Tag Archives: Interview

A Chat With, Indie, indie rock, Interviews, New Music

A Chat With: The Backseat Lovers

The Backseat Lovers performed their debut Irish show, in The Button Factory last Wednesday night as part of Eastbound Dublin. Their show was completely sold out, following two venue upgrades. The Salt Lake City four-piece have had huge streaming success. They independently released, their debut album ‘When We Were Friends’ which smashed through industry ceilings after its 2019 release with 120m+ Spotify streams for the international phenomenon that is their single ‘Kilby Girl’ along with achieving a sold-out, first-ever 48-date US Tour and a Lollapalooza debut last year.

I spoke to Joshua Harmon (vocals/guitars), Jonas Swanson (vocals/guitars), Juice Welch (drums) and KJ Ward (bass) before their show in The Button Factory. 

The Backseat Lovers have become known for their sun-kissed indie rock sound. The guitar in particular is an irresistible factor in this band’s songs. The sweet mellow and nimble guitar melodies weave soothing tones through each song, making every track utterly glorious to the ears.

Joshua: “ I think we look at guitar melodies pretty similar to the vocal melodies. They both guide the song and sometimes either/or will come first, especially with our older stuff, some of those songs will revolve around a riff or it would revolve around the melody and the riff would come later. It’s always sort of different”

Though the songs are laid back and melodious there is enough grit to keep each song interesting. ‘Pool House’, is a fine example of this, the song builds to a shredding guitar-heavy crescendo that is just exhilarating and the band explained to me how they crafted the song.

Joshua: “Well, I started writing that song on a classical acoustic guitar at a party somewhere. I guess it’s the morning after a very bad party and I was in Southern California. So it kind of…came from weird, some sort of beachy energy somehow. When we started playing it as a band, it kept that energy. I remember the moment we were in my parent’s basement, we were jamming it and I hadn’t written the chorus yet. It was once we kind of written that chorus we were just jamming it and I just started singing that “wait outside”, just that melody. It wasn’t even any lyrics yet, it was just singing that melody, and it got heavier as we kept jamming it, so it’s naturally the evolution, having a heavier side once it got to the chorus.”

The Backseat Lovers have an intricate sound. They carefully build the tracks to create catchy, light tunes filled with oodles of passion that is enhanced by delicately placed instrumentation. This creates a mature and lush listening experience. I wondered how the band write their songs and if they approached writing like a jamming session or if each member brings bits they have written to each other to work with.

Jonas: “I think that one depends too, a lot of the songs we have out were songs that Josh had written and then brought to us and we all arranged our parts. But as we’ve kept playing together as a band, we’ve started to, write songs more out of just jams or, either me or Josh coming up with a seed of an idea and then bringing that to the band and it growing from there. But there’s lots of different ways. We like to continue to explore new ways too.” 

Well crafted and clever lyrical content is an obvious element in each of the band’s songs. Lines such as “Feels like a night to carry a tune, I’ve been carrying yours since you wrecked my room” “So we chase jack with love” from Kilby Girl eloquently express subtle messages and poetic undertones. The band explained to me the effort that goes into coining these lyrical elements and how they don’t feel pressure from outside influences to write poignant lyrical content.

Joshua: ” I feel Jonas and I are the main lyric writers and yeah, we’ve probably spent hours and hours most days churning through lyrics. Sometimes you’re just singing a melody and the lyrics are making their way into the melody in a very natural way in real time and sometimes it’s much more methodical, like trying out different puzzle pieces to fit the rhythm of the song and make a rhyme, and a certain cadence. It’s a combination between the two. It’s really fun, and it’s incredibly frustrating. It’s the best and worst part in my opinion”

Joshua: “ We don’t really feel pressure from outside. I think we have a certain amount of pressure that we create for ourselves. I think, at least for me, when I’m writing a song, it’s so much more.The only reason I’m doing it is to feel like I’m doing something for myself and I’m connecting with myself. When I think of something and it clicks and I’ve been working on it, for a second I feel it click in place. It’s the most satisfying feeling, it’s like Oh, I haven’t done that before, that pushed a little further than I went last time, you know. So that’s where the pressure comes from.”

Jonas: “Sometimes the most satisfying lyrics, feel the most genuine and I feel a connection to, are really simple ones that don’t really have a lot, I guess, super poetic value to it. But because they’re just saying exactly how it is, sometimes that’s even better than something that’s really flowery, I think.”

The Backseat Lovers’ song titles are interesting. They aren’t obvious song titles, they appear random with hints to the lyrics within the song. This adds a new dimension and meaning to the songs. Maple Syrup is a superb example of this. We spoke about what sparked that name for the song.

Joshua: “With the first album there is a strange arrangement of song titles. It’s something that’s fun when you can think of a song.. because naming a song isn’t very fun, generally, in my opinion it’s kind of like the last part, it’s like okay now we have to name the song. But with those ones, it was really quite fun, because there were certain important backstories behind certain lyrics that only I would know about, that would end up making their way into the song title and Maple Syrup, I wrote about my friend. In the second verse, I’m talking about the purple sweater that he left at my house and he smelled like maple syrup. So that was where that came from.”

The band have been making waves in the music industry independently. With over 120m streams, their UK and Irish run of shows all sold out and they return to the US to support Jack White on his Arena tours. I asked the band if they had any advice for any upcoming independent artists and if we can look forward to their next album soon.

Joshua: “I think, take it with a grain of salt because we don’t know what the hell we are doing. We’ve always understood the reason why we’re making music in the first place. Ask [yourself] that question, then answer it and then act with that as the centre of what you’re doing. If you want to make music to get attention, then you have to know that’s why you’re doing it. But if you’re making music because it fulfils you, and because it’s something that you care about and you want to share it with people and that’s why you’re doing it doesn’t really modify it, essentially, if you’re acting on principles [that are] reasonably good.”

Jonas: “Yeah, we’ve been recording [album] for the last year. We still don’t have a date yet, but it’s getting close.”

Joshua:”Yeah, it’s about done”

The Backseat Lovers are crafting their sound beautifully to create tunes filled with compelling indie rock, wonderful intricate melodies and first-rate musicianship. Their debut album ‘When We Were Friends’ is just a glimpse into the many talents of this band. I’m looking forward to hearing what delicious musical gems they have in store for us with their next release. 

Stream ‘When We Were Friends’ below


Author: Danu

A Chat With, Indie, indie rock, Interviews, New Music

A Chat With: Emily 7

Dublin Four-piece Emily 7 have released their new single and fan favourite from live sets ‘Oh Me Oh My’. I spoke to Kyle and Scott Bellow, Daniel Clarke and Brandon Craig about their new single, songwriting and their energetic stage presence.

The last time I spoke with Emily 7 the band was a two-piece consisting of brothers Kyle and Scott Bellow. At that time we discussed the potential of adding more members to the band and I was intrigued to find out what sparked the decision to welcome Daniel Clarke and Brandon Craig into the Emily 7 family.

Scott: “Well, over lockdown myself and Kyle, we really started to look into the production side of things a bit more, looking at it a bit more carefully and looking at the live sound at the time wasn’t half as, I suppose, good as it could be. We knew both Daniel and Brandon. I knew Brandon through college and we knew Daniel from gigging in the past together and just being on the scene. We always got on, we just made the decision to go from two to four, what was the worst that could have happened you know, and we’re happy we did”

The addition of two new members has given the band the ability to expand and evolve their sound to create rich diverse tunes and dynamic live performances.

Daniel: “Yeah, the sound definitely changed a lot just because it was like the two boys to begin with. So when me and Brandon came in we were like, what else can we do because the songs are already class to begin with. It was just supporting the arrangement bit that was their big thing.”

Brandon: “Yeah broadening the harmonic structure as well along with filling out the sound especially in recording and we looked to adding more instruments as well in the recording.”

Daniel: “Yeah I think in ‘Oh Me Oh My’ we have a piano. We’re changing constantly, seeing what we can do better and what we can add. It is the four brains thinking there and we all have different influences. It’s like, oh, what can I put in.”

Brandon: “We gel it together as well with our own unique styles and it blends you know. “

Daniel: “ It oddly works.”

Writing songs as part of Emily 7 is a collaborative process. Each member brings their strengths and styles into the rehearsal room and the result is a melting pot of shredding guitar, resounding drums, catchy melodies and a plethora of indie rock goodness.

Kyle: “I suppose the four of us would have our own ideas individually. Then we just bring them to the rehearsal and flesh it out from there. The odd time, we could come in with fully formed songs or whatever, but more often than not it’s bringing in the bare-bones structure to see what as a collective piece we can add to the song to make it the type of song we’d be happy to put out.”

Emily 7 have released their new single ‘Oh Me Oh My’. It’s a catchy tune that pivots around indie guitar hooks and buoyant rhythms which translate well in the recording. The song depicts the feelings of regret the day after a night out and the lyrics slowly reveal the memories of the protagonist as the song progresses.

