Two Door Cinema Club @ the 02, 19th Jan 2013

Less than four years ago, few had heard the name Two Door Cinema Club. Back then the band hailing from Bangor played small venues but were tipped for big things, and before even releasing their hugely successful debut album, Tourist History, which won them the Choice Music Award for best album, had topped the BBC Sounds of 2010 poll.

Now, the Northern Irish trio are selling out arenas all over the world, and played their first ever headline show in Dublin's O2 on then 19th of January, four months after the release of Beacon, their highly anticipated second album which went straight to number one in the Irish charts.

The band recruited two of Ireland's finest acts to support them on their largest headliner to date, Jape and rapidly up-and-coming The Cast of Cheers. First up were Dublin quartet The Cast of Cheers who began their energetic set with 'Human Elevator', 'Animals' which gathered the best response, and playing it live for the first time, 'Trucks At Night'. They finish off their fast paced seven song set with 'Family', the title track of latest album which was nominated for best album in the Choice Music Awards this year. Front man Conor Adams leaves overwhelmed at the size of the venue and the crowd, and says this was their first time playing the O2. Judging by the rising stars' energy and charisma, it shouldn't be long before they're playing other big venues and headline shows like this.

Next up were Jape who give a good performance, but perhaps it is the wrong idea to place the  on directly before the headliners, when it was only two members on stage, in a huge venue in almost darkness. The better penultimate act instead may have been The Cast of Cheers. Nevertheless they kept their set upbeat with their tracks, including 'Floating', (best known from that Bulmers advert), while the audience waited for the main band.

Finally Two Door Cinema Club take to the stage to the screams and delight of fans, and launch right into action with debut single 'Sleep Alone'. Their new material from Beacon leaves an impact on the audience, but it is the songs from Tourist History that receive the most attention and applause, and the ones that will be best known for. 'Undercover Martyn', 'I Can Talk' and 'Costume Party' are flawless and energetic, while the reaction to them is something else. Lead singer and guitarist Alex Trimble plays the piano for second single 'Sun', and it is obvious to everyone how much more confident he is in himself and the band, unlike the front man who kept away from any sort of attention the band had little over a year ago. There seems to be quite a sentimental mood with 'Next Year' and 'The World Is Watching', but 'Something Good Can Work' quickly brings the band back to their full potential. Guitarist Sam Halliday and bassist Kevin Baird also thank the audience for coming, which shows they are truly grateful for any support. (Aw, shucks.)

The indie-pop group begin 'Eat That Up, It's Good For You' as large white balls drop from the ceiling, and this drags away attention to the band for many people. It is a distraction again when they come back for their mandatory encore, 'Someday' and 'Come Back Home'. Thankfully, most of the balls are gone by the time the opening chords to 'What You Know' are played, and the audience can enjoy watching the band again. Trimble closes the show and leaves the stage with the words "I will remember this night for the rest of my life." And, upon hearing this, all of the fans will too.

All It's Worth - 'These Things Take Time' review

Those familiar with the Irish pop-punk scene may recognise this band - but under a different name and a slight line-up change.

StoryBoard, as they were called, changed their name to All It's Worth late last year, and if their new EP is anything to go by, it seems to have been for the better. Members Kiefer, Oscar, David and Ross take influence and the best bits from bands such as New Found Glory, The Story So Far and Four Year Strong to create their own unique sound.

The 6 track EP, on sale now for whatever you wish to pay for it (yes, that means free, too!), is already receiving rave reviews from fans, both old and new, and this reviewer was pleasantly surprised with their new songs. It begins with 'Pieces', a perfect and opener for the band, one to show everyone just what they're made of. For me, personally, the stand out track is 'Two Months Too Short Of Two Years' (try and say it fast ten times in a row - go on!) It is heavy in all the right places, and simply infectious. 'Backbone' is another excellent song, with the right mixture of riffs and drum beats to compliment one another.
Overall, the fantastic and polished E.P could easily take the boys to great heights in the music scene.

Take a listen and download for FREE from the band's Bandcamp now!

Two Door Cinema Club - Beacon

You won't need an introduction to this next band - you've most certainly heard at least one of their songs played all across television adverts - but let me introduce them anyway.

