Cover Me

Inspired by Una Mullally's article in last week's Irish Times, a perusal of the decent recent album covers is in order. Given that the art of the LP cover is dying quite a death, let's hear it for the good 'uns.

The Manics' Journal For Plague Lovers is a sister piece to 1994's The Holy Bible in cover art and content. Its cover strikes as much of a chord as the heretofore lost Richey Edwards lyrics do in their unveiling throughout. Also sourcing Jenny Saville's art as they did in 1994, sees them put as much effort in to the visual as the audio experience.

Sweden's finest; Peter Bjorn and John's newest release - which by the by, offers the best jangling power pop and use of cowbell you'll hear all year - continues their nice little trio theme. Actually I could stick most of their covers in, and so I shall: tough.

This one is best examined up close, but the repetitious placement of words to make the objects they spell, is one to swoon over. I lust after it in a proper giant wall size.

And because three is the magic number and PBJ are upping the ante of album covers; here's 2006's Writer's Block. The detail of this is best appreciated when the fold out sleeve is revealed, they do like a theme.

Admired for its clumpy and purposely one-dimensional execution; Sufjan proudly displays Illinois' most famous sons. The unusual cover introduces an album of far flung and diverse tales with the dial set to 'sweepingly epic'. Kudos to whoever drew Al Capone, he looks like he belongs in an out-of-print primary school book. I'm pressing the imaginary 'like' button for that alone.

And finally, for the wonderfully random, Wilco come out on top. A parable for our times.

Although it's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot that you'd want proudly displayed on a t-shirt.

Here's hoping for a return to the consideration of an album's visual impact - if the good music buying folk are given something to invest in, they might just want to buy the whole package instead of download/ pilfer/ burn.

Get Up & Go!

The Go! Team, The Academy, Dublin, March 5 2011

Two drummers, three singers, guitar, bass, harmonica and a whole lot of energy are all you need to rock like the theme to a 70s car chase on a Saturday night. In a concise set that showcased new release Rolling Blackouts' infectious fist pumping tunes; all in attendance were suitably revved up for their beat and retro sampled charms. With instrumentals like Junior Kickstart getting as rapturous a reaction as the sing-a-longs, The Go! Team knew they had the crowd in the palm of their hands and so gave it a good shaking, just because they damn well could.

The Go! Team Ladyflash

They came here to rock the microphone, indeed they did.

Rollin' & Scratchin'

GrandMaster Flash, The Village, Dublin.

Considered a pioneer of DJing and rightfully credited as the transformer of the turntable in to an actual instrument; these are achievements that GrandMaster Flash was never going to let us forget. With footage of him explaining the invention and evolution of his now ubiquitous techniques displayed on screen as he took to the stage to the strains of Queen's Flash blaring; hype is something he can afford considering he's adept at living up to it.

Following an accomplished opening from (I think) a Dublin DJ and vocalist; GrandMaster Flash upheld his innovative reputation with ease but enjoyed reminding the crowd whose presence they were in; the subtle message of "You're In The Room With A DJ Legend!!! Tell Your Friends Now!" constantly pulsated across the screen. Given the relentless floor-fillers mixed and the sheer electricity of his presence; those in The Village that night willingly indulged his amusing ego-boost antics.

Generously dishing out an eclectic variety of old and new mixed to perfection, his creativity couldn't fail to impress. Combining the best of 90s and 00s hip hop and rap, with old school standards from rock, pop and back to hip hop's 70s roots; everything from Jay Z to Bowie, Tupac to Blondie, Queen to Snoop Dogg and what felt like hundreds more snippets and samples of hooks, beats and riffs from crowd-pleasing favourites duly got a spin.

And all that was before he drove the crowd in to a frenzy with his best known Furious Five collaboration 1982's The Message; of which he only played a third (just enough for some chanting) before ploughing ahead to the next sample. So far, so swimmingly. Even the break down of his Mac in the last quarter of the set  failed to deter Flash or the audience. While waiting for the reboot, The Village were invited to shout their levels of appreciation for the gig, even the old standard of dividing the room in to three to out-scream each other saw the crowd happily oblige. With the computer back on track and the clock approaching 2.30am, all that was left to do was sign off with the thumping White Lines, bidding adieu and extending friendship invites to all, animatedly listing every social media site he's on.

The palpable elation of the audience reveling in the music, seeing them being 'taken back' in an instant by a scratch or a sample while injecting a dose of the contemporary, reveals the longevity of the master himself and of the style he inaugurated 30 years ago. It's evident that the music's evolution is something he has fervently accepted and amenably participated in, consistently and laudably creating hybrids of the old and new. "I don't care who's better, who's worse, my contribution is first, first is forever and that's the way it goes down in the history books". Lest we forget it.

Surely Brassy

 Peter Bjorn & John - purveyors of wondrous brass.

There's no song that can't be improved by a dirty dollop of it.

Flash Player

The social problems of 80's New York sound so damn cool...

Grandmaster Flash, The Village Feb 18th!