Kyle: “That song in particular came very quick. Some songs you can find yourself gruelling over for a long period of time but fortunately that was very quick. From the initial writing of the song compared to the version we released, it’s completely different. When we were in the studio recording it, as Daniel mentioned, there was the four of our brains bouncing off each other. As the lads mentioned, there’s a piano in the final recording which was just one of them spur of the moment ideas and the backing vocals as well because that’s something we’ve never really experimented with before. It was just on the fly in the studio. So, it went through some development, from the initial song to what we came out with but we’re very happy with how it turned out in the end.”

Kyle and Daniel share main vocals on some of Emily 7’s songs providing a refreshing listening experience throughout their tunes. We discussed how they share out the different vocal parts and if they write songs with the other in mind for the vocal.

Daniel: “ It kind of just comes when I write the song. I’m like, oh, I won’t be able to sing this so I’ll ask Kyle to do it, type thing. It’s just something that clicks. I just know Kyle’s voice. So it’s like, oh, he’ll sound like he has more meaning when he’s saying this, as opposed to me.”

Kyle: “Yeah, If I bring the idea of a song in, I’ll end up singing it or vice versa if Daniel brings something in and I suppose just going from there and just figuring out the arrangements and then help to flesh it out and make it into the fully finished song that we’d like. It’s just something that happens naturally.”

“There’s a handful of songs I suppose where Daniel comes in with a song, he’ll sing the verse, I might do the chorus or vice versa and then I suppose thinking about the backing vocals and such but there’s no power struggles.”

Emily 7 exude swagger and energy on stage. From suave guitar poses or standing on the drum stool to effortless banter with the crowd, the band appear to have a tight and flawless stage persona. For a young band, they know how to put on a show and get the crowd moshing in a manic frenzy.

Scott: “To be honest, it is completely on the fly. It really does come from the crowd’s energy. Every gig is different. Every gig is unique. We don’t work off a script or even on some nights we will decide to play a certain song that hasn’t been in our set in a good while. It really does depend on the crowd, the venue and the gig and just really how we’re feeling I suppose. We put more focus into creating good music because that’s really what it’s about at the end of the day it’s not about a swagger really as such. We’re there to create good music and if the swagger comes along with that so be it. If people enjoy it, they enjoy it, if not f*ck off.”

‘Oh Me, Oh My’ is a great track live. I have seen Emily 7 live a few times and this particular song is a hit with their fans and the crowd seem to love bellowing back the lyrics.

Scott: “Yeah, well, for me personally I don’t write many of the lyrics but I see a lot of these tracks when they are just general ideas and we’re bouncing them around in the studio. When you work on something for a long time and then, you notice that other people are getting enjoyment out of it, it’s great. I think it’s the best feeling in the world. You can only keep these things secret for so long and you have to let it out to other people. I think I speak for the rest of the band as well there are some songs that I think we personally don’t even like ourselves. However, other people have gotten enjoyment out of it and I think that really is the main thing, to be honest.”

Daniel: “Yeah for me and Kyle [we] definitely have where it’s like, oh, I wrote this in my bedroom, and you’re like playing the venue and people are enjoying it.”

I wondered if it was the live reaction to the song that made the band release ‘Oh Me, Oh My’ as their next single.

Kyle: “We released a couple of tracks last year and any time we played that song people seemed to like it even if it wasn’t necessarily a gig like if we were in rehearsals, and some of our friends were with us they always seem to like that song so when it got around to recording the next single it was a no brainer really, considering other people liked [it] anytime we played it live. Hopefully, people like the recording as much as they like it live.”

Brandon: “ I’ve seen people singing it live before it was released as well. It was so easy to catch on to as well, but a lot of people, even that we knew personally as well they would be listening to the song and you’ll hear them singing along in the rehearsal as well.”

The four-piece are a young band making their imprint on the music industry with people like Liam Gallagher giving them a shoutout and brand endorsements from Fred Perry and Dr. Martens as well as playing their own sell-out headline shows in Whelan’s, The Workmans and The Grand Social. From their experience so far the band had some advice for a budding young band trying to make a name for themselves.

Scott: “To be honest, getting involved with other people is the main thing and don’t be too close to yourself. You really need to be willing and open to other ideas, collaborating with other people and communication is the main thing but just work really hard. I think that the decision I made years ago to start playing drums was probably the best decision. I’ve met some friends that I’ll know for the rest of my life. I’ve been in some wacky places and stuff. It’s not a choice that you’d regret. Give it your all and just enjoy what you do and you’ll never work a day in your life.”

“I’ve made the choice now that I’m not going to be a bank manager in a couple of years. I just enjoy what I’m doing and the only reason someone would say don’t do it or anything they’ve obviously not tried it or experienced it themselves you know. I’m 19 and the stuff that we’ve done so far, I’m very proud of and I don’t think there is a lot of people this age that do stuff like that. I don’t think there’s a lot of people enjoying themselves this much in that sense. I’m really having the time of my life really. I love this band, I love gigging, I love releasing music it’s all great. It all just works out. It’s brilliant.”

Emily 7 have some exciting few months ahead and the quartet told me what is next on their plan for world domination

Scott; “ Well we will start with Dublin then the world. We will be playing This Is It Festival in The Grand Social on June 2nd and we’re also supporting THE K’S in The Workman’s Club on the 21st of May. So yeah we will be releasing more tracks, a collection of tracks, an EP at the end of the year. They’re really good tracks. I think in the past we’ve been patient to say the least in terms of releasing music. Yeah, we’ve been spending a lot of time rehearsing and, writing in the studio and we have a lot of new sounds and new ideas. But until then, you can catch us supporting THE K’S in The Workman’s Club on the 21st of May and playing at This Is It Festival in The Grand Social on June 2nd.”

Emily 7 are a hard-working and dynamic band who lace their songs with effervescent indie rock and oodles of talent. ‘Oh Me, Oh My’ is a fine example of this. The track is filled with jaunty guitars, a bustling bass and drum foundation and warm vocals. ‘Oh Me, Oh My’ is a satisfying new tune to indulge in again and again.

Stream ‘Oh Me, Oh My’ below 


Author: Danu

A Chat With, Interviews, New Music, Singer/Songwriter

A Chat With: Bradley Marshall

Dublin based artist-songwriter Bradley Marshall has released his first official single ‘Make Believe’.The song is a cinematic tune that surges with earnest lyrics and lush textures and is anchored by an elegant piano melody that exudes tender emotion throughout. I caught up with Marshall to chat about the single, what inspired him to write it and how the artist is crafting his sound.

“It was a song that came from my own personal views and perspectives. I wanted to write something that a lot of people would relate to, and I think a lot of people have gone through something of love that was never really reciprocated back to themselves. So what I tried to do was, write that from my own perspective of my personal experiences, but also try to make it as relatable as possible for other people and yeah, it worked out really well that way”

“ The song was written on the piano. I did it with a few people because I can’t really play [piano] that well. So I didn’t do the piano part but yeah, the song was written on piano because we felt that it makes it more emotional.”

Through eloquently crafted lyrics Marshall creates a song that is moving and relatable. We discussed how he crafted the lyrics and whether they came to him in a flow of inspiration or if it was something he spent a lot of time creating.

“Yeah, it was a mix of both. It was the inspiration of what happened but with melody and with writing, it kind of just flows. I don’t really think too much about it. Just whatever I’m feeling inside, I just write down on a page.”

‘Make Believe’ is Marshall’s first official single. The song introduces Marshall as a heartfelt songwriter with an ear for melody and rich compositional arrangements. He explained to me his decision on releasing this song as his first release and how the song is only a glimpse into his diverse sound.

“Yeah, definitely. I have a good few that I could have brought out but I felt ‘Make Believe’ was the most powerful, and emotionally [the] one to start with because it’s probably the most relatable to a lot of people too. “

“Make Believe gives a lot of what I’m about but I’m also very versatile in what I do so I have a lot of more upbeat [songs].. but yeah, I’m definitely going to change it up. When people hear that [Make Believe] they probably think that’s what I’m about, but I’ll probably bring out something completely different next time. So we don’t know yet.”

Marshall has recently released a black and white live performance video for the song. How a performance is presented can make all the difference to an audience and his visually minimal approach is beautiful and wonderfully impactful.

“Yeah, we wanted it to be as real as possible. So we actually decided with the video to do just a live vocal. So that was actually a live vocal performance. I just felt it’d be more powerful and more real. I didn’t want to mime it or anything like that because I know the song is so powerful to me, so I wanted to sing it and yeah, we found a setting that’s really nice. We decided to put it black and white because we think it matches the theme of the song so yeah, that was our decision to do that.”

Marshall has a warm, confident, easy on the ears voice. It appears effortless when he sings. I wondered if he was always a confident singer.

“Yeah since I was a kid, I’ve always been a confident singer. I reckon in the late teens, you know, sixteen/ seventeen I stopped for a while, I cared too much what people think. But, I definitely don’t anymore. I’m glad that I got back at it”

“Even in school and stuff, it was difficult [singing] you know, I don’t know some people just think different of it but you’ll never get anywhere in life if you care [what] people think”

Marshall has garnered a big following across social media by posting heartfelt, soulful videos singing a mix of both covers and self-penned songs. Navigating through social media channels and keeping up with creating content can be a daunting task for artists but Marshall appears to have the ability to not become overwhelmed with the task.

