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Friday, December 05, 2008 

Key Notes Top Ten Irish Albums: 8

Alphastates - Made From Sand

Don't you think that it's all rather strange?  So sings Catherine Dowling on Made From Sand's opening track, 'Round Here.  She's wrong though, there's nothing strange about appreciating the quality of this album.

Key Notes first encountered Alphastates in the old Temple Bar Music Centre at Hard Working Class 2004.  Those of you familiar with the old venue will remember that the stage/gig area was separated from the bar area by two very heavy doors and so moving a round of drinks from one section to the other meant relying on either the kindness of strangers or the growth of an extra limb.  Walking through the double doors that night Dowling's vocals stopped this blog in it's tracks.  Subsequently, Key Notes has seen Dowling's vocals described as everything from 'honeydripping' to 'breathy' but that night, this blog could only use one word, sultry.

As it turns out, that was description was reinforced upon purchasing Made From Sand.  This album oozes sexuality to the extent that it should come with an 18 rating.  Much like this particular blog in fact as Key Notes can best describe Made From Sand as the musical equivalent to spending a stormy winter evening in the company of a beautiful woman, in front of an open fire, with a nice bottle of red wine left to breathe on the coffee table and clothes being an optional extra.  Thanks largely to the production genius of Karl Odlum, Made From Sand achieves this sound by crowning a multi-layered musical landscape with Dowling's captivating vocals.

As is usually the case with great albums, it's difficult to pick a favourite song on Made From Sand.  Kiss Me is probably the standout track, though not by much.  Dripping with sexual tension, this song is tailor made for a movie soundtrack.  Well, as long as the story of that movie involves a boy who says he loves a girl but doesn't really do anything about it until, alas, it might be too late.  You know, pretty much the story of about 100 movies per year.  Sometimes and Indian Sky are also worth mentioning as being possibly the only songs on the album where Dowling's voice is not the focal point and yet neither song appears out of place.  Speaking of special mentions, CLUAS' own Andy Knightley is mentioned in the sleeve notes (yes, Key Notes always reads the sleeve notes).

It's four years since the release of Made From Sand and Alphastates have, unfortunately, failed to deliver an LP since.  New album Human Nature is due out in February 2009 and, if the lead single of the same name is anything to go by, it will see the band moving in a new direction.  Key Notes' will reserve judgement until he hears the entire album but, whatever direction Alphastates decide to take, they have already delivered one of Irish music's most unique albums and the world is a better place for it. 

Alphastates - Kiss Me

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