Saranne reviews...

2011-10-21T09:24:00.000-07:00

I have moved my blog to www.sarannereviews.com come check out the new site!:)

Interview with Del Marquis from the Scissor sisters

2011-09-08T14:21:00.000-07:00

The scissor sisters burst onto the scene way back in 2001, after their initial success we didn’t hear from them for a while until they came back with the blinding Nightwork. I caught up with guitarist Del Marquis ahead of their scheduled Arthurs day gig later on this month.

You guys are playing Arthurs day in Dublin on the 22nd of September how does it feel to be coming back to Dublin for such a cultural event?

It feels great, we missed Ireland on our last few tours, we were touring for so long but we always seemed to miss Ireland on our tour schedule! It feels nice to be back in such a lovely country. I can’t wait to perform in front of an Irish crowd again, especially for something as fun as Arthur’s Day.

Do you think you guys will come back to Ireland to play a show by yourselves soon?

I think after we finish the next album but I don’t really know when that would be, were not too specific with the dates yet.

You guys went on tour with Lady GaGa recently, what was it like to tour with her?

It was amazing, words can’t really describe how good it was. She is just such a great artist, it was like being on tour with Madonna during her vogue period. You go out there every night and there’s just so many people there, you really have to give it your all because there’s just so much energy and excitement and you can’t disappoint. It was weird being someone’s support for seven weeks but it was a nice change, it’s great then to go back and tour with your own band as the headliner.

Do you guys have any plans for a follow up album to night work?

We are working on something at the minute but there are no dates or anything sorted yet, you will just have to wait and see!

Do you have any plans for more solo work?

Yeah I have been working on some stuff but now that I’m back working hard with the scissor sisters I’m not too sure when it’s going to be released or what I’m going to do with it. I love doing it but I just don’t know when I’m going to get the chance to do something with it.

Your solo work is quite different to the scissor sisters, was it nice to try something different for a change?

Yeah its great doing something different for a change, it feels good to broaden your horizons. I think it’s stupid when you’re on a break and you just don’t do anything different with your time. I like to try something new and keep myself busy and do something productive with my free time.

You’ve been in the band almost ten years now, did you ever think that it would last this long or that you guys would be so popular?

We never thought things would get this big, it’s been almost a decade now at this stage and that just seems crazy. When we started out we were just this small time band. We were just doing it for fun, we never thought that we could make a career out of it.

After so long together could you imagine doing any other job?

I could imagine doing something really boring. I’m just so used to things now and being in a band that doing something boring for a change would be nice. It would be nice to do something different. Doing what I do now just seems normal because I’ve been doing it for so long.

You guys are known for your style as well as your music, do you think that has helped you succeed in the industry?

Things were a lot different back then and we were views as a bit more unique to other bands, it could have ended in failure because it wasn’t that popular then. But now it seems that style has become a bit focus sometimes even more than the music. But style has always been a big focus, take little Richard for example. Looking back some of the stuff we wore or did was a bit tame but at the time it just wasn’t the done thing like it is now.

Do you think that the Scissor sisters had any influence over bands that emerged after you?

It’s hard to tell really, there are no bands that really seem to be directly influenced by us but it’s hard to tell. My main influences sound or look nothing like the band that I’m in so maybe we were an inspiration to some people, who knows!

What artists inspire you the most?

Guitar wise there are quite a few, music wise it’s pretty diverse. I first picked up a guitar when I was around 15 and I would have been into quite a few bands such as the cure, pantera and mainly rock bands, I picked up the guitar because I liked to rock out. I know that Babydaddy would be into many of the same bands that I was.

What do you think the future holds for the Scissor Sisters?

I was going to say something cheesy like another 10 years, but who knows. We’ve come this far and I just have so many great experiences, I wouldn’t change any of it for the world. We will have a new album coming out soon so the future still seems bright for us. It doesn’t seem like 10 years since we started, I think we’re just going to enjoy the ride as long as possible. If that means another ten years then so be it, I just hope I age well!

The Scissor Sisters will play The Olympia Theatre at Arthur’s Day. Tickets are scarce so you may have to go hunting to get them but it will definitely be a cracker. You can catch a plethora of acts at Arthur’s Day including The Stereophonics at Hop Store 13, Labrinth at Vicar Street, Paloma Faith at The Academy, Seasick Steve in The Savoy and much much more.