“To be honest, lately, I haven’t really been posting as much on TiKTok and stuff but I don’t stress about it, you know….I don’t think people should really feel stressed to post things. It’s not easy to keep posting things every day because you have to come up with things and songs to sing and things to cover and all that kind of stuff. So it’s not as easy as it looks.”

Having recently performed in the Academy to his biggest audience to date. Marshall is making a name for himself as an artist to keep an eye on. He explained to me how surreal and exciting the experience was.

“Yeah, that was amazing. I went on the Tuesday and it was basically sold out. I think there was only like 30 tickets left. I haven’t done a proper gig like that. Ever. So it’s my first time in front of five/ six hundred people or whatever it was there. It was just an amazing feeling – people singing back to you and holding flashlights up and some people crying and stuff like that. It was a really surreal experience.”

Bradley Marshall has been honing his songwriting skills to create tunes that are earnest and irresistible and ‘Make Believe’ is the perfect example of this. It’s a well crafted musical gem filled with beautiful melodies, heart rushing emotion and moving vocals. There are plenty of exciting times ahead for this budding artist and Marshall intends to work hard to ensure he has diverse and enjoyable tunes ready for listeners to indulge in for the coming months. 

“I’m just gonna put my head down and keep writing songs. I have a few already that we’re planning to release maybe one song in June or something around that time and it’s going to be a different song to ‘Make Believe’, but I really love the song that we’re going to bring out. So yeah, I’m just going to keep working hard, keep writing, keep getting in with people and keep socializing and all that stuff. “

Stream ‘Make Believe’ Below


Author: Danu

A Chat With, Indie, Interviews, New Music

A Chat With: Mick D’Arcy Of Corner Boy

Photo Credit: Padraig Grant

Corner Boy have returned with their highly anticipated new single ‘Blackstairs Winter Snow’. It’s an energetic song brimming with vibrant passionate musicianship while boasting the emotive songwriting of the band. I spoke to frontman Mick D’Arcy about the new single, what we can expect from the band’s upcoming debut album and how they found working with producer Gavin Glass. 

“Yeah, so the song was written very differently than any previous song we’d done before because it was during the lockdown. We were writing music separately in different counties, in different locations in Ireland. So, automatically, it was a different kind of writing process that we never really explored before and as a result, the song itself is different from any other songs that we’ve written previously. It was exciting to be working in that way. It was the first result of two years of lockdown. So we felt like it was the right song that would represent us as a first single from the album.”

‘Blackstairs Winter Snow’ builds beautifully with freeing soundscapes and evolving instrumentation and D’Arcy explained to me how that captured a sense of freedom in the song.

“Yeah, what we would have done is, when we were working remotely we’d be sending each other back and forth different sound beds relating to the lyrics of the song as well. We wanted to capture the idea of place and different locations of origin that are actually name-dropped as it were, in the song. We wanted to capture that sonically as well. So we would have sent different sound beds, be it either with more kind of rootsy instruments or with different layers of synth and that’s how we explored and how we found our way in the song. Then we wanted to really let the song grow organically as well. So the addition of different instruments on top of it really drove home the message and the feeling behind the song as well. The intent behind the song was to capture an essence of place with that, that’s how the song kind of formed itself, very naturally in that way.”

Though lockdown and the pandemic brought difficult times to many it did aid the band’s sound and gave them the space, time and ability to create the theme of escapism so beautifully captured in the song. 

“Yeah, absolutely. I guess when you’re writing in a room together with musicians, there’s six of us in the band, you know, the process in itself can sometimes be very immediate. So something is decided upon and you might tease it out here and there but it’s copper fast and there in the moment. Initially, we were challenged in that way because it was something that we hadn’t done or explored before. But for us, we just became so happy with the song and how it was progressing and the feeling that we were capturing. So yeah, I guess it was really a testament to the times that we were able to write it in that way and as a result write a new piece of work that’s different from anything that we’d released previously. “

Corner Boy have a wonderful knack for emotive melodies. Their songs are laced in sweet earworm melodies and rich intricate refrains that perfectly capture feelings of joy, passion and sadness.

“We wouldn’t be prodigious writers by any means. A lot of the time what we do is we bring different ideas to the practice room and different pieces of music that we would write would capture various emotions or different range of emotions. So I think melodically with ‘Blackstairs Winter Snow’ a lot of it was the combination of a few different musical ideas that we felt were able to capture that feeling that we were trying to get across in the message of the song. So I actually think I’m right by saying that the chorus of the song, the melody for it was written maybe three years ago, the verses were written across 2021/ 2022. So we were taking old ideas, old themes, old feelings and matching them with themes that we were writing there and then in the moment. So it was no real A to Z in the moment writing of the song, we very much are a band that kind of move around. We go back and forth. We revisit different ideas, different soundscapes that we’ve had previously that may have worked in some ways, and then just try to find a marriage between them all. So yeah the song itself, for the most part, about 80% of it would have been written in 2020/2021 but we did revisit old themes that can try to drive home the message and the feeling of the song.”

‘Blackstairs Winter Snow’ is an anthemic track that oozes rich musical tones and lush textures. It is the first single to be released from the band’s upcoming debut album. We discussed how the song provides a taste of what is to come from the album.

“Yeah, I would very much say so. I think we were very blessed, we’re all from Wexford. I guess a very notable Irish producer Gavin Glass recently moved down to Wexford in the last couple of years and lives quite local to us as well. So we’re getting to know him and the way he works and those interesting synergies between both of us and how we see music and the process of songwriting as well. We would have sat with Gavin on a number of pre-production sessions before we even, recorded the first note of the album and through that, we were able to for once in our lives, really sit in a room, sit in a studio space, get to know every instrument in the place and from that create a record that had this collective identity from start to finish. Blackstairs Winter Snow is definitely something that’s indicative of the next singles that are due to come from the album and the album as a whole as well. So having that opportunity to work with somebody like Gavin as well he’s had so much experience across different genres and he’s a wonderful way of being able to filter all of that for us to arrive at that finish point of what we wanted. So it was a long process, but it was something that was just so beneficial for us to have, that unified sound for the album. So we’re super excited.”

Corner Boy have been around releasing music for nearly 10 years, However only now have the band decided to release their debut album. I wondered if this was due to the band finding the right message, songs or just finding time to craft an album.

“We were actually pretty much ready to record the album in 2019. We were putting everything in place and then of course, you know, an extra two years lapsed. In that time, we were able to find moments where we could get in and work with Gavin, like I said we were working remotely. But at the same time we said look, we can’t wait around any longer but for us, I mean, we were lucky enough to be in a position where we toured extensively in Ireland, UK, Europe and elsewhere. Asia ,North America, I guess it was really just years and years of that experience building it up and being on the road and being more comfortable with this sound that we eventually arrived at, that we felt was completely representative of us as a band. But for us, it was really just finding the right collection of songs and from that process of working with Gavin then as well, being able to solidify your sound as a starting point was really important. I guess now that we all understand that now and we understand the expectation and the intention behind how we want to write and release music and all those years of experience being on the road we’re really confident about the record and we really do love the music that we’re going to be releasing “

The band worked with Producer Gavin Glass in Orphan Studios on the album and D’Arcy explained to me the importance of working with Glass and how his approach helped the band refine their sound.

“Yeah we’d worked with producers previously and every producer is different but the biggest compliment that I could probably pay to somebody like Gavin is that he has this unique ability of being your worst enemy and your best friend at the same time. He will sit with you he will tease through different opinions about sometimes even the slightest of things and it’s something that we’ve learned over the years sometimes it’s those slightest of things that really make a record. Gavin will give you his time, his energy, his thoughts to look at something very specific from a couple of different angles. It was really, really important to us and I guess unlike maybe other producers that we worked with in the past, Gavin’s way of working he essentially becomes a member of your band for the time that you work with him and that’s great. Yeah, he just does it in such a seamless way as well, it really makes you enjoy the entire experience of recording also.”

Corner Boy have also released a video for ‘Blackstairs Winter Snow’. The video sees D’Arcy travelling the length and breadth of the country for his loved one and the band use clever camera angles and crisp edited shots to narrate the message of the song in a touching manner. 

“It was something that we would have all come together as a band about, the feeling we’re trying to capture with the song. We did sit down and talk about the song, what it means and what it represents. The song itself is about exploring the idea that you would go to any lengths for the people that you love. All of the band are from Wexford. So the Blackstairs mountains are kind of the border of Wexford. It’s where, when you’re entering Wexford, from a lot of different counties it’s once you get there, you’re home and it’s the idea of being with the people that you love in your home in a place that feels natural to you. In the song we’ve just been able to traverse different landscapes and different environments and different challenges overcoming them to really capture the essence of what that feeling is. We shot it over two days earlier this year and we had great fun doing that. So that’s obviously an integral part to capture in the song correctly as well. “

“We’re really happy with it. It was all self-produced by the band as well. So all of the editing, all of the shooting, the storyboarding everything was done by us. It was great to just have that sense of control over it and being able to sometimes execute with a creative vision on something is one of the hardest things that you can do. But when you get there in the end and when you’re happy it’s so rewarding.”

Like all musicians, Corner Boy have had to become familiar with social media and do live streams, TikTok videos etc to help promote themselves and reach their fans. We discussed the challenges and advantages of using social media. 