Forming in 2007, Northern Irish trio Two Door Cinema Club, singer Alex Trimble, bassist Kevin Baird and Sam Halliday on lead guitar, have gone from strength to strength over these few years with their numerous catchy singles from amazing debut album 'Tourist History', released in 2010. There's no wonder it won countless awards, including the Choice Music award in 2011 for Best Album in Ireland. Their popularity has quickly increased because to it, and they have engaged in what seems like a never-ending tour on all corners of the world. Now their time has come, after a long wait, and they have finally released a new album.

Thanks to the huge success of 'Tourist History', can people expect a step-down from this on their new release 'Beacon'? Certainly not.
Their debut was all about experimentation, and the indie group setting out to find their sound without ever really capturing it. Beacon is the band finding themselves, and becoming more mature in their own sound, while still keeping with the same catchiness that made their first album so popular. It was 'Tourist History' that cemented Two Door's place as 'the ones to watch' in the charts and the music scene, but it will be 'Beacon' that makes people stand up, sing along and remember their name.

Singer Alex Trimble has said that he "opened up" in this album and it is "more honest", and it definitely shows. The first lines to open the album (from 'Next Year') are "I don't know where I am going to rest my head tonight", perhaps showing Trimble's worry from their non-stop touring. On this record we hear songs with an added depth in the lyrics, something that was noticeably missing from Tourist History.

The best tracks from it are 'Handshake', 'Next Year', 'Sun' and stand out track and first single 'Sleep Alone', the one that could lead the band to worldwide success. Watch their (sometimes strange and trippy!) video for it now:



'Beacon' is out now on Kitsúne records. A must-buy for all fans and music lovers.

What do you think of the album?

Solar Taxi - Gung Ho

Now here's a band that will certainly grab your attention.

Waterford's very own electro-pop band, Solar Taxi are ready to take the scene by storm with their sensational new single Gung Ho. And wow, is it good.
Released on 14th September, it is the second of a long line of singles to be taken from upcoming debut album 'Broken Brother's Secret Bells', out 21st September.

Having recently aired on MTV's teen comedy 'Awkward' and currently getting well deserved radio play on Irish stations, it is a song that simply cannot be listened to just once. Insanely catchy and energetic, this band, fronted by flame-haired Aisling Browne and her amazing vocals, seem to have it all.

Quick, start listening to them now so you can say you liked them before they were huge.

StayOkay!

I can easily say that this was the most excited I had been about a release in a very long time, and judging by the comments of anticipation in the weeks leading up to it on Facebook and Twitter, I was not alone. I am, of course, talking about the release of StayOkay!'s second EP, Disperse.

First song and EP title Disperse is an immense, bold beginning to the highly powerful three tracks. It is such an all round impressive and infectious single that just one listen isn't enough. Possibly the best song the group has released to date.

What is on a high must come down however, as next track Little Voice shows. It may be slowing down the pace, but it does not lack any power, and is still as emotion filled as before, if not more.

This wonderful EP is completed by final song Homebird, a beautiful ending to a perfect but so different 3 tracks. The acoustic guitar compliments Tim Chadwick’s vocals so well.  It’s almost the bands signature to open with a big song, move onto a more emotion filled song, while finishing off with a tender acoustic – just look at their fantastic debut Time To Grow.

It is impossible not to get entertained or excited at these three songs, each of them so different from the last. They could have just released any old song at the time and get it over with, like other bands may do, but not this band. They cleverly took their time and wrote about things important to them, and it worked for them. With this simply outstanding offering, the boys have made their mark on Irish soil, and are a breath of fresh air.

StayOkay! are four of the most gracious young men I have had the pleasure of meeting, and seeing live. This band is one of, if not the most talented Irish band around at the moment.

The guys have grown so much in the last year between both EPs. The music, the lyrics. Everything about these songs scream big things for Tim, Kevin, Alan and Irtiza. And if they don’t get huge, well I really worry about the future of music.

Download their music now from http://stayokay.bandcamp.com/

Evergreen

Evergreen are a 4 piece, young band having formed in early 2011. The boys, from Co. Offaly, play rock music with a lot of variety, and now releasing their new four track EP "This One Time". The band consists of Noel Brennan, Jason Maleney, Darren Molloy, and Oisin Clarke.

Starting us off is Way To Comedown. It is a lively and catchy song, and both the back up and main vocals work together extremely well together towards the finished product. This leads into a fabulous name for a song - Only A Hippo Quits, a heavier complete rock track from the get go. A personal favourite of mine, it mixes in slower verses and fast choruses with ease. 

