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A Chat With, Album Review, Indie, Interviews, New Music

A Chat With: Adam O’Regan of Soda Blonde

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Photo Credit: Patricio Cassinoni

Irish Alternative pop quartet Soda Blonde have recently released their sophomore album ‘Dream Big’. This album is an impressive follow-up to the band’s acclaimed debut and I sat down to discuss the album and dissect its themes and wonderful musical elements with the band’s Adam O’Regan.

“ It’s been about a year since we started writing it. We gave ourselves six months to write it and record it and then you’re waiting around for a while, but we really worked hard on it. I’m really proud of it. So it’s been really nice. Everyone has responded really positively to it and yeah, it’s been great.”

Following two successful introductory EPs (2019’s “Terrible Hands” and 2020’s “Isolation Content”), Soda Blonde released their debut album, ‘Small Talk’, in 2021. The LP was subsequently nominated for RTÉ’s Choice Music Prize for Album of the Year and received rave reviews. We discussed the pressure that comes with releasing and creating the follow-up to such a successful and highly praised album.

“Yeah, I mean, only within ourselves. It’s important that we feel we’re always doing work that we’re proud of, and we definitely were very proud of ‘Small Talk’. We knew that we had something to live up to I suppose. There was a minute where you go, how are we going to do this, but very quickly, we just got into the studio and we started writing and you just have to leave the past in the past and focus on trying to make good stuff. We are always trying to challenge ourselves and always trying to push ourselves and very quickly, it just became its own thing, and we knew what path we were on.”

‘Bad Machine’ was the first single released from the album. It gave us a wonderful glimpse of what musical treats the album contained. With biting guitar and an indie edge, it was the perfect introduction to this era of Soda Blonde. The thrilling angular, scratch guitar element cuts through the pop soundscape and injects an eerie tone throughout. I wondered if the guitar was the element that sparked the song’s formation. 

“Oh, well, I’ve got two answers to that question. The first one is it didn’t start with the guitar. It started with a piece of.. like a chord progression and a vocal that Faye had been working on. She’ll never come to us with a song unless the lyrics are finished and the structure is complete. So sometimes it can be a bit frustrating for us because we want to start working on music and she’ll have a verse or a chorus and we’d be like, please play it for us and she won’t do it. This one occasion she sang this little piece on the guitar that she was working on. It was very, very different to what you hear now and she had no lyrics she just had the melody and kind of like an acoustic, almost like a country ballad sort of thing. So we started working on the music right away. That’s the first part of my answer. Then the second part of the answer is that I was very interested, making this album to try and bring more guitar into the record. I’m a guitar player. I don’t think I’m a guitar player first necessarily, but I’ve certainly been playing guitar the longest in my life. When I started the band, I was playing guitar and I wanted to bring a bit more aggression or a bit more kind of bite into the record. So I started trying to find different sounds and this was the first occasion when we were working on the music for this song that I stumbled across this sound and it was really exciting. So the music found itself before any of the lyrics did and we built this big broad-shouldered kind of electro-rock song, whatever you want to call it. Then there was the process of trying to figure out what the song is about. That was fun. It was definitely a sidestep, you know. It’s very different from the first record but we liked that about it. It’s a palate cleanser.“

When it comes to recording and creating their music Soda Blonde do everything themselves. We discussed the journey the songs on the album went through before the final version was released in the album.

“Yeah, they always go through different stages. Well, they always start off differently, on this record we didn’t have so many. So many of the songs go through such a journey, I think ‘Midnight Show’ is the only one that we took a little bit of time going through. We actually went into the studio and made the whole album and that one just wasn’t right and so we came back to it but this album, everything happened fairly fluidly. You know, it wasn’t too much going back and forth like there was with the first album.”

Title track, ‘Dream Big’ is a musical delight. Soft soundscapes which are created by a warm expressive bass, rich drum beats and Faye’s elegant vocals produce an exciting cinematic atmosphere that has strong indie undertones accomplished through the use of synths and hazy guitar. The band manage to brilliantly layer and create lush textures within this track making it a joy to listen to. O’Regan explained how they created this gem of a tune. 