“Yeah, as a band we’ve been around for 10 years. So we’ve seen the full spectrum. When we first started out it was very much the occasional, online posts here and there across a few different channels and now it’s a case where most artists really have to be this kind of provider of content, this kind of entertainment channel. So we’re trying to embrace it as much as we can like we’ve done with the video. It’s just trying to have really strong and evocative visuals as well that represent the music well but also showing off the character of the band, we have the bit of craic that you would have on the road and the fun. We’re all really, really close. We’re all really really good friends. So it’s just trying to capture that feeling in the band as well. Camaraderie is a large part of why we’re in a band together and why we pursue it. So you can look at it one or two ways I guess, you can look at it [ social media ] as a challenge or something that takes up a lot of your time or you can also look at it, as a way to explain the narrative and the story of the band and more than anything demonstrate who you are as people because at the end of the day people are really going to connect to your music that bit more when they understand you as people and who you are.“

Corner Boy’s sound surges with hearty melodies and a rich array of instruments that subtly build to create an immense soundscape that rushes with passion. They are a band who have been cultivating their sound to its purest most invigorating form. ‘Blackstairs Winter Snow’ is a fine example of this and an exciting glimpse of what we can expect from their upcoming debut album. Corner Boy have some exciting announcements coming up so keep an eye on their social media to keep up to date with new music and live dates. 

“Yeah, so we do have some dates booked in for later in the year. Nothing that we can announce officially yet but we will be announcing details on the release of our album later this year so we definitely have a few Irish dates in mind and some dates abroad as well. I would say details of that will definitely be released sometime before the summer in the next month or two so we’re really looking forward to getting back out on the road. We’ve been in the rehearsal room for the last couple of weeks. I guess like many acts we’re just excited to get back into a venue, into a live setting and just feel the buzz off the crowd. It’s going to be a great moment for us. So we’re really excited for it”

Watch the video for ‘Blackstairs Winter Snow’ below 


Author: Danu

A Chat With, Indie, Interviews, New Music, Singer/Songwriter

A Chat With: AJ Wander

London singer/songwriter AJ Wander has released his new single ‘When You Say I Love You’. I caught up with him to discuss the new single, what we can expect from his upcoming EP as well as the anxiety that comes with releasing new music.

“I don’t think I do. There’s a little bit of nervous excitement, I’d say, more of a relief to finally get them out in the world because I’ve heard them so many times. By the time they get released it’s a relief to finally not be the only one that’s listening to them. Because I have to listen to them so much in the process of creating them and getting them to the point where I feel I’m happy for them to be released and shown to the world that I’m mildly sick of them by the time they come out. So it’s definitely a bit of selfish relief, in that sense. But I mean, in terms of nervousness, in terms of how they’re going to be received, it’s so hard to put yourself in other people’s minds and work out what other people are gonna like.So I just find what’s right for myself and if it clicks with people, great if it doesn’t, then Que Será, Será, I’ll move on to the next one [song] .”

‘When You Say I Love You’ is an honest song with a heartfelt melody at it’s core. Wander explained to me how he crafted the song and what sparked him to write it.

“It was witnessing a friend’s relationship and them confiding in me about what’s going on in their situation that his girlfriend had fallen for him too fast. He’s like, Oh, shit, what’s going on? I didn’t quite expect things to move so quickly. He’d been pretending to sort of have the same level of feelings towards her as she did to him and that went on for a little while. Ultimately, he realized it wasn’t healthy. So then its him realizing that he has to be honest about his reservations and wanting to slow things down and speculating about how things are gonna go when he does actually tell her that he in fact, isn’t in love with her yet, but just wants to put the brakes on a little bit.”

At times the lyrics of the song are quite harsh “I could try to pretend but it hurts me to use you/ I’m having a ball and your having a blast I didn’t expect you to fall”. Wander’s warm vocal delivery shelters the listener from the full impact of these lyrics, perfectly highlighting the confusion and oftentimes panic that can occur when someone is honest in how they feel. I wondered if he found it difficult to decide how he would deliver this message in order to be respectful and tender lyrically.

“I didn’t really consider it to be honest. I guess it is a bit harsh. I wrote it pretty late at night and we were just sort of selfish about my friend’s perspective and not considering how she might have actually felt about fessing up that he’d been sort of pretending to feel something when he hadn’t, which obviously, it’s not a very good thing to do. So it wasn’t a conscious consideration, but I’m relieved to hear that you don’t think it’s too harsh. I think it’s a cliche, but the truth hurts sometimes, and I guess sometimes you just got to rip the band-aid off and say it. That’s the whole sentiment of the song, that even though it’s hard for you personally, you can’t just hide the truth from someone because you selfishly are going to find the conversation hard to have. So the song wears its heart on its sleeve and it doesn’t want to hide what it’s trying to say behind anything, that’s the whole point of the song is finally being completely transparent and honest.”

The song is one of several tracks recorded in London and Barcelona with producer Brad Mair (Dean Lewis, Jamie Cullum, Kygo). Mair is such a diverse producer and seems to bring out the best in the artists he works with and Wander explained to me how important working with a producer is for an artist.

“100% and it goes the same with writing as well. It’s always good to have outside influence. It jogs your mind into thinking in a different way or looking at things with a different perspective. I think it’s very much a collaborative process and we bounce off of each other to be honest in the room, and we also had Gethin [Williams] the guy that I wrote it with, sort of weighed in on the prod as well. So it was a three-way creative process. We will bounce off of each other and add our own little flavours to the track.”

Wander released a live video of him performing his previous single ‘Take It All’ in an old paper mill in Wembley. It’s a passionate performance that highlights the range and warmth of Wander’s voice while also giving a glimpse into the live full-band style of Wander.

“It’s great fun. There are lots of creepy mannequins dotted around, a few of them had some pretty tasty looking outfits, to be fair, I was a bit jealous. It was like walking through a horror-themed vintage store. It was great fun. It’s was just a quick sort of in and out. Those days go so quickly, filming days are just pretty relentless. People prodding you and seeing if your hair looks the least crap it could be. The band were great. I was very lucky to work with a bunch of great friends that happen to be great musicians. Yeah, it’s all good fun. I just recorded a live stripped version for ‘When You Say I Love You’ and there’s more video graphic content being made as well for some upcoming singles which is very exciting and I feel very lucky to be able to do because it’s expensive. It is crazy how much money you can spend on lights and stuff and smoke machines”

‘When You Say I Love You’ is a taster of Wander’s first EP due in late 2022 and the singer told me what we can expect from the upcoming EP.

“That is a very good question. If I was to sum up the lyrical topics of the EP it’s ‘intoxicated love’. Not necessarily all self-reflective but yeah, that seems to be the theme and it’s definitely a stepping stone from the sound that I have now into what’s coming next. I mean, the EP, beyond the next EP that’s coming out is already ready to go. So it definitely feels like a stepping stone towards where I’m headed sonically as an artist.”

Wander has an ability to write songs about other people’s life experiences giving him more scope to venture into themes and topics that are not necessarily about him and his life. This limitless songwriting inspiration gives Wander’s writing more diversity and relatability.

“Yeah, well, the thing is, my life is just a bit too boring to only write about my own life. I wish it wasn’t. I ran out of things to write about my own life when I was about 22. So I’ve been forced to improvise since then sort of seeking out other people’s drama. I’ve just been a massive gossip. Basically. I just hang out in hair salons, reading OK Magazine, Hello. OK, you know, all the classics, just seeking out song topics.”

Wander has been back performing live shows and we discussed how thrilling it feels to perform on stage. I also asked if there is the potential for a show in Ireland.

“It feels bloody good. I just wish I was doing more. I really want to go on the road that’s why I do it I think. I just want to be out in front of people, connecting with strangers through the songs I’ve written and seeing how people react in real-time. Touring the world, not even the world just touring the UK, touring London, touring even just my street. Just pop into my neighbour’s houses would suffice, but yeah, just to get on the road of some description would be great.

“There aren’t yet, there are conversations happening is what I’ll say. I’ve had Irish sort of touring slash Irish trips, planned a few times over the past few years, and they’ve all been cancelled because of COVID. So I’m really hoping to get over there as soon as possible. Fingers crossed it happens before the years out. That’s my aim.”

AJ Wander is an artist who is developing and refining his sound beautifully and his new single ‘When You Say I Love You’ is a delight to the ears. His piano anchored sound is flourishing as he adds catchy pop elements and cinematic undertones into the mix to create a compelling and moving listening experience. Each of his releases have been vibrant earworms and his knack for sweet melodies make his tracks dangerously addictive. If his velvety tone and earnest songwriting alone doesn’t pique your interest then his rich musicianship and irresistible melodies will get you for sure. 

Stream ‘When You Say I Love You’ below 


Author: Danu

A Chat With, Indie, Indie Pop, Interviews, New Music

A Chat With: David Whelan of Wild Youth

Following the recent hit ‘Champagne Butterflies’, Wild Youth are back with their new single, ‘Seventeen’. I caught up with vocalist David Whelan to chat about the new single, the band’s upcoming EP and what they have planned for the upcoming months.

