POST CATEGORY : Rock

Alternative Halloween Playlist

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Halloween is almost upon us once again, as we get ready to celebrate all things ghoulish, ghostly and chilling, with fireworks and flagons around bonfires.

Every celebration is in need of a good soundtrack and Halloween is no different. And if your in the hunt for some spooky sounds that extend beyond ‘Thriller’, ‘Monster Mash’ and ‘Ghostbusters Theme’? Fear not (or be very afraid) you’re covered with this monstrous four-and-half-hour ‘Alternative Halloween’ Spotify playlist. With lyrics or titles pertaining to Halloween, or some just plain ghostly, dark and creepy; from ‘The Horrors’ to ‘Burial’, ‘Ghost Town’ to ‘The Killing Moon’ and ‘Dead Souls’ to ‘Psycho Killer’ – there is a tidy blend of genres across 60+ tracks.

Plenty here to sink your teeth into. Bone appetit! (Ba dum tss). I’ll go now, the Spotify playlist is below & have a great Halloween!

 

Introducing: The Immediate

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There’s a bit or a role reversal with this one, all will become abundantly clear below….

The Immediate are a three-piece power pop band from Mold in north Wales. Originally active in the ’90s, they split in 1997 due to frustration, an argument over a mouth organ and the success of Stereophonics – all valid reasons, no?

Earlier this year however, the trio of of Duncan Farmer, Richard Harrison & Adam Walton reunited – the latter’s BBC Radio Wales show is one of my favourites and a fine source of superb new Welsh tunes (role reversal explained) – not for one last crack at fame but for the love of making music. This love and that of music from The Jam, Small Faces, Ride, Badfinger & Teenage Fanclub among others, shines through brightly. Crafting songs about hope and love in the face of the moribund, daily grind, playing to please only themselves, with no thoughts of success or acclaim and having fun along the way. Taken from their debut EP Shadows and Ghosts, ‘Yoko’ is a case in point. Succinctly summing up The Immediate’s raison d’etre in a scintillating three-minutes, ‘Yoko’ is a guitar heavy, riff-filled indie rocker bursting with melody and vitality; and in Walton’s own words, it’s ace! Sometimes that is quite enough.

There is an album in the offing for the new year but for now, why not give ‘Yoko’ a spin below. You can get their debut EP, Shadows and Ghosts as a free download via Bandcamp.

‘Millions Like Us’ Podcast #20: We’re Back!

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So with my move back to Ireland, Beats’ trip back to Blighty (for a month long holiday) and logistical challenges, we’ve been quiet for a bit but as promised we are back in action. We are absolutely thrilled to share another Millions Like Us with you all!

For Episode #20 – our first transcontinental podcast – we welcome Mr. Stephen Connelly to the Millions Like Us family, who will be looking after producing and recording the pod, and has the unenviable task of keeping Justin & I on topic.

We’ve braved dodgy internet connections, technological misadventures and overcome all that global time zones could throw at us (global time zones be damned !!) to bring you a bumper 90 minutes of music chat and an eclectic, hand-picked selection of superb new tunes. There is also an exclusive track, recorded with Donal McConnon at the most recent Broken Home show (more info here).

Thanks for baring with us while we were off air, we really appreciate it. Hopefully you enjoy the new and improved MLU.

You can subscribe to MLU on iTunes and Podcast Republic, Mixcloud & SoundCloud, or find us on Facebook & Twitter. Or you can email us at millionslikeuspodcast[at]gmail[dot]com.

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Estrons – ‘I’m Not Your Girl’

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Estrons will release a new EP She’s Here Now on November 4th, ahead of which, the Cardiff-based foursome have shared their scintillating new single ‘I’m Not Your Girl’.

Having already blown us away with blistering indie-rock brilliance ‘Make A Man’ and ‘Drop’, this latest outing is equally as exhilarating and underpins why we should all pay close attention. An under-three-minute burst of coiled up aggression delivered with a gripping, almost menacing intensity, ‘I’m Not Your Girl’ unloads a barrage of ear-shattering, scorching riffs and pounding drums, as Källström’s incredibly powerful, searing vocal delivery, brings the house down around us. A scintillating and high intensity master-class of cathartic, brilliantly rage-fuelled and fuzz-drenched rock ‘n roll.

