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/

Time Is A Thief announce album launch

Cork rockers Time Is A Thief have announced their album launch date!

On the 6th of May the four piece will play their first ever headline all-ages show in the Academy 2, Dublin.
Support comes from Taking Hayley and StayOkay!, and tickets are €10.
Their debut album "We're Not Strangers" will be out on the 27th of April.

I for one am very excited!

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!

StayOkay! release new EP

StayOkay! have finally released their new 3 track EP, Disperse.
And it is fantastic.

And free. DOWNLOAD NOWWWW.




YAY

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!

The Cold 100

With a fresh sound like no other band right now, The Cold 100 are a 4 piece band playing "Rhythm and Blooze" as they call it. While it's hard for other bands to recreate the sounds from the 60s and 70s, this group get it exactly right.


Sharing a love for the blues, they have a strong influence from the likes of Led Zeppelin, The Stones and Fleetwood Mac, although the band don't fit into any one particular genre. They play loud, fast rock music, with a powerful rhythm and with great feeling.

Their video for Mr Westcoast Man, the lead single from their debut EP 'Into The Parlour' is trippy and is one to be remembered - certainly something the band would want.



The band need to be seen live to witness their full potential. Expect big things.

Download their EP on the 3rd of March!
http://www.thecold100.com/

In Elegance release video for single

Belfast rockers In Elegance have released their video for new single, Easier Said Than Done!


Review of their latest EP: http://themusicandthemic.blogspot.com/2012/02/in-elegance-ep.html


Check out the band's Facebook page HERE and download their EP from HERE!

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.

Snow Patrol and Florence and the Machine announce Phoenix Park date

Snow Patrol and Florence and the Machine have confirmed they will play Dublin's Phoenix Park on the 8th of July!


The major concert is the second announcement of the kind, the first being The Stone Roses playing three days previous on the 5th of July as part of their reunion tour. The concerts are a replacement to Oxegen festival being cancelled for this year.


Tickets will go on sale from 8am on Friday 24th February at the price of €59.50.

Kickstart The Season

Kickstart the Season are a Dublin 5 piece, in the middle of releasing a new EP.

The pop-punk band share joint vocals between Ciara Walker and Sean Hodson, giving us a new sound we haven't heard before - in a good way, of course!

Having only formed in the middle of 2011, the band are already up and coming in the Irish scene, and will play their release show in Whelan's on the 16th of February with other favourite Irish acts such as Boy Versus Romeo and Alice Can't Turn Left.

The lead single from their release Take Me Out has strong vocals, with the guitar against it perfectly and leaves listeners wanting more. They are an energetic and simply catchy song, and we can be sure to hear more from them soon!




Make sure to catch their EP Launch show, details here
Expect big things from these guys.
Check out their Facebook page HERE and download the two tracks HERE!