Supergroups 1.8
How about a nice new femme fatale to kick off with for spring /summer 2009? Ireland has far more than it's fair share of fantastic female singers so we'll start off with a shining new jewel from the deepest depths of darkest Wexford...
Now 'Opportunity Driven Improvement' is a secret analysis method designed to eek out those tiny hidden improvements behind information technology for a range of buisnesses using specific computer software. Yet in a strange kind of way this is exactly what happened to Wexford singer /songwriter Claire Odlum over the last eighteen months. When she uploaded a few humble acoustic tunes to her MySpace page the continuous positive feedback and requests for more found her suddenly becoming engulfed in an unexpected music career. Teaming up with guitarist Dave Redfern to release two singles quickly pushed her even further into a mainstream musical career with some exceptional and beautiful atmospherics and tweeks sneeking into and adding to her continuous musical improvements on 'What You Deserve' and 'Crave'
2009 has seen 'ODi', as she is called, disappear into the wilds of the Kerry landscape to add even more improvements and incredible inspiration to her already special sound while recording her debut album with some very special help and collaberation through the hands of sound masters Karl Odlum (sound man extroadinaire behind The Frames, Lerner etc) and also Ken McHugh (the genius behind Automata).The year has also seen her kick off with yet another groundbreaking single/ep in the form of 'Superman' -which is her first musical invasion into the UK charts and her third in Ireland and Germany where her fan base is rapidly growing....and all this from just tinkering around on MySpace! Though often compared to as a female equivelent of Damien Rice we feel the discription just doesn't do her justice as 1) she's a million times better looking 2) There's a very positive aspect to her songwriting and 3) There's a depth of feeling to her songs and delivery that Damien just could not attain (though admittedly his 'not being female' or gifted with such a beautiful voice may well have a something to do with it).
We've added a link to her MySpace page and her new band site- from where she will soon be invading the entire world.So if you want to know the best thing to have ever come out of Wexford follow the links and form an orderly que for the new album.....
To cool the blood down a little we thought it might be an idea to move away from our next femme fatale for a moment or two and get one of our scientists to drain it all away along with the blood of a few gifted androids. Le Galaxie are not only one of the best tranced up big beat bands to be dazzling the world with their sci- fi mega blasting superdance, but they're also one of few 'electro' bands capable of pulling hard rock fans deep into their hi -tec fantasy land with real drums and some exceptional oozing guitar riffs that give a nice solid meaty edge of rock to their intercontinental ballistic sound missiles (-one of which reportedly took down LA quite recently). They also seem to be quite gifted at making some incredibly wild and witty videos with the aid of Killian Broderick (also behind many Ham Sandwich official videos and mad adds) co directing ...in fact, it wouldn't suprise me at all to find out if was they and Killian who were realy behind that recent Cadbury advert involving the wiggling eyebrows and a squeeky balloon!
Yet behind the intense Father Ted style wit of some wonderfull videos lies some equaly fantastic sound often described as 'Kraftwork meets Mogwai'. We think the description is an understatement with a more accurate definition possibly being 'exceptionaly cool meets downright *@^>*@!n' awesome'- and the boys are certainly up for an originality award on the 22 once the 08/09 award page is unleashed soon. We've featured the video for 'We Drain The Blood Of Androids' along with a link to their MySpace and with a strong recomendation to get your ears around latest track LA Takedown on their audio and visual playlists, plus an even stronger recomendation to buy their new 2009 ep Transworld too..outstanding in every way! Keep your eyes and ears out for the new ep and video from LE GALAXIE NOW with even more out soon at...
Next up is a new upbeat rock outfit from Midleton in Cork whose debut ep recieved some big bouts of media praise from as far apart as LA to Paris. Currently finishing off their debut album with Ciaran O'Shea (see Cyclefly) the band are currently being tipped as Irelands next big one scince 'The Script' and their appeal to listeners on both sides of the atlantic seems to be confirming the rumours. The new big one is called 'Goldfish Syndrome' and the ep causing all the buz is called Timewarp featuring a handfull of tracks from the upcoming debut album.