‘Seventeen’ is a cinematic tune that instantly rushes with passionate musicianship. Delicate keys flutter through suspenseful drums while supple guitar chimes throughout as the band perfectly capture the adrenaline of youth through expressive instrumentation and wistful lyrics.

“ I think the lyrics sort of facilitated the whole song. We had so much time over covid to think about our childhoods and our easier, fun days where there were no worries, you know what I mean? Your biggest worry was whether you were going to beat your mate at FIFA on PlayStation that night, it was so easy. So, all the lyrics flowed very naturally. The lyrics really honed in I feel, on the energy and the drive of the song, and then it just felt right to just stick to it and make it an anthem. So yeah, it was more lyric drawn. “

The song was co-written with JC Stewart. Whelan explained to me how that collaboration came about. 

“We know JC very well. We’re good pals with JC. We actually met JC when we were supporting Kodaline on the European tour. JC was opening the whole show and he was on his own. It was just him and his acoustic guitar and he was travelling around on buses and planes and all that sort of stuff on his own. So we just took him into our group and he’d come into our changing room backstage before we play gigs. We got really close and we stayed in touch ever since. We’ve wrote loads of songs with him. One of the lads in the band actually lived with him for a while in London. So me and Connor were in the studio in London with JC and that’s when Seventeen was born that day. We just started talking lets write a song about when we were younger and life was easy, and we weren’t always stressed and thats how it happened”

Co-writing allows for a fresh perspective on an artist’s music. We discussed the importance of collaborating with other songwriters, to bring diversity to an artist’s writing style or sound.

“Yeah, for sure. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it at all. I think you hit the nail on the head with what you said it does bring a different perspective. It’s very refreshing to sit down in a room and have a chat with someone and see what they do and see their thought process and there’s no right or wrong answer to any of this, it’s creation. You’re just throwing stuff at a wall and seeing if it sticks and if it feels good and it resonates and everybody has a different view on life. It’s so crazy actually when I say that out loud. Everyone has a different view and everybody has a lot of similarities. The human species, we can relate to each other very well. But you’ve lived a different life to me. I’ve lived a different life to you, but we can find that little thing that brings us together. So it’s cool. Yeah, it actually is really cool when you collaborate with somebody. You’re bringing two different views of a story together. It’s just fun as well. It’s fun being in a room with somebody and just bounce ideas and having the craic, music is good,  it brings joy. So to share that with somebody in a creation process is cool”

‘Seventeen’ is the first single to be taken from Wild Youth’s upcoming EP. The song gives fans a sense of what the rest of the EP will sound like.

“I think it gives a little bit of a teaser to what’s to come yeah. We are actually in the studio now recording the next single, and it’s like Seventeen on steroids. It’s a beast so yeah, theres more like that to come.”

‘Seventeen’ showcases a different side to Wild Youth’s sound. I wondered was this the product of trying to capture the atmosphere the lyrics allude to or was it the band experimenting with their sound.

“ I think, it’s a bit of both. There’s definitely been a natural progression into that as well. Our first song we ever released All or Nothing that’s more indie, like electric guitar-heavy. We kind of went back towards that a bit, naturally, but also we wanted to. We definitely wanted to. The song had to be like that, Seventeen, that’s the way it had to be heard and we love that sound. So yeah, it’s a bit of both a bit of a natural progression and our own choice”

The pandemic affected everyone in the music industry in different ways and Whelan explained how it affected the band with writing and recording this next collection of songs.

“Yeah, it did in a way. A lot of studios shut down during covid. Connor’s in London, we’re here. So I was going back and forth. But then sometimes it was hard to because sometimes I couldn’t actually go over. So it did slow down the process a small bit. We found ourselves doing a lot of these zooms, which we all love. Yeah, it was different. It was definitely a change that we had to get used to. But we’re back now. So it’s all fun. We were in the studio yesterday with people and yeah, we’re back doing it like it should be done.”

Wild Youth’s Sold Out Spring Tour saw them take in venues across Ireland and the UK including The Academy in Dublin and Omera in London. They will also play support to Lewis Capaldi for his three sold-out Irish shows as well as support Westlife at their hugely anticipated show in Cork’s Pairc Ui Chaoimh as well as making headline appearances at Electric Picnic, Indiependence, Boat Yard Festival and more. 

“It was sick. We just finished our own tour. It was pretty beautiful to be honest. I got into this because I love performing. That’s the main reason why I wanted to be in a band I wanted to tour. I can’t sit still for too long. So being on the road is the perfect thing for me. I get itchy feet if I’m just not doing that. So yeah, it was absolutely phenomenal. Covid was crazy, for artists in general and a lot of people that work in the arts. We had crew affected by it. It was crazy for us because there was a few times in my mind during it where I was like, oh wow will we ever get to do this again. You know? That was a scary thought because I’ve never not done something like this. I’ve always done gigs or been in bands and, obviously, Wild Youth is my life. So this tour was just the most emotional, beautiful tour I’ve ever been on. It’s probably the best I’ve ever done. Personally, the most one I’ve ever enjoyed. I’ll never take any of this for granted ever again because I know how quick it was taken away by covid for that period of time and it was a shock to the system. I don’t want to ever feel that again. So it [the tour] was absolutely phenomenal”

Live shows can be overwhelming. The energy when performing is unlike anything else and performing can be an intense experience on the body and mind. Whelan explained what it was like for him to return to the stage.

“Yeah big time. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen us play, but we go crazy up there we are very energetic. It’s like playing 18 football matches in a space of an hour and fifteen minutes. I’m not even joking. It’s very strenuous on the body. But we got ready for it. We were ready to go again whenever it was going to be allowed. So yeah, we were pretty ready. But that adrenaline feeling, that boost of adrenaline. I’ve never felt that anywhere in my life apart from there. That was crazy the first time I felt it again after the two and a half years. We played our first show and it was sold out and the crowd literally went crazy for the songs and I mean crazy. I was like, it was an overload, it was like a bunny overload, I thought I was going to have a heart attack or something, I didn’t know what to do. So yeah, that was something that I needed to readjust to again, being able to absorb all that energy that’s coming at you and not pass out”

Wild Youth have a big year ahead with an EP in the works and a lot of gigs to delight fans.

 “We’re back in the studio. The next single is being done up right now. So new music will be coming and we’ve loads of gigs. Festival season is back so we are playing a lot of festivals. There’s a lot of gigging and a lot of new music. The fact that gigs are back now we just want to play all the time. So you’ll see us everywhere hopefully playing gigs and new music”

Wild Youth are constantly refining their songwriting and sound. ‘Seventeen’ is a sublime display of their ability to create engaging, energetic and heartfelt tunes filled with irresistible indie-pop. The band always delivers on a solid anthem and if ‘Seventeen’ is anything to go by the upcoming EP is set to be glorious. 

Stream ‘Seventeen’ below 


Author: Danu

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

A Chat With: Dirty Dreamer

Ambient electronic trio Dirty Dreamer have released their glorious debut album ‘The Everyday in Bloom’. I caught up with two-thirds of the band Daithí O’Connor and Louise Gaffney to chat about the album, creating music with their improv style and their upcoming show in The Workman’s Cellar.

Filled with ambient soundscapes and lush textures ‘The Everyday in Bloom’ was four years in the making mirroring the band’s relaxed pace in meticulously creating each song. 

Daithí:  “Yeah, just taking our time. There was no rush on it really, we were just having fun and obviously the pandemic happened and all that. But even before, we were just having fun and really had no timeline. I think that was something lovely about this. There was no timeline as such or any pressure at all because we’ve been in a situation before that we set aside that time to write and that time to record all that kind of stuff. This was all a little bit more natural, laid back, I suppose.”

The band were part of the choice-nominated electro-folk outfit Come On Live Long. Dirty Dreamer showcases a different side of the trio. I wondered if it was exciting and liberating exploring this new sound.

Louise: “Whether it was a premeditated change or not I’m not sure. When we started this project, we didn’t even really call it a band for the first little while. We sort of went away and we were playing together and improvising around different sounds and a key part of it was we all changed our instrumentation a little. We were all trying different instruments a little bit as well. So it was really slow figuring out what we liked and what we wanted to pursue. That happened before we even put a name on it as a project. When we started realising it had a sound of its own, and it seemed that we had been crafting that, that was when we were like okay, this project now needs a name and it needs, a look and feel as well as maybe a goal, not necessarily deadline but definitely a goal and we started recording basically everything we did from that point, once we had that sound. We just pressed record on every rehearsal session and started gathering a huge archive of recordings.”

The songs on the album at times appear to refer to the beauty of the world around us, and the importance of taking in the small moments of serenity between the chaos of modern life. However, Daithí and Louise explained to me the album isn’t intentionally a concept album.

Daithí: “ I would say no, I don’t think it’s a concept album. there are threads through it. We would write and rehearse all after a day’s work. We come in here in the evenings so all the highs and lows of the day just anyone’s day, kind of informs everything else. So maybe you could tie content onto that, I suppose.”

