Dublin’s newest indie-pop band, St Francis have released their new single ‘These Days’.The Dublin four-piece are graduates from BIMM Institute, giving them a huge head start in highlevel live performances and musical sensibilities.So far, the band have released their well-received debut single ‘Over & Over’, which has set the table for These Days to take them to the next level. No strangers to the live scene, St. Francis are booking shows for the rest of the year. The band are just off the back of their pre-release shows at The Grand Social and The Workmans’ Cellar and will soon be announcing more gigs for the upcoming months
‘These Days’ is a luscious guzzle of indie-pop that displays the energetic and irresistible sound of St Francis. The band create a lustrous soundscape of bright guitars, buoyant rhythms and driving bass lines while shimmering synths chime in the background. It’s a heartfelt tune saturated in earworm melodies as the band discuss the complexities of relationships through refined musicianship and expressive songwriting. ‘These Days’ is a joy to listen to and beckons repeat plays, and is a fine example of the exciting sound of St Francis. Looking forward to hearing more from this talented band.
On These Days, frontman Will Ryan said: “These Days is an important song for us, not just because of the meaning and arrangement, but because it was the first time we got to be a band in the studio. Forming just before the pandemic meant we had to wait a little longer to really show what St. Francis is about, and we can’t wait for people to finally hear that”.
Driven Snow have released their debut single, ‘Trying’. Little by little Driven Snow began to emerge in the shape of a collection of songs that are at odds with, yet informed by, their collective musical outings (Kieran as a lynchpin of Delorentos and Emily as a vocalist with Republic of Loose and Stars On Fire). The pair decamped (with children, grandparents and all) to Donegal, taking their musical sketches up to Tommy McLaughlin’s Attica Studios (Villagers, S.O.A.K., Pillow Queens) and encouraging them to grow into simple, gentle tunes with a big heart and a common soul.
With just gentle guitar accompaniment and lush harmonies ‘Trying’ is a beautiful piece of music that displays Driven Snow’s ability to express emotion through delicate instrumentation and meaningful songwriting. The spacious elements within the song gently draw the listener into the track’s ethereal soundscapes and expansive atmosphere while the soft buoyant rhythms add a bite and lift to the song. The track slowly builds throughout while the sweet tone of Kieran and Emily’s vocals coo lyrics that deal with anxiety and yearning to overcome the fears we all experience while navigating through life. The duo gracefully translate these feelings through a few short yet powerfully evocative words “My dreams get dark at three am and I’m not so zippy, like I pretend but I am trying”.
‘Trying’ is a charming tune that provides an exciting glimpse into the talent of Driven Snow. Looking forward to hearing more little gems from this duo.
Ten Hands High have released their new single ‘i don’t need a lobster’.Based in London, made in Leeds, Ten Hands High’s sound has evolved drastically since their inception in 2019. They have consistently sold-out headline shows in their two hometowns and have supported bands like Glass Caves and Luna Bay. Jack Saunders of BBC Radio 1 called their debut EP’s lead single called Sweet, “euphoric”. The band have been played on regional BBC Introducing, 6Music’s BBC Introducing Mixtape and Radio X’s X-Posure, as well as being featured on playlists like Spotify’s Students Union and Amazon’s Fresh Indie.
‘’i don’t need a lobster’ is a laid back listening experience that oozes sweet earworm melodies, sleek instrumentation and sunkissed tones. R&B elements twinkle between a luminous indie-pop soundscape while the lyrics suggest instead of putting pressure on the idea of a soul-mate, be present in a relationship and what will happen, will happen. ‘i don’t need a lobster’ is a fresh catchy tune that is a joy to listen to again and again. Enjoy.
How an artist chooses to portray their music within the live setting can add an exciting facet to their sound that allows listeners to experience the artist’s music in a whole new way. Such an experience occurred last Saturday when Daniel Fitzpatrick aka Badhands delivered a stunning performance of his new album ‘Far Away’ along with some of his beloved hits during his headline show at Whelan’s Dublin.
