https://www.cluas.com/indie-music RSS feeds for CLUAS Irish Indie Music 60 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/45/Sounds-of-System-Breakdown#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=45 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=45&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/45/Sounds-of-System-Breakdown Sounds of System Breakdown, the electronic, pop, dance rock brain child of Rob Costello released their debut album in January. Cluas caught up with Rob Costello from the band for a few words just prior to the release to find out their plans. The Album was launched on the 27th Jan. Is it a culmination of songs built up over the last three years or new stuff? Is most of the work a product of the group or are there solo tunes from Rob that were worked on after you became a three-piece? The album is a mix of old and new, some of it dating back to 2005. The songs were mostly written by me but the arrangements on the album were very much influenced by our work on the live show as a three piece. Bands tend to get grouped and packaged nowadays it seems, every group has to have a trendy genre tag attached. Industry and media folks call you guys electro-punk, is that fair do you think? Do you see yourselves as electro? Or as a band who play and write lots of songs that don't constitute just electro or punk? I think bands have to package themselves these days. Every profile you set up on a website and every competition you enter requires you to select from a menu of genre tags, and with the inordinate amount of bands out there at the moment, punters and press need shortcuts and filters to navigate through. Having said that, the album we have made is quite eclectic and I don't think it fits neatly into those categories. Where was the album recorded? Was it self produced? Was there a lot of input from you as to the different tweaks etc to make it sound the way you wanted? The album was recorded and mixed largely in our own studio, with a day here and there in commercial studios like Qube and Silverline. We borrowed whatever mics and equipment we could get our hands on, and with a lot of help from my brother, Ed Costello, learned how to put it together ourselves. What is the aim of the album? What would success be for you? Are you looking to sign with a label? Would it be an economic decision if the opportunity arose? Success would be to be able to play music full-time. I don't necessarily think you need a label to do that nowadays but if the right one came along, we'd probably go for it. The nice thing about self-producing the album is that we own all the copyrights and aren't stuck in restrictive contracts. We're very much free to go wherever we want from here. Are you writing all the time, at this stage is there a solid number of tunes outside of the album you have in reserve? Or was the writing process centred around getting an album together? There are hundreds of little ideas and maybe four or five songs that are close to completion that we now have time to have a look at properly. Now that we have time, we're going to do a lot more jamming as a band. We’re looking forward to that. In this climate, it would be fair to say it's easier to get music out, technologically, however touring and the cost of getting your name around live is still huge. Would your biggest constraint as a group be the cost and lack of resources associated with touring? I suppose so. Up till now we've stuck mostly to Dublin gigs and the small festival circuit, but hopefully as word spreads about the album there will be opportunities to fill up two cars and head off. We're currently booking a small Irish tour which we'll release details about soon. What’s next in the immediate future? What are the plans for 2010? Now that most of the boring admin work associated with releasing an album is finished, we're looking forward to a lot of jamming, gigging and writing. We're also putting together a couple of videos and getting some friends to do remixes. Watch this space. Kevin Coleman More ... Kevin Coleman Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:45 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/50/Jenny-Huston#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=50 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=50&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/50/Jenny-Huston 2FM DJ and broadcaster Jenny Huston wrote a book profiling Irish bands and artists on the up. The book is filled with interviews on how they got there, got dropped, got signed again and split - before getting back together in some cases! It’s an enjoyable read and essential for both folks with an interest in Irish artists, as well as budding artists who will soon discover music as a career choice isn’t all glamour. Was the book a long time coming? Was it a long time work in progress or something that occurred to you as something you’d love to do? I was approached by Jo O'Donoghue (editor) from Currach Press in December 2008 asking me would I be interested it writing a book on emerging bands.  It was not something I had ever thought of doing. I gave it serious thought over Christmas and said yes in January.  Work started in February 2009, so it took the best part of nine months to complete.  I wanted to celebrate the various bands successes and for all of the interviews to be exclusive to the book. How did you choose the bands and artists? Did you pick your favourites or was it more a question of who you think have achieved success or tinkering on the edge of success? I chose the bands on merit as much as humanly possible.  I wanted In Bloom to be about the new headliners - the bands that had come to prominence in Ireland post 2000 and could sell out numerous shows a year. There is great mix of style within it - The Coronas are very different to Jape etc. I really like that about it. In the foreword of the book, Glen Hansard said Irish people are too self aware to ever think they are cool, and that they have something that’s different. Do you think Irish bands can be too self aware and instead of just going for it, are waiting for perfection, and afraid of rejection (as they see it) before they put anything out? There are lots of bands who have been around for 4-5 years and only one or two EP worth of songs released (over the web or otherwise). I think Glen was hitting on the 'cool factor' that many bands in London or New York have. Our bands don't tend to spawn fashion trends or be known for their haircuts, but that doesn't mean they are not every bit as interesting.  With bands and productivity it is as different as apples and oranges.  Some bands release everything they write and record (and shouldn't) and others heavily self edit (perhaps overly hard on themselves in the strive for perfection).  Money is still a huge factor in getting music out - it costs to mix and master and to print and distribute and it costs to promote your releases. Some bands simply are not as hard working as others.  Laziness can be a factor as much as a lack of self belief.     I recall speaking to a singer from an Irish band in the nineties who were signed to Geffen at the same time as Nirvana and G’N’R, and he said “we were always in the company of cool but never in the company of money”. Is the business side of things the biggest roadblock for bands and artists in successfully sustaining a good career? Definitely.  The major reason for any bands splitting up is usually money.  One or more members are tired of being broke, not so keen on sleeping on floors or in cars anymore and simply wanting a normal routine like their friends from school now have.  In your twenties its great but as many artist reach thirty the need for proof of success (financial as well as critical) can become really important, otherwise the question "what are we doing this for?" starts to creep up more and more often. Not being able to pay rent when you have five star reviews is extremely frustrating and can kill the spirit of the best creative artist. How important is a good manager? Do you believe that a band can have all the talent in the world but if they don’t have the right person watching their back, it’s no use? Yes, a good manager is very important once a band reaches a certain level and is doing long tours/in demand. They need someone who is at the end of an email or a phone on a daily basis that can be the buffer between agents, labels and promoters and who knows how to talk in the business world.  These days the only people with money are often drink and telecommunications companies and doing a corporate gig might be the difference between funding your next album or paying for flights for your next tour. They need someone that can make the right strategic decisions about what things to say yes or no too. Someone that will protect their future and who will maximize their opportunities and longevity and who fundamentally believes in their work The decision of whether or not to sign for a big label is a reccurring them in the book, do you think with the advent of the internet and music being so freely available online, that bands don’t need labels anymore? Or is still the first thing on a lot of artist’s minds? Artist don't need labels to reach a level of success in Ireland, but it would be next to impossible to successfully release and tour in the United States without support.  