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Last Post 2/23/2004 11:39 PM by  QsySue
Looking for recommendations.
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QsySue
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2/23/2004 11:39 PM
    Hey, I'm new here, thought I'd post an intro and ask for any pointers on the Irish music scene. I only recently discovered Damien Rice, the Frames, and I've been trying to get my hands on some Mic Christopher. It sounds like the Irish scene is full of talent, just wondering what else I may be missing out on! A little on my background--I'm in Seattle, WA, USA. I grew up as a teenager in the Seattle grunge scene, got to see all the greats play at little all ages shows before grunge exploded. I like all kinds of music, from stoner rock/doom metal to folk, contemporary R&B, bluegrass... Thanks in advance for any replies.
    Binokular
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    2/24/2004 8:13 AM
    Hi QsySue, I would definitely recommend The Tycho Brahe, a quirky, intelligent yet unprentious band named after a danish astronomer with a golden nose. They also have distrurbing fascination with tacky interior decor (flying ducks, flock wallpaper etc.) http://www.thetychobrahe.com I think that I can also safely predict that someone on this board will recommend a band called "The Things"
    klootfan
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    2/24/2004 9:06 AM
    Hows it going QsySue. Id agree with Binokular recommendation of the Tycho Brahe. Id also add Bell-x1. Damien rice used to play with members of this band in a previous band. TenSpeedRacer are my own local favourites. Catch them at www.TenSpeedRacer.com. Their label mates, Future Kings of Spain are also worth checking out. Rock music at its best. A few websites which focus on the irisi music scene are www.irismagazine.net and www.thumped.com. www.phantomfm.com was up until recently, one of the best radio stations in the country for promoting irish music and good music in general. However it was taken of air as it was a pirate station. However, they still stream live across the web. Enjoy
    Karlito
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    2/24/2004 9:36 AM
    How goes it? I'd agree with the lads choices above, to add to that: The Jimmy Cake - Instrumentalists - great, they used to to have a site www.thejimmycake.com but it doesn't seem to work now. The Redneck Manifesto - Just feckin great.www.redneckmanifesto.com And I really like these, Kila. A sort of trad band but not really because they use influences all around the world. Also check out Ronán Ó Snódaigh, he is Bodhrán player form the band and his two solo albums are just fabulous. www.kila.ie And thats all I can think of for the moment.
    Dromed
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    2/24/2004 10:26 AM
    Howdy do QsySue, You should check out www.republicofloose.com, fantastic band with a legend of a front man. Also www.cpu-records.com is another site worth checkin out with a load of songs on there to listen to. Autamata, Neosupervital, 8 Ball and Star Little Thing are a few decent Irish lo-fi electronica-types to listen out for, if that sort of stuff floats yer boat! www.themightystef.cjb.net www.mainline.moonfruit.com
    eoghan
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    2/24/2004 8:35 PM
    The Tycho Brahe were mentioned in particular by Binokular and klootfan. I'd be curious to hear what they (and other Tycho Brahe devotees) thought of Anthony Morrissey's mixed review of their 'Love Life' album which was published here on CLUAS. Check it out: www.cluas.com/music/albums/tycho_brahe.htm eoghan
    al ert
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    2/24/2004 8:56 PM
    I though 'Love Life' was one of the best albums released in the past year and I think both disc rock. The review just reads like someone who is looking for a feckin tabloid angle - 'released the best and worst albums of last year' - total bull. I never go by reviews anyway. And the band seem to not mind the review because I saw it on their press page - www.thetychobrahe.com al
    Binokular
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    2/25/2004 8:44 AM