Support act Anderson took to the stage andassured the crowd saying “You never know I might be someone special. And you’ll never know if you’re not listening and you’ll never be able to say I was there. Trust me, inside info, you’re in the presence of someone f**king special” before delving into tender tunes that oozed elements of pop, country and indie. Anderson is the solo venture of Daniel Anderson, a charming musician who has the remarkable ability to hush the chattering of a crowd and enthral them with his witty banter and sweet melodies. “I’m here for Dan to celebrate his album launch just like you. I’d appreciate any applause you have saved up for him to share a bit with me and also attention if you could share a bit of that sh*t, always goes down well”. On the nightAnderson’s songs and tongue in cheek humour went down a treat, especially the short and melodically lush ‘I’ll get back to you when I’ve Got Nothing Better To Do’ and ‘Cecilia’s Sister Medley’ which musically pays homage to Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘Cecilia’ and The Beatles ‘Get Back’ in the most spectacular way. It was a fun and light-hearted set with songs that not only showcased lush melodies and bright tones but lyrical substance as well.
The resounding rhythmic stomp of ‘They Know You Better’ announced the beginning of Badhands‘ terrific set. With the full band behind him, the set was a sprawling raucous affair. Each song came to life and overflowed with vibrant kinetic energy within the live setting. The tender ‘When I Think About You’ and ‘Quiet and Still’ filled the venue with swoon-worthy tempos, sensual bass grooves, twinkling keys and hip-swaying rhythms. On the album these songs exude a more delicate persona, however, live, they became dynamic and expressive – a nice surprise for all present on the night.
The band onstage ( Chris Barry, Tom Cosgrave, Aoife Ruth, Ken Mooney, and David Tapley ) played their instruments with admirable finesse and perfectly complemented Daniel Fitzpatrick’s warm vocal delivery through heartfelt melodies and rich musicianship filled with thrilling guitar riffs, rhythmic drum manoeuvres and wonderful violin embellishments. The crowd lapped up the energy, some embraced and sang as they swayed to songs from the artist’s EP project ‘Oceans’, (which was inspired by the unique nature of each of the world’s five oceans).
Badhands put on a show to remember, and an unexpected encore delivered a memorable moment for the audience. Daniel Fitzpatrick returned to the stage with violinist Aoife Ruth after chants for “one more tune” to perform a time-stopping performance that left the crowd in awe. It was a magical end to a night of exquisite music. Looking forward to seeing Badhands live again soon.
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 upthere 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 newmusic 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.
Cork-based singer-songwriter SAL has released her new single, ‘Bullet in the Heart’.‘Bullet in the Heart’ was co-written by SAL with the late Scott English (writer of ‘Mandy’). It is the first release under the SAL pseudonym, as well as the first release since SAL signed a publishing deal with prestigious West Cork-based publishing company, AtSongs, and a management deal with London-based Charlie B Management. Having unveiled a host of new material at Liverpool Irish Festival in 2021, SAL is ready to perform her new songs, with live shows in Ireland (Whelan’s, Dublin 5th May; and Cyprus Avenue, Cork 2nd June) as well as opening for Mica Paris at Woolwich Works, London on 23rd April, and a 12-date tour of Germany through May.
‘Bullet in the Heart’ is a sweet 80’s infused alternative pop tune that surges with rich musicianship and irresistible melodies. SAL drifts her supple vocals over a dreamy melody while punctuated beats and shimmering synths flesh out the glittering backdrop. There is a soft sun-kissed atmosphere within the track as SAL uses rich electronic textures, warm guitar embellishments and R&B tones throughout – highlighting SAL’s deft musical prowess and emotive songwriting. Boasting glorious soundscapes ‘Bullet in the Heart’ is a joy to listen to and a sublime new single from SAL.