Walks At Midnight begins much calmer, slower and from the impression I get of the title, is quite a tender song. The chorus even has a slight groove or blues feel to it showing the band aren't just another one trick pony. Last but not least, Imaginary You ends the mini album on a high, keeping up with the fast pace of their debut offering.

I really enjoyed listening to this band; they're energetic, infectious and best of all, all four tracks are completely different to each other. Hope for big things for the guys in 2012!

Download their music now from http://evergreenoffical.bandcamp.com/

New Age Extinction

New Age Extinction are a 5 piece band from Dublin - all ready to melt some faces with their metalcore music. They formed in 2011, and they're not here to mess around. This relatively new band haven't done too badly for themselves as this new release shows.

The first track Consumed By Vanity takes listeners into the action straight away. With strong screaming from the very beginning, it works extremely well against the backdrop of the guitars.

The next song is brilliant and even if they are a young band, Sweating The Tension doesn't show it. There is just no holding back with these lads. It's a whirlwind of noises together, but it all works perfectly.


Make Your Own Life is much calmer, catchy, and my personal favourite, with clean backing vocals up against screaming. The guitar solo in the middle is just fantastic, but it also could be said that sticking to screaming vocals would make the band even bigger and better than they are.
The Quest slows down for just the beginning, but then we are brought back with a bang, and even heavier than the last two songs, only to end on a softer note. This brings a whole new level to the song, and makes it different from previous tracks. Ditto the last track on the EP, and brings back the two different sets of vocals.  It is catchy and certainly leaves us wanting more

I really enjoyed listening to these guys, and that's coming from a person not massively into metal. The EP as a whole is as if the group has long time experience, and their music should be already getting played on metal /hardcore shows already. 

Download their music on their Facebook page NOW

Possibly Intoxicated Gents

With a slightly debatable name like Possibly Intoxicated Gents, this Dublin band won't be forgotten easily. This four piece, with Eoin McGowan on vocals and guitar, Ben Graham on vocals and bass, Dave McPartland on backing vocals and guitar, and Fin Reilly on drums, play 'garage punk', are like no other band around at the moment, and the total opposite of the indie groups of which there are just too many to count.

The band formed in late 2008, and their latest EP "With Sufficient Thrust, Pigs Fly Just Fine" combines a great mixture of rock, indie, and alternative music.
Magic Bag is a fantastic opener; enthusiastic and fast-paced, just oozing with energy. This leads into Second Hand Fun, a cheekier side to the band. It is easy to tell the guys have fun playing together, especially with this song. Black Rain keeps up with the energy, with infectious chants of 'freak, freak, freak!', a wonderful addition to the song.
Finishing the EP is VIP, showing there is not one slow song in here; PIG just bring chaos into all of their songs.

This group need to be seen live to appreciate their energy and power. Download the above EP from http://possiblyintoxicatedgents.bandcamp.com/

We Collide EP

We Collide are a 5 piece alternative metal band from Larne, Northern Ireland who formed at the beginning of last year, and now releasing their self titled EP. The group consist of Ricky Baird, Scott Ross on drums, Conor McKillon on bass, and Jordan Hamill and James Popple on guitar.

The band were in the Northern Ireland download chart for a whopping 5 weeks with their debut single 'Pilots', and also managed to stay at the no. 1 spot for two weeks.
The band take their inspiration from a lot of genres, mostly metal. While it may seem that metal music won't appeal to everyone, the group (and I, after listening to their music) completely disagree.
Opening up their 4 piece offering is Pilots - a simply fantastic debut single, impressively with both screaming and clean vocal duties from Ricky. Next track A Lot Can Happen In A Year is my personal favourite. With chants of "you'll never know what you have until it's gone", the song sticks with the listener and gets even more addictive after each listen, much like the other songs.

This moves onto the even heavier sound of How Does It Feel To Be Made Of Glass? In the song, the two guitars from Jordan and James work extremely well together to create the mood. Near the end of the song comes a sentimental moment of vocals from Ricky, but not to worry, we are brought right back into the action. Get Low Or Get Out is a perfect way to finish the debut, with a long instrumental ending, and a slow, tender acoustic guitar, leaving us wanting much more.
What sets this band apart from others in the genre is the stylish way they write and perform their music;  The guys need to be seen live to witness the full action. And I think they're going to be big.


