Declan O’ Rourke launches eightball.ie’s autumn:winter collection of intimate live shows at Daghdha Space on Saturday September 25th.

To win a pair of tickets to email dave@eightball.ie with the answer to the following question: Declan O’ Rourke is signed to which label?

Among those also confirmed for upcoming Live at The Dome shows are Mary Black, Mick Flannery and The Wolfe Tones, with more to be announced in the coming weeks. All show details and full information about Live at The Dome is available at www.liveatthedome.com, along with regular updates through the venue’s facebook page and mailing lists. David Morgan, Stadium Director at Semple Stadium spoke following the Live at The Dome launch. “We’re delighted with both the show that Rodrigo y Gabriela put on and the reaction we got to them and the venue as a whole. People really seemed to enjoy it, and the comments after the show were all about how it was great to have events like this on the doorstep in Thurles. Personally, I’m a big Sharon Shannon fan, and really looking forward to her show. I wouldn’t be as familiar with Declan O’Rourke, but we’re working to cater for all audiences in The Dome, and I know he has a very big following around the country, so I’m looking forward to that show as well. We hope people enjoy these shows as much as the launch, and look forward to welcoming back the people of Thurles and all over Tipperary again and again.”

Sharon Shannon has music at her fingertips….literally! The accordionist has achieved legendary status throughout the world and has succeeded in making the accordion ‘cool’. Renowned for her collaborations, not just in Irish traditional music, but through all musical genres including Hip-Hop, Cajun, Country and Classical, Sharon has recorded and toured with a who’s who of the Irish and Global Music Industry, including Bono, Adam Clayton, Sinead O’Connor, Jackson Browne, John Prine, Steve Earle, Mark Knopfler, The RTE Concert Orchestra, The Chieftains, The Waterboys, Willie Nelson, Nigel Kennedy, Alison Krauss and Shane MacGowan - a list that is testament to Sharon’s versatility as well as talent. She has entertained US President Bill Clinton and Irish Presidents Robinson and MacAleese and more recently The Sultan of Brunei in Australia. Sharon records and produces her albums at her own studios, ‘Poets Corner’, outside Galway, along with owning her own record label, The Daisy Label.

The genre-defying star has had multi-platinum album sales and has had several number one albums, singles and DVDs here at home. A prolific composer, Sharon is currently writing an album of traditional tunes for full Concert Orchestra arrangement and scored the music for the recent Neil Jordan film ‘Odine’, which starred Colin Farrell. 

Sharon’s last album ‘The Galway Girl’ has gone 4 times Platinum in Ireland and the title track has won the Meteor Award for most downloaded song for the last two years. The 2009 Meteor Awards honoured Sharon as the youngest ever winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Declan O’Rourke used to be one of Ireland’s best kept secrets, but rave reviews for his debut album ‘Since Kyabram’, a growing international fanbase and an enviable collection of eminent devotees, including Paul Weller, Snow Patrol and Kate Rusby, are rapidly changing that. On its release in Ireland, ‘Since Kyabram’ reached double platinum status and garnered Hot Press magazine’s ‘Best Debut Album’ award. A major record deal with V2 and a publishing deal with BMG followed, as did patronage from his peers and invitations to support Snow Patrol at Marlay Park in Dublin, Teddy Thompson on his UK tour, The Divine Comedy for dates in Germany and the U.K., and to perform at the legendary 100 Club at the request of Paul Weller. The buzz about Declan O’Rourke is growing, based on the simplicity of great songs and a unique voice. Declan’s lyrics touch on all aspects of the individual, his songs focus on the centre of everyday emotions and his voice irresistibly draws the listener in. He has an understated charm, a quick-wittedness that make him highly endearing live and equally at home playing to one person as he is to thousands. From the opening melody of ‘No Place To Hide’, the first song on ‘Since Kyabram’, to the final key of ‘Marrying The Sea’, Declan’s ability to tell a story unfolds. Each track on the album gives a feeling of being part of a collection of short films; the connecting thread being Declan’s flowing and dreamy lyrics. The album embodies the roots of his Irish heritage, but also has a distinct rock edge, reflecting, in part, his time spent in Australia from age fourteen to his return to Ireland in recent years.

