Alternative Tunings

A Lazarus Soul With A Penthouse View

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 20:18:00 GMT

Allow me to introduce you to A Lazarus Soul if you’re unfamiliar with them. They’re perhaps one of the best bands in Ireland right now, and their music channels the likes of Joy Division and The Smiths but with a Dublin twist. Their excellent second album Graveyard Of Burnt Out Cars makes frequent references to the rougher sides of the capital, bringing realism to the forefront but still having heart, albeit among some strong lyrics.

For their single ‘The Day I Disappeared’ an image of infamous criminal Martin Cahill was used as the sleeve cover, the song features the somewhat fitting lyrics “And the Liffey filled with tears/Of relief the day I disappeared.” On one occasion I was walking through Dublin City in the evening and one of their songs came on my mp3, and it just seems an incredibly apt representation of the city. If I’m out of the country and one of their songs comes on I’m instantly reminded of Dublin, it’s very authentic and, joyously, very distant from the likes of U2.

So why exactly am I mentioning A Lazarus Soul? Excitingly, they’re releasing a new album in October, entitled ‘Through A Window In The Sunshine Room’ and their first single ‘A Penthouse View’ is available for free download here. It certainly doesn’t sound that similar to any of their songs from 'Graveyard Of Burnt Out Cars', or their debut 'A Lazarus Soul Record', but I’m interested to see where this goes and to hear more tracks from their forthcoming album. I’ll leave you with their video for ‘Icon’, perhaps one of their most popular tracks, from their 'Graveyard Of Burnt Out Cars' album. Enjoy!

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The Closure of Road Records

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 11:36:00 GMT

Recently news flooded into my e-mail inbox about the imminent closure of Road Records, the independent music shop based in Fade Street in Dublin City. The following e-mail has been sent out to all subscribers to their mailing list:

"How do I begin a piece like this, without repeating everything I wrote nearly two years ago now.

I suppose I would have to say its with great sadness to inform you we are finally closing the doors of Road Records.

Its been a difficult two years since we first faced the prospects of closure and we have literally worked night and day to try and see if we could save the shop and make it a viable business again. The current economic situation in this country added to the many problems we faced in the past have finally caught up with us and we can no longer sustain this little shop.

This time, I am sad to say, there is no alternative for us, we have literally tried everything in our powers to keep this place operating and nothing has worked for us. It hasn’t been an easy decision to make, if anything its even more difficult than two years ago, we have had amazing support from people but nothing we do seems to work anymore.

With debts beginning to build again Julie and myself have finally decided that we cannot take any more risks personally and before things get any worse we will have to finally walk away from the shop for the last time.

I have to say I still have no regrets about the last 13 years, its been a real blast and a pleasure to be here over the years. We have met some amazing people and have become friends with some truly amazing bands. The level of support we have received since last year has been truly mindblowing but so much has changed economically since then that its just not possible to sustain such a small record shop like this anymore.

I am not going to give out about the music business this time around, its just one of those things and we have finally come to a stage where I think the days of the small indie store are numbered. It’s sad to have to admit that but this time I think its true, we can’t blame digital sales, illegal downloading etc, the world is a changing place and I can’t see any room in it for kooky little indie stores like ourselves.

We will be starting our closing down sale this Saturday 17^th of July and everything will be on sale at a 25% reduction. We will be open for just one more week after that with the final day being Saturday 24^th of July. Literally everything will be going on sale so if you want to pick up a cheap stereo, cash register or stapler, then do drop in.

We would both like to thank each and everyone of you for your support over the years, maybe we will catch up at some point in the future.

We would also like to thank all our wonderful staff from the last 14 years, in person they are – Dylan, Jonny, Jimmy, Gib, Colm, John, Chip and Aengus.

As for what we will do next, the honest answer is we really don’t know, hopefully we can pay off any debts we have and then at least we have a beautiful little baby boy to try and put a smile back on our faces.

Thanks & Adios

Dave and Julie"

Only last year Road Records announced they’d be closing, and discussed this difficult decision with former CLUAS blogger Steven O’Rourke in this informative interview. A large portion of bands within the Irish music scene grouped together to host a benefit night at Andrew's Lane Theatre. It seemed this saved the shop, but evidently it was only temporary.