Louise: “I don’t think there is, the songs all have their own micro themes within them. Some of them maybe link and some of them maybe don’t. But if there’s a concept in there it was the way of writing actually. So all of the origins of each song just come out of hours of improvisation. So just literally free. Someone might do something someone responds to it, and then someone adds a thing and all of a sudden it starts to build into a song or starts to approach something with a bit of structure. Because we recorded everything that happened in the room, for every rehearsal session we had or writing session we had, we’d have a couple of hours that we would go and listen throughout the week. We would take the sounds, everyone would listen and then highlight little parts that we thought we loved or thought we could work on again and revisit. So as a process that was really new. Having, individual time to listen and decide what was working and what maybe wasn’t and then to come back next week and go again.”

The band created a lot of material over the four years. We discussed how overwhelming the task of filtering through all that material was. 

Daithí: “ Yeah we have hours and hours of stuff. So what would happen is, we play and jam away here. Then Ken [McCabe], who’s not here at the moment, he was like the archivist and he’d be the filter as well. He would listen back and say, I think this is good, I think this is good. Then he would send it on to us two. Very often there was loads of that and there was weeks where you would just constantly be doing new stuff. You’d have to go back and say hold on, let’s just put the brakes on now because we have folders and folders of so much stuff and we’re just gonna keep writing new music. We need to stop. So for maybe a month, say, one in four months, we would put the brakes on and develop those ideas a little bit more. Then when we got tired of doing that, we would come in and say okay let’s work on that song we were doing two months ago. But then what we always do is we start off playing and then we would just play for the rest of the evening. We wouldn’t actually come back to that. So we had to be a little bit strict on ourselves to say okay, let’s stop improvising and playing and let’s put a bit of structure on it. “

‘The Everyday in Bloom’ is an ambient album filled with soft instrumentation, hazy synths and ethereal soundscapes. ‘Caddy’ is a fine example of this. The track revolves around a wonderful vocal melody accompanied by subtle guitar, earthy elements and electronics. Though the song is filled with intricate instrumentation the trio manage to maintain a sparse and light atmosphere throughout.

Louise: “That one’s an interesting one because it could be the oldest one on it. That would have been a really old archived recording that Ken had written just the guitar part for. It was resurrected when we were in the middle of maybe…. we’d maybe done a few of the other tracks and I remember it in an email thread and I pulled it up and was like this was really cool. We should maybe try to work this… when we brought it back, we just played it a lot in the room and just tried to see where the melody is going to come from, where all the other instrumentation is gonna sit, how it will layer up to make it more interesting. So it could have just been guitar and vocals and nothing else but it has a lot of ambient stuff going on in it.”

Daithí: “ That recording is recorded live in this room and I didn’t know it all that well. So I’m looking at Ken constantly to see what he’s doing on the guitar and I’m following him. Which is something that we’ve never done. Usually, when you go into studio, you know every note that you’re going to play. It’s premeditated, you know what to do. But for this one it was kind of just very reactive. I was definitely reacting to what Ken was doing. I had to look at his hand constantly to see what he was going to do next. But it worked. That’s the recording that you hear on the album”

Louise: “I think in terms of a song where you’re using words to create meaning somehow, that’s the one that I always go back to as maybe one of the more coherent songs because it does have a really strong theme and it’s about something and it’s a story told over time, in a way that maybe some of our others aren’t maybe as explicit. So I always liked listening to that one myself and quite pleased with the writing side of it”

‘Downhill’ is another special moment within the album. The distorted intro is a bit of a shock when you first hear it, especially after the peaceful and soothing nature of the previous track ‘Caddy’. It beautifully shows the experimental nature of the band’s music as they momentarily break away from the tranquilising wall of sound of previous tracks to inject a dash of edge into the album. 

Daithí: “Again, that comes back to what Louise has mentioned before, a kind of stepping outside your comfort zone and find a new territory. That sound is just off a piece of equipment that we use all the time in this room. We knew we wanted to incorporate that because it’s the sound of the room. It’s the sound that we make in the room so we knew it had to be recorded. I suppose it might be difficult for the listener, maybe at the start because it’s quite a juxtaposition sound, quite… harsh ..to start and then the guitar comes and that’s what was nice about all of this. Before we would have second-guessed that and said oh they’re two really clashy sounds and for somewhere else, it might not have worked but where we are now is in a huge rehearsal space.There are loads of bands playing all the time. So when you’re walking down the corridor, you’re hearing the sound of loads of bands inside a room. So the soundscape going down to the kitchen for cup of tea is massive. So that definitely fed into it. “

Dirty Dreamer have masterfully created an album that captures the free expressive nature of their sound. The ability to capture this element of their art in a piece of music let alone for an entire album is sometimes a difficult task for artists. However, Dirty Dreamer have pulled it off spectacularly. 

Daithí: “Yeah, That’s it. That’s the mission accomplished for saying that yeah “

Louise: “Yeah it’s a really interesting thing. I only happened across it recently in a podcast and it got me thinking but that’s exactly what we did there. There was this psychologist she was talking about how you have to use a very childlike free state of mind to create something original. Then you need to use a very different mindset to edit it.So if you’re already using your edit brain when you’re trying to create, you’re not going to get very far down the road or you won’t get somewhere interesting. So it reminded me [ of us ] – the improv its the child brain, we don’t actually police ourselves and we just do whatever. Then there were those months where we would act different in the room and it was all business we’d all be sitting at the table and that struck me, that is the process that we use, you know, we didn’t try to edit in the moment or try to think about the outcome. Because it didn’t matter. It was like we were generating so much, the outcome, we couldn’t even think about it in the moment.”

Daithí: “It’s striking the balance between that I suppose”

Considering the trio were working on these songs for over four years, I wondered if all the songs had evolved and taken new directions since their first inception.

Daithí: “Good question. I would say some have,  some definitely haven’t. The likes of Caddy again. That sounds like when we played it in the room. We played it a couple of times, but it really didn’t change all that much.“

Louise :“Yeah. ‘Did You Think I Would Forget’, that longer ambient one. That changed quite a lot over time because the initial idea was a different type of track. It wasn’t a song structure as much as it was a soundscape and so it had to evolve over time to get somewhere interesting. We were working with a small little nugget of something that needed quite a bit added to it. So that was quite different.”

The track ‘Anywhere’ was the one that sparked my previous question. It is a beautiful song with balmy guitar and soft dance-like beats. The track’s soft layering and melodic progressions made me think the song had been meticulously crafted and could have originated as a different concept altogether from what we hear on the album.

Louise: “That is a good question. That song was kind of like that”

Daithí: “yeah, that I suppose went through a couple of iterations. The thing that got us with that was the arrangement. The sound was always there, but it’s just the arrangement as to what goes where. That was recorded quite a lot.“

Dirty Dreamer are set to perform live on Thursday 2nd June at The Workman’s Cellar. We discussed what fans can expect from the show

Daithí: “So the idea for the live show is to recreate what we do in this room. But put it on a stage. Now, obviously not like the constant tea breaks and stuff like that but to have it quite fluid, like it is in here and try and represent that as best we can in the live environment which is what we’re trying to do at the minute and it’s loads of fun.”

The live show promises to deliver the same experimental and free approach the trio took to create the album resulting in slightly changed versions of the songs.

Daithí: “Yeah, exactly changed versions of the songs and then trying to see how we can link songs together without a break. 

Louise: “Yeah even allowing space for us to actually improvise a little bit where there’s longer pauses that we can noodle around and find that same improv that we would have used to create the songs somewhere in the live set, in between the more structured pieces.”

The band experimented and learned a lot about themselves and their music during this process. I asked Daithí and Louise from their experience so far, what advice would they give to a budding young artist.

Louise : “ I can only speak to maybe the lessons I’ve learned as opposed to solid advice. I think that big one of not worrying about the outcome too much comes back to me constantly because that just scuppers you so much and it’s the one thing you want to do when you’re trying to start. It’s like I want to make an album or I want to make an EP and that’s really to be thought about later. You got to go in and create a load of stuff first before you start aiming for that and know what you’re about and what you want to sound like. You have to play a lot and play with other people, involve other people that’s a huge thing. Find your people that you want to make music with because it’s lonely on your own.”

Daithí: “ Find people on the same wavelength and spend time playing – just play and don’t worry all that kind of stuff. That’ll come and if the music is good that will all fit together. Yeah, don’t worry too much about the outcome because if you’re into music, you’re into music, that’s the bottom line. It’s not about all the other stuff, if that happens, that happens it doesn’t really make a difference, you’re still going to be in a sweaty rehearsal room jamming away”

Dirty Dreamer have a unique and experimental sound that is raw and melodically rich. They don’t shy away from allowing their artistic unconscious write the music. This lucid way of creating is what makes ‘The Everyday In Bloom’ such a compelling album. It’s a wonderful listening experience filled with expressive soundscapes, hazy atmospheres and refined musicianship.

Stream ‘The Everyday In Bloom’ below 


Author: Danu

A Chat With, Album Review, Alt Rock, Indie, indie rock, Interviews, New Music

A Chat With: Oisín Leahy Furlong of THUMPER

Thumper – Photography by Ruth Medjber @ruthlessimagery

Irish noise-pop / alt-rock sextet THUMPER’s hotly-anticipated debut LP ‘Delusions of Grandeur’ is set for release on the 18th March. Over the last two years, the Dublin six-piece have been developing their sound and building an increasingly passionate fanbase. With a lineup of two drummers and three guitarists, THUMPER’s maximalist wall of sound has long since set them apart in the booming Dublin music scene.