Electric picnic 2011

2011-09-07T09:39:00.000-07:00

As the last festival of the Summer I had high expectations for Electric picnic and it made a big impression but not always for the right reasons.

Friday

We arrived down early Friday to set up our tents in the Jimi Hendrix site and headed off to see some bands. The band that made the biggest impression on me that day was the Rapture. They put on a very energetic set and had the whole crowd dancing from start to finish. I had never seen them live before and had been really looking forward to it when I seen them in the line up, and they did not disappoint. They kept their best songs until last and I can honestly say I had a great time. I hung around the Electric arena until Santigold was due on as she was on directly after The Rapture. The crowd filled up quite a lot during the wait and by the time she came on stage the tent was packed. A lot of the same crowd near the stage had remained on after The Raptures gig and continued their energetic and happy dancing from where they had left off. She put on a great set and I felt glad that I had stayed on rather than head off to another tent. When Santigold had ended I headed to the main area and began my wait for Interpol. I had high expectations for them and was a little disappointed with their set. There was just no energy or excitement in their performance. It was no different than listening to one of their records. It was hard to tell the difference between their songs and the sound and atmosphere was very lacking.

Saturday

Saturday was the day I was most looking forward to gigs-wise as pretty much every band I wanted to see was on that day. I started off the day by heading to see The Trinity Orchestra performing Daft Punk. Despite the fact it was the first act of the day it still drew in a healthy crowd and set people up with a good mood and a happy smile for the day despite a few small rain showers. I had heard a lot about them and had missed their last Dublin gig as I was working. I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought that they brought the music of Daft Punk alive I a totally new way. With them over I took in some of the other aspects of electric picnic such as the bingo tent and the body and soul area. I have never laughed as much in my life as I did at bingo and it was probably one of my favourite parts of the festival. The host was hilarious and it was a great way to raise the profile of amnesty international.

When it had ended I headed to the Crawdaddy stage to see one of the bands I had most been looking forward to, The Undertones. I’ve been a fan for years and was delighted when I found out they were playing. They played to their strengths and interacted with the crowd inbetween songs to great success, they seemed happy, relaxed and it really showed that they were happy to be there. The intro to teenage kicks alone sent the crowd into a frenzy and it was an amazing sight to look into the crowd and see young and old alike having the time of their lives. Later on I caught the start of Lykke Li’s set but was not very impressed. I had heard great things about her and was familiar with more than a few of her songs but I just don’t think her music translates well into a live set, because of this I decided to head to Death in Vegas instead. The atmosphere there was much better and they put on a great set, I had a far better time there than I did at Lykke Li’s set and was glad I decided to go see them instead.

With them over I had the hardest decision of the festival to make, would I see Ham sandwich or Arcade Fire. In the end I decided to go see Ham sandwich on the Salty Dog stage in the forest. When they came on stage I knew I had made the right choice. The atmosphere was great, and everyone seemed so genuinely happy to be there. It was impossible not to enjoy yourself. The banter between the crowd and the band was hilarious and I have always felt that its one of the bands strong points. Every song they played got the crowd going and they seemed genuinely surprised that fans had come to see them instead of Arcade Fire which was astonishing as their popularity has risen so dramatically in the past few months. When their gig finished I called it a night as it was just so cold and miserable out I couldn’t face standing outdoors for too much longer

Sunday

On Sunday I awoke to horrible vicious rain pounding down on my tent and thought the last day of my festival experience was going to be a total washout, how wrong I was. As I headed down to see The Minutes the sun began to beam and it put everyone in great form. I arrived a few minutes early and the tent was pretty much empty. But when I turned around just before they started the tent was full to the brim, good news obviously travels fast. They opened with Black keys and it was impossible not to dance along, they really got the crowd moving and deserved a far better slot than the early slot they were given. My favourite act of the Sunday had to be The Drums. I had always liked them but I was blown away by their performance. Everything about it was perfect, my only gripe is that they didn’t play lets go surfing, and it seemed most people I talked to agreed. I finished off my last night with a visit to the silent disco, it has always been one of my favourite aspects of the festival and I always look forward to it every time I go. The music was great and because there is always two stations there’s always something for everyone. As a massive Beatles fan my favourite moment was when they played Hey Jude, there’s nothing like taking off your headphones and hearing a whole tent full of people singing along, really put a smile on my face.

