) especially on second track in, 'Yellow Crumbs' or track five, 'Solid'.





 YELLOW CRUMBS by Cormac O'Caoimh




The album as a whole is a very atmospheric affair, beautifully held together by Cormac O'Caoimh's silky vocal and consummate, distinctive guitar strumming. Throughout, it exudes quality lyrics and exceptional musicality, augmented by Colum Pettit's intoxicating violin and Aoife Regan's stunning backing vocals. Ably assisted by Cormac O'Connor on drums, bass and keyboards.




Maze Of Your Heart by Cormac O'Caoimh





I've listened to the album in it's entirety several times now, and it's one of those 'once it gets it's hooks in you it doesn't let go' offerings that'll be my summer listening as I'm (hopefully) chilling in the sunshine with a glass of wine. I'd heartily recommend you do the same as it's Cormac O'Caoimh at his very best and there's advance copies available by clicking on this link.



Upcoming gigs are...

Mon, 16 Jun

Dublin

Whelans, Wexford St.

Fri, 27 Jun

Dingle

McCarthy's Bar

Wed, 02 Jul

Galway

Monroe's

Fri, 18 Jul

Cork

Crane Lane Theatre

GRIMderry

It's a dismal, wet and windy Monday morning, so what better time to check out Irish musician GRIMderry whose angst fueled electro/rock/blues/jazz blend of music suits the mood.  GRIMderry aka Laurence McDaid is about as Indie as it gets, creating and self-producing his thought provoking music using Ableton from the shed in his back garden, which includes the recently self-released EP - 'Digital Throw-up' - of which more later. 

He describes himself as - "an exporter of Lo-fi Electro-blues: Electro because of the ‘instrumentation’. Blues because, mostly, I get irritated by things other people seem to find totally acceptable; the music I write, therefore, is a sort of catharsis. It could be more obscure, but you have to make some things easy for everyone."








" I love rock music in most forms and electronic music in its most obscure forms. I write pseudo-cryptic songs about things that annoy me, which is less therapeutic than you might imagine. I've been progressively making a name for myself among the; for lack of a better term, alternative Northern Ireland music scene." 











"People have this mental block about music that’s depressing, but I find even the music people ‘dance’ to of a weekend has depressing lyrical content about heart-break, or rejection. People connect with music because of a human need to empathise and relate to their peers. GRIM is my attempt to do that my way."

So with that in mind, it's time to check out the Digital Throw-up EP.






 




The EP kicks off with 'I Pray For Water' and it's short but sweet, soulful and plaintive as opposed to the follow up track 'Quick! Nobody Smile' which is manic and industrial and has shades of Bowie during the 90's but more raw, brash and edgy. 

It's followed up by a lighter almost orchestral in parts electro track, the quirkily titled 'The Sun Seen In Thick Mist Looks Like The Moon'. It's not so grim in Derry all the time as this track is a delight. 













It's back to what GRIMderry does best with 'Machine Speak' with jagged electro beats overlaid with an angst filled vocal.  The electro theme is continued with 'Breaking Up' and it's what Moby would sound like if he crossed to the dark side. It's as compulsive to listen to as it is repetitive and gets my vote for a single release.  







  

Cormac O Caoimh

Second artiste to be featured in Ralph's trilogy of Irish related music blogs is former Citadels frontman Cormac O Caoimh, a singer songwriter from Cork.  He has just released his second solo CD - 'A New Season for Love' - and the twelve track album is currently receiving rave reviews in Ireland.  He's currently Play Irish artist of the month and featured on  RTE 1  Arena.  His smooth vocal and exquisite guitar playing is attracting the attention of the music press and an ever increasing audience.  His latest single 'Remember When We Didn’t Kiss' topped the itunes download charts on its release.






'Remember When We Didn't Kiss' is a sensitive, poignant song mirrored by the simple but effective musicality of Cormac's  acoustic guitar, an Irish James Taylor.

Cormac O Caoimh has picked up some well-known admirers along the way including Ron Sexsmith and Tom Robinson.  He's shared the stage with fellow luminaries Damien Rice, Declan O Rourke, Josh Rouse, Mark Geary, Nick Kelly, Miles Hunt and Damien Dempsey to name but a few.  He also ventured further afield playing headlining gigs and slots in Edinburgh, London, Amsterdam and New York.





He's been variously described as 'a honeyed whiskey drink', 'a fine cognac on a cold winter’s eve', 'a warm woolly jumper in muted earthy colours' and 'a colour .. a rich mahogany - warm and beautiful'.  They all pretty much sum up his sensitive, intuitive and evocative songwriting style.  His music is best served up with a nice glass of warm red and the proximity of your significant other.  'Ghosts' is a classic example of that with it's light, intimate and romantic tones, a bit of a flash-back to the early days of Stephen Bishop.