    I think Anthony Morrisey gave his genuine and honest opinion on "Love Life" and I cannot fault any reviewer for doing that. Overall I thought the review was extremely possitive rather than negative and pretty fair. The Tycho Brahe are one of the few genuinely quirky and avant-garde groups around, so its inevitable that there is going to be stuff on their albums that people don't like or just make them go "what the hell is that?" Even on the first Tycho Brahe album, friends of mine were perplexed by songs like "Ooga Chaka" or "performing seal". The Tycho Brahe still seem to approach recording with the naive enthusiasm of kid with their first tape recorder so all sorts of stuff tends to end up on their records. Its part of the whole appeal of the band. One comment that that thought was a little unfair was that "their talents do not stretch over a double album", not because this comment was inaccurate in itself, but have you ever known a band who could knock out a consistently good double album of new material? Ever tried to listen to Pink Floyds "The Wall" in one sitting without the assistance of recreational pharmaceuticals? Or how about "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" by the Smashing Pumpkins, a great album containing some of the best tracks that band ever recorded yet lacked the cohesiveness of Siamese Dream. Even James Iha once told a guitar magazine in an interview "I suppose listening to a double album is kind of like going to the chiropractor... It's pretty good for you but you can't force it on anyone else." There is also the fact that alot of people are listening to albums on their spiffy new iPods these days (I'm not one of them sadly), meaning you don't need to listen to the tracks you don't like. Unlike back in the days of LPs and cassetes its no longer as important that an album be listenable from beginning to end. Albums are getting longer these days. As long as an album has enough good tracks to more than justify its price (which I think love life does) who worries about a couple of duds?
    Eric
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    2/25/2004 1:42 PM
    Hey there, I'd recommend Snow Patrol (Northern Irish/Glasgow) band, they have a nice mixture of slow and fast songs - although they're not ground breaking they have their own sound and write some great catchy songs. Two albums I'd recommend are 'When its all over whos going to...'(something or other) and 'Final Straw'. The lead singer also has a side project called Reindeer Section - a combination of a load of Scotish Bands - great album. Also I'd recommend Gemma Hayes, shes worth a listen, great voice and writes great songs + mmmmm, mmmmm she is fine!
    The_Thin_Man
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    2/25/2004 2:31 PM
    Alert - welcome, I thought the review was spot on. But "The review just reads like someone who is looking for a feckin tabloid angle" is strange comment.. Is 'tabloid' a byword for inaccuracy, hyperbole, and poor writing? As any working journo knows, it's the exact opposite - tabloids pay the best writers and produce the best written and subbed copy. They have to, because of space considerations and because they need to grab the attention of those who 'don't read reviews'. (Sorry for the lecture folks - throwaway comments just bug me.) Double albums can work - see Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works or Dylan's Blonde on Blonde or the Last Waltz or London Calling... Admittedly, there could be a valid case to suggest that the genre hasn't fared so well in recent years. In terms of Irish acts, the Bray Vista are worth investigating, especially if you're a Gram and Emmylou fan.
    marty
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    2/25/2004 2:56 PM
    surprised no-one mentioned paddy casey...
    al ert
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    2/25/2004 3:03 PM
    quote:
    they need to grab the attention of those who 'don't read reviews'. (Sorry for the lecture folks - throwaway comments just bug me.)
    Hi The_thin_man It is not a throwaway comment. It is the whole 'attention grabbing' aspect of something as stupid as saying the 'love' cd is one of the worst albums of last year and the 'life' cd is one of the best. That is 100% tabloid and anyone who has heard the 2 CDs will spot that as POOR writing/reviewing. I did. al
    The_Thin_Man
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    2/25/2004 3:19 PM
    Alert - I've a feeling we're working off different sheets here. We can certainly agree to disagree on the merits of Love life, or the merits of the reviewer's writing, but what do you mean by '100% tabloid'? Is that 100% good, 100% bad, 100% accurate, 100% inaccurate... Is 'tabloid' some low-grade dirty phrase, like 'St Bernard' or 'public transport'? Don't tell the publishers of the Independent that!
    Binokular
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    2/25/2004 3:20 PM
    quote:
    Originally posted by The_Thin_Man
    Double albums can work - see Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works or Dylan's Blonde on Blonde or the Last Waltz or London Calling... Admittedly, there could be a valid case to suggest that the genre hasn't fared so well in recent years.