Overall I had a great experience, there was a good selection of music and always something on or something to go do to suit everyone’s needs. However the general tone was a lot lower this year than any of the other years I’ve gone. Electric picnic has always been the nicer, cleaner and more relaxed festival, the anti Oxegen. It’s advertised as a family friendly festival but after the things I saw at this year’s festival I think they need to re think their audience and how the festival is managed. I awoke Saturday morning to find someone had gotten sick right outside the door of my tent, later on I arrived back to get changed and found a man urinating onto my tent, so drunk he couldn’t comprehend my anger or the fact that were toilets not a minutes’ walk away from where my tent was located. Several of my friends were robbed over the duration of the festival, most while they were away from their tent, but some thieves were so blatant they robbed people as they slept in their tent. It’s sad to see such a once great festival ruined by the dregs of society, I really hope that the organisers sort it out, and return it to the great festival it once was.

Moby - Destroyed

2011-08-13T10:58:00.000-07:00

When handed the task of reviewing Moby’s tenth studio album Destroyed I didn’t know what to expect. Arriving nearly two decades after the release of his self titles first album, Destroyed serves as somewhat of an artistic retrospective for the multi-faceted artist. Mostly known for the commercially successful play, Moby has tried to go back to his more melodic roots with this album. I think it’s nearly impossible for him to release a bad album as each one has tracks that suit any occasion.

Moby himself has stated that foreign cities, late at night when he struggled with insomnia, provided the perfect backdrop for the creation of “Destroyed.” Even the album cover is in keeping with the isolated feeling the album emits. The photo in question was taken in LaGuardia Airport late one night when no one else was around. It is a picture of a sign that reads 'Destroyed', it's shown in the airport to notify passengers when the unclaimed baggage has been disposed of. With this album Moby introduces the listener to the strange and disconcerting life of touring that is not often exposed, the time spent isolated in anonymous, mundane hotel rooms, airports, and various other buildings around the world. We are introduced to this world of solitude and taken on a journey which tries to help us understand the isolation of being on tour.

Opening with the airy, winding synth of “The Broken Places,” the slow winding nature of the album is again stressed in the piano & beat driven “Victoria Lucas” and the bubbling “Blue Moon” the latter being a track which also finds its pace through focusing on Moby’s calm, layered vocals. The songs themselves are hard to pick apart as distinctive or standout tracks. They are quite similar and they all take a few listens to distinguish from one another. No one track really stand out and the album feels like it would be good to use as background music or to listen to when you need to unwind. There are a few that could be worth talking about like "Be the One", "Stella Maris" and "After", but they never really seem to have the killer hooks needed to be a stand out track. I think the album is a very personal one but sometimes it feels like the listener just isn’t in on the journey.

I believe that Moby fans may be sitting on the fence with this one, it is quite similar to a lot of the work he has done in the past and this can either be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your own personal perspective. I think that the album will probably not be known as one of his best but it is certainly worth the listen it sounds good throughout and serves as a welcomed summation of his past two decades of work, it a pity but it just doesn’t have the wow factor we have come to expect from one of electronic music’s greatest legacy’s.

Castlepalooza - A review in pictures

2011-08-03T17:04:00.001-07:00

The journey to Tullamore didn't take too long, we arrived in decent time, it was the difficulty in finding the Castlepalooza car park that held us up the most. We drove around for quite a while trying to find any indication as to where it was. Eventually I spotted a tiny sign in a random turn near a garage that pointed in the direction of the car park. Once we had parked the car we then had to wait twenty minutes for a shuttle bus to bring us to the festival. There was no timetable as to when the bus was due, and when asked the driver stated that it just came and went as fast as he could drive. There was one stop off on the journey for everyone to collect their tickets, once this was completed we headed off once more eventually arriving at our destination.

We arrived to a fairly packed festival and set off to find a place to camp. There were four to choose from, eenie, meenie, minie and mo. Luckily I already had friends who had arrived before me and who led me to a clear spot where I could camp in the Eenie camp site.

All the tents were packed quite close together but there was a great atmosphere amongst everyone, and I ended up talking to quite a few people who were camping beside us. With the tent set up I was free to enjoy the festival. I arrived on the Saturday and there were quite a few good bands playing that day. The Minutes put on a cracking show and could be heard from all around the campsite even before I headed up to the stage. La Galaxie were also quite good. I had never seen them live before but they definitely gained a new fan that night. I wandered about after and went to see what the festival had to offer before returning for headliner of the night Jape. He drew in the biggest crowd and rightly so. He put on a great performance and I was glad that I had stuck around to see him play. I headed back to the tent when he finished to recharge for the day ahead.

