Not I is the project of Dublin based musicians Ian Meagher (drums/vox) and Thomas O’Reilly (guitar/vox). They have released a new music video for ‘Please, No Kindness, Please’, taken from their forthcoming debut album of the same name. The music video, which was directed, produced and shot by Redemption Film’s Niall McCann, Matthew Boyd, and Greg Dunn (the team behind feature films Lost in France, and The Science of Ghosts), sees the band embark on a humorous adventure in (or outside) the realm of Dublin’s bingo scene.
With gritty biting guitars pulsing adrenaline to the very core of ‘Please, No Kindness, Please’, Not I craft a wonderful exhilarating whir of alternative rock that ferments and curdles with sublime intensity. The pounding drums progress from a steady background thud to an anarchy calling blitz as the track leads to its massive crescendo. With quirky baritone vocal bursts from moody verses to falsetto yelps and shouted exclaims, this track exudes character and swagger. It’s dark and smothered in raw instrumentation and the sharp guitars venture from acute strides to crashing frenzy along with the punchy drum progression, With its minimalist approach the band create a wholly invigorating shattering track. With psychedelic dazzling hues and just sheer gritty rawness ‘Please, No Kindness, Please’ marks Not I as a band to keep an eye on. This track is sure to be epic live.
Watch the video for ‘Please, No Kindness, Please’ below
UK noisemakers Perfectparachutepicture have released their new single ‘The Hold’.The track is taken from the band’s killer debut album, No Modern Desire, out on Friday 13th September. Perfectparachutepicture, stylised as PPP, hail from Sheffield and were born in 2013. The emerging noise rock duo consist of bassist Edward James and Kyle Ernest on drums and lead vocals. The twosome have developed a stellar reputation for their high energy and sonically powerful live performances. An explosive main event appearance at this year’s Tramlines Festival, in Hillsborough Park Sheffield, as well as support slots with Turbowolf, Dinosaur Pile Up, Heck, Fangclub and Darlia, has only added greater stock to the band’s recent growth.
‘The Hold’ is an abrasive gash of garage rock as PPP take their rough and tumble sound mince it up and smooth it off to create an exhilarating, raw yet melodically polished track. Verses creep and tease while a gritty bass riff meticulously shears through the track with relentless stamina. The drums pummel and pound creating a beefy groove infested foundation as the band showcase their musical prowess and majestic quality through the sharp, rough yet slinky bass. The melody seeps along as soft vocals coo caressing it with an eerie quality. With a spine chilling edged soundscape the band blend smooth, dark and haunting tones with an acute thrashing assault perfectly to create a mesmerising and adrenaline-inducing listening experience.
The twosome remark about the single “The Hold is the lead single taken from the debut album ‘No Modern Desire’. It is a song about unity and hopefulness. The track has feelings of past despair and sadness, and the want for a better future.”
Cork singer songwriter Eoin is set to release his new album ‘Reverie’ on 19th July. ‘Reverie’ examines the descent into anger and depression coupled with the transition from a lighter, acoustic driven folk sound to a heavier, grunge infused one. This compact album showcases Eoin’s rich, warm and emotive musicianship as he ventures from tender ballad- esque to expressive indie rock tracks effortlessly. Each track is just as compelling as the next from the warm folky stomp of opening song ‘Anthony’s Got Mono’ to the guitar swaggering ‘Mask Your Lines’ and the dark rugged ‘The Eleventh Hour’.Eoin caresses each number with his velvety, lightly rasped vocals as the melodies drift easily into the ears with a honeyed texture however, he’s not afraid to let go as we hear through his vocal wails in ‘The Eleventh Hour’. The delicate and more tender tracks such as ‘Infinite’, the numbing twinkling ‘Instrumental’ and grunge hued dark ‘Reverie’ croon and elegantly drift you into a lulled stupor as the soft guitar and steady beat create a calming effect. Eoin builds these tracks superbly, some becoming more intense as the instruments progress. His vocals haunt and wail in ‘Infinite’ and add a steamy tantalizing dash of spice through the falsetto in ‘A Blues Song’. This hair raising progression is why Eoin is an artist to keep an eye on. He surges his tracks with emotion and passion while reinforcing his moving themes and lyrical content with mesmerising and thrilling instrumentation to make you feel each pulse, guitar strike and drum beat. ‘Snow Angels’ is a charming ditty. Simple in its approach the acoustic gem has a cheery twist as Eoin coos and whispers the quirky lyrics through a chirpy guitar feature. The smoky ‘Chalk & Cheese’ provides the steamy bluesy side to the album as the verses tease and entice with soul infused vocals and light flirtations on guitar before blasting into the brawny chorus. There is sublime guitar moments in this track as it builds to its massive crescendo. We see the frenzied rock n’ roll facet of the album through ‘A.C.I.D.’ and boy it is a thrilling whoosh that takes you by surprise. Crashing and dizzying soundscapes whirl around while a gritty guitar riff and dynamic bass relentlessly pummels through the pounding drums. An absolutely magnificent and swagger steeped number that I’m sure is going to be insane live. The grunge filled angsty track ‘Blurb’ follows the frenzy with moody tones, light lamenting guitar and steady beat. This is another superb track. The perfect build from eerie numb and glum verses to crashing guitars, dynamic drum blasts and all out explosive nature of the chorus is erratic and perfectly crafted. Another track that is sure to be outstanding live and will strike a chord with listeners.
‘Reverie’ takes Eoin from a simple singer songwriter to a passionate diverse artist with a bright future ahead. Sure he can produce light, little, sweet ditty’s that make your feet tap and warm the cockles of your heart but the album takes you down into the depths of his musicianship with eerie haunting twists, flickers of anger, turmoil and depression through dynamic chilling and sometimes erratic instrumentation. He’s not afraid to lay everything out and showcase his versatility as an artist and boy has he made one mesmerising and outstanding album.
You can catch Eoin live at :
‘Reverie’ album launch night on 19th July in DeBarra’s Folk Club
Our Worth A Listen Track This Week Comes From Y!KES
Birmingham alternative four-piece Y!KES have released their new single ‘Visceral’ which was produced by singer Joby Fitzgerald and recorded at Magic Garden Studio. Laced in the frenzied sharp guitar lines we have come to know Y!KES for, ‘Visceral’ is another blistering frantic anthem from the four piece. Pulverizing drums, rooted bass grooves and gritty vocals announce this scorching ferocious number as the band build and flesh out their mammoth sound. With a catchy melody, cutting lyricism and grunge filled energy- this brawny whack of alternative rock is perfect for blasting as loud as possible.Sharp flirtations on guitar entwine cheekily between the powerhouse wall of sound, showcasing the bands majestic musicianship and ability to add depth and maturity to their sound. ‘Visceral’ is another frenzied swagger steeped number from Y!KES.
Our Worth A Listen Track This Week Comes From Fangclub
Fangclub have released their new track ‘Hesitations’. The three-piece who are currently working on their second album present a tasty savage appetizer. With dark soundscapes creeping like a misty fog on a eerie cold night this intense number confirms Fangclubs firm grasp on our ears. It’s catchy and explosive with their trademark anthemic chorus that erupts with crashing guitars, pulverising drums and inflamed bass. The verses simmer as the guitars smoulder and curdle beneath the rumbling bass while the drum relentlessly pounds throughout. Steven King’s vocals haunt and whisper building the intensity before becoming more dynamic for the raging chorus. With the sublime addition of a hypnotic chant by the Rush Youth Choir contrasting the blood curdling wall of sound, Fangclub have beautifully fermented and crafted this track to create their most thrilling and exhilarating material yet. If ‘Hesitations’ is anything to go by there is exciting things to come from this trio.
HAVVK return with their latest brooding cut, ‘If I Don’t Tell You’ via Veta Records. This single is the third release from their upcoming debut album, Cause & Effect, out on 22nd November 2019. HAVVK originally formed in London in 2015, and have since split their time between London, Dublin and Berlin. They have collaborated with Belfast based producer Rocky O’Reilly (And So I Watch You From Afar, Touts, Brand New Friend) for the last two years to help develop their unique sound. In addition to their musical endeavours, Front woman Julie Hawk has also co-founded SelfMade – a platform to explore DIY music in Ireland through performance, discussion, and art, and last year launched Female Fronted Drawn Together – a project through which she has created a playlist of admirable female bands musicians and created an illustration to accompany each song. HAVVK have been praised by the likes of BBC 6Music’s Lauren Laverne, Tom Robinson and Chris Hawkins, as well BBC Radio London and Radio X. Their previous single ”Always the Same” also featured on Spotify’s official Alternative Generation and Feelgood Indie playlists.
‘If I Don’t Tell You’ is a powerful luring track brimming with a polished rawness that is masterful. Julie Hawk’s vocals venture from sweetly lulling to searing while the chiming backdrop creates a prismatic glimmering soundscape. The sweet melody melts upon the edgy backdrop cooling and smoothing the biting instrumentation with a honeyed ear-worm deliciousness and a dark mysterious tone while the ethereal guitars lace the track in a stinging airy vibe. The punchy drums create a buoyant foundation as this trio weave luscious textures through their grunge infused sound seamlessly creating a rich wholly-invigorating listening experience. A little harsh and thrilling – this compelling number will sparkle and pierce its way into your brain demanding repeat plays.
The single tackles the very real and current issue of social media and how we can become lost between a genuine version of ourselves and the one that we feel pressured to present online. Julie elaborates, “If I Don’t Tell You” deals with our experience of trying to engage on a social and political level, in a space that often seems so preoccupied with extremes that there appears to be little room for genuine discussion and a lot of voices and lived experiences get lost in the noise.”
Dublin’s grunge disco band Munky have released their debut EP ‘Un, Deux, Trois, Cat’. This poignant precise collection of tracks displays Munky in their grunge drenched, attitude slapped habitat. The tracks flesh out the bands groove infested backbone however, the lyrical content sees our cheeky chappies take a social stance on real hard hitting topics such a victim blaming. These mature themes are devoured in blistering instrumentation and slick refined musicianship.
The razor sharp funky sting of ‘Zordon’ kicks off the EP with sweltering guitar whines and jagged riffs. Zachary Stephenson’s vocals prance and pine through the catchy melody with intriguing whoops and wails while the slick bass groove buoyantly hops and springs between the rich drums and intricate guitars. Thrilling psychedelia dissolves the gritty backdrop in a dizzying acid of fizz while this splintery dark number introduces the band with grandeur, exposing their debut EP in all its exhilarating glory. Just when you think Munky can’t surprise you any more than they already have, Stephenson’s splintery tongue fluidly rolls out a rap lyric for the acute ’Cuck Rock’. With a funky elastic and somewhat elegant display on bass and guitar the track smoothly flurries behind his narration.The instrumentation is tight and pretty slick as the slinky guitar weaves superbly between the elastic rhythm before the track explodes into a bloodthirsty assault of aggro that is destined to be epic live. Bassist Niall Donnelly brings the track to an end as he takes his “moment to shine”. ’Cuck Rock’ leads magnificently into the effervescent ‘You’ve Got Male’.
Track after track these guys create one hell raising EP filled with sizzling grooves, biting guitars, psych, raw grunge and battering rock with just the right dosage of flamboyance and panache drizzled on top. However it’s that sweet hair raising intro to ‘Ms. Communication’ that shows just how far these guys have come. I’ve heard this track live before and in a more raw format but the meticulous attention to detail and subtle changes the band have made to polish this gem up has to be a pinnacle moment within the EP. The soft female backing vocals blending and beautifully harmonising with Stephenson’s emotional, suffering vocals is immaculate. His vocals have improved and this track shows this perfectly. The passionate turmoil is bubbled and boiled in a fiery brew of funk with a bluesy aftertaste. This concoction creates a bracing sense of urgency and agony. The dark verse kicks off the track swallowed up in a funky slick bass line and eerie guitar twinkles which builds the cold icy tension. The track becomes more dynamic and mosh ready before an epic catchy chorus and crescendo-blast which screams attitude and rebellion. The sweet lamenting and lonely guitar melodies are perfectly placed throughout the song and that shredding solo is the final dramatic kick in the ass. This gripping track exudes class, finesse and the true skill of Munky. Finally the striking well placed ‘One in Five’ brings the EP to a powerful end. This barbed fiery track is about victim blaming culture and Munky provide a passionate heartbreaking narrative over a swirling backdrop of rumbling, agitated rhythms and sharp guitar pines. The guitar weeps, stings and shrills through Stephenson’s distressed vocals while the drums bubble and boil over to the mighty expressive crescendo. It’s a track that grabs your attention and is superbly written.
Munky pulled out all the stops with ‘Un, Deux, Trois, Cat’. It’s an impressive EP, containing cheeky funk, smothered in an honest and mature shell that showcases the majestic and proficient side to Munky’s musicianship.
Photo credit : Janson Bulpin, his instagram is beyondthenoise
Dublin’s grunge disco band Munky have released their new single ‘One in Five’ today. The track which was recorded and produced by Dan Doherty in Darklands Studios “is about victim blaming culture, and how ridiculous it is” and 100% of the proceeds of this song, songwriting royalties, sales, live performance royalties etc will be going to the DRCC (Dublin Rape Crisis Centre).
The new single is taken off the bands debut EP ‘Un, Deux, Trois, Cat’ which is being launched with a headline show in the Grand Social, Dublin on the 12th of April.
‘One in Five’ is a shrilling number. Acute and harsh with pain stricken vocals, punchy drums and stinging raw guitars – this dark track coils, ferments and spirals down into the depths of turmoil and distress. Zachary Stephenson’s vocals whirlwind from a disgusted factual tone to a heart wrenching exclaim of distress as he emotionally depicts the turmoil within the narration. The sweet guitars lament, pine and ache behind Stephenson’s agonizing vocals with a delicate air of innocence as the pounding aggressive rhythm bubbles and batters. It’s a heartbreaking, gripping track from Munky and one I highly applaud. The emotion displayed through refined, crisp and raw musicianship is compelling and deeply moving.
Dublin’s powerhouse alternative rock band LIERS have released their new EP ‘Elixir’. LIERS are a four-piece female fronted grungy 90’s inspired alternative rock band made up of Liz Seaver, Ed Scanlan, Ronan O’Hanlon and Stephen Farrell. The band have played festivals such as Castlepalooza and venues such as the INEC, Whelans and The Sugar Club.The new EP features previous hit singles ‘Host’ and ‘Universal Female’, which gained much acclaim and helped secure a slot at last year’s sold-out Electric Picnic.
‘Elixir’ fleshes out, blends and refines LIERS powerful sound. With all its rawness and glory intact, LIERS sweeten and merge this wonderful grungy display with luscious melodies and crisp musicianship. The EP is a relentless onslaught of potent tunes that pack one heck of a punch. The dark smothering intoxication of title track ‘Elixir’ kick starts the EP. A rooted bass groove slithers and creeps beneath the track lurking below the massive crashing guitars and striking vocals. LIERS tease and entice through the darkened verses with eerie guitar twinkles and luring vocals before exploding into the mammoth chorus. Liz Seaver’s vocals are utterly bewitching as she sultry entraps and seduces before shattering out the bellowing chorus. These tracks have a mesmerising, cinematic quality that chills the spine and rushes through your veins with intense red hot adrenaline. ‘Universal Female’ and ‘Host’ are doused in infectious honeyed melodies while packing one gutsy full bodied backdrop. LIERS grab edgy unruly grunge rock, wrestle it down and pepper it with their fine branded sultry alternative rock. The emotionally charged ‘Can’t Go Back’ sits snuggled and comfortable between the mayhem with tender tones passionate vocals and splintering instrumentation. There are some sublime guitar moments throughout this EP. There is nothing like a passionate guitar melody twinkling around a track with warm tones, delicate melancholic melodies, vibrant solos or menacing injections and this EP is brimming with these compelling guitar moments, adding rich depths and multi textures throughout. ‘Realise’ is one wild angsty tune. Full of meaty grooves and punching drums with a dynamic old school power backing which is balanced perfectly by soft emotion exclaimed through passionate expressive vocals. The band’s ability to stabilize and distill their sound is masterful. They don’t just whack out loud blasting tunes, time has been spent here, purifying each part to create a tightly woven collection of tracks that have fermented into a biting, fizzing treasure.
‘Elixir’ lays out a rich flavoursome platter for us to devour. Filled with fiery intensity, raw power and slick instrumentation these robust anthems are brimming with passion and vigor marking LIERS a band to keep an eye on.
Our Worth A Listen Track This Week Comes From Kingdom Of Reptiles
Kingdom Of Reptiles are a Georgian and Greek Alternative/Grunge duo based in London.The band have released their debut single ‘Blue Magic Gin’ a gritty sweat and leather rock n’ roll track doused in catchy guitar riffs punchy drums and an edgy raw persona. This energetic number strides on the slapping red rawness of the slick guitar lines as it ventures cheekily between its deep grungy range and higher steamy tone effortlessly. The melody prowls over the feisty backdrop with swagger and attitude as this explosive track batters and sensually entices your ears into submission. With a shredding instrumental bridge reminiscent of The Black Keys and sleazy creepy verses weaving their way into your brain, this rock grunge infested gem is infectious, sing along ready and snappy. Keep an eye out for this duo.
Watch the video for ‘Blue Magic Gin’ below
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