I caught up with Oisín Leahy Furlong to talk about the band’s debut album, expectations placed on the band as well as touring and getting comfortable with his voice.

“Well, I suppose that’s how we listen to music by LPs, and THUMPER sort of started and stopped and started and stopped. We had lineup changes, changes in direction and the normal teething problems that bands have. Once we solidified the lineup and the intent it was the next logical step to record that album for now and make our stamp”

THUMPER are perfecting their craft, dropping alternative rock gems with each release. Each member of the band is very talented and the album is a confident display of their musical prowess. I wondered if there were any moments of anxiety and doubt while creating the album.

“It’s hard to say really, because originally we recorded the album we had been on tour in 2019. We were going to the studio just to record a single and a B side and because we’ve been so busy touring, we went in and we recorded like eight or nine songs back to back just because we knew them all back to front because 2020 was gonna be so busy for us. It was just kind of warts and all, band in a room, like an artefact of what we sounded like at that time and that was more born out of our schedule. We didn’t have time to labour over something, but then obviously 2020 came along and all of our plans were null and void at that point. So, we’re on tour when Covid really hit and we flew back to Ireland, and Alan [Dooley] went straight into the studio and started working on re- looking at what we had recorded and what state it was all in. I didn’t see him for like two or three months but I knew he was working on the record. I didn’t know what he was doing. When I finally got to see him, a couple of months had passed and he’d grown a huge beard like he was in Castaway or whatever. He had sort of retcon the whole album from being this live in a room, to something way more. So, when we decided that was the direction we want to take it we were pretty confident with it because those are the album’s that we like you know. But we spent so long on it, 2020 felt like it was about three years long because of everything that was going on and we were in the studio non-stop working on the record. You have to just trust your instinct that what you’re doing is the right thing for the music. So I’m not sure that I would say we were confident it was just sort of willful ignorance that we were doing the right thing.”

The instrumentation within the album is masterful. Each song is a glorious display of great musicianship that boasts sleek guitar moments, sweet melodies and abrasive outbursts. The album takes wild unpredictable twists throughout its blustery journey as it shifts from frenetic soundscapes to stripped back instrumental breaks before leaping into dynamic crescendos. Tracks such as ‘Overbite’ and ‘Topher Grace’ are fine examples of this. ‘Strychnine’ is also a riveting display of musicianship from the sextet. Arguably the tour de force within the album the track is mostly Oisín and an acoustic guitar with soft percussion accompaniment and electronic guitar embellishments.

“That song is, in some ways outside of our comfort zone in the way it’s structured and the way we attacked it. I actually had that in my voice memos. I was going through like I have about 500 voice memos on my phone. It breaks every two seconds. But I had that saved on my phone from like 2018 as THUMPER mid-LP song. Then I was like, yeah, that’s what that will be and then that’s just what we did. Really, again, it’s like you make the decision, you’re confident about it. Then when you have to actualize it that’s when you have to be confident or employ a sort of a weird, over the top sense of self-belief. But we’re really happy with it. It’s one of my favourite tunes on the record now.”


The instrumental track ‘The Ghost’ is an exquisite piece of music. Featuring hypnotic guitar strikes, a sweet guitar refrain and abrasive undertones the track is a mosh pit friendly frenzy that is filled with mind-melting distortion and psychedelic elements.

“Well, when I settled on the idea of calling the album Delusions of Grandeur, that was referencing lyrical themes throughout it, but also in reference to the fact that when THUMPER started, it was a solo project. It was just me bringing out tapes and making like 100 of them and giving them around Dublin, really low stakes. low fi badly recorded, just sort of not throw away but the scope of it was much smaller. When we fixed on this Delusions of Grandeur idea, I thought it’d be funny to have a three-part 20 minute long song, finish the album so obviously, ‘The Ghost’ is like the second in that whole three-part suite at the end. The tune ‘Overbite’ which comes before it was the first time that Alan had basically written all the music or the guts of it to that song and I wrote the lyrics and then I was like, Okay, what this needs is, and I sort of sang out this section that didn’t exist yet. It needs to start off with one guitar and slowly build up into this thing. Then he just randomly flicked through his other demos that he had and just clicked on one and it was exactly what I just said. He had already preempted me wanting that to happen. So that became a blueprint then for that piece of music. Again, it wasn’t some huge decision to this instrumental piece that was gonna make the whole album but it was just going with your gut. Yeah, serving the songs as best you can.”

‘Down in Heaven’ brings the album to an end. It’s a heartbreaking finale. Oisín’s earnest vocals croon very raw lyrics “I did it to myself cos I deserved it” while drums trudge through a sweet melody and piercing sting on guitars. The track is both vibrant and mournful all at once as the band’s expressive use of instrumentation and melody creates gripping heart-wrenching turmoil for listeners to experience. This moving tune is a striking end to a magnificent album and provides a moment of reflection on the album as a whole, making the listener want to experience the rollercoaster ride that is ‘Delusions of Grandeur’ again. 

“Yeah, It’s funny, it’s our first album, but there’s a couple of moments on it where I really wasn’t sure. It was a creative risk, because it is quite different to what we’ve done before and the worry would be that tune would be perceived as being melodramatic, even though I was kind of aiming for something a little bit more insular. I’m glad you like it. I don’t know what to say about it. That’s probably the one song that I’m most intrigued to hear people’s reaction to because it is quite raw and it’s us trying our hardest to push past what people expect of us.”

‘Down in Heaven’ alludes to a different THUMPER. It’s a cinematic, cliffhanger moment that suggests something exciting could happen with the next release.

“I think so, I think you’re right. This album is a good few years in the making. We started making some of these songs when I was in my early to mid-20s and now I’m early 30s. So, you change as a person, your tastes change and what you find interesting and what you find uninteresting changes. So yeah, I think the last thing we’ll ever want to do is retread old ground just for the sake of it. So hopefully it is a sign that we can expand our palette beyond what people want and, really treat it like more than just something that’s set in stone.”

Throughout the album, Oisín’s vocals anchor the listener within the soundscape of the tracks while at the same time evoking images of live crowds chanting back the lyrics. Oisín has the ability to spark these live sing-alongs when the band perform. He conveys immense emotion and angst through his vocals.

“The vocals, that’s probably the thing that I’ve struggled the most with. I made no bones in the early days about the fact that I wasn’t, totally comfortable on stage that’s why the band is so big. Within that you’d say, well, why are you doing it to begin with? I don’t really know the answer to that question. But, the vocal yeah, it’s the element that I have the least control over but it’s the part that I worked the hardest on. I think part of the reason our songs are so melodic is so that I can kind of learn them like a nursery rhyme. I don’t know something happens in the process of translating that nursery rhyme where it ends with me rolling around and yelping. But yeah, I love singing because it’s a tender transition between writing something in your room and seeing how it ends up on stage and especially hearing people singing back is very strange”

“ I think the tension though of where you’re trying to work with your body to make this thing and you’re not quite sure whether it’s going to happen, I don’t know it’s kind of alluring. Maybe I’m a glutton for punishment or something, but I like not being sure that I’m gonna be able to pull it off”

THUMPER are a one of a kind must-see live act. The band have London and Dublin launch shows this week to coincide with the album release and we discussed the shows and the possibility of a tour.

“Oh, yeah, I’m supposed to be in Europe right now. It got postponed because of Covid, hopefully for the last time.We’ll be doing these shows. We wanted to purposefully keep it really small, so it was like returning to how we started off upstairs in Whelan’s, we probably played there 20 times. So, cramming 100 people in there seemed like a really, fitting way to kick start this next chapter. Then yeah, we’ll be announcing a full Big Boy tour later in the year. We’ll be doing all the festivals and all that stuff as well. “

THUMPER have created a phenomenal album with ‘Delusions of Grandeur’. Musically the band treat our ears to a plethora of shoegaze, psychedelia and alternative rock with speckles of pop embellished throughout while earnest lyrics venture into dark territory and explore the struggle of self-image, internal and external. It’s a wonderful album that provides an exciting glimpse into the many facets of THUMPER.

‘Delusions of Grandeur’ is set for release on Friday the 18th of March.

Until then you can watch the video for THUMPER’s latest single ‘Fear of Art’ below


Author:Danu

A Chat With, Interviews, New Music, Singer/Songwriter

A Chat With: LYRA

Shane Codd has delivered a knockout anthem with his take on LYRA’s most recent single ‘Lose My Mind’. I caught up with LYRA to talk about how the infectious remix came about, the exciting return of live shows and what she has planned for the rest of the year.

“Originally when I wrote the song, I knew that it had that dance vibe naturally in it already. Then I decided why not go full dance on it and get a remix done and what better man than Shane Codd. He’s Irish, he’s amazingly talented. So we just kind of said, Hey, do you wanna do a remix? he was like yeah”

This remix is the perfect summer bop and is a fresh take on LYRA’s fantastic single. Shane Codd is an exciting artist who is on the rise. His previous hit single ‘Get Out My Head’ achieved a Top 10 smash on the Official UK Chart as well as a Top 10 hit in Ireland. Amassing over 125 million Global Streams and achieving 2 x platinum status in Ireland. I wondered if LYRA experienced a mix of intrigue and nerves when Codd agreed to remix the track and did she worry that she wouldn’t like it.

