The Eulogys - Ambergris and Tigerblood

I’m sorry to say that this CD has been sitting in the ‘To Do’ pile for a long time, and it’s a shame that the D hasn’t mentioned something about locals The Eulogys sooner. However, this reviewer will now rectify their absence with a look at their recently released EP, Ambergris and Tigerblood.

Hailing from Cork and, like many other talented home-grown musicians, now based in Dublin, The Eulogys is the new project masterminded by Mr. Kenny Hyland. A talented singer and pianist, Hyland possess some very strong pop sensibilities and this is showcased here on his self-recorded and produced EP.

The CD opens with Bouquets which, like a lot of The Eulogys music, is very much piano driven. It’s almost like a ‘just about’ restrained orchestral piece. Hyland’s Matt Bellamy-esque vocal taking the place of the strings, brass and percussion, as he sings of the complications and uncertainties of a failing relationship is the real hook of this song. So let’s just put it out there, Hyland seems very much pre-occupied with love and ladies and the second track, Trees in the Painting does nothing to disprove this theory. The high register vocals are present here again, along with the piano but the real drive is the off kilter percussion.

Closer De Profundis takes the sound in a slightly different direction to the other two tracks by dropping the piano and picking up the guitar, and in this reviewers opinion, the track is the strongest on the EP. All the bravado that went along with the piano is shrugged off here and it makes the track more immediate, personal and much sweeter.

Overall, the EP showcases a raw talent. There are moments of beauty on the CD, and moments where, when the production quality slightly falters, the veneer of beauty is slightly dullened. That said, and as I just mentioned, this EP shows off Kenny’s talent in both song writing and composition. One to check out and definitely one to watch.

Drop-D Rating: 7/10

You can download Ambergris and Tigerblood for free from The Eulogys Bandcamp page here.

Published on Drop-D.ie - 15th August, 2011

Nick Lowe - The Old Magic

Very often, it’s hard for this reviewer to stop himself from searching for the ‘point’ of an album, for the place of a band in the musical sphere, where they’re going, what they want and where they came from. So sometimes, this reviewer will not listen for a genuinely nice piece of music, but instead search for its relevance.

Well, in this case, Nick Lowe’s album, ‘The Old Magic’, is one occasion where it’s pointless to look for what this album is trying to say, and where Mr. Lowe is trying to get himself. Nick, as he sings on Checkout Time, is sixty-one years old, he’s a New Yorker who has been writing music for forty years, and has been constantly releasing material all that time.

To me, this is just a very nice album, free from the world conquering ambition that tends to plague a lot of newer bands. Its folk/rock tinged and its lazy tightness reminds the listener of the experience and skill of Lowe and his backing band. It’s a perfect record for a Sunday morning.

There’s not much more to say about Nick Lowe’s, The Old Magic and to not tar the record with the same brush I used on Blanck Mass a couple of weeks ago, I’d implore you to check it out yourself. Definitely one this reviewer would recommend. Just don’t try and think too hard about it.

Drop-D Rating : 6/10

Published on Drop-D.ie - 15th August, 2011

Hurray For The Riff Raff - Hurray For The Riff Raff

Sometimes the term ‘Americana’ doesn’t seem like a genre that we’d be terribly familiar with and its name alone almost suggests that it wouldn’t be a genre that would stand up in our country. But with its origins in folk and blues, we are in fact very much familiar with ‘Americana’ as a genre, and Hurray for the Riff Raff is indeed a perfect slice of everything you would consider the genre to be. Right down to the biography of the band. It reads;

Hurray For The Riff Raff began when a teenage Alyndra Lee Segarra started hopping freight trains across the USA to satisfy a yearning to explore its mythical small towns and backwaters…She hooked up with The Dead Man Street Orchestra, a home-made family of young, itinerant music makers living on the edge of the American dream.

That says it all really. The heart of this music is placed in the romantic dreams of turn of the century America with its wide, open plains barren save for the railroads and it’s sparsely populated towns.

It’s easy to be cynical about the foundation myth of the band, after all, I come from a very cynical country. However, once I put my cynical tendencies aside, what’s left behind is a beautiful body of music, spanning two albums, and five years of chasing the American dream. Well, in name at least.