Download their EP now from http://officialwecollide.bandcamp.com/!

Nuke The Fridge EP

Nuke The Fridge are a 3 piece up-and-coming band from Dublin, consisting of Frank Chambers on guitar, bass and vocals, Tom Dalton on drums, and Dónal Kennedy on guitar, bass and vocals.

The group formed in November 2010, making them relatively new on the scene.
Now their debut EP, recorded in summer 2011 and produced by blog favourites Dwelling For Jackals singer and guitarist Cathal McKeon in Cloak & Dagger studios, is the result of 7 months hard graft from the boys.

The band say they are a mixture of hard rock, alternative, blues and power pop, and this 6 track offering certainly shows off their best work.



Opening song Sandcastles brings the listener into a chilled out, bluesy mood, and eventually getting heavier, into a hard rock song, quite the same as next track Bear Trap Blues.

Title track Fugitives is another rock song, with moments of even heavier guitar working against the vocals to create an infectious, energetic song.

Solitaire is a much slower song, a ballad on an album so full of blues rock.

Not many bands might release an interlude on an EP, but it works for these guys, with their instrumental funk/rock, showing their influences as And So I Watch You From Afar and Adebisi Shank.

Slowly brings us back into the mood of things, with Race To Yonder, reminiscent of a Biffy Clyro song. A solid finish to the album, that leaves us wanting more.

Download their EP from http://nukethefridge.bandcamp.com/ for pay-what-you-want now!

Subject Matter album review

Subject Matter are a 4 piece rock band from Dublin consisting of Paul O'Keefe, Tommy Devine, Ste Brennan, and Paul Carey.

With a fresh new sound and now an album to back it up, Smash The Mould sets the bar high for other bands. What firstly stands out for me with Subject Matter is they released an album, not just an EP or a few songs, as most bands do. It's a 12 track album, which shows the band are serious about musicianship and what they do.

Beginning their debut is 'Funky Coloured Pitfalls', a catchy number with heavy riffs and chants throughout the whole song you can easily sing (or shout) along to. This leads listeners into 'Give It To Me Straight' and brings us straight into the action, with a slightly punk sound with more chants of 'hey! hey! hey!'

Next, 'What I Know' could be written off as repetitive, but is catchy in places, with a good bass line. An acoustic song is a rarity for this rock band, but 'Dressed to Depress' works extremely well. For me 'See Thru Souls' is the standout track from the album. The intro matches the chorus, and with verses of almost no guitar, they show off the clean cut vocals from the start.

'Keep Me With You' is a tender slow song, displaying that acoustic songs can often be the most powerful from a band. 'The Pass At Dark' has a slight country twang to it, while this is not a bad thing. Shouting lyrics to do with sex and dick, it's one to be remembered. 'O Nani Ama' ends the album with an almost African chant for the title, with a big bold song to finish it all off.

Collectively, the songs are all well written and sound like no Irish band, or any other band right now. The album takes a while to get into, but after a few listens it's very good. I think the band will make a name for themselves on the scene, and they need to be seen live to witness their full potential.



Head to http://subjectmatteronline.com and download their album for free!

Dwelling For Jackals EP review

Having recently just finished supporting Young Guns on their Irish dates, Dublin based Dwelling for Jackals are getting bigger and bigger. The alternative rock 3 piece as of now consists of Cathal Mckeon, Niall Johnson and Dylan Martin and between the three, have a range of influences, including Avenged Sevenfold and 30 Seconds To Mars.

Starting their debut EP off  is 'Last Sleep', the group's big tune, their leading number that fans, if not everyone, will definitely know. The rhythm works perfectly behind the vocals, and builds up to the high point of the chorus.
This brings us into 'Solitary Confinement (City of Kings)', a slow song that gets huge. The piano beautifully sets the tone for the song, and again leads into the climax of the chorus.
'Apocalypse, When You're Ready' is a small acoustic number, with quiet vocals matched perfectly to the music, and will make you want to listen over and over again. This is one reason why acoustic songs can stand out the most.
Finally, 'I Am Bedlam' makes a lasting impression on the listener with a bold and energetic finish, and once again with those big choruses.