“I think that we were just letting our imagination run wild and we were just having a lot of fun and we were feeling very free. We were feeling very trusting of one another. We went into this writing retreat for about two weeks, called The Beekeepers Daithí [Ó Drónaí] owns it and we just had this beautiful environment surrounded by woodlands and it sounds a bit corny, but we just got lost in the music and that song in particular. On the first album, we recorded everything in our bedrooms and in our living rooms and part of the limitation of that was we actually recorded every drum separately because in order to get the sound that we were looking for, we had to record every drum separately, and then I would mix it together. That worked out but it slightly inhibited our drummer, Dylan, we’ve got one of the best drummers in the country, and I’m not afraid to say that. So it was really exciting making this album, we had the freedom to be in the recording studio and we were able to record Dylan properly. So there’s a moment in the album where the song takes off, and he’s doing all this amazing drumming and it’s so exciting to have that playfulness on the album, you know. I think that if there’s one thing that I really hope comes across, it’s the playfulness and the fun that we were having”

‘Space Baby’ is a lush little ditty and memorable moment on the album. It’s catchy, sweet and filled with the melodious goodness we love from Soda Blonde. With warm guitar and striking lyrics, it’s a clever expression of Soda Blonde’s unique songcraft and musicianship and fits flush with the other tracks on the album while holding its own sense of identity. In fact, all the songs do. We discussed the selection process for the songs.

“Oh, it’s funny, I think that every writer will tell you like, this might be some sort of inside confession. But I would say that most writers kind of make sense of the work when they look back, you know, when we’re making the stuff we’re just making this stuff and then it comes to the point where it’s like, Okay, we have these other songs. What does this all mean together? How does this all sit together? How do we make this feel cohesive? So yeah, it definitely wasn’t the case that there was some sort of preconceived method to what we were trying to do you know, but I’m really pleased that you feel that it runs that way and that it feels cohesive, because we’re an albums band, we love albums. I know albums are not necessarily the “in vogue” thing and people are on Spotify now just listening to songs, but we want to make albums, you know. So I’m pleased that it feels like it.”

Within ‘Dream Big’ the listener gets a sense that the band are growing into themselves. However, there is a residue of self-doubt through many tracks. Within the lyrics of ‘Midnight Show’ Faye expresses “I just wanted to sing / But I’m not good enough, am I?”. We discussed how the band navigated the themes within this album.

“Yeah, I mean, we’re all 30/31 now and myself and Faye just got married, not to each other though and so we’re definitely arriving at this point in our lives that we are maturing in certain senses. But there is a constant push and pull with self-doubt. We kind of look back over everything and we try to make sense of what it all all means together. We’ve spoken a little bit about what ‘Dream Big’ means and I think we’ve given a few right answers, a few right kind of explanations and a few wrong explanations. But for me, I’ve been thinking about it a bit recently.

You know, ever since we were like 14 or 15. We’ve wanted to be in a band, and we’ve wanted to make albums and we’ve wanted to tour the world and we’ve wanted to win Grammys and play on stages to thousands and thousands of people and we’ve done lots of great things together in our time in the music industry, but the music industry has just changed so, so much in the last 10 years since we’ve been playing together. There’s I think 100,000 songs being uploaded to Spotify every single day. That’s 100,000 artists, just like us who have the same dream as us. Who all think that they have what it takes and all feel they have something to say and something to offer. 100,000 artists that go to bed every single night agonising over their art and waking up every day thinking what do I have to do to make this work? What do I have to do to achieve my dream? I think that the dream needs to be redefined you know, in 2023/2024, whatever it is, what does it mean to be an artist these days, you know? And that’s what we’ve been trying to figure out. That struggle, I think is where we’re at right now in our lives. Struggle is maybe the wrong word because I feel like we’ve maybe arrived at some sort of spiritual space where the meaning is derived in the creation of it and the being together. So that’s a bit of a roundabout way of answering your question, but that’s what it means to me anyway.”

There is a lot that goes into releasing music from the actual writing to the imagery, music videos and promotions. The band take control of all aspects of their music and image and I wondered how O’Regan navigates content creation with music creation in this world which requires everyone to be on the pulse when it comes to social media. 

.