The album opens with ‘Meet Me In The Morning’, a instrumental that sounds like it should accompany a love scene from a turn of the century silent film, and it leads into the album’s strongest song, ‘Is That You?’. Frontwoman, Alyndra, croons over banjo strums and the drones of an accordion, “I saw your ghost at the grocery” being the lead sentiment of the song. Toms and snare bang in and out, taking the track up and down as the accordion grows ever more frenzied.

In one of the dips of the song, Alyndra lifts a verse from the great, troubled singer Daniel Johnston and his song, ‘Some Things Last A Long Time’. She sings, “Your picture, is still, on my wall. The colours, are bright, as ever”. As a fan of Daniel Johnston, I’m happy to see his music influencing more musicians, and references to him seem to be a rite of passage, (see Kurt Kobain, Conor Oberst).

‘Is That You?’ is a beautiful start to an album, but sadly, the rest of the record stays in the same vein. Songs like Daniella, Little Things, and Take Me are quite lovely, and add to the atmosphere, but the album refuses to go anywhere new. Don’t get me wrong, Hurray For The Riff Raff is a marvelous album, beautifully crafted, and doesn’t possess a single disappointing song. But I feel that it’s more of a coffee table album, an album for the background that doesn’t require a lot of attention.

I will listen to this album again, as a fan of the Americana genre, and I will enjoy it. But not because Hurray For The Riff Raff have opened my mind up to something new, but because I’ve heard it all before.

Drop-D Rating: 8/10

Published on Drop-D.ie on April 20th 2011

Toy Soldier - An Réalt Dearg, April 10th

Local electro-pop champions Toy Soldier performed in the intimate setting of Barrack Street’s An Réalt Dearg last Sunday night as a warm-up show for the myriad of appearances that await them in the coming months.

The show was divided in two, the first was a stripped back, most acoustic orientated set but it still maintained a good deal of the electronic elements that the band are known for. The set was eight songs long and encompassed all the best parts of their full on set, as well as a few new tracks to keep things fresh. Songs like Goldigger, Summertime, and new track Run stand out, the third being perhaps the most recent addition to the set and led entirely by singer Ciara. The purpose of these stripped down songs is to prepare the band for an appearance in Los Angeles’ infamous Viper Room next week as the Soldiers march off to the states for a string of shows on the West Coast. The shrewd use of programming, perfectly harmonising vocals, and incredible guitar precision show that the band are sure to impress in the highly competitive atmosphere of the City of Angels.

Once the acoustic set was concluded, the crowd were treated to the full on Toy Soldier set. We were met with the true heart of the pop aficionados, and they are truly in their element when they’re fully electronic. Nothing against the more stripped back material, but Toy Soldier were made to get you grooving with their incredibly energetic, synth-pop swagger. They have a beautifully constructed set list, with intro music that leads seamlessly into the opening track, We Are Soldiers. The band’s past releases , Battles and Climbing Trees drop in and out of the set and hold their own with new tracks like My Oh My and Heat. The flow of the set is absolutely perfect, and the lucky few who saw them are treated to an encore in the form of So Far Away, a glittering way to end the evening.

I also picked up a copy of the band’s current single, Sunset Girl, which is a brilliantly infectious track. Edgy synth lines run throughout the song as Cian and Ciara’s vocals intertwine expertly, adding a nice depth to the light-hearted gem that the song is. The band released the track last month and it came in conjunction with a beautiful music video. It was shot by local director Shaun O’ Connor, whose previous work includes videos from Exit: Pursued By A Bear, Ladydoll, and local rap hero, Grandmaster Cash. The quality of the video is incredibly high, and the slow movements of the camera make a nice contrast to the upbeat track. The video is linked below, and you can find more of his work at www.shaunoconnor.com.

Well, in summary, Toy Soldier are perhaps one of the most enjoyable live acts I have seen locally in a long time. They are experts at their craft, and the quality of their material, both live and on record, is something to be marvelled at. Definitely a band to check out. Links below.

http://www.myspace.com/toysoldier

http://www.facebook.com/toysoldierband

Published on Drop-D.ie, April 12th, 2011

Bibio - Mind Bokeh

Mind Bokeh (pronounced ‘bouquet’) is the new album from the British music producer Bibio, aka Steve Wilkinson. An electronic artist, Bibio his draws influence from Boards of Canada, and other Warp artists, where he releases his music. Given his peers and his history as a producer, a lot was expected from his most recent effort, and he doesn’t disappoint.