The Sharon Shannon Big Band and Declan O’Rourke play ‘Live at The Dome’ at Semple Stadium, Thurles on Friday, August 20th and Saturday, August 21st respectively in association with Tipp FM, The Tipperary Star, The Anner Hotel and eightball.ie. Tickets are available from ticketmaster.ie and from Lar Na Pairce (0504-22702). Check www.liveatthedome.com and all local press for full details.

Taking advantage of a perfect room for live music, eightball.ie have announced Declan O’Rourke and Bell X1 as the latest to join the list of artists eager to experience both the room and an audience of no more than 250 people. With more dates to be announced in the coming weeks, these two shows follow an impressive list of shows to date which has seen The Swell Season, Lisa Hannigan, Damien Dempsey, Tommy Tiernan, Donal Dineen and Andrew Maxwell all step onto the John’s Church altar in the last 18 months.

Declan O’Rourke used to be one of Ireland’s best kept secrets, but rave reviews for his debut album ‘Since Kyabram’, a growing international fanbase and an enviable collection of eminent devotees, including Paul Weller, Snow Patrol and Kate Rusby, are rapidly changing that.

  On its release in Ireland, ‘Since Kyabram’ reached double platinum status and garnered Hot Press magazine’s ‘Best Debut Album’ award. A major record deal with V2 and a publishing deal with BMG followed, as did patronage from his peers – invitations to support Snow Patrol at Marlay Park in Dublin, Teddy Thompson on his UK tour, The Divine Comedy for dates in Germany and the U.K., and to perform at the legendary 100 Club at the request of Paul Weller.

 The excitement around him grew, based on the simplicity of great songs and a unique voice. Declan’s lyrics touch on all aspects of the individual, his songs focus on everyday emotions and his voice irresistibly draws the listener in. He has an understated charm, a quick-wittedness that make him highly endearing live and equally at home playing to one person as he is to thousands.

Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the release of their debut album, ‘Neither Am I’, Bell X1 are undertaking a special acoustic tour of Ireland this November which will see them return after a long hiatus to some of the venues they played on that first album tour.

Having just played a key slot on the Main Stage at Oxegen 2010, the band are looking forward to stripping things back and performing songs from the entire catalogue as well as debuting some new ones. News of a similar tour in North America were released earlier this week. Bell X1 have spent most of the year writing songs for their 5th Studio Album — due for release in Spring 2011.

Tickets for the eightball.ie’s autumn:winter collection at Daghdha are limited to 250 and are available in advance from Euro Empire, O’Connell Street, Limerick on 061-317211.

Semple Stadium celebrates the ‘Live at The Dome’ launch with special guests Rodrigo Y Gabriela, the million album-selling acoustic guitar supremos who arrive in Thurles fresh from both Glastonbury and a very special appearance for Barack Obama at The White House. Support on the night comes from Wallis Bird, recent winner of the Meteor Awards ‘Best Irish Female’. These two acts are the first of a host of Irish musicians and comedians making their way to Thurles in the coming months.

Among those also confirmed for upcoming ‘Live at The Dome’ shows are Declan O’Rourke, Sharon Shannon, Mick Flannery and The Wolfe Tones, with more to be announced in the coming weeks. All show details and full information about ‘Live at The Dome’ is available at www.liveatthedome.com, along with regular updates through the venue’s facebook page and mailing lists.

