GLU has announced his solo EP along with the official video for the title track ‘My Demons’ ft. Sarah Barthel of Phantogram. GLU is GRAMMY-nominated musician and multi-instrumentalist Michael Shuman. The frontman of Mini Mansions and member of Queens of the Stone Age is showing another side of himself with his independent debut EP, ‘MY DEMONS’, out February 24th. The title track release features Phantogram’s Sarah Barthel and explores how childhood traumas continue to seep into adult life. The coinciding video turns heads with a steamy, latex-laden Barthel symbolizing the demons that dominate GLU’s thoughts as he raps satirically through a leather ball gag.
‘My Demons’ is an honest and exciting glimpse into the many facets of Shuman as an artist. Stacking lo-fi- hip-hop alongside pop-hued melodies ‘My Demons’ is upbeat and endearing with cynical undertones. With a catchy melody interweaved between jangly keys, punchy beats and fuzzed bass the track is an exciting listening experience. Showcasing Shuman’s knack for creating musical melodies filled with rich rhythms ‘My Demons’ is a thrilling new tune.
The Neon Cars have released their new single ‘Hold Onto It’.The Neon Cars are a four-piece Indie Rock band from Cork, Ireland. The band consists of Kevin O’Brien (Lead Vocals), Brendan Mckee (Drums), David Forrester (Bass) and Eric O’Sullivan (Lead Guitar). To date, the group have performed across Ireland and the UK, playing several headline shows and festival appearances, including Indiependence music and arts festival, sold-out shows in Record room Limerick, Fred Zeppelins Cork, Walsh’s Bar Mitchelstown and many more.
Bursting with energy and oodles of indie rock goodness ‘Hold Onto It’ is an infectious new anthem from The Neon Cars. The band take a punchy drum foundation and lathers it in chiming guitars, driving bass lines and warm saxophone blasts. The track travels on a hazy nostalgic melody while the bright instrumentation maintains ethereal tones throughout. With a massive sing-along chorus and a dynamic indie rock wall of sound ‘Hold Onto It’ is a glorious new tune from The Neon Cars.
About the track, Kevin said: “In times like this we don’t know what’s going to happen from one day to the next. It’s a puzzle. You feel like giving up hope sometimes. Why am I doing this? What’s the point? They were the thoughts running around my head. Being in lockdown really made me think and I wasn’t going to let my thoughts get the better of me. I got to hold on to my dreams”.
Fast-rising Irish indie outfit Dylan Flynn & The Dead Poets have released their new single ‘more’ along with announcing their debut album ‘how are you feeling today?’ will be released on the 10th of March. The band’s self-produced tracks have been heard across radio stations such as Today FM, Amazing Radio, RTE 2FM, and SPIN. The Limerick up-and-comers have gained over 350,000 streams on Spotify, secured support slots with NewDad and Milk., and played a number of sold-out headline shows, as well as their first Irish tour.’More’ was written, recorded and self-produced from the band’s small studio space in Limerick City, with help from Mike Gavin (Windings). Mike co-produced and mixed the track, while Richard Dowling mastered it. This track is the follow-up to, ‘Running Away’ and ‘Life’, and is the third single off their debut album “how are you feeling today?”. The band will also be departing on their biggest tour to date in March/April, seeing them play shows across Ireland and the UK.
‘More’ is a fine display of emotive songwriting and beautiful musicianship. Delicate drums bubble beneath a country twang on guitar to create a soothing jazz tone throughout the track. Flynn’s sweet vocals ooze passion and sincere emotion as he reflects on different snippets of his life where he, and others close to him, felt that there was more to be gotten out of life. Filled with a nostalgic melody and expressive soundscapes, the song discusses themes of friendship, lost time and regret in the most elegant and wonderful manner.
About the track, Dylan Flynn said: “We felt it was the right time to release this track to show people a side to the album that hasn’t been heard yet. We are known for our up-tempo releases and this definitely gives people an idea of the laid-back side of the record. This is a favourite of ours off the album and it was a really fresh experience recording it.”