Mind Bokeh opens with the track Excuses. Chimes ping in the distance, and synths drip and patter as the song kicks off. As the edgy bassline and percussion begin to build up, Wilkinson enters with a low, effected, and almost hushed vocal, “How was I, supposed to know”. Excuses is a dark track that doesn’t exactly peak, but is content staying in the groove until the end. The real kick comes with the Reprise at the end of the track after a moments silence giving a more energetic feel that harks back to the sounds that came before it. Pretentious is the track that follows and it’s a much more funky number, with a staggered, off-time beat. There are signs of some Latin, Caribbean and Motown musical influences in the synths, percussion and percussion respectively. Funk and groove are big features of the earlier tracks, and Anything New is guilty of this too. You can hear similar influences that can be heard in early Jay-Z and Kanye West material in this song, but Wilkinson’s vocal keeps us grounded in the present. Wake Up! combines the sentiments of the earlier tracks with an Arabic/Eastern vibe, but Light Sleep brings us right back to the groove again. Light Sleep is the climax of the earlier portion of the album in terms of style. The percussion of the track never really breaks out fully, Wah-Wah guitars, lead basslines, and jazzy synth parts make it somewhat of jazz/funk odyssey.

Once the album hits the sixth track, there’s a serious shift in style. The funk play style is out the window, and the heavier, power chord guitars enter, along with the dance beats. It’s almost like a different group. Take Off Your Shirt is a track worthy of dance floors everywhere, sounding like a rockier version of tracks by DJs such as David Guetta and his ilk. The next song, Artist’s Valley, is one of the more artistic tracks one the album. A semi-punk-pop guitar line gives an introduction, and it leads the way for staggering, stumbling electronic drums and effected, harmonising vocals. K Is For Kelson allows the sunnier elements from earlier in the album to seep back in briefly, but the elegant and moody synths return with the title track, Mind Bokeh. The album’s namesake doesn’t stay long, and seems to serve as an intro for More Excuses, the more mature, older brother of the LP opener. Driven by acoustic guitar picking, a hopping bass, and light percussion, the lyrics of the track seem to be its centrepiece. The ‘excuses’ that are sung about seem to be the only topic of any depth in the album, although this depth is only alluded to as Wilkinson seems perfectly content in the instrumentation and groove that wins out in the LP rather than introspection. And as if Bibio read my mind, the track that follows, Feminine Eye, is the perhaps the most laidback of the album.

Clearly the confidence of Bibio lies in the lighter, funkier material and there’s nothing wrong with that. On a personal level, after a number of listens to the album, I began to find some of the earlier tracks tedious and identified more with the more subtle material.

But those criticisms aside, Mind Bokeh is an incredibly enjoyable album and the stand-out tracks have to be Take Off Your Shirt, Artist’s Valley, and the duo of Excuses and More Excuses. Bibio’s album ranges expertly from introversion to extraversion in a very natural way and it spans a lot of genres. Without a doubt there’s something is this album for everyone.

Drop-d Rating: 8/10

Published on Drop-D.ie, April 8th, 2011

Thirteen Senses - Crystal Sounds

Thirteen Senses are an Indie/Melodic band from Cornwall and have just released their third album, Crystal Sounds on their own, B-Sirius, label. It follows up what they have described as “a difficult second album” and features finished tracks of demos they had released the middle of last year. I had heard of the band before, first through their popular track Into The Fire which featured on episodes of The 4400 amongst others. That, combined with a brief look in on them at a festival a while back, I was very interested to see how they would follow up, “the difficult second album”.