The new EP She’s Here Now is out on November 4th, ahead of all that there is the not so small matter of ‘I’m Not Your Girl’. Check it out now.

Hard Working Class Heroes 2016 Preview: 8 Must See Acts

 

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Hard Working Class Heroes takes place in venues across Dublin this week.

Running from Thursday, October 6th to Saturday, October 8th and it will showcase well over 100 of Ireland’s most promising emerging acts. One of HWCH’s biggest draws (and festivals of its ilk) is rambling around, seeing acts you have previously been unfamiliar with. That said, there are a couple of names that immediately jump out and come highly recommended with the much sought after BarryGruff seal of approval*.

The full line-up / stage times for Hard Working Class Heroes 2016 is here. And as always, feel free to share your own recommendations in the comments section below. *May not be much sought after.

Eoin Dolan: Thursday, 19:40 – 20:10 @ Tengu Downstairs

Galway-based singer-songwriter Eoin Dolan is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the finest finds from the past 12 months. Dolan has a real flair for twinkly and whimsical, good old fashioned pop gems, with a healthy dose of Brian Wilson, Syd Barrett and Lennon/McCartney (moments) threaded through the fabric of his sound. His brand of surfy psych-pop is totally charming, entirely irresistible, easy-going and timeless. Dolan’s self-titled debut album was released last month, for a taste of that & what to expect at HWCH, check out ‘Dear Brian’; a playful blend of woozy, soothing sounds, sinuous melodies, SFA-esque synth work, giddy-pop-playfulness and reverb-drenched vocals. Not to be missed.

New Pope: Thursday, 21:40 – 22:10 @ Tengu Downstairs

Galway-based New Pope – fronted by Dave Boland – deal in truly beautiful, timeless and carefully crafted acoustic folk sounds. Passing with a whisper rather than a roar, New Pope’s songs are delivered with warmth and tenderness, as Boland’s distinctive vocal creates a warm, lush atmosphere – and an overwhelming sense of sense of nostalgia. Last year’s YOUTH EP & LP are wonderful and New Pope were excellent at Electric Picnic this year, and if that doesn’t entice you? Check out the layered, lush and beguiling beauty of ‘Love’ below:

Slow Riot: Friday, 20:10 – 20:40 @ The Hub

Limerick trio Slow Riot‘s ferocious, tense and searing post-punk, has marked them out as one of Ireland’s most promising guitar bands in sometime. Taking classic post-punk influences – Gang of Four, Television, Wire – and infusing them with more contemporary ones such as Girl Band and Future of the Left, they create an irresistible and thunderous modern take on a classic sound. Still need convincing? Check out the intense, insistent and menacing ‘Trophy Wife’ below. Peerless.

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Johnny Feeney’s Albums of 2016 So Far….

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The ever knowledgeable Johnny Feeney returns to the blog once again, sharing an eclectic selection of his favourite records from the year so far.

Always insightful and interesting, his guest posts always add an extra flavour the blog and I for one look forward to reading them – surely I’m not alone?

A huge thanks to Johnny as always, and on that note, I’ll leave you in his very capable hands.

10. Car Seat Headrest – ‘Teens Of Denial’

Virginia’s Will Toledo has been releasing albums prolifically as Car Seat Headrest for a few years now but this is only his second full release on a major label. Seriously overlong at almost 70 minutes, this is by no means perfect, but it also retains the capacity to absolutely blow you away with cracking rock songs such as ‘Fill In The Blanks’ or ‘Drunk Drivers / Killer Whales’.

09. Band of Horses – ‘Why Are You OK’

The fifth studio album from Seattle’s Band of Horses harkens back to the band’s finest moment – 2007’s Cease to Begin – after a not entirely unsuccessful foray into stadium rock over two albums in the interim period. There’s a welcome return of the shimmering guitar lines and melancholic Americana/alt-rock that made them such a beloved band in the first place. Gorgeous.