Singer-songwriter Pauric O’ Meara has released his new single,’ Come Home’. Pauric O’ Meara is an independent Alternative/indie singer-songwriter from Co. Tipperary, based in Dublin. He has become known for his raw luring vocal. Over the last few years, with his biggest coming in 2022, O’ Meara has seen his headline shows sell out all over Ireland, including venues such as The Workmans Club, The Grand Social, Monroes, Dolans and Cyprus Avenue, as well as supporting major acts such as Hermitage Green and Hudson Taylor, and stand out performances at festivals such as Electric Picnic, Sounds of Summer and Kaleidoscope.
‘Come Home’ is a passionate and emotive indie banger that boasts O’Meara’s magnetic and compelling musicianship. The song exudes a sweat earworm melody while swagger-drenched guitars, punchy drums and elastic bass create a foot-tapping foundation. Within the soundscape, warm brass elements and twinkling keys provide an ethereal breath of fresh air that adds an undertone of hope throughout the track. O’Meara is developing his sound beautifully and ‘Come Home’ is a fine example of this. The song is an irresistible musical delight.
About the track O’ Meara said : ”This song came from a place of vulnerability and desperation. A long time friendship ending for reasons beyond my control or capability. Living with addiction is difficult for all involved. We often see the negative impact that it has on people as they invest all their time and effort into helping, but unless the person in question wants to help themselves, the rest becomes obsolete. The love I had and still have for my friend will always be the same, and after years of trying to help, all thats left to do now is hope that they will find solace and ‘Come Home’, come back to the people who love them and live the life they deserve to live”
Eastbound Dublin makes its highly anticipated return in 2023. The festival will host a range of diverse performances spread across various venues in the city in late February 2023. In its fourth year, Eastbound Dublin still is about capturing the spirit of new and breaking artists and capturing the imagination of a devoted, music-hungry city like Dublin, and bringing it all together to create meaningful beginnings.
I caught up with indie pop artist Jack Cullen who is performing on February 26th in The Grand Social along with Really Good Time, Ruti and YINYANG. We discussed his latest album ‘Dark Days and Nightmares’, how he creates his glorious sound and what he has planned for his performance at Eastbound Dublin.
“Yeah. I can’t wait. It’s my first time playing in The Grand Social. It’s been a long time since I’ve played in Dublin. It’s one of my favourite cities in the world and I absolutely can’t wait.”
Cullen’s recent collaboration with rappers Snow and Rxseboy, ‘Spilled My Coffee’ ( a remix of Cullen’s ‘It Doesn’t Matter’ ) became one of the “most viral lo-fi rap tracks” of the year. It was added to over 30 channels on YouTube and used by 20 million creators on TikTok. It’s an irresistible remix that showcases another facet to his sound while elevating the soothing earworm of the original.
“Yeah, it’s really cool. It’s funny how that all came about. I wrote a song called ‘It Doesn’t Matter’ down in Cornwall and we sent it to some guys over in America and they came back with ‘Spilled My Coffee’. Yeah, it was really nice to begin releasing music, that way, kind of the wrong way around, as it were, you know, we released the remix first and it was cool to collaborate with people in America. It was nice to kickstart stuff and hopefully, it made sense when I released ‘It Doesn’t Matter’ my track alongside my album, because it was obvious then it was the remix of my own song.”
Cullen creates lush indie pop tunes that are just glorious on the ears. Each song oozes subtle instrumentation, delicate indie pop embellishments and soothing tones that are simply a delight to the ears. Cullen has a talent for expressing a range of emotions and feelings within his tracks. We discussed how he achieves this.
“I think I just tried to be as honest as possible. I like to be honest with what I want to say. Sonically working with The Roots over in America, and having Questlove on drums it really helped open my ears and eyes to that kind of sound and I think it definitely helps sculpt the sound of the album. “
“ I’m a positive person. I like to try and look at the brighter side of things and try and be as positive in any situation as possible. So in light of darker times where I was when I was writing the album, I definitely tried to look at it from as much light as possible and like you say, try and be as big a ray of sunshine as possible. That being said, I think it’s naive to think that’s all that life is and it’s important to say the harder things sometimes, I think they’re very important. But I guess I’ve tried to then bring that into a happier light.”