David Morgan, Stadium Director at Semple Stadium spoke of his excitement about the ‘Live at The Dome’ launch. “Semple Stadium has a great and well known history of staging live music, and we’re looking forward to all the acts that will be visiting Thurles over the next few months. It’s great for the stadium, the town and the county to have acts like this playing on our doorstep. We’re looking forward to welcoming audiences from all over the county to Thurles for some great nights and great gigs.”
David is also delighted that ‘Live at The Dome’ have secured Rodrigo Y Gabriela for the venue’s first show, one of only two gigs that the band will play in smaller Irish venues this year. The Mexican acoustic rockers are back in Europe for a series of high profile festival appearances, including Glastonbury, T In The Park & Latitude in the UK. In between the mega-stages and wristband world of the big tents and even bigger fields, Rod & Gab have made some space to let their fans get up close and personal. Their busy schedule in Europe and America sees them playing to audiences of thousands every night, making this a rare opportunity for the native Mexican duo to play such shows in their adopted country.

With over a million albums sold to date, Rodrigo y Gabriela will be showcasing material from their current album ‘11:11’, which has gained them fans as diverse at Metallica to President Obama. Rodrigo y Gabriela were invited to play The White House in Washington DC in June for the President and Mrs. Obama, only the second state dinner the Obama’s have hosted at The White House, and one which saw them share the stage on this occasion with Obama favourite Beyonce.

The intimate black tie gathering of around 200 guests was a dramatic contrast with Rod & Gab’s recent Radio City Music Hall show in New York, where they played to a sold-out audience of 6,000. 

Support on the night comes from Rod Gab’s Rubyworks label mate Wallis Bird, who was named best Irish Female at the Meteor Irish Music Awards in February 2010, winning the category ahead of other artists such as Laura Izibor, Julie Feeney, Valerie Francis and Dolores O’Riordan.

Rodrigo Y Gabriela launch ‘Live at The Dome’ on Tuesday, July 13th, in association with Tipp FM, The Tipp Star and eightball.ie. Tickets are available from ticketmaster.ie and from Lar Na Pairce (0504-22702). Check www.liveatthedome.com and all local press for full details.

A musical pioneer since his early days as the presenter of No Disco (RTE) in the nineties, through to his current late night radio show The Small Hours on Today FM, Kerryman Donal Dineen has used his discerning ear to seek out, listen to and encourage experimental music in all genres, especially music made in Ireland.

Dineen is putting this ear to good use in St. John’s on Friday 28^th May, where he is presenting three of Ireland’s freshest soundmakers at an unusual gig in the Dance Space.  Presented for Eightball as part of Dineen’s Fresh Air Festival 2010, the night will see performances from Natural History Museum, Thread Pulls and Sunken Foal.

Sunken Foal (aka Dunk Murphy) was last in Limerick for a killer set as part of the Tweak Festival in September. After completing his MA in Music Technology at the University of Limerick, Sunken Foal released his debut album “Fallen Arches” on Planet-Mu records alongside the “Fermented Condiments” E.P. in late 2008. Since then, he has played a string of successful gigs developing a unique ‘finger-triggered’ improvisational live performance setup. His music tangles stringed instruments with analogue synthesis and walks a fine line between murky pessimism and ethereal harmony. Occasional vocals are met with digital percussion that twist and turn at every juncture.

Dunk is also one half of Natural History Museum, along with Carol Keogh- ex of the Tycho Brahe. Her vocals are unmistakable, and the fusion of voice and electronica makes for a potent mix. One listen to standout track Billy Pilgrim will have you hooked

Thread Pulls is an experimental two-piece with the drumbeat at their core. The first Irish band to be invited to play at the celebrated All Tomorrow’s Parties festival. After releasing four EPs on 9-pt records as a three piece, they stripped down to the duo of Gavin Duffy and Peter Maybury. Thread Pulls are currently recording their debut album which will delve further into the upbeat, progressive sound they’ve become known for, which meshes trumpet, electronics and treated vocals with a no-wave inspired mix of repetitive bass and drums. Thrilling to watch live their sets have an energy and urgency that you can’t help but respond to.