Nowadays bands lean towards recording an album themselves (creative control) and then licensing it to a label for larger territories.  It is the best of both worlds.   What labels offer is financial support (just like a mortgage to buy a house) for your release. The cost of distributing an album and PR in Ireland is a fraction of what it costs for the UK, Germany or Australia (they have the machine in place).   How influential do believe radio to be nowadays for breaking bands? Do bands still flood stations with demos as much as ever? Radio is crucial for many bands but then it completely depends on the genre and aspirations of the artists. If you are a pop artist you need radio.  Metal bands get virtually no support from radio yet metal concerts sell out in Ireland all the time.  Snow Patrol are a great example, they were doing ok (popular with indie kids etc with about 40,000 sales) then 'Run' was played by Jo Whiley on daytime BBC and the band was catapulted into public consciousness and started selling hundreds of thousands of records within weeks. Bands flood radio with CDs now MUCH more than ever. Everyone can record these days and everyone seems to (whether they should or not is another question).  Radio is a great tool for a band and will certainly increase your public profile, grow your fan base and perhaps even more importantly (and yet rarely discussed) earn the band income. National radio pays per play. That is why daytime high rotation is so coveted.  It doesn’t just sell albums and sell out concerts, the band will earn a great deal from the airtime as it accumulates.    How long is too long for a band to stay together without getting what they want out of it do you think? Once a band still enjoys playing together - enjoys the creative expression, the buzz from it then they can play together happily for life.  If the end game is playing stadiums and living in mansions then it will become apparent after a few albums whether or not that is on the cards or whether or not that is still the goal.  Again I will use Snow Patrol as an example.  Final Straw was the album that broke them worldwide.  It was their third album.  Elbow enjoyed a critical following until the Seldom Seen Kid, their fourth album, and now have huge audiences wherever they go. Self belief is crucial. You only have to read Glen Hansard's passionate foreword understand it . Who would be your top three picks as acts who you think are going to break into the public consciousness this year? Bangor's Two Door Cinema Club are already well on their way and I think Fred and Cathy Davey's next albums will see them exposed to whole new audiences (inside and outside Ireland). Kevin Coleman The book is called In Bloom and it’s available from www.inbloom.ie as well as leading book stores. Several of the bands featured have been nominated for Meteor and Choice Music Awards.  Jenny Huston's profile on 2FM's website. More ... Kevin Coleman Sun, 14 Feb 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:50 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/275/Yes-Cadets-Yes-Cadets-EP#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=275 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=275&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/275/Yes-Cadets-Yes-Cadets-EP Review of EP released by Belfast band Yes Cadets Cluas Snapshot: Fused pop, rock n roll, art house synthesisers & jumpy vocals make YES CADETS potential darlings of the UK music scene this year. The songs are snappy, catchy and the melodies delicious. YES CADETS are going to be big. Fast. Cluas Verdict? 9/10 Full Review: YES CADETS formed in Belfast in 2008. Only a year in and they have on their hands a belter of an EP to flaunt their wares with. First things first, YES CADETS are not about ground breaking new styles of music. Make no mistake, there are elements of everyone from Franz Ferdinand to Gary Numan in here. The key thing for this reviewer is that the songs are quality. The EP has five tracks, and any of them could make the radio as a single. Opener “Rufio” is bouncing, and infectious. Sweeping synth, constant drumming and a pop vocal that drags the listener in, it’s excellent. Lead single “Canada” continues in the same vein. Nice choppy guitar and synth intro swamped with sweet jumping vocals. It’s a constant beat, and addictive. “Burial/Tongues” is a little more early eighties but with the same synthesised pop intent. “Fashionista Art Party” has all the clever bouncing vocals and melodies that would make Franz Ferdinand jealous. It’s catchy, tight and brilliant. “H.O.T” finishes off the EP in style. The true depth and mettle of YES CADETS will be tested with a long player release. However on these 4 tracks, they have achieved more than some acts manage in twenty. It’s vibrant, exciting altogether pleasurable stuff indeed. Kevin Coleman More ... Kevin Coleman Mon, 25 Jan 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:275 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/276/Alan-MX-Warpsichord#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=276 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=276&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/276/Alan-MX-Warpsichord Cluas Snapshot: Warpsichord is the debut from electro, experimental London based musician Alan MX. It’s different, complicated, and really very good. Electronic, dance, and occasionally pop, it’s a fine record and one to surely pick up pace this year. Cluas Verdict? 7.5/10 Full Review: “Warpsichord” is littered with catchy loops mixed with delicate melodies and what sounds like millions of layered samples of vocals, synths, guitars, lasers, effects and whatever else he could find. If it sounds all over the place, it’s probably because it is. However each track sounds like 4 minutes of chaos that somehow pulls together. What results more often than not is altogether a pleasure to listen to. “Warpsichord”, “Cuckoos”, “The Captain America Video” and “Green Tea” are unforgettable. “Cuckoos” is fast paced with an orchestral overture that would not seem out of place in a James Bond themed movie tune. “Captain America Video” doesn’t disappoint either. It’s acoustic guitar driven melody is backed by a thumping percussion, it’s a winner. “Flesh Emergency” with its synthesised melody continues the impressive start to the record. “Green Tea” in this reviewer’s opinion is the best track on the album. It’s an acoustic guitar tune riddled with a relentless drum beat. It’s a piece of perfect modern pop music, the meandering vocals bounce along to the acoustic/percussion driven backdrop. The record doesn’t take a dive from here but the true quality lies firmly in the first half. “Frank’s Monster” is forgettable, “Strange Bird”, a life lament with a nice orchestral feel is just, well nice. “Chinese Whispers” and “God Song” complete the collection. So what’s the verdict? Well “Warpsichord”, “Cuckoos”, “The Captain America Video” and “Green Tea” are unforgettable. It’s hard to decide what kind of record this is with regard to genre. It seems to borrow from everything, pop to electronica, rock n roll to dance. Overall it’s an impressive debut and conveys Alan MX as a potentially serious player. He is extremely talented. He certainly has an open mind, anything and everything can be heard at one point or another on the album. The first half is nothing short of brilliant. Unlike the real thing, the energy levels seem to decline on the album after “Green Tea”. Kevin Coleman Listen for yourself at http://www.myspace.com/alanmx   More ... Kevin Coleman Thu, 21 Jan 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:276 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/54/The-Beat-Poets#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=54 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=54&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/54/The-Beat-Poets Northern Ireland’s finest The Beat Poets release their new EP “The Making” this week (See in Album Reviews Section). I caught up with them recently to discuss their desire for world domination. I first encountered you guys in 2004 when I think you were starting out, what have you been up to since? At that time several of us were in a different band, in May 2005 we launched ‘The Beat Poets’. Since then it has been a lot of hard work mixed with some excellent experiences; supporting acts such as supporting Sonic Youth at outdoor festivals, playing in Canada, America (including SXSW 2009), UK tours and releasing records. 
 Are you as a band at a stage where you know what you want to get out of the music and the direction you want to go? I think it took us a few years to find a sound, we are very critical with ourselves and we have experimented a lot over the last 4 years with different tracks, sounds, producers, studios etc. Since the start of 2009 we have been moulding the band into the sound we finally want, after SXSW in March we realised to do this would mean taking 6 months out to really concentrate on the song writing and production. Most songs we have would have several versions and we really only want our material to go out when every member of the band is happy with the same version for release. 