I awoke to the sounds of campers beside me and headed off in search of breakfast. I settled on a place called Tea & Toast located near the Carphone warehouse stage. It was very reasonably priced in comparison to some of the other stalls and the staff were a pleasure to deal with. I will definitely keep my hopes up for them to make an appearance at future festivals I attend. With breakfast over with I decided to explore the rest of the festival that I had missed the previous day.

There were great hidden treasures such as the Hammock hang out near the front entrance. I also found several stalls and even a stage I had missed the previous day hidden amongst the showers and campsite.

I hung around for a few of the early bands such as The Pacifics and The Kanyu tree who both put on a great performance and managed to draw in a crowd depite the earliness of their slots. I headed home before the end of Sunday night due to the fact I had work the next morning. I wish I could have stayed but I enjoyed the experience while it lasted. Overall it was a good experience, there was a lot to do and see. One factor that brought the festival down in my opinion however was the lack of toilets. There were only a few located in the same small section for both genders which meant the que was ridiculously long at all times no matter when you went. Several of them had also broken down by Sunday morning which meant even longer queues. The over pricing at the bar and off license was another let down. You had to queue to buy tokens and then join another queue to purchase the alcohol with your tokens. The mark up on alcohol for sale at the festival was extortionate, it cost €60 for a tray of 24 cans, if you went to Tullamore village you could buy the same 24 cans for €24 but the fact that no alcohol was allowed to be brought in meant that you had no choice but to fork out €60 if you wanted to drink. Despite some of its major flaws I would still recommend Castlepalooza to festival goers. It has an intimate setting and has a poilicy in place to ensure that 50% of the artists performing are Irish, if you like a more intimate setting then this is the festival for you.

Fionn Regan - The Grand Social 21/06/2011

2011-07-26T14:21:00.000-07:00

Fionn Regan took to the stage to perform to a sell out crowd in The grand social on Thursday in preparation for the release of his new album ‘100 Acres of Sycamore’. The album is due out in August and Fionn has already begun touring the country performing intimate acoustic sets to give fans a taste of things to come.

Departing from the electric sound of the previous album, ‘100 Acres of Sycamore’ is a more instrumental affair. It shows a gentle folkier side to the singer songwriter, much more a kin to the sound of his first album, and he makes the transition perfectly. The lyrics possess a striking poetry and there is hidden meaning to be found in every line, soaring string arrangements and a powerful percussion line accompany Fionn’s stunning vocal and classical guitar picking style to create a sound that fans new and old are sure to love.

I was anticipating an intimate set and because the gig was held in The Grand Social, I was not disappointed. One of the lesser known venues in Dublin it has an intimate setting and a perfect viewing spot no matter where you are located. As expected Fionn reeled out the new material and delighted fans with some of the songs that are bound to end up as new fan favourites. He did however delve into his earlier material such as 'Put A Penny In The Slot'. The opening notes created a hushed silence over the audience, as the broken heart-strung vocals compliment the smooth guitar accompaniment. A great reminder of why we all fell in love with him in the first place.

For the most part however, poignant moments are kept to a minimum tonight, with new songs moved into the centre of attention. While many songwriters have been known to lose their original edge when changing their musical style, Fionn seems to relish the challenge and it suits him perfectly. And it’s a further testament to him that each song is so tight tonight, sounding even better than they do on record. He really gave it his all tonight, I hope he and the new record do well, they both deserve the recognition.

Bob Dylan - 16/06/2011 The Marquee, Cork

2011-06-21T10:48:00.000-07:00

A little over 12 months ago Dylan played what many considered to be one of his finest performances here in years at Limerick’s Thomond Park, so understandably expectations for his return gig in The Marquee Cork were high. Thankfully Bob pulled it out of the bag in what is sure to go down in history as one of his best ever Irish performances. His first performance since turning 70, it proved to doubters that there is no sign of him slowing down or losing his touch.

Arriving at the marquee I didn’t know what to expect. The venue itself was located not far outside Cork city and walking in to the marquee it was difficult not to think you had mistakenly arrived at a circus instead of a Bob Dylan concert. The venue was perfect and it was easy to view the stage no matter where you decided to stand or sit. Old and young alike crowded into the circus-esque tent in eager anticipation for the man himself. Shunning the need for a support act he arrived on stage just after eight o clock to a rapturous applause. Gonna change my way of thinking signalled the start of the show and Bob seemed to be happy and in good form throughout.