    Yep all those albums work, however Aphex Twin is a twisted genius and we tend not to apply normal standards to his work. Fans are perfectly willing to accept that his work will wreck your head. Also intersting to note that Blonde on Blonde and and London Calling were only double albums back in the days of vinyl. Nowadays both will fit on a single CD. Blonde on Blonde has 14 tracks, London calling has 17. Compare this with Double albums originally issued on CD, Love Life has 23 tracks while the Smashing pumpkins "Mellon Collie.." has a whopping 28. It might go some way to explaining why the genre hasn't fared too well lately.
    al ert
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    2/25/2004 3:39 PM
    quote:
    Originally posted by Binokular.... a valid case to suggest that the genre hasn't fared so well in recent years.
    yup - maybe it is down to the chronic short attentions span of folks these days. the_thin_man - i see what you are saying... maybe what I meant is that it is too 'sensationalist'. So scrap the tabloid refernce ;-) I love good intellegent writing that moves me and makes me think (a bit like music) not gross generalisations.
    Vent My Spleen
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    2/26/2004 8:50 AM
    Personally, I like what the Tycho Brahe are about. They have quirly charm in abundance. However, I do feel that listening to their albums, you can clearly see they are studio boffins and as is often the case, some frivolous and throwaway tracks make it onto the finished item. I always feel this is because the band are in love with some specific sound or mood on the track and don't want to throw it away. As with all bar a couple of doubles, most are a distillation of the great album it could have been if the band had been a bit more brutal and trimmed down to a single disc.
    em
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    2/26/2004 12:00 PM
    Check out www.irishmusiccentral.com it's jammed with great Irish talent, If you like Damien Rice and the Frames check out Bell X1 as mentioned already, they leave those and others far behind www.bellx1.com
    QsySue
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    2/26/2004 8:10 PM
    Thanks for all the recs, I'm going through them slowly. Been offline for a couple days. Bell X1 sound awesome?
    QsySue
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    2/26/2004 8:12 PM
    Oh yeah--and I have a lot of questions about music in Ireland. Anyone willing to send me an email and let me be nosy? qsysue@yahoo.com
    Bren
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    2/27/2004 12:38 AM
    highly recommed: Colm Quearneyhttp://www.colmquearney.com and David Hopkins http://www.davidhopkins.net get onto their sites and download some mp3's you wont be disappointed!!
    klootfan
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    2/27/2004 9:05 AM
    Yep, Colm Quearney... definitely a good recommendation
    devondudley
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    2/29/2004 1:55 AM
    therapy best irish band in last ten years by a mile
    QsySue
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    2/29/2004 5:45 AM
    K I'll add em to my list. I've been downloading what I can find (some of this is hard to find in the States), I don't know if anyone mentioned this band, the Prayer Boat? I think I saw them on irishmusiccentral.com. I like most of what I've heard of all the stuff I've found, but they're definitely a stand out for me. Anyone have any info on them?
    ilovehoovering
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    2/29/2004 10:26 PM
    just on The Redneck Manifesto again: their old website is still up and you can listen to the whole of their first record with RealPlayer at http://homepage.tinet.ie/~redneck1/music.htm ...if you just want to rock go straight the song 'Sweet Pot' on the singer-songwriter front: Jeff Martin http://www.jeffmartinmusic.com ...doesn't seem to be any mp3s up at the moment which is a shame as he's great. Looking forward to hearing his new stuff...maybe there'll be some audio up soon. and finally there's Waiting Room http://www.waitingroomfun.com - 2 mp3s from their excellent new album up here. Really i can't recommend them enough! The band name suggests they're aggressive i guess but they aren't...well it does rock a little on the record but it's also really fragile and pretty.
    rave.on
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    3/14/2004 12:52 AM
    mic christopher stuff here: http://www.davidrochford.com/default.asp?module=bootleg
    JellyBaby
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    3/15/2004 2:20 PM
    Maybe some Turn but definitely check out STAND -http://www.standland.com/frameset.htm.


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