Unlike some other bands, none of the songs get repetitive or monotonous. This band show off their flare for writing powerful melodies that have a climactic chorus. After the first time listening to it, I loved it already.
With great songs like this, the group should be even bigger than they already are. Expect huge things!

Listen to their debut EP here or download it from iTunes!

Fox Avenue - 18/02/12

After a long wait from the postponed headline November show, Fox Avenue and Jody Has A Hitlist finally made a welcome return to Dublin and Belfast this week. The early matinee show was most likely the reason there wasn't overwhelming liveliness inside the venue of The Academy, Dublin on a cold February day, but that didn't spoil the show for the bands and the audience. With doors opening at 12 noon, I arrived just before 11am, and there were already about 50 to 60 people queuing for the highly in demand place at the barrier.

Broken Glass on Broadway

Starting the show off on a great note were young Irish band Broken Glass on Broadway from Clonmel and Dublin. Considering this was most likely their biggest gig of their short career, the band interacted extremely well with the crowd, and have gained quite a few fans from it. Doing original songs, I think they have a unique sound, as it's nothing quite like anything else in the Irish scene right now.

Kelan; Jody Has A Hitlist

Octane Ok literally had the audience on the floor at one point, and straight away connected with the audience. They put on a great set even if a little repetitive, but sadly it was obvious that the crowd were not here to see them.

Next, Jody Has A Hitlist put on a fantastic live set, beginning with old favourite Nobody's Looking At You, playing the singles from their latest Choose Your Battles EP and older songs. Padraig McAlister, (vocals, guitar) and Kelan O'Reilly (keyboard, vocals) took to the stage with humerous banter that was self called "awkward" at times. The highlight of their hour was Comebacks Aren't Your Thing (I finally heard it live -yes! But it's no Steer Clear - sad face) and the group ended breaking fans hearts (almost) but saying it would be their last Dublin show of the year.

Patrick; Fox Avenue

Even though it was a joint headliner between Jody Has A Hitlist and Fox Avenue, Fox Avenue completely stole the show.

With talk of dead grandma’s and verging on racist comments, you’d think this would make it awkward for the audience. Not for Fox Avenue. Their dedicated fan base know that the boys are only having the banter, and are well known and loved for it.

Dara; Fox Avenue

Playing a brand new song – White Lies – they later showed off their hip hop groove to covers of Hello, Paper Planes by M.I.A, and even teasing the audience by beginning What Makes You Beautiful by One Direction, ending with We Found Love by Rihanna. Ended the show with the big radio hit Tonight.

The guys afterwards were nothing but grateful for everyone staying back to meet them afterwards, thanking everyone individually, with lots of hugs thrown in. I hadn't seen them in almost two years so I was delighted after the day. Definitely worth the wait.

In Elegance EP

When you think of girl fronted rock bands, you think of Paramore, Evanescence, maybe even The Pretty Reckless. Not in this case. Here, In Elegance come into their own. With their newly released 3 track self-titled EP, the Belfast 5-piece have found their own sound, and won’t be giving it up anytime soon.

The vocals are simple, yet powerful, with perfectly fitting guitar sounds and drums for the finished product.

Putting Easier Said Than Done as the opener to this release is perfect, it takes listeners right in to the action, which leads into heavier sound of Burn Bright, Fade Fast which is a completely different sound altogether. As stated before, the vocals on Open Your Eyes are haunting and my, what an addictive song.

The three tracks as a whole have the ability to leave you wanting more, much more.

A brilliant new sound, exactly what we need. I'm glad they don't sound like anyone else and aren't just going down the same route. They are going to be huge. 5/5

Check out their Facebook page HERE and download their EP from HERE!

You Me At Six "Sinners Never Sleep" album review

Surrey band You Me At Six have come a long way from their 2008 debut album Take Off Your Colours which established them as the new pop-punkers on the scene. While this album was all about partying, girls and their teenage years, with their second album, Hold Me Down being another slice from this, only having more experience. Now on their third album, Sinners Never Sleep is lust, love and anger. Altogether a stronger, angrier album, this time, wanting to show they are simply just a rock band. This is the end result of the band almost breaking up and constant fights between the members - a grown up album, writing about more important events in life, even though they are barely out of their teens. Leaving mysterious countdown timers and pictures on their website near the news of the album in August, this led to it becoming one of the most anticipated albums of the last few months.
Here's my track-by-track review of their latest offering.