The set was packed with fan favourites and hits alike. Most songs were approached from a new angle and if you were looking for songs exactly as they appeared on record then you weren’t going to get it. Apart from the finale the stand out song was a terrific rendition of Tangled up in blue, sung in a way that gave it a whole new meaning, which added new layers to the song. Some of his newer work from Modern Times, in particular Thunder on the Mountain got as loud a cheer as favourites such as All Along the Watchtower and Highway 61. He closed the set with Ballad of a thin man but treated the audience to a surprisingly hit filled encore consisting of Like a rolling stone, All along the watch tower and a blinding rendition of Forever young, the last being many people’s stand out track of the night, myself included.

Bob Dylan is certainly not a man whose music is in any danger of losing its charm, his music will always continue to gain him new fans and his songs will always be known for their poetic lyrical beauty. Tonight was a great glimpse in to his genius, he may be past his peak but there is plenty of life left in him yet.

The Shoos - Rescue Room

2011-06-20T06:41:00.000-07:00

Often, when someone says an album is a grower, it’s taken as a negative; basically just like saying “I didn’t really like it when I first heard it”. Not so in the case of Dublin four piece The Shoos first album, Rescue room. Although its only seven songs long it feels complete, every song is a cracker and works well. There are definitely no filler tracks and each song blends perfectly with the next. The band always said that they didn’t want to do a full album, and it’s good to see that they’ve stuck to their promise. I had loved the band since the release of their first song Yeah and played it inside out for a good few months after first obtaining it. After dropping off the radar for a bit I was glad to see that they had finally released something a bit more substantial. Their songs always capture the listener and so I was expecting to fall for this album too. And I did, after a few listens!

The opening song Long way down, starts off pretty slowly, and then suddenly kicks into quite a catchy chorus, definitely worth a listen. I wasn’t sold on this one straight away, but after a few days with the album, I have been singing it in my head in the supermarket, surely the sign of a catchy tune? And catchy is something this band does well. This album doesn’t quite catch you straight but there are plenty of choruses that stick in your head, such as those of Idolise and Do it: both solid sing-along-in-the-car type tracks. Turn around is a much slower song, but again it has a chorus that makes you want to listen. Fan favourite Yeah makes a welcome addition catchy and familiar it’s sure to be a firm favourite with people not already familiar with the track. Recent single Distance is clearly the standout track of the album. It grabs the listener instantly and makes you wonder why you haven’t taken more notice of the Dublin four piece before.

I reckon that this is an album that takes time to get into. I’m glad that I was reviewing it, otherwise I might have not given it the notice that it deserved, and written it off as an average first album with one great track. If you liked their earlier stuff, then the chances are that you’ll like this, it has all their previous hits as well as some brand new gems, and if you’re one of the people that compared them unfavourably to a number of other Irish groups, then this will change your mind. The Shoos have really come into their own with Rescue room and I hope that these killer tracks are a sign of things to come.

http://www.goldenplec.com/2011/06/19/review-the-shoos-rescue-room/

Ladytron, Tripod 11/06/2011

2011-06-14T05:12:00.000-07:00

Ladytron returned to Dublin last Saturday to play yet another gig in Tripod. The venue seems to be the bands favourite destination on their Irish visits as every time they come over it’s the only venue they play. While the nights show didn’t sell out, there was still a healthy crowd assembled and waiting patiently as the support act raced through their set.

The crowd seemed very relaxed and calm and when the Liverpudlian quartet made a decidedly low-key entrance to herald their arrival onstage. ‘Runaway’ opened the show and ‘High rise’ and ‘Ghosts’ quickly, “International Dateline’ and ‘Soft Power’ from ‘The Witching hour’ album got an airing before their first interaction with the crowd.

Despite the band rolling out the crowd pleasers the atmosphere seemed a little lacking. The sound quality wasn’t the best and at times it was difficult to hear singer Helen Marnie unless you were very close to the stage. Even the band themselves didn’t seem very enthusiastic and their body language suggested that they really didn’t give a damn about the gig. There was no real interaction with the crowd, no excitement, and that attitude transmitted to the crowd. For the most part, the onlookers remain motionless and greeted the conclusion of each song with polite applause and some half-hearted cheers. Save for a few die hard fans at the front no one really paid much attention to the song changes and no real emotion was shown.