About the track, SAL said: “It’s a song about resilience in the face of loneliness and being in love…while still being fearless of all that life throws at you in the midst of chaos”.
Manchester-based Freeda are set to release their new single ’Better On Your Own’ via Ditto Music.Formed in 2017, Freeda spent their formative years establishing themselves in their hometown, building a committed following and selling out headline shows along the way. Highlights so far include selling out their headline slot at the iconic Deaf Institute in Manchester, playing numerous festivals including Y Not Festival, Tramlines, Dot 2 Dot and 110 Above, and amassing over 500,000 views across social media platforms for their series of videos “The Corona Sessions”. 2019 also saw the band start up a production partnership with highly acclaimed production duo Sugar House.
Drenched in sparkling indie-pop melodies and sleek musicianship, ‘Better On Your Own’ is a stunning new single from Freeda. The band elevate this jaunty number with washes of ethereal synths while driving drums and bass grooves creates a body moving foundation. Freeda are becoming known for their hook-laden tunes and ‘Better On Your Own’ follows this trend superbly. The track is an immersive experience that is a joy to listen to again and again. With a catchy sing-along chorus and lush melodies teamed with sharp guitar riffs, the song is an energetic blast of anthemic indie rock.
Corner Boy have returned with their highly anticipated new single ‘Blackstairs Winter Snow’.The track is the first single to be released from Corner Boy’s upcoming debut album. This rhythm-driven anthem rushes with heartfelt songwriting, invigorating melodies and glorious instrumentation. Corner Boy blends the rush of indie rock with traditional elements and soft country twangs to create a rich and lively listening experience. The song escalates from a brooding, sparsely arranged intro to pulsing rhythmic verses and a full-bodied chorus before moving into a kinetic crescendo filled with strings, stomping drums and guitar embellishments. Showcasing warm vocals and adrenaline-induced instrumentation, ‘Blackstairs Winter Snow’ is a breathtaking new single from Corner Boy.
Bradley Marshall has released his first official single ‘Make Believe’. Dublin based artist-songwriter Bradley Marshall has garnered a big following across social media by posting heartfelt, soulful videos singing a mix of both covers and self-penned songs.
‘Make Believe’ surges with cinematic melodies as Bradley Marshall displays his earnest songwriting in all its glory. This emotive ballad exudes passion, tenderness and a sweet piano melody as Marshall tenderly croons “So just hold me like you know me, like I was part of your story, are you scared of being lonely just like me“ over a building backdrop of ambient soundscapes and pulsing beats. The track is a musical treat that is a joy to listen to and beckons repeat plays. ‘Make Believe’ is a compelling single from Marshall. Looking forward to hearing more from this artist.
Speaking of the track Marshall said: “I can’t wait to show people what I can do. I wanted to write a song that people could relate to, and I think I did that with ‘Make Believe’. Connecting with people through my music is important to me. I feel this is the ideal way to start my journey”
The Bloodstreams have released their new single ‘Clockwork Man’.The Bloodstream are a four-piece alt-rock group from South East London formed in 2019. The band started their writing and recording process before their first show as a band, creating songs such as ‘Bed of Nails’ and ‘Columbine’, both of which were released last year. With three songwriters in the group, the result is a fusion of classic rock, pop and heavy grunge styles.
Featuring slick guitar manoeuvres, and oodles of energy, ‘Clockwork Man’ boasts the swaggered sound of The Bloodstreams. The track travels on hook-filled riffs and driving basslines while punchy rhythms create a buoyant foundation as the band venture between 60’s tones and alternative rock flirtations. The Bloodstreams showcase their catchy musicianship through this radiant ditty as the sing-along chorus and powerful vocals ensure the song stays in your head all day while saxophone and trumpet embellishments keep the song fresh and diverse. ‘Clockwork Man’ is a bright and upbeat song with witty lyrics that display the charming and fun sound of The Bloodstreams.
Stream ‘Clockwork Man’ below
Author: Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