Illegal downloads and internet shopping have in a way ravaged the independent music industry. There are both pros and cons to the aforementioned issues, but it’s always the man on the ground i.e. the independent music shops who suffer. Road Records have for many years been an integral part of the Dublin music scene, both supporting and stocking releases from Irish bands.

Perhaps the most disheartening thing is my wondering “which shop will be next?” Road Records is my favourite music store in Dublin, a point which I made in my blog post about Record Store Day noting the enthusiasm with which Road Records embraced Record Store Day. It’s a shame to think that at next year’s Record Store Day there will be no Road Records participating, and it'll be very hard to find another independent music shop in Dublin to match Road Records.

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The Edge of Glastonbury

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 11:43:00 GMT

Today is the end of the 40th Glastonbury festival, and as the tour buses trundle out of the otherwise sleepy village of Pilton in Somerset and the massive clean-up gets underway in Worthy Farm I return to my yearly Glastonbury routine which I’m sure I share with many.

This routine consists of me watching Glastonbury footage and becoming increasingly green-eyed with every guitar chord emanating from the Pyramid Stage and cursing myself for not being there. So in an effort of consolation I resolve to go the next year and religiously follow the Glastonbury updates throughout the year. But then the year passes and I miss the festival yet again. This routine is repeated yearly, and I will eventually get to Glastonbury even if it means riding a tractor through Pilton and accosting Michael Eavis himself.

Having previously housed such iconic acts as T. Rex, The Smiths, The Stone Roses, Blur and Oasis it’s become a British musical institution. And this year while the cows were grazing in fields at a safe distance from drunken revellers and overly confident rockstars the Pyramid stage was graced by Gorillaz, Muse and Stevie Wonder respectively.

As per usual the festival was very successful, and I’m sure there are Glastonbury survivors all around England nursing the mother of all hangovers to choruses of “It was worth it, completely worth it” and questioning if anything they saw throughout the weekend really happened. The general consensus is that the more outlandish and surreal the memory, the more likely it is it that it really did happen.

I’m sure Damon Albarn is very pleased to have headlined Glastonbury two years in a row, albeit in different bands. So, as the beginning of summer has been marked with the always eclectic Glastonbury festival I’m going to sign up for every Glastonbury festival mailing list possible. Because I’ll be there next year, I swear.

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Lennon Naked: Only Skin Deep

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 13:46:00 GMT

John Lennon had a tormented childhood. At the age of 5 his parents made him decide who he wanted to live with - his father Alf who was moving to New Zealand, or his mother Julia who was to remain in Liverpool. John chose Alf, but as his mother was leaving he ran after her and ultimately chose her. His Aunt Mimi then reported his mother to Social Services, so he remained with Mimi instead.

Aged 17 his mother was hit by a car and died near her home. It’s often been said that the absence of his father and the death of his mother at a young age contributed to Lennon’s seeming inability to deal with confrontation and responsibility in his personal life and caused him to undergo therapy in his later years.

The BBC 4 film ‘Lennon Naked’ explores this side of Lennon. It begins with Lennon in his adulthood, continuing where Sam Taylor-Wood’s ‘Nowhere Boy’ left off. Some footage of when Beatlemania began to take hold was interspersed throughout the opening scenes, black and white film of girls screaming wildly and declaring their love while the suitably pleased 20-something musicians are lapping up the attention.

Before long the film delves into the world of Lennon while with his first wife Cynthia. She’s portrayed as a nagging, emotional woman who has doe-eyed look across her face every time she tries to reason with him. Meanwhile Lennon is shown to be moody towards his wife and unhappy with her boxing him in and limiting his creativity. A barrel of laughs this certainly isn’t.

As the film progresses the constant carelessness of the character of Lennon grows tiresome, and the film is awash with some less-than-convincing actors. Paul McCartney, played by Andrew Scott, sounded like he had a comedy voice throughout, his deep nasally tones sounding more Little Britain than Liverpudlian. The slight appearances made by the actors playing George Harrison (Jack Morgan) and Ringo Starr (Craig Cheetham) were blighted by their comedic moustaches and, particularly in the case of Paul, drawn on eyebrows.