Dineen will be on hand for the night to present the musicians and to provide live visuals to accompany their performances taken from his own photographic and visual work, to create a truly multi-sensory event. Dineen’s visual work, be it still photography or super8 film, charts a personal journey that is influenced by music, people, landscape and a sense of place.

The night in Limerick is part of Fresh Air Festival, a month long celebration of new Irish music supported by Music Network and The Arts Council. Going to Sligo, Tralee, Cork and Limerick it will be accompanied by a celebration of new music on Donal’s radio show The Small Hours on Today FM.

Eightball presents Fresh Air with Thread Pulls, Natural History Museum and Sunken Foal on Friday 28^th May at the Dagdha Dance space at St. Tickets are €15/12 and are available from tickets.ie or on the door.

Fresh Air is presented with funding from the Music Network Performance and Touring Award.

Donal Dineen studied communications in Dublin City University and it was here that he first picked up a camera.  From this point onwards he developed a fascination with the visual image.  His first exhibition, This Storm is an Angel, for The Galway Arts Festival in 1993, was a series of photographs taken around his home in Kerry, which focused on family, place and identity.  2009 exhibitions include an installation for the Dublin Electronic Arts Festival (DEAF) entitled Words Are Something Else, and solo photographic shows for Kilkenny Arts Festival and The Joinery Gallery, Dublin.

As a Curator Dineen has worked on several musical series, most significantly A Month of Sundays which was devised with The Model Arts and Niland Gallery Sligo in 2006 and evolved into a touring series in 2007.

Musically, Dineen is credited with breaking David Gray amongst other artists in Ireland.  His programme, Here Comes The Night, was first aired on the opening day of Radio Ireland’s existence, 17 March 1997.  13 years later his is still with the station, now Today FM, where he presents Small Hours between Monday - Thursday from midnight - 02:00.

Favorite Sound: the sound of a poring tea pot

Real or fake, Bigfoot: fake

What would you be if you weren’t an artist: maybe a product designer

Favorite Sport? rowing is number one and rugby is number two

Most relaxing activity: rowing or knitting

What makes you laugh? Hanover talk

Guiltiest pleasure: America Next Top Model

What are you really good at? Talking

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? slowing down time

Introvert or Extrovert? Extrovert

In a fight between 50 kangaroos with baseball bats and the Munster Rugby Team who would win? Munster Rugby Team

Food, if you could you would live on: Reasons chocolates

One thing I’ll never understand: Time Travel

Something no-one knows about me: I would love to be a Bella Dancer

What would your Mobster name be? Sparkle

What was your mother right about? Leaving U.L and going to the Limerick School of Art and Design.

A movie that makes you cry: ‘The Road’

A movie that makes you laugh out loud: ‘He just not that in to you’

Four people you’d invite to dinner: the people I am working with in Vodafone, I have not met all of them in person.

Favorite quote ? ‘ feel the Rhythm fill the Rhyme come on kid it is bobsleigh time’

Spend your time & money well, L.E.G style

8gb iPod Touch | Compu-b, 17 O’ Connell Street | from €189

Stay connected with the latest iPod Touch available from Compu-b on O’ Connell Street. Stocking the widest range of Apple hardware, software and accessories in Limerick, Compu-b’s friendly and knowledgeable team can hook you up with the latest in the iPod range keeping you in touch; with your music and with built in Wi-Fi you can surf the web, send email, check out gig listings and get directions from anywhere.

Speakeasyjazz welcomes Niwel Tsumbu | Shannon Rowing Club | Thursday March 25th | €12 / €10 with booking

Congolese born, Cork based Niwel Tsumbu’s love for playing guitar bloomed in his teens while experimenting with the music of his homeland and blossomed when he learned jazz. Tsumbu’s elegant and fluent style draws from African rhythms, rumba, jazz, classical, flamenco and more. Playing electric and acoustic guitars and singing mostly in his native Lingala, Niwel commands a range of music from contemporary versions of Congolese traditional music to modern Jazz. His love of the Spanish style of guitar playing beautifully exposes Rumba’s Latin roots and his live shows are a spellbinding musical journey, infused with optimism and joy.