There was a brief respite from all of this however when the band played their biggest hit ‘Seventeen’, which, in spite of everything, sounded quite good and really got the crowd moving. It was the last song of the set and it was a shame it took them 12 songs to get the crowd going, if only briefly, before they left the stage. An encore was given, consisting of ‘White elephant’, ‘Playgirl’ and ‘Destroy everything you touch’, but the magic was gone and the band returned to a pitiful fanfare.

The set was around the hour mark and seemed to leave fans a little disappointed. They had many more gems they could have wheeled out but it just seemed that their hearts weren’t in it. It was hard to tell the difference in the atmosphere after they had departed as it was much the same as it had been during the gig. It’s hard to shake the feeling that we’ve been cheated, both with the miserly length of their set and the manner in which they approached it. I hope that on their imminent next visit to promote their new album ‘Gravity the seducer’ due out later this year, that they try a lot harder, bring back the magic, and remind us why we fell in love with them in the first place. I hope that the night was merely a lapse in their genius and not a sign of things to come.

http://www.goldenplec.com/2011/06/16/review-ladytron-at-tripod-2/

The Minutes - The Workmans Club 21//05/2011

2011-05-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

One of Irelands most hotly tipped bands The Minutes took to the stage at The Workmans Club Saturday night for the launch of their highly anticipated debut album Marcata. Mark, Tom and Shane have really been putting the effort in these last few years and it’s great to see it finally paying off. The album has long been anticipated and when it was finally announced that an album was on the cards The Minutes fans everywhere rejoiced. As I arrived for the gig I was informed it was sold out, not surprising as their popularity has sky rocketed in recent months. As I glanced around there were more hipsters present than Fern Cottons phone book. The venue was the perfect choice to showcase their masterpiece, big enough to allow a large following in but small enough that even at the very back of the venue it felt intimate.

As the opening notes of Black keys drifted from the stage it was suddenly mayhem as eager fans rushed to get a glimpse of the Dublin trio. They commanded the stage and all eyes were on them, it was easy to tell how thrilled they were to finally be releasing their masterpiece to the masses. They ploughed through the album, fans thrilled with the energy of their set, Secret history in particular was popular with the crowd, already hyped up from Fleetwood, the joy on their faces was easy to see. Marks banter with the audience throughout the gig provided a welcome break so people could catch their breath, and hear what the front man had to say about their proudest achievement to date.

The sound was a bit patchy at times with the band struggling to be heard over the roar of the crowd and the feedback from the microphones. But this was all easily forgotten as they pumped out hit after hit. It would have been nice to hear a few of the older classics, Ukraine would have been a nice addition to the set, popular with the fans and arguably the song that launched The minutes. But the night was all about Marcata, and we were not to forget it. Ultimately the launch couldn’t have went better for the trio, and with their history of going from strength to strength it’s fair to say that they are definitely a band to keep your eye on. Marcata is one hell of a first album, let’s hope they keep it up.

http://www.goldenplec.com/2011/05/25/review-the-minutes-at-the-workmans-club/

The Minutes - Marcata

2011-05-22T15:46:00.001-07:00

Freshly annointed as “the greatest rock n roll band in Dublin” by influential UK magazine Artrocker, The Minutes are finally starting to get the recognition that they deserve, and with their long awaited debut album Marcata taking the industry by storm the Dublin trio are destined for great things. Debut album Marcata comes on the back of a string of excellent singles, all of which marked the three piece out as one of the year’s most notable bands to keep an eye on.

The album takes its name from the upstate New York recording studio where the band nailed the recording of the entire album in a five day marathon session under the watchful eye of Kevin McMahon. Marcata certainly cements their status as one of the most exciting sounding bands on the domestic scene at the moment, packing 12 tracks into a speedy 34 minutes the album certainly brings the listener on a journey. The band’s new label Modern Citizen on which the album has been released on has enabled them to add a few tweaks to the original recordings most noticeably the addition of some brass and piano.

However even with these new additions the album stays true to their sound and merely enhances the experience, most noticeably on the re worked Black keys, originally released back in 2009 it gets a new lease of life and is one of the stand out tracks on the album. It has been released as the first single from the album and it’s clear to see why. It’s rocking energy and catchy riffs are too irresistible not to like and it’s sure to become a fan favourite.

