The Dead Weather - Treat Me Like Your Mother

Well well, The Dead Weather have finally unleashed themselves officially upon the music world. Their LP titled "Horehound" is a keeper. Swampy-blues and riotous rock is delivered in abundance.

Treat Me Like Your Mother is a downright dirty tune-Mossharts voice is both sultry and demanding and rides the crest of some glorious jamming,

Giveamanakick - Brittle Bones

Cranberries guitarist Noel Hogan has been championing many of Limerick's up and coming artists for a while now. Courtesy of Gohan Records he has curated a CD comprising of a sample of many of these artists. There are some great tracks by some very underrated artists on it such as Drumming Room, Headgear, Arkitekt and the Brad Pitt Light Orchestra.

The stand-out track comes from Giveamanakick who are probably the most popular act to come out of the "Limrock" scene in recent times. Their track Brittle Bones is a stonker. Downtempo beginnings are trounced by absolutely ferocious riffage. Like any good piece of art it always makes you want more...much much more.

Giveamanakick - Brittle Bones

Dirty Projectors - Stillness Is The Move

Taken from the Dirty Projectors latest album Bitte Orca(which I am gradually warming to)comes this single is an absolute beauty. It's oozing with layered and serene vocals that would bowl over any wannabe girl group. Stillness Is The Move displays a striking ability to fuse a subtle musical composition with truly memorable vocal work. I need a fill of it at least twice a day.

Quantic and his Combo Barbaro - Tradition in Transition

Tradition in Transition sees Will "Quantic" Holland mining the lesser-tapped musical sources from the Caribbean, Latin America and Africa and fusing those rediscovered styles with his own rhythmical prowess and ability to breath increased joy and exuberance into music. It's breezy Latino-infected jazz with a sprinkle of funk served on a plate-a gorgeous album for those sunny days.

Clubroot - Clubroot

Burial fanatics listen up! Clubroot, courtesy of Lodubs, has just released this gem of an LP that exudes downright sensual dubstep. Clubroot, very much like Burial, has a sound that evokes mood driven atmospheres through a layering of dynamic bass lines and intricately warped samples. Deep invasive dubstep is the name of the game offering the listener a portal of escapism. This is stunning music that fills dormant gaps in one's aural environment.

Arctic Monkeys - Crying Lightning

I wouldn't normally get very excited about an impending release from the Arctic Monkeys but this time round its a little bit different. Most of their album (titled Humbug)has been produced by the one and only Josh Homme in his ranch-come-studio in Joshua Tree, California. The rest of the album was produced by James Ford of Simian Mobile Disco.

Crying Lightning is a testament to the Queens of the Stone Age sound. Droning stoner rhythms are used as a foundation for those distinctively piercing riffs which Homme adores. What's left for the Monkeys to call their own on this track is only the lyrics.

Buraka Som Sistema

I am loving Buraka Som Sistema at the moment. Admittedly I am a bit late getting into them considering their album Black Diamond was released in November of last year.

The Portuguese group specialise in delivering the riveting sound of Kuduro, a musical genre with it's roots emanating from Angola. The likes of M.I.A and DJ Znobia are both ambassadors and contributors to these guys rhythmic and dance-friendly sounds that gives Kudoro a worthy altar for which to preach it's uber-cool sound.

These guys are also playing the Electric Picnic in September.

Florence and the Machine - Lungs

I just did a review of Lungs, the debut LP from Florence and the Machine, for this months Limerick Event Guide and I felt compelled to mention it here aswell. From start to finish Lungs flourishes and excites with Florence Welch's voice making it a very tantalising listen. Check it out you won't be dissappointed.

The Pixies to start touring with Olympia dates

According to the Pixies Myspace they are set to embark on a European tour kicking off proceedings with two dates at the Olympia in Dublin on October 1st and 2nd (Thursday and Friday) Tickets go on sale this Friday (July 3)...where is my mind!

An insight into music today...

There appears to be a bit of a renaissance erupting in the world of popular music. Bands are releasing sophomore albums layered with soul and adventure while this years pop princesses are no longer the Britney’s of the world.

It seems that there’s a few artists that once flew the flag for NME's template of indie blandness have broken free of the supposed “path of commercial destiny” and released material that exudes quality and genuine substance. The artists I am highlighting in this case are the likes of The Horrors, Jack Penate and The Maccabees.

When The Horrors released their debut album “Strange House” in 2007 it was most definitely a case of style over substance. Their gothic punk boudoir of clothing and hairstyles distracted the NME following from the notion that their tunes were a tad uninspiring. Their recently released second album shocked a lot of people as they found the new material boasted involving and relevant sounds. “Primary Colours” is laden with swooning and vast guitar sounds with pulsating drumming. It truly is one of the albums of 2009.



Jack Penate's debut album “Matinee” on the whole was an entity of unimaginative indie dribble it has to be said. It lacked bite and any sort of uniqueness. What he has followed that album with is another surprise to the musical world. His new album, aptly titled “Everything is New” sees a dramatic shift in direction adopting a whole array of worldly sounds that complement a focused melodic understanding.



Like Penate’s debut The Maccabees first outing lacked ambition and thirst for the extraordinary. Their material fit the indie template set out by NME tone by tone; safe song compositions with an altogether indie aesthetic. Their follow up “Wall of Arms” has seen the group morph their output into a beautifully intimate and decadent tapestry of sound seeping with emotion and substance.