Cullen released an album last year called ‘Dark Days and Nightmares’ and it’s an absolutely beautiful listen. The songs flow effortlessly into one another while maintaining their own unique identity. I wondered if there was a concept behind the album.
“It was from years of writing. It’s about three years of writing. It really took a long time to release any music. I think moving forward the concept behind my releases will make more sense.”
The song Hurricane is the perfect example of Cullen’s ability to wrap earnest tender lyrics in sweet soothing musicianship. Cullen explained how he crafted the track.
“Hurricane is a really good example actually of a dark place that I was in, you know the lyrics “wish we could just fly away to another place, but I’m stuck in a hurricane”. I think, my mind was in a complete pickle, and I felt like I was just in this hurricane in my mind and I couldn’t get away and it is a perfect example of the blend of darkness and sadness [in] the song. But the way we created it was actually like this celebration almost of that. I think in those times, I look to the people that I love and that love me, friends and family and they get you through those times. That’s really what that was about. It was a celebration of those people and the love left”
Cullen has a smooth and easy-flowing tone to his voice however, he told me singing wasn’t something he really thought about before he started.
“No, I don’t think so. I was, in another life playing rugby in Ireland. That’s where my Irish roots comes from and that’s all I wanted to do. I never thought that I would be a singer. I never necessarily did it much in school or it came quite late to me when I had lots of surgeries playing rugby and I was then beginning to write a lot of music and therefore singing a lot. So I think it came quite late that I realized I can sing”
We discussed what fans can look forward to from Cullen’s show at Eastbound.
“ What I always like to do, especially at these shows is strip back the songs. It’s nice to play them in their rawness. I think the emotion comes out a lot more and it allows me to even reflect on the lyrics a lot more because there’s not as much noise and production around the songs. I think it’s going to be a nice way to really connect with people who come and I really can’t wait to do that.”
Jack Cullen is an outstanding singer-songwriter. The melodies within his songs elegantly interplay with soft indie pop soundscapes and mellow guitar embellishments to create musical gems of delight. Cullen’s performance at Eastbound is not to be missed.
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.
London Rockers, This New Dawn have released their new single ‘Regret’. The single was born from the band’s vocalist who, after a long break from music, returned with a fierce determination to imprint her mark on an industry that she had previously archived. Fate was on This New Dawn’s side as ‘Regret’ originated from a demo used by the band’s other members to audition singers. Their vocalist conceived the song’s concept at home following a continuous listening session to the unpolished demo on loop and perfected the lyrics and melody on the bus ride to the audition! The video mirrors the lyrics of ‘Regret,’ utilising the effects of lighting & differential scenery in symmetry with the lyricism and the polarised emotions of heartbroken anguish with the bittersweet resolution of emancipation.
‘Regret’ is a heavy belter. This haunting, alternative rock tune seamlessly balances earnest lyrics with gutsy rock and metal elements to create a wholly immersive listening experience. Filled with chiming guitars, resounding bass rumbles and pounding drums ‘Regret’ is a compelling new tune.
Singer-songwriter Pudel Blanco has released his new EP ‘Sofia’. Serving up his own blend of alternative, punk rock, Pudel Blanco is a fresh face to the Finnish music industry. Describing himself as ‘Human the myth’, the artist is shrouded in mystery. The first glimpse of Pudel Blanco can be discovered in this debut EP ‘Sofia’.
‘Sofia’ is an energising EP laced with airy synths, alternative rock tones and oodles of passion. With light synths blended between driving guitars and rich rhythms, the tracks are vibrant and colourful. Heavy moments of alternative rock are enhanced by gravelly vocals that add a dash of swagger throughout each song making the tracks a delight to listen to. This EP “is an expressive EP of love and adoration. With the intention of expressing how easy love is” and Blanco displays this wonderfully through biting guitar flurries and dynamic melodies.
Prolific German rocker Daniel J Vogel has released his new EP ‘Raptors’.Hailing from Germany, 28 year old musician Daniel J Vogel certainly isn’t new to the music scene but this experienced pro is looking to make his mark down a different musical path. At age just 10, Daniel was indoctrinated to the electrifying, spark-flying sonic soundscape of hardcore Aussie powerhouses AC/DC who’s music inspired him to pick up his first 6-string axe. Almost instantly, the Deutschland star was part of the local school band where he expanded his musical palette – open to a range of new genres like Blues, Jazz & Musical Theatre. Using the tools his wide sonic diet had given him, Daniel embarked on his own journey and established himself as part of his own band with which he wrote a plethora of songs; some of which made their way onto his latest release ‘Raptors.’ After the band members parted ways, Daniel pursued his solo career, releasing debut EP ‘The Passion Ignites.’
‘Raptors’ soars with laser-sharp guitar riffs and resounding drum/bass onslaughts to create a dynamic listening experience. With roaring choruses in ‘No More War’ and energising power chords in ‘Exploding Brains’ through to the pummeling drums of ‘Love the Rock’ Vogel crafts a tight and powerful EP brimming with refined musicianship and thrilling instrumentation. The songs surge with rock bravado while balancing 90’s alternative elements with 80’s metal and hard rock gusto. It’s a mammoth EP sure to have you moshing along in no time.
Mark Daly has released his new EP ‘Nothing to Lose’. Cork-based Irish Rock musician Mark Daly’s artistic chops have never been up for debate. After building an impressive following touring with Geoff Tate (Queensrÿche), Candlebox, and more. In the summer of 2021, Mark teamed up with Avantasia guitarist and world-renowned producer Sascha Paeth (Kamelot, Rhapsody of Fire, Angra) to create a hard rock album, Peace in the Panic. The album was recorded in Sascha’s Pathway Studio in Wolfsburg, Germany. Mark performed at the MTV EMA Awards in Belfast with his previous band, The Voodoos, after beating 10,000+ other bands from Europe to the slot. He hit #1 on the Scottish New Music Charts with his Autism Awareness Charity solo single ‘Your World,’ inspired by his son, Noah. Adding to the list is his songwriting work with Geoff Tate-led supergroup, Operation: Mindcrime. He performed on the Monsters of Rock Cruise alongside Alice Cooper, Buckcherry, and more. He began with 2016’s ‘The Heart’s Reminder’ (no. 2 on the Irish Downloads Chart) followed by his debut album When the Stars Align. Mark Daly & The Ravens, the band that plays with him live, includes Mark Daly (rhythm guitar, lead vocals), James Brown (lead guitar, backing vocals), Jack Ross (bass guitar), Alex Hart (lead guitar, backing vocals) and Daniel Laverde (drums).
‘Nothing to Lose’ is a mammoth-sounding EP that roars with blistering rock n roll bravado and shredding riffs. With the swaggering stomp of ‘Nothing To Lose’ and ‘Gotta Run’ the EP oozes grooves that are so catchy you can’t help but dance and mosh along. From resounding drums to rapid bass licks and driving guitar refrains weaved between irresistible melodies, the songs within this EP exude irresistible energy and evoke images of live crowds screaming back the lyrics. ‘Nothing to Lose’ is a cohesive EP that expresses diverse facets to Daly’s sound. ‘Crying Shame’ and ‘Bottled Up’ are fine examples of this. The former boasts a wonderful indie rock edge while the latter takes a ballad-esque and more emotional stance on the EP that subsequently, ever so cleverly, injects a breath of fresh air into the EP’s immersive experience.
‘Nothing to Lose’ EP pulls it out of the bag and delivers a collection of tracks that displays Mark Daly’s expressive musicianship in all its glory. He is developing his sound with each release while also giving us heavy rock heads something tantalizing to mosh to.
Stream ‘Nothing to Lose’ below
Author: Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