The film is exactly as it was described, it was a drama. A drama that gives little insight or enjoyment to your average Beatles fan, the characters seem to have derived some acting advice from the cast of Eastenders. It’s a shame because the lead actor, Christopher Eccleston, who played John Lennon, gave an excellent performance, but the lack of any progression in the character of Lennon and the dreary and constantly unhappy portrayal of him offered no insight or development in his character.

Ultimately all this film taught me, from the soundtrack, is that The Beatles had a song for every occasion. And right now after watching the film I feel like I Should Have Known Better.

If you'd like to make your own verdict on the film it will be aired again tonight on BBC4 at 10pm.

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Terrible Things: The Return Of Fred Mascherino

Sat, 19 Jun 2010 17:17:00 GMT

Ever wondered what happened to Fred Mascherino formerly of Taking Back Sunday? Well, if so, wonder no more! The last I heard of him was when he left the band and was focusing on his solo project The Colour Fred, but recently I found out about the current band he’s in called Terrible Things.

While their track ‘Revolution’ sounds like it wouldn’t be out of place on Taking Back Sunday album it’s still an impressive track. ‘The Hills of Birmingham’ is an engaging track which begins acoustically but swiftly descends into electric guitars and a stronger sound. To have a listen yourself, which I highly recommend, their MySpace is here and is only a click away!

Two weeks ago former Stereophonics drummer Stuart Cable passed away in his home in Wales. I’m not going to start professing to being their biggest fan, but it must be said they did release some brilliant songs. My favourite Stereophonics song, in which Stuart Cable played, is ‘Vegas Two Times’. Whatever anyone says, it can’t be denied that he was an excellent drummer, and I'm certain this this song shows it.

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Teeth and Pearls

Sun, 30 May 2010 15:14:00 GMT

Since my last blog post I’ve been acquainting myself with the music of Pearl and the Puppets. Her latest single ‘Because I Do’ is catchy but not too dissimilar to the sound of Feist. Still some quality songs to be heard on her MySpace here, and I'm in no doubt that she's definitely one to watch.

And, as I’m sure you’ll be interested to know the most mundane (but in my case terrifying) eventuality of getting a tooth taken out caused me to ponder about what would be a good play list for while you’re in the dentist’s chair. Well, that and minimising my sugar intake. And, as your ever intrepid blogger, I compiled this list:

Nick Drake - Sunday (A nice instrumental song to almost relax you before your teeth begin being drilled in to)
Blur - Trimm Trabb (A mellow but somewhat euphoric track is always a necessity in such a situation)
The Courteeners - Will It Be This Way Forever? (Nothing like listening to a song about naivety and adolescence to distract you for a bit)
Elbow - Not A Job (Depending on how loud the drilling/pliers are, can be quite effective for making your mind wander)
The Cure - Forest (Vivid imagery, Robert Smith’s eerie voice - need I say more?)
The Beatles - Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite (Instantly effective, sing along if you’d like to show off your vocal skills/snap a tooth)
Arcade Fire - Windowsill (Can make you feel more depressed than scared, you’ll be like Tommy Tiernan when Radiohead started playing on the bus from Craggy Island. So when your teeth are being hacked at, you won’t notice a thing!)

No, you don’t have to thank me, thank your teeth the next time they decide to start warring each other. And while we’re on the subject of tooth extractions here’s Green Day’s video for 'Geek Stink Breath'. (Best not to look at this video if you’re of a nervous disposition/are about to have a tooth taken out!)

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Advert Music: Fantastic Or Faltering?

Wed, 19 May 2010 19:12:00 GMT

“You know that song from that ad? Oh come onnnn, you know, that song?!” are words which have been uttered by many of us. Perhaps an efficient and effective way for bands to get the mainstream success many may have hoped for is through allowing their songs to be used on ads, or are many one hit wonder ‘ad bands’ being produced instead?

PJ Harvey Lets England Shake

Mon, 10 May 2010 19:29:00 GMT

A look at two bands who’ve announced dates in Dublin who are definitely worth seeing, and some musings about PJ Harvey.

Record Store Day: Dublin

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 15:00:00 GMT

A brief look at 2010's Record Store Day in Dublin, and lamenting the absence of Conor O'Brien better known as Villagers.

Would You Like An Album With That?

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 17:35:00 GMT

After the recent success of Pink Floyd’s court case against EMI because they had allowed the release of their songs as single tracks, a debate has arisen in the midst - should all songs be bundled, or is the album a dying art form?