“Yeah, it’s really hard especially because we care so much about our songs and about our production and how we present everything. We put a lot of thought into our artwork and our music videos and all of that takes a lot of work, you know, every single aspect of it. You also have to be on TikTok and make 20 second videos and put them out every day and it’s kind of never-ending the amount of output that you have to have and that is hard, you know, because it’s not really enough anymore, to just make like a great song or 12 great songs or the best video like doesn’t matter how good it is. You have to play in this arena of being a content creator and it’s something that I wrestle with a bit because I feel like artists aren’t really content creators. They’re culture creators but they’re not valued as such really. So I feel there needs to be a bit of a revolution around. We’ll see if we can get there.”

The dreamy 1970’s -esque ‘Going Out’ brings the album to a lush lulling end. With pristine keys, mellow beats and spacious guitar between supple bass, the track is soft and seductive and wraps your mind in a warm soothing tone. I wondered what sparked the decision to end the album on this song.

“I’d love to be able to say that we wrote that song to be at the end of the album, but it’s kind of like a song suddenly comes along in the process and you go, that’s the opening of the album or a song comes on and you go, it’s called ‘Dream Big’, and that’s the name of the album, we’re gonna call the album Dream Big or the song comes along and in the case of ‘Going Out’ like this, never has ever happened before in our life making music together. We were set up in the room together and we were playing and I started playing this guitar part Dylan joined in and Donagh joined in and we were just kind of jamming and then Faye started singing and the whole song, we put the phone down to record it and everything came out just improvised, like the lyrics and everything just flowed through her. I don’t know that I believe in God but if you’re channelling something I mean, definitely there was some spirit going through us when that song came out. We played for about seven or eight minutes and then you kind of go wow, that was really magical. Should we chop that down. It’s a bit too long, seven minutes is really long. But it just felt perfect and it did feel right. I think after it was finished, we were like okay,  we’re gonna end the album with that. But you know, where did that come from? I mean, I don’t know. It’s just, we’re lucky to have been present in the room when God walked in. I don’t know, I can’t, we can’t take credit for some of these things that happened and they just kind of come and then the music tells you what to do. “

Soda Blonde are touring the UK and Ireland to celebrate the album and the band are buzzing to get to play these new songs live.

“Now we have to go through the process of learning how to play them all again, but I think it’s gonna be really fun album to play live. I think we can already tell that it’s going to be a good energy in the room”

So what have Soda Blonde got planned for their next step for world domination…. 

“Yeah, good question. Well, we want to get out and tour the album. We haven’t been able to tour outside of Ireland yet. Obviously, we brought out our first album during Covid. So we still have that kind of restless hangover. We’re going to Europe in January for five dates around Europe and we’re hoping to get to America we’d love to play SXSW and some of the festivals over there. We will probably start thinking about making another album pretty soon, because that’s our favorite thing to do. But the album’s just breathing now and we just want people to spend a bit of time with it, and let the audience digest the music and I feel like it’s still going to develop a little bit you know, in the next while.”

‘Dream Big’ is an album to cherish. Soda Blonde take life’s challenges and relatable themes and channel them into well-crafted tunes that act as anthems to navigating life experiences. There are songs within the album filled with lush instrumentation to dance carefree to; with pop melodies and earworm tones that are so sweet to the ears you can’t help but sing along. Also, there are meaningful eloquent lyrics, intricate instrumentation, grand production and cinematic masterpieces all contained within this 11-song treasure trove. Soda Blonde are growing with each release and ‘Dream Big’ is just a keyhole glimpse into the musical masterpieces this band can produce.

Stream ‘Dream Big’ below


Author: Danu

Album Review, Indie, indie rock, New Music

INHALER ‘Cuts & Bruises’ Album

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Photo Credit: Lewis Evans

INHALER have released their eagerly awaited second album ‘Cuts & Bruises’ on Polydor Records. Produced by Inhaler’s long-term collaborator Antony Genn, ‘Cuts & Bruises’ features 11 tracks including recent single ‘If You’re Gonna Break My Heart’ as well as the uplifting ‘Love Will Get You There’ and last summer’s euphoric anthem ‘These Are The Days’. Following a prolonged period of touring, INHALER’s sophomore album began to take shape over Christmas 2021 in The Nunnery, their rehearsal space in hometown Dublin, with the four band members – vocalist and guitarist Elijah Hewson, bassist Robert Keating, guitarist Josh Jenkinson and drummer Ryan McMahon – writing and rehearsing a clutch of new songs.’Cuts & Bruises’ is the follow-up to Inhaler’s debut album ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’ which debuted at no.1 in both the UK & Irish Official Charts. Released in July 2021, ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’ became the fastest-selling debut album on vinyl by any band this century and saw Inhaler become the first Irish group to top the Album Charts with a debut in 13 years. 