 
 The EP itself, 4 tracks, is it a taste of what’s on the album or a stand alone release? Where was it recorded? It was recorded with Neal Calderwood in Manor Park Studios who recently recorded the General Fiasco and FWW’s first albums. The E.P is a slight taste of what is to come on the album, the acoustic version of ‘Bloodline’ for example will be replaced by the full electric version on the album. It’s been a year since our last release, which is far too long. It was necessary to work on the direction and sound of the band but we felt that in coming back we wanted the release to be of more substance than a single. The aim was to show we were working hard at developing the band and song writing as well as giving people the chance to get their teeth into the direction the band is taking. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 In the band’s existence, have there been points where any of you thought about packing it in? Or have the years served you well through experience earned? Any band in this day that says they don’t have low points is talking S****. I don’t think I ever thought of packing it in, but there have been disappointments over the last few years. It mostly has revolved around trusting in people to work with the band that dramatically let you down. Hence why we’re happy for the time being to self-release and work campaigns ourselves. We definitely have developed thick skins over the last few years and I find any knocks a lot easier to deal with.  In this game and no matter what level you’re at it is inevitable that there will be a few. 
 
 The current exposure both on MTV and the BBC, does it feel like the start of something big? As a band do you feel the next 12 months are make or break? It’s impossible to tell, as with the last question I think in developing thick skins and gaining experience in this industry we have calmed down substantially compared to the poets first few years. Our aim now is to enjoy playing and recording music. We have started to develop our own label and have a great marketing team in London called Absolute that work with Dave Matthews, Imogen Heap etc and our records are distributed by Universal. We can release at will and this control means technically we don’t need a record label to get the music out there digitally or physically. We have great contacts with MTV and other licensing bodies from our trips to the UK, Canada and London and actually have sealed all these deals ourselves without management, publishers or a label. Off course we would love the financial input of a major or significant indie to help push the band more but rather than hopefully wait until they come along we have decided from now on to take the initiative ourselves and see what happens. 
 
 There is an earnest sort of desire that is conveyed in the music, do you see yourselves like that? As a sort of an honest group who want to achieve for themselves? You don’t buy into the pop star element at all? We have a reputation as a very DIY outfit and rightly so as outlined in the last question. Since I was a kid I loved the old school approach to music; the gigging like crazy to earn your trade, forming a band with mates, working your ass off to getting enough money to buy a new guitar. I think this approach gains much more longevity and respect than the pop star one. I do see the appeal of the pop star approach for boy bands and solo artists and while I would indulge with guilty pleasure to a laugh at the X-factor on a Saturday night, it’s a route to success I would never consider. 
 U2 are the obvious inspiration though personally I heard elements of Embrace (when they are good!) and actually The Verve. Am I off the mark altogether?? I would agree that we are inspired by U2, they would be in my top 5 acts for definite. I do like the Verve and some older Embrace songs but they’re not bands I have followed over the years. The bands I find most inspiring are The Doors, Pearl Jam, KOL, Oasis, REM, U2, RHCP, Gaslight Anthem etc. What’s the plans for the immediate future with regard to touring and dates etc? We plan to do major Irish touring and release the E.P in further afield in the new year. To initially promote this release we decided to do three selective shows; The Spring and Airbrake in Belfast on December 3rd; Whelan’s in Dublin on December 10th and finally a hometown show in ‘The Square Peg’ in Warrenpoint on Dec 12th. The E.P campaign will run through until the end of January when we’ll announce the next single which should be out at the end of February. 2010 is when we plan on bringing the show to the road with more new material. Kevin Coleman More ... Kevin Coleman Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:54 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/55/Joe-Echo#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=55 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=55&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/55/Joe-Echo Musician Ciaran Gribbin (aka Joe Echo) is embarking on a solo career after a successful stint with acclaimed NI band Leya. He’s recorded with Paul Oakenfold, he’s written tracks for soundtrack for a movie starring Emily Blunt; and has a solo album in the offing in 2010. Oh, and he’s opened for Snow Patrol, Franz Ferdinand, James Morrison and Paolo Nutini amongst others! He’s only going to get bigger, CLUAS were lucky enough to grab a few words with him recently. 
 A critically acclaimed album with a great band and incredible voyage supporting some of the world’s biggest acts; it’s a lot to give up on and go it alone. Were you nervous at all about going solo? I was a little nervous going out on my own; I’d been so used to being in a band with really good friends. We had so many good times but Leya had simply run out of steam. So we all agreed to call it a day. Going solo gave me the freedom to try outs so many different musical ideas and directions and im really loving it. 
 Has the intention to go solo been a contentious issue for you? Did you start out playing music with the intention go write and play alone? Or was it something that developed in your time in Leya? It was a natural progression. I have always written music from a young age so it was no surprise that I wanted to continue with music. The Joe Echo project for me is all about pushing myself into new avenues. Im dabbling with dance music, traditional music and writing for Films. I like to keep all the options open. With over 80 gigs done since leaving the band, and numerous writing collaborations and releases with lots of famous folk; has it been non stop? Where do you get the time to get into the studio? I’m sure at this stage I’ve done well over 150 gigs as Joe Echo including a recent first Australian tour.  I do quite a lot with a band not just solo just to keep it interesting. Every day is very full on and I sometimes wonder how we fit everything thing in. Unfortunately my first solo album is taking a bit longer than I’d hoped for but once the work on the movie I’m currently writing and producing the music for is completed my priority is to get my album finished. 2010 is looking like it’s going to be even busier now I have a new worldwide live agent, Steve Strange, who also looks after Coldplay, Snow Patrol, Eminem and others.     Would it be fair to say that the solo venture is something which you would like to generate more mainstream attention from? Or is it a case that you really want to play and write up beat more popular sounding music? Right now I’m following my instincts. I’m really fortunate to have a great team around me now including a manager that’s stuck with me for over six years and we’ve kind of grown together. I do, of course, want to generate more mainstream attention and hopefully the solo album and live shows will help me to achieve this but I’m sure I’ll always be working on a variety of things that seem to be coming my way. Life sure ain’t dull and that’s how I like it. I know I’ve still got a long way to go and feel very positive about the future and certainly won’t ever take any success I might have for granted.  
 Is it lonely up there playing without the lads from the band? Are the parties as good after the shows? No it’s never lonely up there and I know it was the right for me to move on and I’m especially happy that we’re all still great mates who I still get to do the occasional things with. Michael Keeney and I have been doing a lot together lately and he’s working with me right now co-producing this current movie music. The parties are few and far between although I must say Australia had it’s memorable moments and a late night or three….. Have you got a concrete release date for the album? Or is it a case of tracks keep getting added to the potential list? I have around seventeen tracks in various stages of completion to choose from and stopping there.  I’d say I’m 70% there right now with recording and reckon it’ll take me about a month to get to a finished album once I get back on it in Jan/Feb. No concrete date is set but we can now start to make positive plans for release. We’ll be ready very soon to start playing to the industry and everyone and then decide on how, when and with who it’s released through. Maybe I’ll even bring in a producer/mixer or two to look at what I’ve done. I’m not going to be precious about it if there’s any way of improving the finished album. 