The album opens with the title track Crystal Sounds. On their Facebook page, the band themselves say the opener “Like riding a wave of pure diamonds, it’s one to sweep you up and take you away”. It’s a euphoric track that puts one in mind of the Danish band Mew what with the opening reverberating handclaps and vocal harmonies. It shows the development of a more mature sound for the band, and vocalist Will South seems to know it as he opens with the lyric “A little wiser now”. The drums kick in and the song enters its top gear but still retains its choral tendencies as strings and pianos join in to give the track an almost epic quality. A brilliant start to the album, and definitely one of its best. The next track, and first single from the album, The Loneliest Star, carries on in the same manner with big vocals although it’s a bit more to the point than the opener. Up-tempo kick and snare hits bring you in combined with an ethereal pad and South’s introspective love lyrics, “At the end of time, I will hold you in my arms again”, keep the band still somewhat within the Indie mentality, while the instrumentation pushes them forward towards something with a lot more depth.

Next follows the second single from the album, Home. It’s a slightly more bland track that the previous ones. Don’t get me wrong, it still carries the same elements as the two openers, choirs, keys and large sounding guitars, but the execution here is a bit lacking. I wondered if the more standard indie stylings were creeping into the album and sure enough, the album starts to lose it and starts to stagnate a bit. Imagine Life and Suddenly follow suit and seem to follow tracks that have worked for them in the past such as their biggest track, Into The Fire, from their previous album. Again, it’s not that there’s anything wrong with that style, it’s just that the album started out with such potential and I was a bit disappointed not to see them keep things interesting.

There are glimmers of hope later in the album however. Animals is a beautiful track. The pattering of a distant arpeggiator, echoing guitars, and a graceful lead bassline are the core of the first half of the song. The first half fades, and the band add layers and layers of instruments on top of an elegant piano line and it builds to a euphoric climax worthy of Coldplay and Sigur Ros. This is the essence of the depth that was hinted at earlier in the album. I Saw Stars Disappear hints at this too, as does the album closer, Out There. This track is by far the biggest sounding on the album, and is a natural closer with is grandiose string arrangements and its monumental aura.

The album also features 3 bonus tracks and the first of these, Send Myself To Sleep, is a largely acoustic number. However, the orchestral pieces feature again and the track benefits greatly from it making it incredibly sweet. The third of the extra tracks, In The Crowding, is another track that stands out and strikes a good balance between the Indie and Melodic elements of the music. For me, that’s the main point to make about the album. It hovers between the ever-dating, average, alternative side, and the larger sounding, progressive tones. At times, one side favours, then the other side favours, but the band really shine when they hit the balance in tracks like Crystal Sounds, The Loneliest Star, and In The Crowding. Thirteen Senses are really pushing the boat out with this album, in terms of depth, lyricism and instrumentation. Definitely one to check out.

Drop-d Rating: 7/10

Published on Drop-D.ie, April 4th, 2011

Vita - Oh The Beautiful Bovine

Vita are an incredibly interesting band and they’ve just released their debut LP, Oh The Beautiful Bovine.. Fronted by ex-Ilya K guitarist Niall Cuddihy, their music still carries a good deal of their charm. I must say, I was a big Ilya-K fan back when they were together. Went to many a gig, and devoured their LP, Anaesthesia ad Infinitum, when it came out so I was interested to see where Niall would take their sound. As it turns out, he’s taken it in a pretty natural direction. The album still has the stompy guitars and crashing drums of DeKay’s sound, but the classical, folk and electronic elements that were seeping into Ilya K’s later material have found their home on this record.

The album opens with the heavy ManFaith. The pattering arpeggiator that begins the track hides the battering that follows. A brooding, quasi-blues riff heads up the verses here, with lead singer Niall almost groaning his lyrics over the instrumentation, “I bruise like a fallen angel”. The vocals, mixed with the guitars reminds me of Mark Lanegan era Queens of the Stone Age. Next up is the introspective My Father’s Mean, which takes the emotional tone of the album right down to the ground from the heady opener. Indeed the album in general mixes the pounding of Niall’s Ilya K work with the more tender and emotional work the features throughout the LP.

The third track, Runner Beans, keeps the atmosphere edgy and ethereal. Samples spin off behind a whirling organ and it segways into the brilliant Ray Davies Sais. For me, this is the stand out track on the album. The “Na Na Na Na Na Naaa” chorus and pumping verses drive the track along in a really strong way, with guitars that stab in here and there to give it more edge. The beautiful Hazeldark soon follows. It sits at only a minute and a half, but it’s grace and elegance stay long after. I found myself going back to this simple track again and again. Niall sings“Dream afresh now your past has died, simply goes when theres love inside” and this just goes to further the introspective side of the album that contrasts the brash tracks that balance it.