Roots Factory meets Rootical Sound System, Dixie Peach & Jonah Dan | The Underground |  Tuesday March 16 | €7

With a wall of speakers rolling into The Underground for this very special return of the Rootical Sound System expect belly wobbling, leg trembling bass as Limerick’s most skillful purveyors of all things roots and reggae meet one of Ireland’s pioneer Sound System crews. Joining the bill for this special pre Paddy’s party are two heavyweights of the UK roots scene, Dixie Peach & Jonah Dan from the Disciples. Rooty Fantooty. Get down early.

Limerick Jazz Society presents Arguelles, Guilfoyle & Black |  Dolans Upstairs | March 10 | €13/ €10

Arguelles, Guilfoyle & Black are an international trio, featuring three leading contemporary jazz musicians of their generation and respective countries - British saxophonist Julian Arguelles, the Irish bassist Ronan Guilfoyle, and the American drummer Jim Black – their new recording ‘Live in Dublin’ captures the excitement and ‘in the moment’ feel of live saxophone trio playing. Mixing original compositions and standards, creating a free-wheeling spontaneity and powerful rhythmic drive, with each member showing an almost telepathic response to the playing of the others -  the music unfolds  seamlessly with a great sense of swing and much rhythmic intrigue.

Supermodel Twins Single Launch | Baker Place | Friday March 19 | €5

Limerick five piece Supemodel Twins launch their lush, layered and power-poptastic single Bruises in Baker Place on Friday the 19th. Blending gentle vocals, big guitars and perfectly placed percussion Bruises begins gently leading to a big finish, further displaying their prowess as purveyors of tight, right and bright three minute bangers. As a taste of their debut album now in production Bruises bodes well for the record due for release soon and has L.E.G looking forward to the launch in Bakers where they will be ably supported by Remma and Dead Red Light

SpeakeasyJazz Limerick invite you to enjoy the sounds of  Blue Noise with Steve Hanks, Joe O Callaghan, Fiach O Brien and Barry O Donoghue on Thursday March 11th at Shannon Rowing Club. Having graduated from Leeds College of Music Steve Hanks picked up sticks (flute, sax and any other pipe he could get his hands on!) and settled in Ireland bringing his music. He has been teaching music over at The Limerick Jazz Workshops for around two years now and he can be seen jamming with his students in Bentleys on a Tuesday night after workshops. Returning on the night will be Joe O Callaghan trained on guitar with Ronan Guilfoyle and is a member of the Limerick Jazz house trio and is also a teacher at The Limerick Jazz Workshops, his nimble talent is well known to Jazzer’s in Limerick. Fiach O Brien on Drums and Barry O Donoghue on Bass, both hail from the Newpark music center in Dublin and introduce original music by the next generation of Irish Jazz muso’s at Newpark nights, Tuesdays at The Twisted Pepper in Dublin until March 20th.  This fearless bunch of Jazz cats will be performing original and improvised compositions and will be joined later in the evening by DJ Leon, a master of scratch who will add an interesting element to the fusion created by the band.  This one promises to be a hard-boppin, swingin and funky show!