The live favourite Secret history brings a powerful energy that fits perfectly with the all go, all power feel of the album. Fleetwood is more akin to the bands earlier sound, lines you can’t help but sing along to, rocking guitar, and even a harmonica solo, definitely one to watch out for. Polished melodies that are cloaked in scuzzy garage rock songs prevail throughout the whole album. From their signature sounding tunes Believer to the Oasis-esque Heartbreaker. Within this remit, they saunter around like they own the place, even ending on an instrumental jam that begs to be played live. There are flashes of brilliance throughout that suggest their next album will be the one to put them on the international stage. Its well deserved, they’ve come a long way from the days of playing in garages to twenty or so fans. The Minutes have taken their time in getting here, been patient and worked hard, and it was worth every second. Thankfully if anyone knows that patience is a virtue, its The Minutes.

http://www.goldenplec.com/2011/05/23/review-the-minutes-marcata/

The Phillip Lynott exhibition

2011-05-22T15:39:00.000-07:00

Due to phenomenal public demand and boosted by the popularity of Philomena Lynotts book My Boy, Still in Love with You: The Philip Lynott Exhibition has extended its stay at The Stephens Green Shopping Centre in Dublin for a further six weeks. The exhibition, which has been garnering rave reviews since it first opened, will now run until Sunday, June 12th 2011. Launched back in March the exhibitions popularity has gone from strength to strength with many people wondering if it is going to become a permanent fixture.

The Philip Lynott Exhibition is being touted as the biggest ever collection of memorabilia, song lyrics, exhibits, paintings, tributes and photographs of the Thin Lizzy front man. Rock enthusiasts, music fans, tourists, schools and families have all flocked to the critically acclaimed exhibition to honour Philip Lynott, with many visitors coming to Dublin specially to relive the magical and momentous times in the life of Ireland's iconic rock legend. That number is set to increase with the latest extension of the exhibition until June. The initiative is supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport, the Dublin UNESCO City of Literature, Dublin City Council, Dublin Tourism and RTE 2fm.

"The reaction has been amazing," said Niall Stokes of Hot Press. "There has been a steady stream of visitors, many of them coming from overseas, and everyone has been raving about the quality of the exhibition. We set out to create something that Irish people could feel proud of and I think we have done that. We are hugely gratified – and also humbled – by the enormously positive reaction. In addition to enabling everyone in Ireland who is interested in music to catch the exhibition, extending the run will create the opportunity for fans to travel in even greater numbers from the UK and further afield, and so we are really pleased that we have been able to make this happen."

2011 marks the 25th anniversary of the death of the Thin Lizzy singer and the exhibition gives a unique insight into the background, work and life of Ireland’s pioneering rock star. The Philip Lynott Exhibition brings its visitors on an amazing journey through the past, telling the unique story of Philip Lynott and giving us a glimpse of what life was like for the late legend. The exhibition is located at the Creative Space at the top of Stephen's Green Shopping Centre, which was custom built especially for the exhibition and took 3 months to construct.

The exhibition contains many must see items for any fan with everything from Phil’s guitars, basses and other equipment on show. Directly opposite there are tour jackets once worn by the legend. There are even flight cases used by Thin Lizzy, lyric books written by Phil showcasing some of their most popular songs, tour ledgers and receipts and other curios from their time on the road touring, school reports from Phils youth as well as his shares in Manchester United Football club. The exhibition has a very personal feel as many of his personal letters, cards and other unique items collected by his mother Philomena and numerous other friends and colleagues over the years are on show. It gives a unique insight into his life and we see a softer side to him that many people may not have experienced before or may not be aware of. As well as delving into the past the exhibition also features a huge amount of previously unseen new material from the Hot Press archives, as well as additional photographs, original paintings and other exclusive artwork. There are also video installations and other audio-visual material, including interviews with Bono, Imelda May, Joe Elliot and many more. As well as the interviews there are other interactive features included in the exhibition such as the virtual diary in which fans can browse through some of Phil’s personal diaries and read some of his innermost thoughts.

A huge amount of material relating to Ireland’s most romantic rock hero was uncovered from the archives especially for the exhibition in order for fans to get the best experience from the exhibition. Despite its short run so far the exhibition has already attracted visitors from the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Serbia, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, the USA, Canada and many more countries around the world, as well as from all over the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Fans that have visited the exhibition and gotten their picture taken in front of the famous Thin Lizzy sign can then go online to view their picture at http://www.philiplynottexhibition.com. The website is also very useful for any fans who may be thinking about visiting the exhibition and need more information, Tickets for the exhibition can also be purchased online. Adult tickets start from €10 and student tickets from €8.