 What would you like for 2010? What musically would give you the best form of vindication for going solo? Or do you feel so already? I’m looking forward to 2010 with a mixture of anticipation and excitement now I have a great team that believes in what Joe Echo is all about. I guess a positive response to my album and growing audiences who enjoy my live shows would be a kind of vindication although I believe if I can continue to enjoy what I’m doing I’ll have a reasonable chance of improving and succeeding in what is an increasingly tough business for any new artist to be in.  Kevin Coleman Joe Echo plays the following Irish gigs at the tail end of 2009:  The Academy 2, Dublin (17 December 2009) Auntie Annies, Belfast (18 December 2009) More ... Kevin Coleman Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:55 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/282/The-Beat-Poets-The-Making-EP#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=282 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=282&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/282/The-Beat-Poets-The-Making-EP The Beat Poets 'The Making' E.P Cluas Snapshot: They have the earnest heart on sleeve lyrics, big sound and bigger choruses; The Beat Poets are poised to be the finest purveyors of stirring rock in a long time. If it’s your thing, check them out. Cluas Verdict? 7/10 Full Review: The Beat Poets are on the up. Their latest offerings have been picked up by MTV USA and the BBC amongst others. The title track “The Making” is getting a lot of airplay on the radio. Things are going good for the band touted by some to be potentially the biggest band from NI since Snooze (sorry Snow!) Patrol. So what’s the E.P like? Well if a pumping rhythm, honest emotive lyrics and an audible yearning for a big sound is your thing? It’s great actually. If you don’t, it’s awful. It’s that simple. The title track “The Making” has elements of The Verve, U2 amongst others in the sound. It’s perfectly crafted as a popular rock song. A steady penetrative build up, culminating in a catchy melodic, big chorus. It's a definite radio hit, and if anything personifies the bands competence in song construction. Quite often there are bands with all the raw talent in the world, but have no idea how to construct a song. The Beat Poets are no such act. Despite the fact that the emotive lyrics may grate a little, the songs sound cohesive. It makes for good listening. An acoustic version of one of the bands favourites “Bloodline” follows. Again it’s constructed perfectly, building verses around a melody on the up and then a chorus that hits the heights. “Race” could be on any U2 record between 1980 and 1983 and it’s no shame. This track’s strong point is the pulsating rhythm section. The bass line in particular drives the song. It’s more of the same style touted in the opener. It’s not bad at all. If you like your stadium rock, and you want your front man to wear his heart on his sleeve then this is for you. Ok it’s not U2, but it’s not Snow Patrol either. “The Making” hits download and stores November 30th. In this reviewers opinion it’s worth a download, if even for curiosity, altogether solid stuff. Kevin Coleman More ... Kevin Coleman Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:282 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/285/The-Antlers-Hospice#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=285 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=285&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/285/The-Antlers-Hospice Cluas Snapshot: The Antlers’ second album is different. It’s a concept. The theme is tragic and complicated. It’s also phenomenally engaging musically and while one of the most difficult it’s also one of the interesting albums you’re likely to hear this year. The Cluas Verdict? 8/10 Full Review: Hospice tells the story from Prologue to Epilogue of a couple’s journey through terminal illness, struggle, regret and grief amongst other things. It’s heavy. It’s very heavy in fact. The record opens with the grey overtone “Prologue” and even from this early stage, it’s clear the album could serve as a soundtrack for a movie. In fact a movie could be written using the story of the album. It slides gently into “Kettering”. The song describes one partner finding the other filled with tubes in a cancer ward. The “morphine alarms” sing and keep her sleeping. It narrates the anger felt by the patient towards the carer. It ends with one partner finding out the illness is terminal. “Sylvia” begins in the same vein and then suddenly busts into life. Lyrically it’s virtually impossible to understand what’s been sung. The vocals are extremely low and this is my biggest criticism of the album. Musically it’s flawless but lyrically it’s impossible to engage with at times. I had to research the lyrics to find out what’s going on. Apparently it’s about the poet Sylvia Plath (the writer and poet who committed suicide by sticking her head in an oven and turning on the gas). This is described as detailed as this in the song. Musically it’s up and down, aggressive percussion and big horns, guitars and a charging rhythm. It’s actually a really catchy melody. “Atrophy” is long, really long. 7 minutes 42 seconds long. It’s a slow mover. Again virtually impossible to hear what is being said. And for a concept album that is supposed to tell a story, it’s bloody annoying I can tell you. The listener wants to know what’s going on and musically it’s conveying the themes but the lyrics are inaudible at times.  Again through research I discovered a beautiful lyric that summarises the song well:  “I’m bound to your bedside, your eulogy singer”. “Bear” is the first single off the album, and it’s incredible. It describes the couple in question going through the decision making process on whether they are capable of looking after a new baby. “There’s a bear inside your stomach, a cub’s being kicking from within.  He’s loud without the vocal cords; we’ll put an end to him.  We’ll make all the right appointments; no one ever has to know, And then tomorrow I’ll turn twenty one, we can script another show”. The song goes on detailing the reality of a conflict between the couple regarding their maturity at handling the responsibility a baby brings. OK, so Silberman clearly doesn’t do things by halves. Thankfully the lyrics in this tune are audible, and mercifully so. It’s a fine song. “Thirteen” passes without incident. “Two” however doesn’t. It’s a musical masterpiece. The acoustic intro draws the listener in, and the high low vocals of the verses merge with the drums as they kick in, fantastic. It’s the moment the doctor tells him that there is no hope for his partner and that “Enough is enough”. The song then compares how she had an eating disorder when she was younger and nobody noticed and excuses were made for it, her Dad was “an asshole”. It then goes on to describe their lives together, constant fighting in their room/home and marriage. “There’s two people living in one small room, from your two half-families tearing at you, Two ways to tell the story “no one worries”, two silver rings on our fingers in a hurry, two people talking inside your brain, two people believing I’m the one to blame, two different voices coming out of your mouth, while I’m too to care and too sick to shout” “Shiva” comes right after death. “Suddenly every machine stopped at once, and the monitors bleeped one last time. Hundreds of thousands of hospital beds, all of them empty but mine”. It continues musically in the same vein, acoustic guitar and stirring vocals. It’s nearing the end of the road. “Wake” is the end. It’s the celebration or marking of her passing. Letting people in to remember and say goodbye. It’s a very heavy record, and very thoughtful. At times it can be frustrating. It isn’t made easy for the listener, but the challenge is worthwhile. It’s one of the finest albums this reviewer has heard this year. Kevin Coleman More ... Kevin Coleman Sun, 01 Nov 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:285 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/58/Yes-Cadets#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=58 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=58&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/58/Yes-Cadets I recently caught up with up and coming Belfast electro pop foursome Yes Cadets prior to their performance at the HWCH festival in Dublin. Yes Cadets were only formed last summer but in a short space of time have been causing quite a stir. A single, EP and an Oxygen performance later as well as wide spread airplay sees their star in the ascendance. Here is what they had to say.   You guys formed over last year, were you friends before? How did you come up with the concept of the band? We’ve all known each other for a good while, meeting initially a couple of years ago in the murky underbelly of the Belfast music scene. It was only last year that we decided to form the band that we always wanted to be in and to play the music we always wanted to play.    Why the obsession with Canada?     