DATE ARCHIVES : January 2014

The Barry Massive – ‘Wicked Safe’

1002019_629549963754294_1589367188_n

Very little information is to be found about The Barry Massive. About all that is known for sure is, this group of noise makers are from Wales, somewhere, possibly Barry but who knows?

What we can deduce from their debut single ‘Wicked Safe’ however, is they have got quite a knack for sharp, snappy lyrics and hammering out a pulse-raising punk rock racket. Clocking in at a pretty lightweight 1 minute 50 seconds, it’s all over rather quickly. Saying that, it’s relative diminutiveness does nothing to hamper this track’s appeal, ‘Wicked Safe’ is a short, sharp blast of punk rock. Hopefully there’s more to come from The Barry Massive and next time we encounter them, information is somewhat less scant.

You can make your own mind up on ‘Wicked Safe’, and check out The Barry Massive’s homemade video as well. 

You forgot a username for the YouTube shortcode

 

Milan Jay – ‘How Well Do You Remember Dying’

0002109183_20

Galway duo John Millane and Joseph Kenny aka Milan Jay, have established a pretty reputable name for themselves with a steady stream of top notch singles in the past few years.

True to form, toward the tail end of last year, Milan Jay unveiled another fine single ‘How Well Do You Remember Dying?’. Driven by a heavy, filthy and distorted bassline, my oh my, this one’s got plenty of oomph! Along with the single’s release comes news that it’s the first to be taken from a forthcoming debut album, which they’re still working on and is due later this year. To say their singles to date have been eclectic would be an understatement, so it’s going to interesting to see what will accompany ‘How Well Do You Remember Dying?’ on the album, and to see how it all pans out together. The album is probably still a while away but till that time arrives we’ve got ‘How Well Do You Remember Dying’ to occupy us.

Stream ‘How Well Do You Remember Dying’  below or purchase it from all the usual digital haunts.

Introducing: Oh Boland

1017019_459633430810730_1746699190_n

Oh Boland are a garage rock trio – Niall Murphy, Éanna Mac Donnchadha and Simon McDonagh – from Tuam, Co. Galway.

Formed just over a year ago, the Tuam trio’s sound borrows from an earthy mix of garage rock, indie, pop and some local guitar flavours. It’s rough, ragged and abrasive, yet Oh Boland present an utterly charming and lovable listening experience. Amid all the general abrasiveness of thrashing guitars, thundering basslines and growling vocals; every rumbling note proves their music ever more captivating and palatable, through a combination of sweet melodiousness and unusual off-kilter oddity. Oh Boland have taken up a sizable portion of my musical intake of late, and to put it simply, they are utterly fuckin’ brilliant! No nonsense, no faffing about, just top notch tunes done with style and swagger. This here only scratches the surface of their many virtues and given some of your attention, their music will do the rest of the convincing. Bands of this ilk are relatively scarce in Ireland, which is all the more reason to treasure them so.  

There’s some choice cuts below to set you on your way, and their two excellent EPs, Oh! and Ho!, are available to download free at Bandcamp

Girl Band – ‘Lawman’

girl-band1-703x468

It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Girl Band. The Dublin band had a relatively quiet 2013 but they’ve kicked off 2014 with Irish, UK and Eurosonic dates, and most importantly a new single. 

‘Lawman’ is a real beast of a track. Over a sprawling six-minute industrial stomp of gut-wrenching and desolate post-punk rock, the ears a battered into submission with a fuzzed and filthy caustic cacophony of sound. The Dublin four piece have rarely been anything but exhilarating, in the flesh or on record, and ‘Lawman’ is in keeping with tradition. In short; this is a stunning tune and it’s good to have them back. 

‘Lawman’, Girl Band’s first ever 7″, is released on January 10th via Any Other City Records on a limited run of 300 records. Turn up the volume and check it below. 

The Adelines – ‘Alleyways’

the-adelines-wooo-its-summer

For such a relatively small place, the sheer quality and quantity of music with a Welsh origin over the past 12 months, has utterly been astounding.

With so much going on across the Irish Sea, some stuff will inevitably fall between the cracks, thankfully the festive period allowed for a reacquainting with these (and many others). As was the case with Swansea four piece The Adelines, purveyors of charming, carefree, easy on the ear and exquisite indie-pop. Their single ‘Alleyways’ is an absolute gem, capturing all the aforementioned attributes in just over three minutes. Morris’s honeyed, alluring vocals are an undoubted draw to this dreamy number, as guitars chime underneath woozy, laid back harmonies, charming melodies and addictive, flourishing choruses. An absolutely fabulous slice of indie-pop to brighten up even the darkest of days. 

Let’s hope there’s plenty more to come this year from The Adelines, and that this time I’m paying full attention. 

You forgot a username for the YouTube shortcode

By The Sea – ‘Alone Together’

maxresdefault

The soothing undulating sounds of psych-pop maestros By The Sea‘s eponymous debut LP, released in late 2012, remains a go to record and favorite from the past few years. 

The record is an elegant blend of dreamy, hazy sounds brimming with carefree joie de vivre and escapism, yet with subtle shades of melancholy; and given the opportunity, the Wirral outfit are always worth a mention. The opportunity has arisen as the band have unveiled a stylish new video for ‘Alone Together’ along with generously offering the latest single, taken from their debut LP, as a free download. ‘Alone Together’ encapsulates everything that’s so great about By The Sea. Conjuring up all the aforementioned dreamy and carefree atmosphere it’s merry yet melancholic, elegant and effervescent psych-pop. 

You can check out the video for ‘Alone Together’ below, and the single is available as a free download too. If you haven’t already checked out their debut record, it comes wholeheartedly recommended. Check it here. 

You forgot a username for the YouTube shortcode

High At Five – ‘Soft Lad’

64285_353642574747695_1320261258_n

High At Five popped up on the radar in the early part of 2013, impressing with their debut track ‘Soft Lad’. An initial post was put on hold with the promise of an EP which unfortunately never surfaced.

Alas, while checking in on the progress of these five young lads from North Wales, sadly it was discovered they have decided to part company and go their separate ways. While this may have all started to sound very obituary like, whatever the fate of the band, they were in the game long enough to share ‘Soft Lad’ with us. In short; it’s a top notch, spikey post-punk indie tune, lurching forward at a frantic pace and offset by some deep baritone style vocals. All in all a cracking tune. ‘Soft Lad’ would be a fitting tribute for any band to leave behind.

You can stream ‘Soft Lad’ below or download it for free from here.