Stand out tracks for me have to be ManFaith, Ray Davies Sais and Hazeldark although there are moments in album that are a bit lacking for me. I found myself humming a vocal line in the song Dirty Silhouette and a vocal never came. Not that that’s a big problem, but I felt there were not enough full on songs in the album and a few too many instrumentals for my liking. That said, having been a fan of Niall’s previous work, I was quite impressed with the album, and as an album in itself, it works beautifully. Definitely one to check out. You can download the album from their Soundcloud page.

Drop-D Rating: 7/10

Published on Drop-D.ie, April 1st, 2011

Longjaw - ...like a dog

Maybe it’s just me, maybe it’s inaccurate searching, or maybe its the fault of the band but I can find precious little background information for the Dublin-based Longjaw at the release of their debut electronic/shoegaze LP …like a dog. Their Bandcamp page, where the entire album can be downloaded free of charge, seems to be the only presence the band hold on the net. That, I must say, is a serious shame because …like a dog is such an evocative release that shows a lot of potential and the band need to do a bit more to get it out there.

The album holds such a strong groove at the outset. The opening duo of …the world screamed and Frankie’s Song place the album firmly in the electronic/dubstep category with distorted and melodic vocal tracks, combining with tight drum sampling. From the third track however, the album then seems to taper off slightly. The vocal quality falters, as does the instrumentation, and the album eventually becomes balanced between it’s flawless and dodgy elements. The tracks New Year and fake Emo Ghost are good examples of the this duality. Similarly, the closing tracks, (trashed in) Paradise and Ghostworld, suffer from some serious tempo and vocal issues.

The production of the album is decidely lo-fi and that seems to be an intentional move by the band. The record, like the artwork that accompanies it, hovers between childish and charming, and I can’t quite decide which it is. The music is laid back and chilled, and the production mirrors that, adding to the atmosphere of the LP. The style of the art and production do give a sense of the album and this can hardly be seen as a negative aspect of the band but I feel the quality issues need to be addressed for them to progress.

That said, Longjaw show a lot of potential for their genre and …like a dog is a very good first step. I look forward to hearing where they go next.

Drop-D Rating: 5/10

Published on Drop-D.ie, 31st March, 2011

Bl_ck R_b_ts - Farewell Black Robots

It’s a testament to the nature of receiving new music these days that the first thing I did when I went to review Bl_ck R_b_ts’ album – Farewell Black Robots was to Google their name.

I was greeted with tale after tale concerning the band’s recent history, and in particular, the trouble concerning their name. To cut a long story short, Bl_ck R_b_ts dropped the ‘a’s and added the underscores to prevent confusion with the Californian-based ‘Black Robot’ and can now add their name to the long list of bands who’ve had similar issues. Their debut, Farewell Black Robots, comes at the end of this ordeal, and in my opinion they couldn’t have put it behind them in a better way. style="font-family:georgia;">

The album opens dark, with I am are Robot, a deafening track that seeps angst and anger. The following track, Times Changing, furthers the darker side of the album. Deen O Saurus sings, as the title suggests, “Times are changing…I can’t see you, the way I did before”. However, within the darkness lies light. The album moves between the two shades while remaining in the same trodden heavy guitar and drums combo. Tracks like Stand, Easier, and the album closer Different in particular, are truly uplifting. The enchanting melodies behind the brash instrumentation reminds you of My Bloody Valentine and The Deftones at times.

If the I was to criticise the album, there are a few timing issues here and there so the tracks aren’t as tight as they could be. Also, the two instrumental tracks, Dead Fox and Virgin, tend to break up the album’s flow a bit. Not that I’m against instrumentals, but the track don’t go far enough in the instrumental vein and if you include tracks like that, they have to hold your attention. That said, I really enjoyed Farewell Black Robots. Its an incredibly strong record and I’m hoping that their recent troubles can be put behind them so they can make more great music like this.

Drop-D Rating: 8/10

Published on Drop-D.ie, March 25th, 2011