Well, it’s only really an obsession when it comes to Canadian rock music. Bands like Wolf Parade, Arcade Fire and Tokyo Police Club were very high on the Yes Cadets play list in the early days of the band and it seemed at that time the best music in the world was coming out of Canada. Don’t get me started on Rufus Wainwright either! As far as ‘Canada’ the single goes, I’ll just say that I know a few Canadians…   Are you fearful that the market at the moment sort of swarmed with retrospective electro pop /rock groups? Or is it a good thing that there is so much interest in this area of music at the moment? I can see how it would be easy to be lost in the crowd at the moment but I do think we cover more genres and have a broader appeal than a lot of contemporary electro-pop. The fact that we can be classified with music that’s en vogue at the moment can only be a good thing, but it’s not necessarily intentional. We’re just writing the stuff that comes most naturally to us.   Where did you record the EP? Was it a long process or was it just a case of get in, get out and get the record out?  We recorded the EP in Start Together studios in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, a great little studio packed to the rafters with awesome vintage equipment. We spent weeks recording, pouring over every synth sound and guitar track. We were never any less than totally focused but I guess when you have that kind of beautiful equipment at your disposal it’s easy to lose a lot of time.   I see the EP was self released, yet you seem to have admirers in the BBC and beyond, has there been much interest in signing? The initial reaction to us has been really encouraging, both in the local media and further afield, but I think it would be easy to rest on our laurels. The trick now is to keep the momentum going. We’ve been chatting to a couple of great independent labels about recording an album soon and the wheels should start turning in the next month or so, fingers crossed.   How many songs have you in the can for an album? Or are you constantly writing? The album material is being written pretty much from scratch and when we’ve finished touring the EP we’ll hunker down and really get stuck into the process. I think an album needs to have a fluid; cohesive feel to it and you can’t capture that from bits and pieces written and recorded here and there over time. It’s going to be a great pop record but definitely a little more experimental around the edges. No wizards hats yet though, we’re saving those for the sophomore!   Tell us about the plans for the tour in the winter, where will you be playing? Everywhere really, there are shows booked all over England, Ireland and Scotland between now and the spring, peppered with a couple of exciting Belfast dates. We have a couple of great London shows coming up and I’m really looking forward to seeing how the scene there compares with what we’re used to up here.   If you could have one thing guaranteed for the band in 2010 what would it be? The goal is to be touring an album with management and a label behind us by this time next year. I guess that’s more than one thing though! Either way, the coming year is fast becoming a really exciting prospect for us.        www.yescadets.com   Kevin Coleman More ... Kevin Coleman Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:58 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/293/Psychonavigation-Records-Y9#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=293 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=293&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/293/Psychonavigation-Records-Y9 Review Snapshot: Keith Downey’s Ireland based brain child Psychonavigation Records celebrates its 33rd release since setting up nine years ago. It's testament that, in an industry where labels - like acts - come and go,  that Psychonavigation Records is not only still going, but growing too. Cluas Verdict? 7/10 Full Review: Psychonavigation Records was born out of the frustration of a DJ who wanted to get unsigned music out there. It joyfully heralds various acts and DJs alike and gives them a platform to release their music. It’s an admirable as well as a very successful venture and some of the fruits are in this Y9 (ninth year) anniversary compilation. The first thing to note is that there is a broad spectrum covered in the record label. The opening track is a quiet atmospheric number from Buckminster Fuzeboard. It’s a nice opener. Nice percussion with a flute hook as an overtone. “Your Day in the Sun” by GEL-SOL follows. The sound of waves coming in act as a backdrop, unfortunately other than that it’s a monotone lazy affair. “What a Wonderful Life” from Roddy Monks raises the bar. It has a nice lick and a catchy beat drawing the listener. There’s a lot going on and it’s interesting. Three tracks in and I can honestly say it’s difficult to imagine this stuff being played in a club. It’s mood music. “What a Wonderful Life” would find a nice home on a soundtrack for Spa Treatment/Massages. The record rolls on and the variation of the artists becomes evident on “Spinning” from Tiny Magnetic Pets. A nice delicate vocal hangs over a constant melody. It’s a pleasant track. “Miles and Miles” by Aza and Eoin is less eventful and plods along with little or no direction. Like most compilations, the highs are high and the lows are, well dull. More highs that need checking out include Matthew Devereux represented here with “I Love You Like A Robot”. There is a tasty acoustic strings intro accompanied with an atmospheric backdrop melody. It’s one of the finest tracks on the record. Other highlights include the wonderful “Soulsearch” by Brawdcast, & R.S.A.G with “Talk Back Crawl Back”. These tracks really demonstrate the variety of the label, mixing electronica with soul and hip hop. Excellent stuff. Much of the music on the compilation is carefully put together and testament to a guy who wanted to showcase what he saw as talent without a voice. Psychonavigation Records on this representation is a growing prospering label, rich with talent from all musical styles. Not just electronica and dance, but soul and a little hip hop too. Well worth checking out. Kevin Coleman More ... Kevin Coleman Sun, 04 Oct 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:293 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/294/Let-Our-Enemies-Beware-Against-Karate#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=294 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=294&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/294/Let-Our-Enemies-Beware-Against-Karate A review of the album 'Against Karate' by Let Our Enemies Beware Review Snapshot: Chatham (UK) based group Let Our Enemies Beware have been labelled a “Post Punk/ Rock Band” and have admirers with credentials, Zane Lowe among them. They describe themselves as “Noise Terrorists”. As an album “Against Karate” is as intriguing as it is tedious to listen to at times. Cluas Verdict? 6 out of 10 Full Review: “I am Lono” kicks the record off. It's a brash thumping affair with chunky bass lines and screeching vocals. They make no bones about they are about early on. It’s not bad. It becomes clear after the short scream that is “Pow Right in the Kisser” (a reference to the old WWF commentator Gorilla Monsoon), that LOEB are not a punk band. If anything there is more of a heavy metal feel. The visceral rhythm section coupled with the meticulously delivered lead guitar drive this home on “Personal Space Invaders”, perhaps the best song on the album. The screeching vocals throughout the album can eventually grate the listener a little. However there are some fine tracks on offer regardless. “Between Us and the Sun” is an example of the band's merits and how all forces can pull together. A thunderous penetrative rhythm section powers as the undertone to clean guitar picking, with a haunting vocal overtone. Musically it goes from meek to outright aggression in an instance and personifies the band's visceral approach to their music. This is where the album becomes a little long in that the familiar sound of the songs catches up. With only nine tracks on the record it’s snappy but the songs begin to repeat each other. This is the biggest drawback of the album. Perhaps LOEB should have considered an EP with choice tracks from this collection as many of the songs sound like variations of the other. “Momento Mori”, the final track on the album runs at 8 minutes 14 second. It’s a long, long way to end the record. All in all, LOEB show signs of promise and are very competent musically. More time should be spent crafting the songs and perhaps a taste of different sounds and influences may help them on their way. “Against Karate” is as intriguing as it is tedious to listen to at times. Try for yourself. Kevin Coleman More ... Kevin Coleman Fri, 02 Oct 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:294 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/300/Imogen-Heap-Ellipse#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=300 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=300&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/300/Imogen-Heap-Ellipse  Cluas Snapshot: Often beautiful with delicate vocals yet at times infected by cretinism lyrically, Ellipse is a mixed affair. The album is littered with whispy harmonies with keyboards, cellos, clarinets and whatever chopped up cuts and beats were left in the studio, Heap doesn’t make it easy for the listener and the album takes at least 3 listens to get any sort of feeling from it. The drivel that served up as lyrics doesn’t help either. The Cluas Verdict?: 4.5/10 Full Review: “First Train Home” opens with cool velvet vocals. It has immediate appeal with its snappy verse and catchy chorus. It’s a winner and casts no doubt over the decision