08. Savages – ‘Adore Life’

The second album from the London-based all-female foursome doesn’t veer wildly from the brooding post-punk of its predecessor, 2013’s Silence Yourself, – all dark basslines, loping guitars and lead singer Jehnny Beth’s anguished vocals. This is certainly not party music. However, there are chinks of light threatening to break out through the pervading gloom.

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Introducing: The Intelligence Service

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The Intelligence Service – Alex P., Heather Campbell, Sam Daoust and Dror Zur – are a four-piece psychedelic garage rock band from Vancouver, BC.

The brand of psych-rock this foursome pedal is a crazed delight for your ears; for a rather lazy comparison, it’s a catchy concoction of The Doors meets The Velvet Underground with a dash of Frank Zappa. Having already released their latest and great EP, Maladies back in April, their debut album Transgressions and West Coast tour, is set to follow in October. As a taste of the former, ‘Driving To My Sun’ is pumped with a real air of positivity and optimism. Swaggering along a smooth groove set out by the vintage organ work, it is met by a wall of fuzz, solid drums and delightful harmonies, with the kind of hazy, nonchalant drawl of the lead singer atop. ‘School Me’ meanwhile, is an altogether rowdier, scintillating sonic burst of psych. Fuelled by relentless hammering drums, the guitars remain fuzzy and the organ catchy, but the vocal interplay between Alex and Heather is the key; the juxtaposition of the dreamy and the manic is divine.

Maladies is out now and available here, with their debut set to follow in October.

Farewell Vancouver: Vancouver Connection Playlist

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After a couple of extremely fun years, my time in Canada is drawing to a close. As well as taking away no end of fond memories from Canada’s west coast, there is also a long, long list of local musical discoveries.

So, with that in mind and the impending return to Ireland, I decided to create a playlist of some of my very favourite artists/musical discoveries from Vancouver (and the surrounding areas). If nothing else, it will offer a taste of what this part of the world has to offer musically. Included among the 66 strong list are regulars on the blog and podcast, the likes of Kinship, Mesa Luna, Avid Walker, Bousada, The Orange Kyte, Supermoon, Soft Serve, Danny Diggs, Faith Healer, Project Pablo and more. Hopefully you enjoy the tunes as much as I do and it keeps you ticking over till the returns to normal service, once everything is settled after the move.

On that note, I shall leave you with the finest music BC has to offer.

Millions Like Us Podcast – Episode #18

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We’re thrilled to share yet another Millions Like Us with you all, Episode #18!

Every two weeks, Justin & I, in conjunction with Vancouver news & culture site 604now, aim to deliver an eclectic and hand-picked selection of top class music. There’s plenty to chew on with a bumper episode #18, almost 2 hours in fact, of great tunes and plenty of chat, on all manner of topics and music including festivals; as we talk Music Waste and Levitation Vancouver.

You can read more on it over here and of course, listen below (and the tracklist (with links) is after the jump too). You can subscribe to ‘Millions Like Us’ on iTunes & Podcast Republic, Mixcloud & SoundCloud, or find us on Facebook & Twitter. Or you can email us at millionslikeuspodcast[at]gmail[dot]com.

As mentioned previously, Justin has been busy compiling tracks featured in the series. If you’re a Spotify user, then you can access this 6 hours plus playlist here.

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Millions Like Us Podcast – Episode #17

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We’re thrilled to share yet another Millions Like Us with you all, Episode #17!

Every two weeks, Justin & I, in conjunction with Vancouver news & culture site 604now, aim to deliver an eclectic and hand-picked selection of top class music. There’s plenty to chew on with #17, almost an hour & a half, of great tunes and plenty of chat, on all manner of topics and music including festivals; as we talk Music Waste and Levitation Vancouver.

You can read more on it over here and of course, listen below (and the tracklist (with links) is after the jump too). You can subscribe to ‘Millions Like Us’ on iTunes & Podcast Republic, Mixcloud & SoundCloud, or find us on Facebook & Twitter. Or you can email us at millionslikeuspodcast[at]gmail[dot]com.

As mentioned previously, Justin has been busy compiling tracks featured in the series. If you’re a Spotify user, then you can access this 6 hours plus playlist here.

Continue reading →