North American Fun

Friday nights: best spent in a dance frenzy induced by copious doses of LCD Soundsystem. Yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah - yeah. Tripod 19th November 2010, a band always acclaimed and never bettered.

Making a splash in Irish waters

There you are approaching the famed Emerald Isle, the wondrous greenery already visible from your little boat as you float ever closer. As your vessel nears the shore and the mythical fog clears, what sights do you first feast your eyes on? Enya high up in her Celtic tower nursing sick fairies back to health; Sinead O’Connor begging you to believe that nothing compares to you; while nearby U2 epically pose to heal the world via a trademark guitar riff? This is Ireland from the outside - you need to step off that boat and dive into the vibrant, diverse Irish music scene of 2010.

Ireland’s musical output has been nothing, if not varied. We’ve had wool-wearing traditional singers such as the Clancy Brothers making waves in the 60s (hey, even Dylan dug them); Horslips trad-rocked their way through the 70s; and Thin Lizzy simply rocked. Then the 80s happened, and U2, Enya and Sinead O’Connor came to signify the be-all and end-all of Irish music. A culture of manufactured pop dominated the 90s, often including large measures of faux-Irishness for the global market.

But what a difference a millennium makes. The past decade has seen a broadening of horizons and a diversification of genres, with many Irish acts showing the confidence and desire to forge their own musical path. So what is the soundtrack to Irish life in 2010? Here are a few appetizers for your aural consumption…


Republic of Loose
Where to start with these funk soul brothers? Loose being the operative word, they have chosen to make the kind of music that nobody seems to make anymore; authentic modern soul records, with healthy slices of funk and rock thrown in for good measure.
With "The Loose", as they’re affectionately known to fans, you have to see them to believe what you hear, and hear them to believe what you see.
Enigmatic front man Mick Pyro's scruffy beard, dirty ponytail and Miami Vice-style dress sense seem completely at odds with his rusty, growling vocals and deliberately disgruntled onstage persona. Sassy call-and-answer vocals bounce back and forth between Pyro and his backing singers, while the faultless funk bass lines, choppy guitar work and tight drumming behind them make it all so sound effortlessly easy that you wish you had thought of doing it first.

Recommended track: 13 Shots from the album Johnny Pyro and the Dance of Evil


Cathy Davey
So, a female with a guitar who writes her own material: girly singer-songwriter alert?
Not quite. Dublin native Davey is three albums in to her ever evolving career and is finally receiving wider recognition for her innovative and intelligent music. Elfin in stature and voice, Davey is a multi-instrumentalist who seems to find novel uses for anything that holds a tune and knows the value of a well-placed yelp or whoop, which lends an originality and magnetism to her songs that is hard to forget.
Her second album, Tales of Silversleeve, centred around compelling, haunting drum rhythms while her most recent release The Nameless continues her flair for layered vocals and wonderful phrasing. Davey’s work is fresh, engaging and most certainly unlike any of her peers’, yet it still retains an accessible, radio-friendly charm.

Recommended track: Little Red from the album The Nameless


Fionn Regan
Regan’s tussled mop of hair and shuffling, guitar-slinger looks have critics frequently drawing comparisons with the young Bob Dylan, and his stripped down recordings have certainly shown a preference for getting back to basics; allowing intricate, intelligent  lyrics to drive simple yet strong melodies.
His debut album, The End of History, was nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize, and it expertly demonstrates Regan's ability to conjure images of love and loss in three-minute acoustic vignettes. It often seems to reveal the singer's own character traits and flaws, and this, added to an authentic delivery in his native accent, makes for intimate and pensive listening.
The Dylan parallels have continued as Regan “went electric” on his recently released second album, The Shadow of an Empire. Jangly riffs, primitive drums and sweet backing vocals have been added to the mix, and like it’s predecessor, the music isn’t overly fussy; it simply provides a platform for the stories and the storyteller.

Recommended track: Put a Penny in the Slot from the album The End of History


Imelda May
Dublin's rockabilly queen has injected the 21st century with a dose of retro glamour, and counts Jeff Beck, with whom she performed at this year’s Grammys, and Eddi Reader among her many admirers. An overnight success that was 20 years in the making, May's music unapologetically employs dirty brass sections, double bass rhythms and surf guitar licks, not to mention a voice that can jump from soulful depths to rough-and-ready delivery in an instant.
With May it’s a complete package; the glossy red lips, big quiffs and 50s glamour go hand in hand with the rootsy, energetic feel-good music that wouldn’t sound out of place in a seedy old New Orleans burlesque house. Her live shows mix early rock ‘n’ roll dance floor fillers with similarly infused original material, such as Big Bad Handsome Man from her critically acclaimed debut album, Love Tattoo. While her work is heavily indebted to the past, May has more than enough spark and wit to remain relevant and interesting. And with her follow-up album Mayhem already released, she’ll be quiffing that hair for quite a while yet.

Recommended track: Johnny Got a Boom Boom from the album Love Tattoo


* This article also featured in The Irish News, an Irish culture magazine published in Sweden.