These bands have gone from creating music that plays by the rules to actually delving into their souls and releasing material that means something and displays genuine substance and thought. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for bands/artists like those mentioned above who are in the NME foothold i.e. The Klaxons (who had to return to the studio under the label bosses orders upon hearing their work for their new album)

In terms of the ladies it’s the likes of Little Boots and La Roux are invigorating our airwaves with deliciously infectious pop tunes. These two are delivering quality tunes that are radio-friendly and actually propel involving lyrics as opposed to the American branded muck that we are subjected to on a regular basis. Our airwaves are slowly but surely emitting interesting pop tunes and it’s the ladies mentioned proving to be the honourable catalysts.

The Avalanches - After The Goldrush

The Aussie orchestrator's of all things mixed and spliced have released a mix an eclectic off the wall mix CD that starts with Bob Dylan and The Beach Boys before mixing into the Chemical Brothers, Basement Jaxx, Felix Da Housecat, Guns ‘N Roses, DJ Zinc, Phoenix, Queen and loads more before ending with another appearance from The Beach Boys! Saloon.

It has some old school classics thrown in giving party friendly genres a celebratory outing. This would be a great mix to put on at a messy house party. It would go down as a damn fine crowd-pleaser satisfying all tastes.

This may prove a teaser to wet the appetite of those in desperate need of a follow up to 2000's Since I Left You, which I hinted at way back then

You can try it out the mix for party pumping size here

The Mars Volta - Octahedron

This the fifth LP from the genre-fiddling prog-rock group The Mars Volta is quite a different type of beast to those previous albums. Octahedron contains more coherent vocals and less elongated screeches which should make the music more accessible to its incoming audience. There are still the characteristic themes of morbidity, darkness and alienation that encapsulate the focus of their material.

Compared to earlier works this is a more progressive and ultimately more formal body of material. Songs on this album are certainly less erratic than usual-With Twilight As My Guide and Copernicus(which strays into a lo-fi territory)are clear examples of this

Tracks like Cotopaxi still offer links to their latin punk funk startings.

This band is one of the main reasons as to why I am considering braving the intrepid melee of youth that is Oxegen-they are that good.

The Glass - Wanna Be Dancin'

The latest offering from the The Glass, the New York based duo who specalize in electro disco/funk (somewhat reminiscent of LCD Soundsystem) but carving their own by adding dreamy shoegazed vocals is not only damn infectious but has a top-notch video to boot. LEGO will always rock

New William Elliot Whitmore recorded session

The sensational William Elliot Whitmore has recorded has recorded a session for Daytrotter. All the tracks are from his new album "Animals in the Dark". He also plays an unreleased track called 'Don't Prey On Me'. You can download all the tracks from the session for free here

Experimental sounds to reach Castletroy

A new dawn in the live music scene in Limerick is a-coming thanks to Guantanamo Noise Fest II. This weekend-long event is set to take place at 31 the Cedars, Castletroy (recent change of venue from the above poster) this Friday and Saturday. And yes anyone who has ever attended the University of Limerick will know that the venue in question is a student house. The house, which would usually house empty cans of Dutch Gold and Koka noodles will play host to a range of experimental sounds. When I asked the organiser (BiPolar Joe) what one can expect the reply I got was:

For an experimental gig, you shouldn't expect anything. I mean, youmight hear just about anything, thirty minutes of white noise, thesound of someone taking a dump, the theme from Dallas, fuckin'anything. They key is experimentation. Sound is not just sound, andmusic is a genre of sound, if you get what I mean. The hardest thingto do is to describe experimental music. Put it like this, John Cageused piano sounboards, K-Project uses computer games. Everything is aninstrument, experimental musicians use them all. In short, expectanything! Expect to hear things you most likely never would have ever.

Admission to this "guerilla-gig" as I like to call it is only 7 bucks...viva la'resistance!

When Sport and Music collide...

The video mixing maestro that is DJ Yoda recently did a short but sweet mix for ITV in the build up to this years Champers League semi between Chelsea and Man. Utd. (United won of course, but got smacked last Wednesday by Barca which pleased me immensely). I wonder do his turntablism skills filter through to the pitch?

Chris Cunningham

Ye may have noticed the latest ad for Gucci doing the rounds on the the box. The ad features a fresh rendition of Donna Summer's I Feel Love running in synch to the invigorating flutter of flowers circulating a rather attractive young woman. The result is a brief yet enlightening advert that is up there with the works of Guinness.

The director behind this advert is Chris Cunningham and his filmography consists of many groundbreaking and almost revolutionary music videos such as Bjork's All Is Full Of Love, Leftfield's Afrika Shox and Aphex Twin's Windowlicker. Everything he has touched is pure genius.

He showcases his work to date at the Electric Picnic-a definite must see.

Milosh

I have recently got into Milosh who Donal Dineen has been giving some deserved airplay on Today FM. Hailing from Toronto, Michael Milosh delivers "pretty" music that incorporates smooth electronica with soft gushing vocals. There is also an r n'b feel to his material that allevites the tunes from a shoegazey fallout, which in turn gives them a distinctive groove-great driving music on slow sundays.

The track You Fill Me from Meme (his second LP released in 2006) has been embedded in my head from my very first listen. Its melody swings and serenades while the romantic vocals enrapture the senses. A complete gem of a tune. Click on the link below to download and enjoy!


http://www.zshare.net/audio/6042171891314a65/

The xx - Crystalised

I am digging this tune (and band for that matter) in a big way. The xx hail from good oul' Londontown and have been creating waves in the UK blogosphere as of late. This tune is one of the most intimate and provocative songs I have heard all year...totally engrossing!

Pet Shop Boys - Love Etc.

Camp electro-pop it may be but I think this is a great tune and with a wonderful animated video makes it all the more impressionable: