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Friday, August 28, 2009

New Massive Attack EP in October


Anybody heading to see Massive Attack in the Olympia (October 6/7) will have some new material to look forward to. A new EP, Splitting the Atom, will be released on October 5th, and features a stellar line-up of guest vocalists: along with regular collaborator Horace Andy, the EP will also include contributions from Martina Topley-Bird, TV On The Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe and Elbow’s Guy Garvey. Two of the tracks will be remixed versions. Sounds like exciting stuff.

And for anyone in two minds about whether or not those Olympia gigs are worth the steep asking price (49 euro), Massive Attack’s performance at Electric Picnic 2006 remains one of this writer’s favourite live shows.

Track-listing from the EP:
01 Splitting the Atom [ft. The 3D, Daddy G, and Horace Andy]
02 Pray for Rain [ft. Tunde Adebimpe]
03 Psyche [remix] [ft. Martina Topley Bird]
04 Bulletproof Love [remix] [ft. Guy Garvey]

HEALTH Live Session


Those good folks at Daytrotter have a new session available to download from LA noise-rock band HEALTH. It features three songs in total, including two from new album Get Colour, which will be released next month. Other recent sessions include Deerhoof and Mew. Check them out:

http://www.daytrotter.com/

R.E.M. to release 'Live at the Olympia' set


They’re quite fond of Ireland, R.E.M.. Having already released the R.E.M. Live set (recorded at the Point Theatre) back in 2007, they’re now set to release a 2CD document of their five-night ‘working rehearsals’ stand in the Olympia in the same year. Now I tend to give live albums a wide berth generally, but just check out the tracklisting:

01 Living Well Is the Best Revenge
02 Second Guessing
03 Letter Never Sent
04 Staring Down the Barrel of the Middle Distance
05 Disturbance at the Heron House
06 Mr. Richards
07 Houston
08 New Test Leper
09 Cuyahoga
10 Electrolite
11 Man-Sized Wreath
12 So. Central Rain
13 On the Fly
14 Maps and Legends
15 Sitting Still
16 Driver 8
17 Horse to Water
18 I'm Gonna DJ
19 Circus Envy
20 These Days
21 Drive
22 Feeling Gravity's Pull
23 Until the Day Is Done
24 Accelerate
25 Auctioneer
26 Little America
27 1,000,000
28 Disguised
29 The Worst Joke Ever
30 Welcome to the Occupation
31 Carnival of Sorts
32 Harborcoat
33 Wolves, Lower
34 I've Been High
35 Kohoutek
36 West of the Fields
37 Pretty Persuasion
38 Romance
39 Gardening at Night

‘Harborcoat’? ‘Disturbance at the Heron House’? ‘Gardening at Night’? ‘Kohouek’?!? I’ll have some of that! As well as that, of course, you’ll get the chance to hear songs from last year’s Accelerate at their early stages of development.

A special edition will add a DVD featuring recorded footage of the gigs and behind-the-scenes action. R.E.M. Live at the Olympia will be released on October 27th.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Tunes of the Week


1. Giveamanakick – ‘Borrowed Time’

The very sad news was announced on Monday that the gas-mask-toting hard rock duo are no more. Criminally underappreciated, as so many great Irish artists are and have been down the years, they leave behind a fine legacy, including this ferocious workout from third album Welcome to the Cusp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsBUGm5YCzA

2. Lightning Bolt – ‘Colossus’

Aptly named lead track from long-awaited fifth album Earthly Delights. Relentless and visceral, it’s vintage Lightning Bolt. Free download available on Pitchfork.

http://pitchfork.com/news/36247-premiere-lightning-bolt-colossus/

3. Dawn Landes – ‘Romeo’

The Kentucky-born singer-songwriter will support Okkervil River in Galway the same day as her fourth album, Sweetheart Rodeo, is released. Lead single ‘Romeo’ is a breezy, jaunty taster.

http://www.myspace.com/dawnlandes

4. Jaydiohead – ‘Song and Cry’

The excellent Jay Z/Radiohead mash-up now has an encore: this is the wondrous highlight, seamlessly mixing ‘Song Cry’ and ‘High and Dry’. Free download:

http://jaydiohead.com/?jh=ENCORE

5. Japandroids – ‘Sovereignty’

The joyous garage rock rush of Post-Nothing continues to dazzle. '’It’s raining in Vancouver / But I don’t give a fuck / Cos I’m far from home tonight...’’

http://www.myspace.com/japandroids

6. The Phantom Band – ‘Folk Song Oblivion’

Deliriously catchy indie anthem from the touted Glaswegian band. Like a less mawkish Frightened Rabbit.