For info and booking contact speakeasyjazzlimerick@gmail.com/facebook.ie

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What the F&*k is Tech House? welcomes Lerosa Live in The Underground @ Baker Place on Saturday March 13th from 10pm with support from Jack Buckley and Jim Plug’d. Born in Rome, Leo aka Lerosa’s love of electronic music was began with  the Italian pop music of the 1980s via his discovery of hip hop and acid house . He began djing in the early 90s and in 1995 moved to Dublin where he immersed himself in darker, deeper electronica and electro by the likes of Autechre, Drexciya and the extended Detroit- inspired musical underworld. Leo began producing his own music in 2000, concentrating initially on electro but broadening his range into unconventional house and techno styles. His debut release was the Maike ep on Dublin’s D1 Recordings in 2005. He followed this up with a critically acclaimed Ruski  released on Real Soon following up with the equally outstanding Seeker E.P on Enclave Recordings. More recently he has released on the seminal Millions Of Moments  imprint as well as the ace new label Quintessentials. Lerosa continues to produce original music and is increasingly in demand as a remixer. This is going to be fun night of house and techno sounds.
For more info & sounds visit www.myspace.com/lerosa or http://www.myspace.com/whatthefuckistechhouse

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Dane Bowers, fresh from the Big Brother house comes for a exclusive DJ Set on March 16th at Trinity Rooms. The Big Brother star started his career with Another Level and had seven Top 10 singles in two years in the UK, including 1998’s UK Number one “Freak Me”; and a platinum selling, self-titled debut album. 1999’s gold selling Nexus followed, along with BRIT Awards nominations and the opening slot on Janet Jackson’s European tour. After the group split, Bowers wrote and fronted two UK Top 10 hits, for the UK garage act Truesteppers in 2000, “Buggin’” and “Out Of Your Mind”. The latter featured the first solo outing of Spice Girl, Victoria Beckham.
In 2001, two solo singles released under the moniker of ‘Dane’, “Shut Up And Forget About It” (allegedly written about his relationship with Jordan) and “Another Lover”, both stalled at number nine on the UK Singles Chart; and an album, Facing The Crowd remained unreleased. Bowers subsequently went on to focus on behind the scenes work, writing and producing, including a collaboration for Victoria Beckham’s debut solo album, in the autumn of that year. He also ventured into presenting in 2002, co-hosting Popstars: The Rivals “Extra” show with the former Pop Idol contestant, Hayley Evetts. In 2004, Bowers wrote and starred in a sitcom pilot called “Bow to the Bowers.” It was a satirical look at the music industry, casting Bowers as an egotistical, vain version of himself. Bowers appeared in the follow up TV show to Totally Scott-Lee, called Totally Boyband, in which five boy band members from past groups were modeled into a new singing act. January 2010, Bowers entered Channel Four’s Celebrity Big Brother and won the hearts of the nation to finish 2nd! Dane was underdog in the contest but his likable and honest personality really made a impression on people helping him stay in the BB house till the last night. Now he comes to Trinity Rooms on March 16th for our Paddy’s Eve Big Bash.

For more info logo onto www.trinityrooms.ie

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Floyd Soul & The Wolf return to Limerick on the second spell of the band their now legendary Full Moon Shows for 2010. Word is that they’ll be playing renegade shows in such far flung places as an abandoned castle, a forest, and to top it off, a graveyard. Floyd Soul & The Wolf roll into Baker Place on Saturday March 20th for a free show which promises to deliver another night of action bordering on the primal driven by the catchy, the shocking and delectable. This Waterford four-piece have found a distinct sound, equal parts modern and classic. It’s only a matter of time before they bring their sound to back to the States after their recent return from recording their debut album in Nashville, Tennessee with Nanci Griffith producer Thomm Jutz, it  is set for release in 2010.  A full moon won’t be necessary though, as the four-piece are an acclaimed live act, described as ‘playing as if our very lives depend on it.’
For more info and howling sounds visit www.myspace.com/floydsoul

Fionn Regan

Shadow of an Empire

EMI
On release now
****/5

Right, I’m gonna tell the truth from the off here. Fionn Regan’s ‘Shadow of an Empire’ got handed to me, I put it in the computer, did the itunes thing and pressed play. Did some quick flicking through the tracks and then pressed stop. Mainly cause I, ahem, didn’t really like it.

