The greatest song ever released by an Irish band?

Recently, after a protracted absence, i got Rollerskate Skinny right back on to my iPod where they belong. And seeing that I've upgraded headphones since the last time, boy did it feel good listening to this at full blast:



It may be the greatest song ever released by an Irish band. Maybe. After this one, which is probably my favourite song of all time:



Funny, because Jimi Shields of Rollerskate Skinny is brother of Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine.

The Holy Roman Army - Daylight Savings Mixtape

Folllowing up their covers EP Desecrations, the Carlow electronica duo have made a mixtape, called Daylight Savings, available through Soundcloud. Featuring Caribou, James Blake and Jose Gonzalez among others. Desecrations is still available for free download at http://theholyromanarmy.bandcamp.com/:as well as covers of Pixies and Pavement, it features a wondrous version of Rollerskate Skinny's 'Speed to my Side' - shivers down the spine, people, I'm not messing.

Daylight Savings Mixtape by theholyromanarmy

10 Classic Irish Albums (5)

ROLLERSKATE SKINNY - Horsedrawn Wishes (1996)

One of the great lost Irish bands, Rollerskate Skinny emerged in the early 90’s with records that garnered much critical acclaim, and though they packed it in after their second album, Horsedrawn Wishes, they still retain a considerable cult following. Their music is an invigorating, hazy, shape-shifting blend of distorted, MBV-like guitar textures (Kevin Shields’ brother Jimi was a drummer in the band for a period), gliding shoegaze washes, power-pop harmonies and melodies that call to mind the Stone Roses.

‘Swingboat Yawning’ and ‘One Thousand Couples’ utilise quiet-loud dynamics with pulverising, warped guitar assaults; ‘Cradle Burns’ is a joyously disorientating pop song, while all the ingredients come to a glorious climax on ‘Speed To My Side’, surely one of the greatest Irish singles ever recorded. They really don’t make them like this anymore: I’ve often said that no one will ever be able to recapture the magic of MBV’s Loveless, but Rollerskate Skinny came pretty damn close.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7qR3hg0Zfw