The album opens with the previously released single that everybody knows and loves, Loverboy. It is catchy, full of strong riffs, and of course a chorus full of 'da-da-da's'. Stand out track of the album. Next track is Jaws On The Floor, which shows much change in the lyrics, over the style of song this time around. Lyrics like ‘life’s a bitch but I’m friends with her sister' put with powerful emotion show the change in the band. Bite My Tongue featuring Oli Sykes from Bring Me The Horizon shows an angrier side to the band, and is an all-round thrilling number that gives us an insight to the band from singer Josh Franceschi's viewpoint on the members' hatred of each other. From there on, it ranges into slower songs, something that comes effortlessly to You Me At Six, with This is The First Thing, and No One Does It Better taking a few listens to get into, but then are as addictive as the rest. Little Death has the most catchy, sing along chorus on the album, while Crash is the big ballad, showing the band do acoustic settings perfectly. It is perhaps not as good as earlier efforts (such as Always Attract), yet Franceschi's vocal are as smooth and perfect as ever. The album gets better with another stand out track, Reckless, a bouncy, catchy number with lyrics such as "I'm Mister Reckless with a capital R". This song reminds us of their pop-punk roots, as does Time Is Money, featuring Winston McCall of Parkway drive, showing the band have not forgot where they started. The Dilemma is a simply fantastic song, and a welcome change from older songs. When We Were Younger closes the album, and on a beautiful note too. A 6 minute long song, and keeping with the overall album, it is completely heartfelt and honest from the band.


While the album is so much more grown up, it is still recognisable as the You Me At Six we all know, with fuller vocals, the way guitars and bass work against each other, and the heavy drums. A must have for fans, and will have at least one song that you'll tap your foot to. Hopefully it will be a grower, and it could easily be their best material to date. 7/10

Blink 182 - 'Neighborhoods' review

Comeback albums are always hard to do - trying to please old and new fans and critics alike is a job in itself. With Neighborhoods, Blink 182's first record after 8 years, being the most anticipated album of 2011, the question on everyone's lips is "will the album live up to expectations?" The record was previously set for release in May, but the band took another few months to complete it, and in the meantime rescheduling their UK tour and cancelling headline slots at festivals, angering fans. (But also meaning 2 added Ireland dates for June 2012 - yay!)

Here's my track-by-track review of the album.
Opening with Ghost On The Dancefloor, showing not all tender songs have to be slow or acoustic, and this has all the style we know and love from the band. This leads into Natives, which fans will be relieved to hear this is classic Blink 182. With lyrics such as "maybe I'm better off dead", showing the skill from the band by putting the more depressing song lyrics onto upbeat, poppy songs. These lyrics are all wrong however; Blink's songs are those that you just need in your life.
Next is Up All Night, one of the two songs put online months before the release. Back then, it received a mixed response, and compared to some of the brilliant songs on the album, it is not some their best work. The next single After Midnight follows, showing a slower, more tender side to the band. Heart's All Gone is the other song that was put online, in anticipation for the album, and while it was given a better response, there are also much better songs on this album. Next track is unexpected gem, Wishing Well, a feel-good, catchy song, with many 'la da da's, from Tom Delonge that simply make you want to get up and dance. A personal favourite and one of the best on the album.
Kaleidoscope has a similar sound to others on the album, yet it is still excellent, with more mature, meaningful lyrics. Perfectly leads into This Is Home, another catchy song. MH 4.18.2011 is also a song that is reminiscent of older Blink 182 tracks, but still holds its own. Last but not least, Love Is Dangerous is a perfect song to end the album, gradually getting heavier with soft joint vocals from Delonge and Mark Hoppus.

Overall, the lyrics are extremely well-written, showing a more mature and grown up side, compared to the band who once wrote about fucking a dog, your mom, anything in the earlier years. With joint vocals from guitarist Delonge and bassist Hoppus, the album is still recognisable as Blink 182 (whether that's from Delonge's unique voice, or just the way the guitar, bass and Travis Barker on drums work), but anyone looking for another Dude Ranch or Enema Of The State will be disappointed.
Another problem is the short 10 songs on it, when it could / should have been much longer.

Nevertheless, with an album as constant as this, we can see why it took so long.
And it certainly was worth the wait.

"You Got Me" Taking Back Sunday single

Taking Back Sunday haven't actually put out a single for the U.S. yet, but for Ireland, "You Got Me" is being put out, with a special acoustic version of "Sad Saviour" as a b-side. Available now at itunes!


You Got Me is pop-punk at it's best. With it's background "woah-oh's", it makes a perfect single. It's catchy, and at times has a heavier sound, keeping with the album, and a range of vocals from the bridge to the chorus. 
The album overall is very open and honest from the singer, and this is about Lazzara's current wife, Mischa, and her pregnancy. "I was there when you were worried/I was there when you were sick/I was there when you were positive/'This is not happening,'" he sings in the song's second verse.


Definitely one of the best on the album. 9/10

Renoir's Reflection review, interview

Renoirs Reflection are a 4 piece band from Waterford, Ireland. Having formed in November 2010 they are relatively new to the scene, but definitely an up and coming band to watch!
Right between indie and alternative rock, plenty of lead guitar, strong bass lines, hard drum beats and vocal harmonies, the band write all their own original songs, and we shall hopefully be hearing more of these guys soon.


On first listen they remind me of a cross between Kings of Leon and The Blizzards. Some of the songs they have are: 'I Don't Mind' with a catchy beat and memorable chorus with much strong bass lines, while 'Never See My Face' is a more meaningful approach, with acoustic beginning leading into a heavier chorus and a strong guitar presence. 'Tall Tales' is a faster song showing versatility in the vocals part.
These are just some of the songs, so to listen to these and more, get their music now!


I caught up with Jason to talk about the band…
Who‘s in the band?
Jason O' Hara- Lead Vocals/rhythm guitar
Gavin Carey- Lead Guitar/backup vocals
John Grace- Drums/backup vocals
Keith Grant- Bass
Sounds like?
We’ve been told were a concoction of Kings Of Leon, Two Door Cinema Club, Oasis, The Beatles and Thin Lizzy, with a strong presence of lead guitar and harmonies.
Biggest influences?
Between us we have many influences from all different genres, but collectively our biggest influences would be Kings Of Leon, Oasis, The Beatles and Thin Lizzy.
How, where, when did the band happen?
We were all interested in music from the age of 13 onwards and tried several bands, but none of them fit our styles. We started up a cover band and after 4 months of gigging realised we wanted to play our own songs, so we started writing together and it just seemed to fall into place. Then Renoir's Reflection was born!
How did you come up with the name?
Gavin and John always enjoyed art in school, and their favourite form of art was impressionism. Renoir was an artist that stuck with them long after they finished school. Reflection also comes from art, and the fact that Renoir as an impressionist revolutionised the art scene of the time - that’s what we aspire to do with our music!
Biggest achievement to date?
That would have to be getting signed to Rubymusic which has led to us to performing on the main stage at a myriad of festivals and having the opportunity to record our songs.


Check out their music on their myspace, and Facebook here!

Milk, the band, interview

With their blend of bluesy-rock, Milk are fast making a name for themselves in the Irish music scene. Based in Dublin, the pop-rock band also thrive on blues and soul, which brings their own unique style to a scene that is so filled with much of the same music.

Each track on their debut EP holds it’s own character, but stays with the same Milk sound. ‘Try’, the title track is a humble song and brings listeners into the smooth vocals and strong hooks in the bass line, and which is the stand out track for me, personally. Leads into ‘Weak In The Knees’, which has an easy tone like any song should have, together with a memorable chorus. Next up is ‘Why Do You Ask’ and this is the perfect soul song, as it is gentle in all the right places. Last, ‘Up The Hill’ which brings a much different edge to the band, perhaps even a heavier style, with more guitar and bass lines.

I caught up with Conall to talk about the band…

First of all, who are in the band?
There’s Garrett on rhythm guitar, Fogo on drums, me (Conall) on bass and vocals, and Donal on lead guitar & vocals.

When, where and how did the band happen?
The four of us all went to the same school, yet knew of us knew each other. Me and Donal are brothers and had played in a couple of different bands separately but around two years ago we started writing songs together. We auditioned a couple of drummers until we played with Fogo and we thought his funk-style of drumming would really suit the type of music we wanted to make. Then Fogo suggested that we have a jam with Garrett on guitar and he helped to fill out our sound a lot!

How did you come up with the name?
Myself and Donal were listening to alot of Eric Clapton’s old band ‘Cream’ at the time, and the name ‘Milk’ popped up out of that, which seemed like a good idea at the time! It’s not the best name in the world, but it’s easy to remember!

