While talking to Bobby outside Jeffrey Lewis last week, the question of good Irish albums released this year came up. We cited Dry County, Super Extra Bonus Party, Delorentos, So Cow and Thinguma*jigsaw as examples of well-received Irish albums (as well as the forthcoming all-ready-well-received Cathy Davey album) yet as the Irish album poll I conducted here last year proved to me, it’s hard to pick 5 Irish albums you heard never mind albums you liked. It seems EPs are where it’s at this year. Excellent Irish EPs released so far include Adebisi Shank, Halves, Fight like Apes, Channel One with more to come from Jape and Terrordactyl. That’s why I’ll be adding an EP section to this years poll.
Another promising EP comes from Newbridge born-and-bred Band on an Island who released their Burning Shoulder EP last week. Good friends of mine, I’m delighted to see them enter the top 40 in the Irish charts this week as well as get airplay on Today FM and BBC Northern Ireland, so well done lads!
This is the lead track from the EP, “The Burning Shoulder”, a rousing rock ‘n’ roll tune with blaring guitar and underlying violin about a good night and a relationship gone wrong. The Burning Shoulder EP is out now on First Born is Dead recordings. You can get it in Tower and Road Records.
MP3
Band on an Island – The Burning Shoulder
[audio:https://nialler9.com/mp3/Band_on_an_Island_-_The_Burning_Shoulder.mp3][ Band on an Island on myspace for gigs and stuff ]
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
I was only talking to Eamon Sweeney about this last week and we were saying that next February’s Choice Prize judges will find it hard to find 10 great ALBUMS of the last year, given that so much great stuff came out in EP form and would be ineligible for nomination.
speaking of Irish Ep’s I tracked this down lately. The guy is from Ballymena and goes by the name of No More Yesterdays. For me anyways it some of the most compelling and brilliant new Irish music I have heard in a very long time.
He has just released and EP and you can get a sample of several of tracks on his myspace page http://www.myspace.com/nomoreyesterdays.
Check It
If the aul wan who runs McGettigans finds out they’ve used her boozer on the cover, she’ll kill them. She’s as tough as old boots.
Burning Shoulder is a great tune, great cover too, and Band on an Island are well worth catching live, quality madness!!
If the Choice Music Awards wants to accurately reflect the amount quality music coming from Ireland they’re going to have to consider EPs for their nominations. There is no doubt that thats where the most exciting stuff is coming from these days. Otherwise, when the nominations are out, the ill informed will doubtlessly say that there is fuck all going on in this country, which is far from the truth. The Choice Music awards should be about helping the cynics see beyond the tips of their noses.
Hey Niall, interesting piece that had me scratching my head about good Irish albums this year. Mumblin Deaf Ro’s sophomore is certainly one I’d have top of the list but there ain’t many more, Hybrasil I still have to hear so maybe. btw I like those friends of yours, band on a island, my cup of cha cha.