http://www.myspace.com/thephantombandpage


7. Bibio – ‘Lovers’ Carvings’

Sublime stand-out from one of the more eclectic releases of the year, Ambivalence Avenue.

http://www.myspace.com/mrbibio

8. Wild Beasts – ‘The Fun Powder Plot’

They’ve toned down their more histrionic excesses for second album Two Dancers, but still manage to come up with possibly the lyrical couplet of the year (‘’This is a booty call / My boot, my boot, my boot, up your asshole...’’) on this atmospheric opening track.

http://www.myspace.com/wildbeasts

9. David Geraghty – ‘It Won’t Belong’

Haunting standout track from Geraghty’s debut album, with echoes of Nick Cave. Geraghty returns with a second album, The Victory Dance, to be released next week, and tours in September.

http://www.myspace.com/davidgeraghty

10. Outkast - 'B.O.B.'

Voted by Pitchfork as the greatest track of the last decade. The full 500-strong list is up on their website.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P9gGsMNky8&feature=related

..............

Spotify playlist:

spotify:user:haribodis:playlist:6F15MlJwQWKshgOiUiQ5lU

Dawn Landes to support Okkervil River


Critically acclaimed folk-rockers Okkervil River are one of the bands on this year’s Electric Picnic bill, but for those unwilling to shell out for a weekend in Stradbally, they’ll also be playing a show in Galway’s Roisin Dubh the following Monday. As if that wasn’t mouth-watering enough, Dawn Landes has been added as support; the Kentucky-born singer-songwriter is one of the finest purveyors of Americana/alt-country around at the moment. She’ll be playing tracks from her fourth album, Sweetheart Rodeo, which will be released that very day. The first single from the album, the delightful ‘Romeo’, can currently be heard on her MySpace.

http://www.myspace.com/dawnlandes

Josh Ritter to tour in October


Adopted Irishman Josh Ritter returns in October for a series of shows around the country. He’ll be joined by the Love Canon String Band, and his three shows at Whelan’s will each focus on a separate album: The Golden Age Of Radio, Hello Starling and The Animal Years respectively. Personally, I’m still a sucker for The Golden Age. Ritter’s fifth album should be released in early 2010.

Dates:

15th October - The Pavillion, Cork
17th October - Balor Theatre, Ballybofey, Co.Donegal
18th October - Empire ballrom, Belfast
20th October - Riverbank Hotel, Wexford
21st October - Whelans, Dublin (Golden Age Of Radio night)
22nd October - Whelans, Dublin (Hello Starling night)
23rd October - Whelans, Dublin (Animal Years night)
24th October - Sea Theatre, Kilkenny
25th October - Clary Church, Sligo (part of the Sligo Live Festival)

Tickets on sale eh..today! Friday 21st August.

http://www.myspace.com/joshritter

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

New Electric Picnic additions


The Electric Picnic is now three weeks away, and an extra 16 acts have been announced for the three-day festival. Passion Pit, who played one of the sets of the weekend at Oxegen and who’ve released one of the albums of the year (the infectious Manners), are now added to the line-up, as well as David Geraghty (see the post below), hotly-tipped London four-piece the xx, and David Kitt.
The full list:

Passion Pit
the xx
Luciano presents Aether
Our Fold
David Kitt
8Ball
David Geraghty
The Hacker
Optimo DJs
Switch
Zombie Nation
Duke Dumont
Aeroplane DJs
Ebony Bones
Arveene and Misk
Japanese Popstars

We’ll have a little preview of the festival - and our tips on who to see - pretty soon.

David Geraghty returns to action with a 'Victory Dance'


Easily one of the best Irish albums of the decade, David Geraghty's 2007 debut album Kill Your Darlings was a delightful surprise. Taking time out from his day-job as multi-instrumentalist member of Bell X1, he crafted a stunningly accomplished record that found room for haunting, sparse atmospherics, alternately wistful and wracked folk tunes, and one rousing hoedown in 'Kaleidoscope'.

Geraghty's second album, titled The Victory Dance, is released on Friday, August 28, preceded by the lead track, 'Tuesday's Feet', which is available online now. He'll also be touring the country, starting with an appearance at the Electric Picnic.

Tour dates:

Saturday 5 September Electric Picnic, Stradbally, Co. Laois

Wednesday 9 September The Pavilion, Cork

Friday 11 September The Roisin Dubh, Galway

Saturday 12 September Upstairs, Dolans, Limerick

Sunday 13 September De Barra’s, Clonakilty, Cork

Tuesday 15 September The Spirit Store, Dundalk

Wednesday 16 September The Button Factory, Dublin


Gotta say I'm looking forward to this one.