To coincide with the opening of the exhibition and to mark the anniversary of his death as well as a renewed interest in Philip Lynott and his background, the newly updated My Boy by Philomena Lynott has been on sale for the past few weeks, already reaching number one in the Irish charts. Philomena has been signing copies of the book all over the country and occasionally drops in to the exhibition to sign copies. If you are thinking about visiting the exhibition it is highly recommended that you check if she is going to be in store for a chance to get a copy of your book or Thin Lizzy memorabilia signed.

http://www.indiesight.com/?p=370

Beardy man - I done a album

2011-05-22T15:37:00.000-07:00

The highly anticipated Beardyman album is finally here but the question every fan is asking is will it live up to all the hype? I have been an fan of Beardyman since I first heard his beatbox style online a few years ago on lastfm.com and was personally quite excited when it was rumoured the “king of sound and the ruler of beats,” was finally releasing an album. Despite starting out in 2006 he has never officially released an album despite his popularity, with the release of I Done A Album Beardyman fans can finally get in on the action,

Previously Beardyman is known as a live act musically and comically. A solo player recognised for his beatboxing style, I Done A Album proves there is much more to him than meets the eye. Unique in the way it addresses many musical influences, tracks such as Round The Clock Conclusions take you on a comedic journey and is quite unlike anything the fans would expect, while Twist Your Ankal exhibits the comedic style and delivery that Beardyman fans have come to expect. The album doesn’t take itself too seriously which was clearly the intention Beardyman had from the beginning with song titles such as Game Over (Latex Quim) and Blind Rabbits, Gonna Be Sick

The track Vampire Skank, which begins by leading you into a false sense of comic Eastern European security, then drops some hard dubstep beats to make your ears wobble in a most enjoyable way. The song Oh! features the vocal delights of Foreign Beggars with a very Bollywood influence to the track, ensuring the album has a very diverse feel throughout and will appeal to many. No two songs are alike and each track ends with the listener waiting in anticipation for what will come next. Where Does Your Mind Go was the first song to be released from the album and demonstrates that Beardyman is a force to be reckoned with, it is one of the stand out tracks from the album and is sure to get people listening to him if they haven’t before.

Beardyman is quoted as saying “no pretext, no agenda, just music as I’d like to hear it, as eclectic as my Ipod shuffle,” and with various influential music genres such as breaks, dubstep, electro, disco, drum & bass, Bollywood, African and Eastern European all present, his first album certainly has something for everyone, loyal fans will not be disappointed.

http://musicscene.ie/2011/04/i-done-a-album-by-beardyman-review-by-saranne-murray/

Queens of the stone age - Olympia Theatre 19/05/2011

2011-05-22T15:36:00.000-07:00

U.s rock band Queens of the Stone Age stormed the Olympia theatre Thursday night, for a rare performance of their first album to coincide with its recent re release. Originally released back in 1998 the self titled album defined a generation with its chugging guitars, murky lyrics and haunting style. Their music is clever, unique, beautifully twisted and most importantly, rides that heavy dance groove that so few rock bands can find. Tickets to this unmissable event were like gold dust and as I took to my seat I thought to myself just how lucky I was to be here. Tickets sold out in record time and even with three computers on all vying for tickets in the end I managed to get two, thousands of fans were not so lucky.

The atmosphere was electric, eager happy faces filled the theatre. As they took to the stage the crowd erupted. The cheers were deafening and as the first few notes of regular John floated from the stage utter chaos broke out. Avon followed straight after and with the crowd lyric perfect it was sometimes difficult to hear over the excitement. They powered through the entire first album as promised, mixing up the running order after the first two songs to keep the audience guessing. The crowd stayed enthralled for the entire set with Josh Homme looking genuinely moved every time he scanned the crowd and caught a glimpse of his adoring fans. I can’t quit you baby was the last song to be played but no means the least, it was the perfect end to the perfect set and even as the band exited the stage the crowd were already baying for more.

They left the crowd in suspense for ten minutes before they came back on stage to a rapturous applause. Hanging tree signalled the start of their highly anticipated encore. All the hits followed with the band even treating the audience to a second encore, Finishing with go with the flow they left the audience begging for more. Josh Homme was quoted as saying it was the best show of the tour, and for once I’m inclined to believe the cliché

http://musicscene.ie/2011/05/queens-of-the-stone-age-live-at-the-olympia-theatre-review-by-saranne-murray/