Now, I’ve been asked to write some words on it, so I said fine, and pressed play again, and within 8 bars I realized I’d slipped up the first time. Not sure what was wrong with me, maybe I was expecting something totally different when I went at it the first time, something along the lines of the good old Irish singer songwriter favourites we’re used to from the good old Irish singer songwriters. But, and as much as I love the good olds, gladly this is very, very different. When I came at it cold for listen two, the first thing I heard was a healthy slice of Grant Lee Buffalo. And I love Grant Lee Buffalo.

Flanked either side by Bob Dylan and Neil Young, Regan wears his influences on his forehead, and the result is a great, country/folk/rock-tinged upbeat and only positive record. One track after another plays like a gentle, young Kings of Leon, ‘Coat Hook’ trips along with punchy Camden guitar & yelps, ‘Violent Demeanour’ like a modern Christy Moore/acoustic Supergrass bastard, ‘Little Nancy’ harmonicas its way into the record and waltzes perfectly and morosely for the next 3 minutes before the title track closes an expertly crafted 35 minutes.

A more than accomplished follow up to Regan’s acclaimed debut ‘The End of History’, ‘Shadow of an Empire’ sounds like a tenth record, not a second one.
-jody

Two Door Cinema Club

Tourist History

Kitsuné / Glassnote Label

On Release Now
****/5

Hailed as one of the most exciting bands to come out of Ireland this year (they were longlisted in the BBC Sound of 2010 Poll), Two Door Cinema Club certainly live up to the hype with “Tourist History”. The album is saturated with gripping hooks, breezy rhythms and all round feel good vibes.  The songs amass to between three and four minutes in length resulting in a wonderfully punchy directness.
“I Can Talk” is a guaranteed dancefloor killer with its driving rhythm and soaring melody. Alot of the time you would think you are listening to a less serious-Foals.The guitar work is frenetic but never overbearing.
Some may say their sound is quite similar to the many indie guitar bands to dominate the UK in recent years (e.g Bloc part, Futureheads etc.) but it appears they have fused those bands sound into an indie pop engine of their own. The indie scene in Ireland needs its own heroes to admire and maybe,just maybe Two Door Cinema Club are those heroes. Adventurous it ain’t, but “Tousist History” is godammn infectious.
A warm and zesty debut that most certainly lives up to the hype.

E.P

The Superblondes

***.5/5

The Superblondes offer a debut EP laced with throbbing basslines and lush vocal work. The duo of Eoin and Lory adopt a retro electro sound akin to that of LCD Soundsystem in tandem with an underlying slice of indie rock. There is a soothing tone inherent in the Superblondes material that puts the listener in a placid mindset. “Traffic Flow” is a real standout here with its pulsating beat and twinkling synths. This EP does what a good EP should do; offering the listener a taste and leave them with an appetite for more.

Superblondes play Baker Place on Monday March 15th / www.myspace.com/superblondes

-David Morrissey

Free E.P Download

Walter Gross

LA Pink Filth

I had an accident records

Distortion. Crunch. Static. General dissonance. These are the spheresthat Mr. Gross operates within. Tearing up the hip hop template with genuine aplomb LA Pink Filth makes deathcore trash metal seem positively tame, the Gaslamp Killer seem like Funkmaster Flex and will, in all likelihood, give you a savage pain in your head. The music is visceral, horrific and wildly imaginative, snatches of grunged up breaks juxtaposed across the spectrum of experimental art music, musique concrete thrown in the blender with Kool G Rap. The intro “In America” sets the tone for what is to follow, a 400 second assault on the cerebrum, the LP reaches somewhat of a zenith with “Allie McRaw”, the “straightest” track on LA Pink Filth yet still a mindfuck of boombap beats and vomiting distortion before settling into drone terror-tory for the final third of the release. Lest I’m not making myself clear, these are all good things.A cacophony perhaps, but a glorious cacophony nonetheless.

www.myspace.com/waltergross

-Andy Connolly