to have the track as lead single. However there was more than a sniff of a mid - nineties Donna Lewis hit in the chorus melody. “Wait it Out” follows, a track dominated by keyboards and a combination of different instruments, the layered vocals help to make it a catchy number. The hopping "hmms" and “do dos” and soft keys however make the song sound like it’s been deliberately written for a shampoo advert. It’s not bad. “Earth” is next, and it’s a jab at a conceited house guest, lover or whatever…..lyrically it’s a bit pretentious given the subject matter and the high-low keys and harmonies give more than a hint of that castle bound billionaire Enya. That’s a straight red card in this reviewer’s eyes. It gets worse. Lyrically “Little bird” is like a first year English students one page essay describing various imagery in different rooms in a house as seen by a (you’ve guessed it) Little Bird. It’s over the top, and deliberate attempts at ambiguity based on a clear and simple situation just make Heap sound like a fresher eager to please the lecturer. “Little bird, little bird, little bird, Where are they now? Day time tv lounge A carriage clock, a mantle piece A family wiped up, j cloth cleaned Unsaid, festers in the throws of the sofa” It’s turgid. Maybe I don’t get it but at this point I am thinking Heap should do an Elton John. Find a decent lyricist and concentrate fully on the musical aspects. It would serve her well as the next track “Swoon” illustrates the other end of the scale. “Your name in lights vibrating to your ring tone, my world begins to dance”. The bouncing dated sounding sampled beats make it a tired affair. The repeated verse through out goes as follows: “Let me be the great Scott Tip top pit stop in your ocean I could be the shipmate's wife Got you down and dirty with the lotion!” Enough said on this. It is with open arms this reviewer welcomes the opening sound of “Tidal”. The song opens with grand strings before quickly retreating behind a quiet gentle voice. Alas, it’s more of the same whimsical boring melody and bland keyboard backing track. “Between Sheets” depicts the blissful careless scene of two lovers. Lyrically it’s an improvement however the tune is forgettable and passes without incident. “2-1” comes next. The song apparently is named after the ratio of water to pollyfilla in the making of pollyfilla. Absolute genius. Dylan is sh*tting himself. The thing about Heap is, lyrics seem to mean a lot to her and each track tries to tell a story of sorts. However, she is a rubbish lyricist in this reviewer’s opinion. The lyrics come across as basic and there is nothing wrong with basic. If basic is what you are going for. Two minute pop songs are fine with short basic easy lyrics. However it is all out of shape with Heap. The lyrics are sung with purpose but not since Oasis' second record has this reviewer heard such ridiculously rubbish lyrics sang over a half decent tune with such purpose. “Aha” and the awful “Bad Body Double” (which is like a Phoebe from Friend’s effort) depicting a “fun” look at self loathing drag this record on. A surprisingly bright instrumental “Fire” and “Canvas”, perhaps the finest song on the album lead the album to the forgettable “Half Life” and it’s all over. Heap may think she is a poetic tuneful revelation but on this offering she appears nothing more than a pretentious Dido Armstrong sound alike. And with Grammy nominations and 12 years in the business under her belt she should be doing a lot better. No doubt the masses will love it. It’ll sell like cheap loo roll in a recession but this record for my money is lazy, unimaginative and dated already. Kevin Coleman More ... Kevin Coleman Tue, 08 Sep 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:300 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/307/Noah-And-The-Whale-The-First-Days-Of-Spring#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=307 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=307&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/307/Noah-And-The-Whale-The-First-Days-Of-Spring A review of the album 'The First Days of Spring' by Noah and the Whale Review Snapshot: The Twickenham based folk outfit return with a heartfelt second album. It proved a difficult second album, not in music terms but more in the feeling in the theme, which proves thankfully, that Noah and the Whale are here, for a while at least Cluas Verdict: 8/10 Full review: The first thing to note about “The First Days of Spring” is that Charlie Fink is sole vocalist.The second is that the record is definitely not like the first by the group, and the third is that the theme is not a happy one.The record opens with the title track. A strings intro accompanied by a clean electric guitar hook, immediately sets down the tone for the album. What strikes this reviewer is the incredible similarity between the sound of Fink’s vocals and those of David Kitt. Its no bad thing. The theme of the song is the potential for what should be a new beginning, hounded by a heartfelt break up. “My life is starting over again Well the trees grow, the river flows” he sings with purpose, but in the end of the track he repeats, “I'll come back to you, in a year or so And rebuild ready to become, Oh the person, you believed in or the person that you used to love”. These lines set the theme for the entire record. It's a break up album, or more to the point an album about the disillusionment of a break up. And so the album continues into “Our Window”. It's a good melody continuing the theme as Fink reminisces and still hankers for “her light”. “My broken heart” is next, again a slow electric guitar intro, with a beating drum, “You can give up anything when your following your heart” Fink sings. There is a nice orchestral string accompaniment to the song. “I’ll be laughing again” he sings defiantly as the sound of a trumpet brings the song up in tone. It’s most definitely the nearest thing to a radio friendly song so far on the album. Like I said, it’s not like the last record. At the halfway point in the album there is an instrumental interlude. “Instrumental I”, the joyous “Love of Orchestra” and “Instrumental II” provide the affirmation for Fink to come out of his emptiness and despair. Not for long though, “Stranger” opens slowly again with a clean electric guitar intro.“Last night I slept with stranger for the first time since you’ve gone” he sings. It’s back to wallowing and self reflection. The music is slow moving and Finks vocals are soft and easy to listen to. However the over analytical nature of the theme and the self wallow and reflection can be a little overwhelming for the listener. At times the listener can become vexed and feel like telling him to move on! Such is this reviewer’s intolerance of listening to a stranger’s problems! “Blue Skies” raises the mood a little and is a slow building melody, breaking through to the end with a haunting backing vocal. It’s more positive and finally Fink looks like he is out the gap…It could be a potential single. The layered drum and electric departure on the album is further personified in “Slow Glass”. “I never tried to change you, honey I’m your biggest fan” he sings as he reflects on the hurt his (famous)lost love has caused him. The album closes with “My Door is always Open”. It's the final resolution. “I will only let you only down, but my door is always open” he sings. The country slide guitar and light vocals bring the album to a slow reflective end. “First Days of Spring” has to be listened to in full, and the radio cuts are few are far between. However as an album, it's a story of a bitter break up with some beautiful music for company and well worth a listen. It proved a difficult second album, not in music terms but more in the feeling in the theme, which proves thankfully, that Noah and the Whale are here, for a while at least. Kevin Coleman More ... Kevin Coleman Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:307 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/63/Pocket-Promise#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=63 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=63&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/63/Pocket-Promise Being play-listed on BBC Radio One, an album recorded in France with a top class producer (David Odlum- The Frames, Gemma Hayes), glowing critical praise; after eight years together Pocket Promise are starting to realise some of their promise. Cluas.com caught up with Belfast based indie ban on the week they released their debut album I’ve been here for ages. Firstly, congratulations on the album release. The band has been together a long time, were you nervous about finally getting the record out there? Thanks! Yeah, definitely there's always going to be a certain amount of apprehension and nerves when releasing something, but it's completely overshadowed by the sense of achievement, pride and relief at getting the finished product finished and out into the public. We've been working so hard with promoting the album and letting everyone know what we're doing that we haven't had a chance to enter into any kind of feelings of fear. We feel like this was the right time to do this and we're very pleased that it's been well received. Is the record a collection of entirely new material, or a balance between songs you’ve had for a while and new stuff? The record has a bit of a balance of both. We finished the recording process of the album around