“I was, but Shane’s very good that way. He sent me a few mixes and I’d send back some notes about what I preferred and how I heard it going and he was like, okay, cool, I’ll change this bit, I’ll change that bit. He was just so good at letting me creatively be involved in it with him.”

The cover art for the remix is fierce and tasteful with an animated character of LYRA in the foreground. LYRA explained to me where the concept for the cover art came from.

“We decided we wanted to do an animation video. So that video is actually coming out like a lyric animation video. It was just something different, doing the remix was different so I just thought let’s have some fun with it and do an animation.”

“I was like, can I have that body? Please? That butt is so big I was like Yeah, I’ll have that”

‘Lose My Mind’ was released in 2021 and announced a more dance-infused tone to LYRA’s sound. This catchy bop reached # 16 on the Irish Airplay Chart, went No # 1 on Irish Homegrown Chart , reached # 4 Shazam Chart and # 2 on the Irish Artists Breakers Chart – a brilliant achievement for this talented artist.

“ It was nice to put something out because with covid and everything I just wanted something a bit more upbeat. I wanted to show people a different side to me as an artist, so it was nerve-racking to put it up but the reception was amazing”

At the time of our interview, LYRA was on a train down to Cork after attending the Indiependence launch last week in Dublin. We discussed how it felt now that shows have returned and she can finally book shows and plan for the year.

“Yeah, it’s amazing because like you said, you can plan. I’ve starting planning my outfits and setting, staging, lighting and stuff. Whereas last year I was planning half-heartedly, I was like oh, what if it won’t go ahead whereas now, it’s going ahead let’s get the costumes made, let’s get this, lets get that. We can just go for it.”

LYRA has a wonderful eye for fashion and every costume she wears on stage is well thought out and planned making her a vision on stage. We discussed the outfit she wore for her performance on New Year’s Eve in Dublin Castle where she performed her song ’ We are Beautiful’.

“Thank you. I made that myself at home in my mom’s kitchen nearly glued myself to the kitchen table a few times but yeah it was nice to make it. I was like why not I have the time”

LYRA has a talent for writing uplifting, dynamic tunes and her performance of  ‘We are Beautiful’ captured the tone and feeling of everyone at the time.This appears to be a running theme with the artist; she performed her song ‘New Day’ at the pilot festival in Kilmainham and that perfectly captured the tone of everyone at the time as well. So it was no surprise that her performance of ‘We are Beautiful’ was what everyone needed to end 2021 and kick start 2022. It’s an exciting year ahead for LYRA, filled with new releases and compelling performances in the coming months.

“More releases are coming which is great. I can’t wait for people to hear my new music because I just love it and doing a lot of festivals so you’ll probably see me popping up everywhere, which is great. Yeah, it’s gonna be bigger and better this year. Definitely.”

LYRA is a diverse and compelling musical artist who is always pushing her sound to the next level. She has a talent for creating exhilarating tunes for listeners to indulge in and the production wizardry of Shane Codd provides us with a fresh take on LYRA’s dazzling songwriting and immersive musicianship.   

Stream ‘Lose My Mind’ Shane Codd remix below 


Author: Danu

A Chat With, Interviews, New Music

A Chat With: Miles Graham

Miles Graham Photo by Colin Gillen


Singer-songwriter Miles Graham has released his new song ‘Yeah We’re Gonna Get Out of It’. The track is the sixth and final song bidding to represent Ireland at Eurovision 2022. Miles is originally from Clondalkin in Dublin and is now based in Co. Sligo. Miles was a guest on Weekend Wogan on BBC Radio 2 in 2015 with the legendary broadcaster Terry Wogan. I caught up with Miles to discuss his new song ahead of The Late Late Show this Friday where the song to represent Ireland will be chosen.

“I had the song written in 2020. There was a few things supposed to happen with it. I’ve been working with a producer Justin Broad in London, and we were working on several different projects and different songs and this was one of the songs where I wrote at home. We were all on a 2k lockdown at the time. Then the kids were singing it here in the background, my young kids at home. They don’t sing all of my songs but they were singing this one. So I decided to record them. They sounded amazing and I just thought I have to record that.Then I had the guts of the song sent over to Justin and he wrote the brass trumpet on it and fully produced it. The song is called Yeah, We’re Gonna Get Out of It and… it’s about the struggles and everything that I was going through and I’m sure a lot of people, musicians, songwriters, people that work in the arts, comedians, you know, that perform on stage, feeling those struggles along with everybody else. I suppose the lyrics lend to all of that. I’ve always had an interest in The Eurovision because it’s a song competition. It’s the biggest song competition in the world. I have always had an interest in Ireland’s entries, the songs and the competition itself. So you know, I would have submitted some songs down through the years. I just thought this song [ would ] be perfect given the concept and the feeling at the time. So I submitted the song back late last year and then I got the call just before Christmas that RTE wanted me to sing it and they wanted me to perform it and they loved the song. Yeah, it was part of the six songs selected to potentially go to the Eurovision in Italy. So here I am.”

Miles’ kid’s sweet voices can be heard in the song as they sing the catchy chorus.

“They’re so excited. We are hip hop fans as well. We like a lot of soul and hip hop stuff and we would basically be all singing different songs going around the house. This is one where we just came together in the moment and recorded it and it was really fun to do. I’m so proud of them. So proud of how everything came out on the track.“

‘Yeah We’re Gonna Get Out of It’ is very different to what people would expect to hear from a Eurovision song entry. It’s an uplifting tune filled with sunny vibes and bouncy keys, jazz moments and a speckle of soul. It’s refreshing to the ears with a fun and positive vibe.

“Yeah, I agree with you. It’s fresh, I mean that for me, if you hear something that’s fresh, that’s something different. I think the competition itself The Eurovision has gotten more diverse in recent years. We had a rock band from Italy [Måneskin] win it last year. You know, there is diversity within the competition now and people would say there are certain Eurovision type songs. But you know, they might not be the ones that are winning it. So I think to have something fresh and something different is very important in a competition to be able to stand out.”

The song features a jubilant brass and trumpet solo which was played by members from Amy Winehouse’s original touring brass ensemble. Miles explained to me how that collaboration came about.

“Yeah, so Justin [Broad] and Paul [Herman] who I was working with, the producers. When they heard the demo that I sent over [with] me and the kids singing here in the house, they were like, we love this track so much and we’d love to do this, we’d love to do that. So they made the call to the guys. Ben Edwards plays the trumpet solo. Yeah, they’ve toured with Amy Winehouse. They’ve got that real soul element to what they do and they obviously bounced off the track really well as well. I’m delighted they [ came ] into the studio in London to record it. That’s one element of the song I really really love, the brass, and trumpet solo.”

Miles will perform the song on The Late Late Show on Friday, February 4th, where a winner will be chosen to progress to Turin, representing Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest. A nerve-wracking performance that unfortunately, won’t feature his kids on stage with him.

“You always get a little bit nervous. I played the Late Late Show before in 2018. So that gives me a little bit of confidence, a bit of an edge, I suppose. I’ve got a little bit of a cold at the moment. So I’m trying to just get past that and I can hopefully, be 100%.  I’m really looking forward to it, you know, just gonna enjoy it as much as I can and hopefully, the song puts a smile on people’s faces and gives that kind of positivity that I had in the room at home when I was writing and recording it with the kids. “

Props and elaborate stage setups are a big thing in The Eurovision. I wondered if Miles found it difficult deciding on what he wanted to do and how he wanted the song visually displayed on stage.

“I had an idea in my head. There are certain challenges that come in when setting up for production to be able to present something in the way you want to present it. But yeah I’m really excited about what we’ve done. I’ll leave the element of surprise for Friday night, but obviously, yeah, with the kids they can’t be on stage because Eurovision rules, they can’t be under the age of 16. There won’t be any kids on stage so we’re trying to, be able to represent them in a different way. “

Along with his bid to represent Ireland in the Eurovision, Miles told me what we can expect from him in the coming months

“ I’ve put out a song with L’Tric a dance track it went out just before Christmas called ‘She Is Gold’. So that’s out on Spotify. That’s actually written about my sister. Keep it all in the family, you know. Yeah, I’m loving that song at the moment. I have a live date in London in The Grace on the sixth of May and I’m hoping to get a couple of gigs here maybe March, April as well. So yeah, we’ll see how things go with the competition, but win or lose on Friday, I just hope people get behind the song. Because I think it’s a special song and it deserves people to hear it and just get the good vibe out there, that’s what we all need”

Miles Graham has been steadily perfecting his craft. The result is a sound that reflects his versatility as an artist. ‘Yeah We’re Gonna Get Out of It’ is a fine example of this and showcases his natural charm and passionate musicianship. 

Miles will be performing ‘Yeah We’re Gonna Get Out of It’ on The Late Late Show this Friday make sure to check it out. Until then you can stream the song below 


Author: Danu