Biggest influences?
A lot of people say we sound like John Mayer which is a fairly heavy influence to us on our EP, but we also listen to a lot of other stuff. Fogo is big into the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Garrett likes The Beach Boys, whereas I like Marvin Gaye. Donal’s listening to a lot of Prince at the moment too. All in all, we listen to a lot of soul, funk, blues and even a bit of hip-hop like The Roots, Nate Dogg and Warren G!

Biggest achievement so far?
We’ve had a couple of highlights, like playing Dublin Soul Festival 2010 and The Academy main stage for Phantom’s First Friday. We also got short-listed for The Most Promising Artist at the Meteors in 2010, which is definitely up there at the top!

What would you hope to achieve with the band?
I think we all might have slightly different goals, but mine would be to play to decent size crowds who really like our music. Having enough money to pay for all the expensive things (like recording and equipment) would be nice too! 

Why should people listen to you?
I think at the moment there isn’t enough variety on the Irish music scene. For example, you’ll hear a lot about ‘indie’ bands. I suppose we might be for the person who’s into the bluesier, funkier, soulful side of music, and also maybe those into pop-rock because there is a lot of that in our music too. Also if you’re into guitar solos you might like our songs!

Describe the band in one word.
Honest!

Just what we like to hear!

With a name like theirs, finding Milk on the internet these days might be a tad difficult, so check them out 

here and on Facebook here!

And make sure to catch them on one of their shows across Ireland!

Like a Ninja: band interview

‘Like a Ninja’ are an alternative/ hard rock band based in Belfast, with all the energy and spirit you could ask for. Though being together less than a year, the band are quickly making a name for themselves in the music scene as an obnoxiously loud, energetic live act.

Their debut EP entitled “Coach Frank Says…” opens with “Made To Burn” and has plenty of heavy riffs from the word go, and strong, memorable vocals. This leads into “Random Jumpy” and keeping with the same tempo that is fast and loud from these lads. It is their third song, “Save Me” where the band show a more relaxed, slower feel, which could easily be a huge hit in the future.

I caught up with Marty to talk about the band.

First of all, who all are in the band?
At the time of recording it was me, Marty Mc Canny as our lead guitarist and backing singer), Paddy Patterson with vocals, Andy Williamson, bassist, Liam Hegarty, rhythm guitarist, and Sean O’Neil on drums. Since then there have been a few changes; Sean McCay is now the drummer and I’m the full time singer!

How, where, when did the band happen?
The band formed in Belfast in August 2010 with Sean and Marty who decided it was time to make an all out attack of the Irish music scene! The idea was to create something different, and, I think, we’ve managed to do that!

How did you come up with the name?
‘Like a Ninja’ was spawned from a drunken walk home on the fine streets of Belfast. A bin was tipped over, jazz hands were shown, Like a Ninja was shouted, and the culprit disappeared from sight. In a nutshell, it happened exactly like that!

Biggest influences?
For Andy, it’d be Megadeth and Iron Maiden; Liam and Sean with Blink 182, The Offspring and Tool; and for myself Marty, it’s Alkaline Trio and Taking Back Sunday 

Biggest achievement so far?
Placing in the final 12 in the Sounds Like Summer 2011, and managing to stay together after one of the hardest years that a new band could have is definitely up there at the top!

What would you hope to achieve with the band?
Well, like any band we want to be able to do this for the rest of our time on earth, as music is most definitely our lives. We would be happy to tour until the world ends, and I don’t care if we never get rich, as long as we can do this and people enjoy it!

Why should people listen to you?
Why not is a better question! If you want to hear a band that put everything they have; heart, soul and mind, into their music then we are the band for you! This EP has only been our first recording, so stay tuned and I promise you wont be disappointed, we have so much more to offer!

And lastly, describe the band in one word.

I can’t think of just one word! But once while playing a gig, the drummer from Flash Harry was there, and the first thing he said to us was “I thought ninja’s were supposed to be sneaky, but you guys are like a f**king juggernaut.” So I would probably say like a f**king juggernaut!

Like a Ninja are focusing on promoting their debut EP by hitting up venues across Ireland. Check out  their tunes, and find them on Facebook here! 

Make sure to catch them on one of their energetic shows!