the end of September 2007, so even since then we've developed a lot of 'newer' songs. A lot of material on the album was written right before we went to record so the songs are still new to us and most of our followers. The recording process itself really influenced the style of music we have created since and it also helped to develop more avenues with the older songs. We've a few songs which we've written in the last few months that we are already thinking about recording. We'll leave it a month or two yet though - the focus right now is ...Ages. Pocket Promise have been together almost eight years, have you had moments where you all think, “Is this going to go anywhere?” Constantly! It's natural that we would have highs and lows throughout our time together and 8 years is a long time for anyone. We've worked so hard at trying to achieve a career in music as a band because we truly believe in what we're doing. We love making music and we love that a lot of people like what we do. We'd be foolish to pretend we don't get doubts. We're lucky that our faith in what we're doing has kept us together and we're thankful for the support we've received from those around us. We're still just cracking the surface at the minute. There are so many people out there who have yet to hear about us and what we do - we have faith that it is all going somewhere and that we can get the music to the ears of those people. You moved to London for a period a number of years ago. Did you as a band find the environment much different? Yes, definitely London was different. It's a self sustaining world of it's own. It's incredibly vast in so many respects especially in the artistic scenes that exist there. When we moved there, we came in on the whole Libertines boom (Pete Doherty himself was actually at our first London gig in the Dublin Castle) so the mood at the time in the music scene was one of Pete lookalikes and doomed, poetic mishaps with top hats and pointy shoes. It was very difficult to be seen above that whole movement. We were a million miles away with our big-to-small sounds, all heartfelt and warm. But, in saying that, we stuck at it for two years and managed to play in some of the best venues in the city. We were lucky to meet other bands who we grouped with and created our own little movement! We really enjoyed it and plan on getting back soon to play some of those venues again. A lot of groups head over and get overawed by the sheer size difference in the music “scene”, is it an easy place to get swallowed up without notice? Do you feel the experience benefited you as a band and a group of mates who play in a band? I think the experience really did us the world of good. In so many respects it influenced our album very heavily and it made us a better live band. Dragging a stage piano in and out of a packed tube on a working day, only to play to four people at a gig and then get home to bed in the small hours can be deflating at best - but as with everything that requires sticking power, it was worth it. The experience brought us closer as a band and as friends. We all lived together over there so we learned to get on with what we went over there to do and we enjoyed socialising together as well. Maybe a little too much at times! It would be very easy to get swallowed without notice because of the size of London and not knowing where to start. There is a lot of trial and error involved with becoming part of the scene there. There are a lot of venues which just aren't worth playing, a lot of promoters who aren't worth knowing and a lot of bands who really aren't in it for the same reasons you are. But then, when you want to be seen and heard, you can't really afford to turn down gigs. It's a double edged sword; we learned a lot from that experience. At what point did you decide, “Ok, its all or nothing”, and focus full time on the band? When we came back from recording in France we decided to dedicate our time one hundred percent to the band. It was a brave move and again one which definitely involved a lot of 'trial and error'. It was very difficult trying to get good gigs back in Ireland because we'd been gone for so long, but we've stuck at it and we're really starting to break through into a band to take notice of. Financially though we've still had to drop in and out of other employment to allow us to continue to fund the music. I’ve Been Here for Ages was recorded in France, with producer David Odlum (Frames, Gemma Hayes). Did the exotic venue and quality of the producer add some spice to recording and inspire you? Yes, the location was incredible. Blackbox Studios has been built and developed with the artist in mind. The area is absolutely beautiful, with truly magical scenery and a very distant serenity that allows you to totally remove yourself from the real world. We loved every minute. David himself is a great person to work with. He challenged our thoughts on the songs and made great suggestions which often changed timescales and tempos, lengths of songs, arrangements and sounds - ultimately improving everything we recorded with him. The record is being released on your own label, Stop: Go Music. Are you fearful of the difficulty in gaining exposure through independent release? It's a very tough area, in that - on one hand you have the freedom to do with your recording as you please. You have one hundred percent control. You also remain in possession of all your own material and can make the choices in regard costs and profits associated. On the other hand you've funded the album from your own pocket and taken a gamble on whether or not it will sell. We only have a certain amount of power when it comes to exposure but working with the right people has really helped us to gain further exposure. Jeff Robinson, who looks after our PR, has been instrumental in helping us to promote our release. The advantage of working with a label would be that you have on board a large number of people who have years of experience, who have built many contacts and have a much larger budget to work with. In reality we're doing this on a smaller scale, all being well one that will grow! With the imploding global economy, do you see it as a much more challenging environment to sell music and entice people to listen than, say, in the last number of years? Well, again it's a tough call. At this level, a lot depends on luck - whether or not people will listen up and start buying your music. It is definitely challenging for bands to release music, especially by themselves. But there are tools out there that can really help artists reach audiences and ultimately sell their music, particularly with respect to the ever growing number of websites people use. We can only keep working within that environment and try and discover new ways of promoting ourselves and selling our music. If we were in it for the the money though, we would have given up long ago...! It’s been an exciting year, with two single releases, the album and appearances nationwide. What’s the plan for the immediate future for Pocket Promise? It has been an exciting year and we're very happy to have come this far. Our main focus for the next while will definitely still be the album. It's our biggest achievement to date and we're hoping to keep pushing it out there. We're really hoping to record a few newly written tracks as soon as possible. We'll maybe just pop the songs on a CD and distribute them as a little EP at gigs or maybe just give the songs away via our website. We'll have to see! But that's definitely the way we would like to see the future of Pocket Promise - being productive on our own terms and getting the music to the ears of our listeners as soon as possible! Pocket Promise play Dublin at the Purty Loft in Dun Laoghaire  on 14th August.  Kevin Coleman More ... Kevin Coleman Wed, 12 Aug 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:63 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/124/U2-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=124 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=124&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/124/U2-live-in-Dublin U2 live in Croke Park, Dublin Review Snapshot: Well what's more fun than 80,000 people chanting anthems in Ireland's sporting Mecca on a summer's evening? A lot if you read the papers this week. Despite worries about the stage not being fully utilised, the prospect of preaching from "St Bono's Book of Glib", and an album still seeking its place in the wider public's consciousness; it was a blistering performance musically, if a little short. U2 seized the day and won out in the end.  The Cluas Verdict? 7.5 out of 10 Full Review: Are U2 the biggest and best band in the world? Are they a corporate entity living on past glory? Or are they an incredible group of perennial live performers who don't know when to quit trying to be relevant and just enjoy the show? The answer is probably a little of each of the above. This reviewer doesn't believe the much written garbage from certain elements of the Irish media who slate the latest offering as useless. No Line on the Horizon is not without its merits and contains a number of tunes that could live comfortably with any of their contemporaries.  The crowd are predictably various in age. It makes for an interesting atmosphere. There is a large multinational presence with flags from all corners in the crowd. U2 are global, like no other. The first thing that struck this reviewer was the impressive stage structure. The gargantuan orange fingers of the "Claw" jutted out of different points in the crowd.  