'Where Have All The Good Times Gone' has found it's way into 272 records Stateside compilation extravaganza where it was placed 'top of the list' and 'It's Allright' is probably 'top of the list' as far as our ears are concerned all featured on the ep currently available from itunes and Drive Records. Get ready to hear alot more from Goldfish Syndrome over 2009 as we're pretty sure they'll be a dominant force on transatlantic airwaves very very soon. For a sneek peek of whats in store they can currently be found swimming on MySpace via the following link....
If you like your rock music to sound like Corks amazing jam rockers Charlie Dont Surf are clashing in a high octane live musical battle with Annacrusis in a giant Halon collider, then maybe you should head north to Belfast where you just might discover that you've already been watched from afar by one of the loudest bands on the planet -who also just happen to have an immenent debut album release in the pipeline for April 2009.
Melodic gutars break out into hard riffs, leads and solos on a regular basis through a non stop jam of funked up Ulster rock occaisionaly bitten into by percussive raptures and choral chants. Currently touring Ireland and the UK and with an album cover that looks how most people envisioned Horslips 1975 Unfortunate Cup Of Tea album to look after they drank the 'tea' , it shouldn't be too hard to spot on billboards with the wild 'Dali' artwork and their own Belfast born non stop celtic symphony. Look out especialy for their tour dates with UK band 'Maybeshewill' - with whom they have been sonicly twinned- for some real musical feasting throughout May 2009. 'And So I Watch You From Afar' are truly a band of volume with guitars that realy are 'set to kill'. For links to their tour dates and the new ep and album check their own special space here....
*2010 update...If you haven't caught them live yet then now's your chance with a Live April 2010 gig from Amsterdam online here....
Now once upon a time, back down on the sunny southern coast of the island, there were a handlefull of Waterford students who picked up their guitars to become the 'Saviors of Space'. Wild riffs and a stage presence that gave any competing 'battle of the band' style opponent a compulsive urge to 'die in utter shame and embarrasment ' saw the seedling Waterford band win awards and songwriting competitions from Dublin to New York. One of those trophy's came about through seeing off every other student band in the country at the National Student Music Awards where their stage pressance wowed 12 judges from every sector of the music industry with a perfect '10' given to their set by all. After saving time and space the boys retreated to a secluded farmhouse in County Cork from where they thoughtfully reflected on new musical creations with which to conquer the terra firma of the worlds music venues and studios. What has emerged is a new debut album which has elevated them from the post of Saviors to Emporers with a list of exceptional slow burn and slow build tracks that gently simmer up to explode into immense passion all about you and a set of songs that, whenever performed live, turn even the most humblest of venues into an all time world classic on a par with events or sets like 'woodstock', or The Who's classic Isle Of Wight or Leeds sets of 1969 and 1970. Vocals, despite seemingly being a bit tentative in quieter phases have a distinct 'grow on you' quality that seem somehow reminiscent of a much younger Pete Townsend or even Neil Young when tracks like 'A Maid' or 'Heart of Gold' were the predominant thoughts that twinkled in his shaky voice and mind. 'PO' , the first single to be released from the new 'O Emporer' album carries the classic chords of those slow burn passion incendaries that stir up empathy and strange reminescent longings (just like tracks such as Steely Dans 'Doctor Wu') before exploding into a firestorm of rich and intense sound - Just make sure you've got some proper speakers or headphones to enjoy the full total effect! Then there is some small matter of a song called 'Some Small Matter' which builds and blows like a Stones or Faces feast at their very best with a hook that definatly hits the 'I aint never gonna get this one outta my head ever again' switch. O Emporer is the new crown resting upon the former 'Saviors of Space's ' heads and after a year of setting their original dreamscapes to music it's a crown that fits perfectly. Head straight for their small matter of Po via the link for a firm taster of one of the best debuts of the year worldwide ... with the debut album 'Hither Thither' due for release very soon...
Whats that you said...? Where's the next femme fatale...? Don't worry there's plenty more on the way to keep your tickers nice and active, we just didn't want to blow your minds too much just yet - or you'd end up missing out on the rest of our forthcoming feasts....
Lots more very soon....
Copyright2009 Mairtin O'Riain and Martin Ryan, The Ryan O'Riain22 .