Tastefully blended with various genres and musical elements ‘Cuts & Bruises’ is a treasure trove of engaging indie tracks. This album is the product of a band acutely aware of their place in the music scene. It is clear that with ‘Cuts & Bruises’, INHALER are confident to display their musical growth while staying true to themselves and they achieve this perfectly.

Filled with sharp guitar licks, driving rhythms and baselines each track rushes with the irresistible sound INHALER have become known for. From the get-go the band grab the listener’s attention with a catchy guitar hook, and hazy melody from ‘Just To Keep You Satisfied’. The track is an impressive start and beckons repeat plays before moving through the rest of the album. As the album progresses INHALER flesh out their sound and showcase other facets of their musicianship. ‘Love Will Get You There’ chugs with a western-esque undertone while ‘These Are The Days’ boasts raw indie rock swagger.

Amongst the fresh stadium bangers, the band sprinkle a healthy serving of brooding ballads throughout the album. A fine example of this is ‘If You’re Gonna Break My Heart’. The track contains wonderfully expressive jazzy keys that chime behind Hewson’s velvety vocals as he croons, “if your gonna break my heart smash it to pieces, ’cause I’m not gonna need it, as much as I do right now”. Another noteworthy ballad is the melancholic ‘Valentine’. This beautiful song surges with heartfelt yearning while a bubbling beat and chiming guitars complement an acoustic refrain and Hewson’s tender coo’s.

The slower more gentle tunes on the album are welcome interludes between the band’s more anthemic work, simply because we get to truly appreciate another aspect of this young band’s music; the lyrics and the emotive musical accompaniment each four members use to enhance the poetic elements to their sound. It’s an exciting experience to hear this part of the band’s music come to the fore through tracks such as ‘Valentine’ that display the meticulous amount of effort the four-piece put into this facet of their musicianship.

‘Cuts & Bruises’ presents a band who’ve grown exponentially in the last two years, both musically and lyrically, but still boasts plenty of pit-opening choruses, refined musicianship and oodles of youthful adrenaline. 

About the album the band said:  “It was just the four of us jamming in the live room and trying to come up with ideas on the spot,” says Keating. “Playing live for a few months beforehand really helped shape what kind of direction we wanted to take it in.”  

 “The subject matters of the songs are still all about coming-of-age stuff – the standard stuff you write when you’re a teenager,” adds Hewson, the band’s principal lyricist. “But it also became a little bit more about being in a band. These songs are less about the world around us, and more about what’s going on inside Inhaler.”

 Stream ‘Cuts & Bruises’ below


Author: Danu

Album Review, New Music

Luke Beavis Self-Titled Album

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Luke Beavis returns with his latest self-titled album, an Alt Rock project filled with ups, downs and everything in between. Written and recorded in his home and sent out to producers Zac Barter and David Wilson for final polishing, the album is yet another all-encompassing Luke project. 

Luke Beavis presents an album of passionate alternative rock anthems. Coating each track in raspy vocals, brooding lyrics and shredding guitar moments the artist showcases his diverse musicianship throughout. From soft ballads ‘I’m Gonna Be A Mega Star’ and ‘This Is A Love Song’ to the neck-snapping riffs and gritty rock soundscapes of ‘No More Victim from a Gun’ and lush pop shimmy of ‘Whale of a Time’ Beavis presents an album that has something for every music lover. Featuring pounding brisk drums and tight production it’s a thrilling and expressive new album.

Stream Luke Beavis’ self-titled album below 

Check Out The Video For Destiny below


Author:Danu

Album Review, New Music

Dan Fearon ‘Church of the Crooked Spire’ Album

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Dan Fearon has released his new album,’Church of the Crooked Spire’.Inspired by the paintings and pictures around his home, the project was recorded in just 4 weeks from the comfort of Fearon’s home.

Edgy and laced in intricate guitar embellishments ‘Church of the Crooked Spire’ is a dynamic album from Dan Fearon. The album pulses with rich rhythmic progressions, punchy drums and classic rock bravado. From the luring ‘The Old Stone Bridge’ to the dark undertone of ‘In The Ruins’ each song showcases a different facet to Fearon’s sound as he crafts an album that ventures through a lush array of genres from classic rock, grunge, blues and rock. ‘Church of the Crooked Spire’ is an intriguing musical display from Dan Fearon.

Stream ‘Church of the Crooked Spire’ below


Author: Danu

Album Review, New Music

STRICKLAND ‘Superficial Chaos’ Album

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STRICKLAND makes his debut with his first album ‘Superficial Chaos’. The album will help a good cause, as the artist plans to donate 20% of any royalties to Macmillan Cancer Support and the Teenage Cancer Trust.

‘Superficial Chaos’ is a diverse album that oozes indie and classic rock tones with some retro flirtations and pop melodies glimmering throughout. The songs are filled with easy-on-the-ears melodies with driving guitars and steady beats that create a nostalgic 90’s vibe within tracks ‘Time of Your Life’ and ‘Brothers Sisters’ while the bluesy ‘The Rolling Stone’ and ’70s filtered ‘Tonight’ add a dash of sass and edge into the albums aesthetic. Throughout ‘Superficial Chaos’ STRICKLAND displays his knack for melody and witty lyrics. The artist’s tunes are an enjoyable listen from start to finish. 

Stream ‘Superficial Chaos’ below 


Author: Danu

A Chat With, Album Release, Album Review, Interviews, New Music

A Chat With: Mick D’Arcy of Corner Boy

Photo Credit : Padraig Grant

Corner Boy have released their highly anticipated self-titled debut album. I spoke to Mick D’Arcy about the album, the band’s upcoming shows and how the tracks on this album span 10 years of the band’s creativity.

“We’ve been together as a band for 10 years. So I think the best thing about this process was that a lot of the songs we were able to revisit. We would have written some of the songs as far back as maybe 2013 and 2014. So there is a lot of newer material on the album but this was a great opportunity to revisit songs and take the songs as they were presented from us from a younger age, and with all of the years of experience, of being on the road, playing live shows and, other recent releases take all of that knowledge and breathe new life into these older songs as well. So it’s been an incredibly interesting and exciting process for us.”

“A lot of them would have been early demos that we would have released and kind of bootleg CDs that we would have taken on various tours with us but a lot of the songs haven’t been released formally. Many people who come to our shows and friends would say to us regarding a couple of the songs “Why haven’t you released that? you know, as a studio album version. That’s my favourite song. You should really release that”. So I guess with the album, we did take that into account with a few of those songs and we’re delighted to properly present it to the world now”

The band have found the perfect blend of folk, rock, traditional, bluegrass and alternative within this album to create a unique and rich sound that showcases each member’s individual musical prowess.

“I guess the sound of the band has evolved over the years. We’ve dabbled in heavier, more loud, harsher sounds, the quieter singer-songwriter side, bluegrass, traditional Irish music, so I guess this album in essence is the exploration of all of that and it’s us arriving at this point where we are comfortable and have clearly defined our sound. So that’s the concept, our journey through the years to arrive at this signature sound that we’ve been trying to establish for such a long time and we really feel we’ve gotten this with this collection of 10 songs, they really represent the band, what we were and what we’ve become along the way.”

Throughout the album, the songs are bright, hopeful and a joy to listeners’ ears. ‘Morning Morning’ is a glorious example. It’s uplifting with each instrument adding a bright twinkle throughout while lush vocal harmonies and banjo elements add a hearty sing-along aspect. This wholesome soundscape cushions the listeners from the melancholic lyrical content. 

“That song I guess we were going through a period of writing sombre down tempo songs. The song itself, it’s a really energetic and positive-sounding song. But lyrically it’s really about a person who’s struggling to get out of bed in the morning. They’re struggling to see a lot of positivity in the world. So we decided to take this concept, a sad theme and write it with the backing of really hopeful and entertaining music. So we’re constantly challenging ourselves and giving ourselves these little projects, there’s another song in the album called ‘The Sea’ and that was another example of us just giving ourselves something ambitious to look for. We wanted to create the loudest most impactful song that we’ve ever written and we felt we achieved that with that as well. Sometimes a lot of the songs and particularly with ‘Morning Morning’, it really starts from this simple idea of taking a subject matter or context and then playing with it and hopefully finding some positive results in the writing process.”

‘The Sea’ follows the darker lyrical theme of ‘Morning Morning’ however with this song the band allow the music to reflect the sombre songwriting. With a thumping beat, thudding guitars and jangly banjo the band manage to create a sense of turmoil through expressive instrumentation. D’Arcy sings “I know That pain, Seen it before, it’s taking my heart, taking it whole” over evocative instrumentation that highlights the band’s ability for creating cinematic soundscapes.

“I guess, ‘Morning Morning’ is interesting because that song is more of an affirmation for somebody who may be in a position of struggling in certain aspects of their life. I guess that’s one way of approaching the songs. With regards to ‘The Sea’, that was more trying to incorporate the notion of painting in a landscape and characters and feelings into the song that reflects those landscapes. So unfortunately, there’s a very high rate of suicide in Wexford town and at the time when we were writing the song it almost felt like every weekend that we woke up, we found out a friend of ours or somebody that we know, had passed away, we wanted to write a response to that. At the time we wanted to explore the notion of there are ups and downs, life is choppy waters at times and we wanted to write something that was a response to what was going on around us. So, again a different way of looking at a challenge and writing songs but something that we felt we were able to reflect that energy, that particularly stormy time in Wexford town where we’re all from, it wasn’t great, but we felt like we needed to respond and we needed to create something as a response to that. “

The album ends with ‘I Dream Of Boston Town’ a tender ballad delicately presented through soft instrumentation and Celtic tones. It’s a beautiful and heartbreaking way to end the whirlwind journey of this album. 

“That’s a song that we had on the back burner for a long time. We weren’t even sure that we were going to include it because it’s seven or eight minutes long, but then we just said we really do need to include it. When we play it live, we typically have the room singing back to us that chorus chant at the end. We felt that was a song that felt like a short story but it needed to tell the story of the heartbreak, the connection or disconnection between two people, the breaking down of something, the original building of something and then watching it subsequently break down. So it is a long song, but it’s different from any kind of single that you might release to radio. This song was really a short story and we felt that it just offered something very different from your standard three to four minutes single. So yeah, we just thought it showed a different dynamic to the band, or a different ability within us to write a different kind of song.“

‘River Born’ is perhaps my favourite song on the album. The vivid storytelling mixed with warm instrumentation creates this almost anthemic and comforting sound that is irresistible. With a sweet string refrain woven between driving rhythms and bright guitars, it’s a glorious tune full of emotion. D’Arcy explained to me which songs on the album he is most proud of.

“That’s a really good question. I think the most recent song we finished before doing pre-production for the album was a song called ‘Blackstairs Winter Snow’, which is the first track on the album. So I guess there’s probably an element of recency bias there but that was a moment where we felt as a band we really arrived at a collective sound that for us felt so distinctive, it felt so unique and different. So it felt that we had gotten to this point where all of that learning over the years, trying to understand how we would use guitar sounds effectively within our songwriting, how we would use our exploration of synthetic music as well. It felt like we found a real safe comfort zone to be able to amalgamate all of those things and yeah, for me, it would probably be a song like ‘Blackstairs Winter Snow’. We have six members of the band, each one would probably tell you that they have a favourite different song and hopefully that’s a testament to the strength of the collection of the 10 songs on the album that they all have different dynamics, different stories, different viewpoints. So hopefully, when people are listening to it, it’s a case that each individual person might see something that’s reflective of them, they might have their own individual favourite in that way.”

Fans can catch Corner Boy live on Friday 2nd December in Whelans and Saturday 10th December in National Opera House, Wexford. These songs are going to be epic live. D’Arcy explained to me what fans can expect from the shows.

“Yeah, that’s the plan. We’ve spent the last six weeks building our live show, rehearsing every week for it. So just trying to make it better and better and refine it as much as we can. So we’re really really excited. Our hometown album launch show in the National Opera House is sold out and we have limited tickets left for Whelan’s now on December 2, so we’re really really itching to get up on stage. We played the Ruby Sessions in Dublin and that went incredibly well. So that’s gotten us match fit as well. So itching to get going. We’re building and can’t wait to play the shows. Hopefully, we’ll be getting out on the road to tour them as well next year. So really, really exciting times for us after a long time waiting”

Showcasing poetic lyrics and dynamic instrumentation Corner Boy’s self-titled album is a fine display of the band’s poignant musicianship. Each track leaves you craving to hear more. The album is a truly special and immersive listening experience. 

Stream the album below 


Author: Danu

Album Review, New Music

The Immaculate Crows ‘And Then There Were Two’ Album

The Immaculate Crows have released their new album ‘And Then There Were Two’. The Immaculate Crows were originally an Australian Brisbane-based Alternative band that played from late 1981 to early 1985. They were named and founded by Bruce Neilsen (songwriter, lead guitarist). Former member David Page was the first Australian to get a contract with Tamla Motown when he was a teenage pop star. Bruce reunited with former member Mark Hocknell in 2019. Mark co-produced 11 tracks for this album and played with Bruce on these songs. Carolyn Neilsen co-produced and fully produced ‘Bird In The Sky’.These songs have been well-received by Community Radio Stations throughout the country, such as Raw Radio, Tribe FM 91.1, Triple H 96.5 FM Horsham, 4ZZZ 102.1 FM.

‘And Then There Were Two’ uses alternative, country and indie to showcase a diverse display of The Immaculate Crows’ sound. From warm country twangs between mellow jazz-like flirtations in ‘Can’t You Hear Me Crying’ to the moody ‘New Girl’ and jaunty rock and roll swagger of ‘Love Is Perverse’, the band present a satisfying listening experience. Each song pivots around intricate and evocative guitar melodies that ooze character and emotion throughout, mirroring the lyrical themes of youth suicide, bullying, loneliness, alienation and unrequited love. With psychedelic moments weaved between pop, sweet slow bops and rock bravado ‘And Then There Were Two’ is a solid new album from The Immaculate Crows.

Stream ‘And Then There Were Two’ below 


Author: Danu

Album Review, Indie, New Music

HamsandwicH ‘Magnify’ Album

Photo Credit: Ruth Medjber

Irish alt-pop band HamsandwicH have released their fourth studio album ‘Magnify’. HamsandwicH have been one of Ireland’s most steady indie bands over the years. Their previous album ‘Stories From the Surface’ debuted at #1 on Ireland’s official album chart (the first time an unsigned Irish act accomplished this feat) and the band have opened for heavyweight international artists such as Arcade Fire and Pixies. Having sold out Dublin’s prestigious Olympia Theatre 3 times, they have also played on the main stages at the Electric Picnic and Longitude Festival. Additionally, they have performed at the legendary Slane Castle with Bon Jovi, and were personally invited by Mumford & Sons to support them in Phoenix Park.

Filled with rich textures, sublime melodies and intriguing instrumental arrangements ‘Magnify’ is a glorious display of HamsandwicH’s musicianship. The band blend indie, dance and pop elements to create a sound that is refreshing, laidback and ecstasy to the ears. 

‘Electro Wave’ begins the experience. Oozing exuberant 80’s soundscapes from the very first note ( enhanced by disco tones and slick bass grooves), the band kick-starts the album with a sound that is simply irresistible. The sprightly beats and shimmering synths give this track a bright upbeat vibe while the interplay between Niamh Farrell’s vocal lulls and Podge McNamee’s rich baritone creates a refreshing contrast throughout. ‘Julian’ continues the synth-driven vibe while ‘Run Run’ takes a darker undertone and moves towards a more indie aesthetic.

Within ‘Magnify’ the band’s musical prowess is on full display. They blend a lush concoction of musical genres throughout while keeping a tight leash on their sound, never allowing it to spin out of control. The result is expressive soundscapes that allow the listener to experience and enjoy different complementary musical elements with each listen. ‘Next Contender’ is a fine example of this. The track is impressive in its composition and execution. The song appears minimalist, jaunty, and light at first glance but on closer inspection, the listener is treated to rich textures, exciting musical undertones and deft production skills. For example within the track, classical tones on keys slip into arpeggios which lead the way through tempo shifts and transitions that occasionally intertwine with sprightly sharp guitar embellishments. The result is an intriguing display of musicianship that is a joy to listen to.

The undeniable talent of each member is on full display throughout the album. From the feet shuffling blues hues of ‘Fired Up’ to the beautiful ‘Good Friday’ ( which acts as a nod to the band’s former manager Derek Nally, who sadly passed away in 2010) there is no shortage of first-rate musicianship. The exquisite guitar riffs soar over lush melodic flows and rhythmic pulses while Farrell’s compelling vocals express tender lyrics with sweetness and power that is goosebump-inducing.

‘Magnify’ is a musical marvel from HamsandwicH. The album is a showcase of eloquent songwriting and expressive musicianship that is full of rich melodies, exciting musical twists and electronic flourishments.

 Stream ‘Magnify’ below 


Author: Danu

Album Review, Indie, indie rock, New Music, Singer/Songwriter

Danny O Connor ‘WISDOM & GRAFT’ Album

Berlin-based Irish singer-songwriter Danny O Connor is set to release his new album, ‘WISDOM & GRAFT’ on September 30th. Like most musicians around the globe, Berlin-based Irish singer-songwriter Danny O Connor found himself at home with no live gigs to play in the foreseeable future with Murphy’s Law, his beloved and normally busy Irish Folk Band, in March 2020. Between making a living as a Graphic Designer and keeping then three-year-old daughter Roxy entertained, he took to the guitar and a notebook. O Connor used the involuntary break from live music during the Covid-pandemic well: Together with long-term friend, producer and musical collaborator Moe Jaksch, he spent many studio sessions writing, arranging and recording new songs, resulting in the album WISDOM & GRAFT

Awash with wholesome melodies, country twangs and a plethora of energetic instrumentation ‘WISDOM & GRAFT’ is an impressive and compelling collection of tracks. ‘New Life’, ‘Closed Doors’ and ‘Empty’ all surge with hearty anthemic musicianship that captures a sense of adrenaline while O Connor showcases his diversity by blending indie elements, folk tones and wonderful melodic progressions together to create unique soundscapes throughout.

Within ‘‘WISDOM & GRAFT’ each song flows into the next with ease, subtly revealing different aspects of O’Connor’s musicianship making for a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience. This is best shown within swooning slow burners ‘Rain Maker’, ‘The Winner’ and ‘The Lullaby’ which drift along sweet infectious melodies while ‘Northern Lights’, which features Berlin-based gospel/soul legends Ingrid Arthur and Tracey Duncan on backing vocals melds indie rock swagger with elements of gospel power.

Brimming with radiance, traditional tones and musical refinement, ‘WISDOM & GRAFT’ is a wonderful new album from O Connor and marks him as an artist to keep an eye on. 

Stream ‘WISDOM & GRAFT’ below 


Author: Danu

Album Review, New Music

Joel Camille ‘Folk Against the Machine IV: Holy River’ Album

The culmination of six months of dedicated work, Joel Camille has released a brand new album ‘Folk Against the Machine IV: Holy River’ featuring brand new songs, along with songs that he has played live over the last decade. A performer and songwriter with over 25 years of experience, Queensland-based Joel Camille made his name playing anything and everything on a six-string Dreadnought acoustic. Picking up the Harmonica in 2011 cemented Camille’s style in a rootsy mix of influences that Camille styles as Folk Against the Machine, also the name of his debut album.

‘Folk Against the Machine IV: Holy River’ is a wholesome and moving collection of folk-infused tunes that showcases the emotive songwriting of Joel Camille. This guitar-focused album takes a minimalist approach instrumentally as Camille focuses on melody and intricate guitar manoeuvres to create a warm atmosphere within the album. With buoyant passionate ditties like ‘Plans of Oblivion’ and lamenting harmonica pines on tracks like ‘The Beauty That He Gave’, the album oozes soft supple soundscapes and delicate melodies making for a satisfying listening experience. 

‘Folk Against the Machine IV: Holy River’ is fused together as a cohesive album with the river motif. The river motif represents love, sorrow, spirituality and power. “During the writing and recording process, my community was devastated by a dramatic flood event,” explains Camille who feels that joy and horror mingle together on the album as a reflection of this tragic event. Camille hopes that this album conveys the message of extending familial relationships out towards communities, to repair, maintain, and create relationships.

Stream ‘Folk Against the Machine IV: Holy River’ below 


Author: Danu