Unfortunately the second thing that struck me was the empty grey concrete stand of the Hill behind the stage. Despite what others may say, it did take away from the aesthetics and visual impact of the stage structure, especially if you had a pitch vantage.  Dublin's four most famous living people take to the stage at 8.50. "Breathe" kicks off the night. It's an energetic and curious opener. The song itself is average on the record, but as with U2, live it gets a new lease of life. Plus, Bono's voice is in great nick. The title track from the new record follows. From a personal point of view, this should have been a single from the record. It's in the chorus of "No Line..." that the crowd starts to buzz. Admittedly there isn't very much "singing along", indicating the intentions of the crowd to hear the choice cuts from the U2 songbook.  "Get on your Boots" while probably not one of the bands strongest hits, gets a boost live. People are jumping. Its meandering guitar riff and thumping rhythm get the capacity crowd going. "Magnificent" is up next and as widely perceived as the highest point on the new record it goes down a storm. It's clear the band are extremely well rehearsed and there are no hitches. Bono's voice comes to the fore and there is a sense of purpose in his voice. "I was born to sing for you" he says and the fans believe it.  U2 have never been a band to shirk from selling their wares, and have the guts to try new things. Hence the opening four tracks coming from the Luke-warm received (critically) new album. It's sort of ironic that the next track "Beautiful Day" is the song that brought the band back in from the half empty stadiums of the POP tour. Its infectious melody lifts the spirits of everyone there and it is indeed, beautiful!  "This song is dedicated to Sinead O Connor", Bono says as the Edge lays the opening wah wah lick of "Mysterious Ways". The entire stadium goes nuts. Taken from the band's richest phase creatively it reminds everyone of why U2 are history makers.  Bono even serenades a young Chilean fan who asks cheekily where he lives…."It's in Kiliney, speak to the missus, she's very understanding" he says to laughter and cheers. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" begins and falls into "Stand By Me". The atmosphere is beginning to peak. It's an 80,000 plus karaoke session. "Angel of Harlem" with a hint of Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop T'il You Get Enough" continues the mass sing along. "In A Little While", a gem from "All You Cant Leave Behind" rings out. It's a beautiful little tune and it leads into the loudest screams of the night. "The Unforgettable Fire" burns a hole in the night sky. It's a poignant moment for many older members of the crowd. It's impressive stuff. Bono is in full flight. The ramps at the sides of the stage are used to full effect. "City of Blinding Lights" and "Vertigo" follow with a bongo ridden remix of "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight".   The stadium was electric. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" is rung out to the visuals of protests in Iran. The fans go wild. It's a wonderful song and the most popular one of the night so far. Bono ad libs "Rock The Kasbah" through the end of the song which gives it added punch. And that's when it happened. One hour and twenty minutes in, and Rock Star Bono took a breather for a cigar and a rum and coke while St. Bono emerged. Every charity this side of Rio was sound, checked. A video played showing Burmese democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi who is under house arrest. The cause is admirable, and it's well meaning on U2's part. However getting people to walk around a stage at a rock'n'roll show they paid a lot of money to see, wearing masks is outrageous and crass. It got worse. St Bono wouldn't leave it at that. The "One" organisation got its dues. And then a recorded message from Desmond Tutu (no I didn't think he was in U2 either) followed. It's part of U2's fabric and this reviewer appreciates that, but flogging your charity at people during a rock'n'roll show is crass, inappropriate, and nearly ruined an otherwise impeccable performance.  "Walk On" and "MLK" followed, and St Bono took a hike. Good riddance. Rock Star Bono was back. "Where the Streets Have No Name" rejuvenated the deflated crowd. The bass line still sends shivers up and down this reviewer's spine. "One" illuminates the sky and it's a rock n roll love in. All is good and beautiful.  The band came back on for the encore. An old school mike was lowered to Rock Star Bono. He dragged on it, swung on it and paraded the showmanship and vocals that made him cool back in 1992. Oh and "Ultra Violet" was the tune! For this reviewer, this would have been a fine point to leave off on. "With or Without You" had to be played for the die hard fans though. And respect is due for the purpose and sincerity the band managed to convey during it too.  However "Moment of Surrender" while certainly one of the highlights of the band's latest offering, was most definitely the pin in the balloon for many. As the stretching vocals reached climax in the chorus, folks began to think about where they were off to for a jar. Like I said, U2 were never ones to shirk from selling their new wares. Still, the vocals were flaweless and the band sounded tight and very polished. The stage show was immense. U2 continue to be the world leaders in live show performances, but Bono is doing his best to spoil this for the rest of the band with his peddling of personal agendas ahead of doing what he does best. Kevin Coleman More ... Kevin Coleman Mon, 27 Jul 2009 09:07:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:124 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/125/Bruce-Springsteen-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=125 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=125&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/125/Bruce-Springsteen-live-in-Dublin Bruce Springsteen (live in the RDS, Dublin) Review Snapshot: A rain soaked, recession obsessed city is lit up by the thundering guitar of an American hero. Bruce was in town last weekend for a two night stint at the RDS. Working on a Dream, the latest offering by the Boss has done the business commercially, and there is more than a few stand out tunes to sing along to. Inevitably it's the old favourites, belted out by the show-stopping, jet-flying, limousine-riding E-Street band that folks come to see. And even in the grey & damp confines of the RDS, Bruce lit up the sky for 3 hours 20 minutes.   The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10 Full Review: I must confess the first time I was fortunate enough to see Bruce Springsteen live was as late as 2005 in the Point. It was the tour supporting the collection of Pete Seeger songs he recorded that year. It was excellent stuff too; pure blue grass with a tint of rock and roll and a collection of flawlessly talented, if varied, musicians. I must have been alone in my personal satisfaction as in the gents, grunting lads of a certain age were growling "Where's Born to Run?", and "I paid for Jungleland, what's this shite?" It was then that it dawned on me. Bruce's albums sell well, even the new releases. But when it comes to Bruce live, people buy tickets, regardless of what album or cover collection he is supporting. It's a sort of religion. It was last year I began to understand this when I saw the E-Street band for the first time. So, with tickets obtained at the last minute, we went along to "The Boss". As usual, no support act. 8pm on the button, "No Surrender" is played to screams, chants of 'Bruuuuce!' and whistles of appreciation. Straight into "Badlands" and the entire stadium feels like it's moving. As I said before, it's sort of like a religious celebration. The crowd is a mixed bag as to be expected with a FOUR decade spanning career. "Lucky Day", "Outlaw Pete" and "WorkinG on a Dream" follow from the new record. The place is still buzzing. Remarkable, especially considering he is playing some of the "new stuff". But like his live shows, The Boss' new stuff is still pushes the right buttons for many. A surprising rendition of "Proud Mary" leads into the 9/11 inspired "Waiting on a Sunny Day". Strangely the song takes on a temporary literal meaning in the recession gripped misery that is the modern Irish summer. Bruce then sound checks some famous Dublin spots. Burdocks & O'Donohues were amongst them. Two and a half hours in and "Born to Run" tears strips off the night sky. It's difficult to believe as he bounces around the stage like a teenager that this is a 59 year old man performing.   The encore as with the show I had attended last year was a frenzied, screaming, dancing manic affair. “Dancing in the Dark”, “Jungleland”, “Glory days” really blew the top off the place and the entire stadium was dancing, jumping and screaming. It was pandemonium.  A surprise cover of “Twist and Shout” meant Bruce and the lads could be subject to a fine for rolling past the council curfew. Never mind Bruce, I’m sure there are many who would be more than willing to chip in and cover whatever fine will be handed out! Kevin Coleman More ... Kevin Coleman Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:18:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:125