By Brian Kelly, Ferghal Murphy, Brian Rutherford
By Brian Kelly, Ferghal Murphy, Brian Rutherford |
ALBUMS
It would be easy to dismiss The View as just another NME flavour of the fortnight band, were it not for the fact that their debut is one of the most joyous recordings you will hear in 2007. Much like last year’s tyros, The Artic Monkeys, the songwriting on Hats is very much based on the sights and sounds of the band’s native town. The band name even comes from their local boozer in downtown Dundee. Produced by Oasis helmsman, Owen Morris, Hats has a lardy charm, which rubs off on almost every track. Superstar Tradesman, Same Jeans and Wasted little DJs are stonking tracks but there is plenty more where that came from on an album that is thoroughly infectious and inventive. I doff my cap to the young Scots. Boys and Girls of America – The Hold Steady Every song penned by lyricist Craig Finn reads like a short story from the chronicles of life in modern Minneapolis. With succinct phrasing and intense delivery, Finn paints a vivid scene of boozing, cruising, popping pills, falling in love, fighting, partying, making out and just hanging out with friends. It’s a real adrenalin rush of a record, played at almost breakneck speed throughout, only pausing for breath on the final track, Southtown Girls, which pays an affectionate tribute to the gals in his hometown. It’s a little early to be talking about albums of the year, but you will have to listen hard to hear a more exciting record in 2007 than The Hold Steady’s Boys and Girls Of America. Jamie T – Panic Prevention His ability to paint a picture with words and clever little one liners are what makes you sit up and take notice “her lingo went from the cockney to the gringo” (from Shiela) and “I ain’t no abacus but you can count on me love” (from Operation) Genius!! When I first heard Jamie T I thought he was just a good copy of the Arctic Monkeys’ lyrical style but, as the record shows, he might draw from a lot of bands but he’s very much his own man. He meshes all his influences together brilliantly. From the frantic opener Brand New Bass Guitar, this album funks, grooves and rocks along the whole way through. The standout tracks being the funky If You Got The Money, about fellas spending too much money and not enough time on their girlfriends, So Lonely Was The Ballad and the already classic Shiela a tale of drink, drugs, boys, girls, life… Ah just buy the album and listen!!
FORTHCOMING ATTRACTIONS March April May June
DID THEY 'MOVE' HEARTS?
Moving Hearts was formed in early 1981, and used two singers, Christy Moore, then Mick Hanley, when they performed ballads and overtly political tunes such as the anti-nuclear ‘Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Russian Roulette’. The band was very productive during this time, recording four albums, and re-inventing the Irish sound into what was being called folk-rock. Moving Hearts’s background was Donal Lunny and Christy Moore’s collaboration in Planxty, and Davy Spillane’s involvement with Horslips. The original line-up changed during this time, and without the singer, a young uilleann piper, Davy Spillane, became the focus of the band. Donal Lunny on bouzouki was central, as composer/ arranger and the group had become a fully instrumental outfit by the time they recorded the epic ‘The Storm’ album for Tara in 1985. This was made when the band was at its peak, with every member an essential ingredient. The personnel came from all areas of the Irish music scene to make up ‘a democratic collective of virtuoso musicians’. Moving Hearts were run on the basis of a co-operative with all expenses and profits shared equally between the seven members and their three road crew. With Matt Kelleghan on drums, Noel Eccles on percussion, Eoghan O’Neill on bass, and Keith Donald on saxophone, modern instruments were driving this bigger sound, on instrumental compositions like ‘The Lark’, ‘Titanic’ and the slower air, ‘Early Morning Dew’, which introduced Davy Spillane on low whistle. Electric guitar and bass added to monumental traditional compositions turned this music into Trad-Fusion. Moving Hearts’s live gigs were more than seisuins at the time. They were awe-inspiring in their re-invention of Irish music which they offered new audiences to get into. About ‘The Storm’, Chris Rea said, “If you could copyright a musical idea, this would probably be the greatest publishing album of all time.” Sales of the album were phenomenal, and it has been one of Tara Records most successful issues. It has been re-issued for this tour with the original sleeve and liner notes. At Vicar Street, Graeme Henderson was on keyboards, Anthony Drennan on electric guitar, with Kevin Glackin joining them on fiddle. The venue was packed and the crowd was full of anticipation. ‘The Lark’, ‘The Storm’, ‘Fenore’ and ‘Peadar O’Donnell’ were played. ‘Peadar O’Donnell’ was a piece commissioned by Galway University to honour his work in improving living conditions for working men. Donal Lunny composed this epic suite, which was a centrepiece of the concert. Melodies are defined by three musicians: pipes, fiddle and sax, then taken up by the rest of the band, in sections, building in energy. The result is very exciting and the crowd were dancing on the balcony. Davy Spillane played evocative themes on low whistle, revealing traditional tunes of great lyrical beauty. Ed Power said in the Independent “Frankly, you’d have to be hewn from granite not to be impressed.” Keith Donald talked about the inspiration on their tours at a time when everyone was writing. Donal Lunny simply said, “It’s great to be here. It’s great to be alive actually!” They returned to the stage to play an encore called ‘Downtown’, to great applause. I think they did ‘move’ hearts with their impressive set and professional playing. The crowd must have been satisfied with what one band member said was a “very rewarding” project. The night was not only one of incontestably Irish music, but is also a great contribution to world music. Main picture: ‘Moving Hearts’ in 1983
HUMANZI
Tell us a little bit about the band? Your musical style is very distinctive in that it meshes all your influences (rock, dance, etc) into something original. Was that planned or something that just came about? We all have different influences. We got together to help me because I was writing songs. We were all in other bands so it was laid-back at the start, whatever came out came out. Anything can come to the table and nothing is really discounted… unless it’s opera! Your lyrics have a lot of substance to them, which is unusual for a ‘rock’ band. Have you any message you want to get across? It’s not about preaching either, people’d say who are you to be singing about America and oil when you’re drinking Coke. We’re all part of the problem, there’s a lot of hope. Its not pessimistic, it’s very much direct. A lot of people choose not to relate to the lyrics because they make you think. People don’t want to deal with that stuff. You’re getting support slots for bands such as the Foo Fighters and getting a lot of coverage in NME. Do you feel you’re going somewhere? What do you think of the Irish music scene at the moment? If you could be one person living or dead who would it be? Is it better to burn out or to fade away? What’s the plans for the next year? Anything else you’d like to say? |
Back to the Front
Page
Hats Off To The Buskers – The View
Literate American rock imbued with the passion of Bruce Springsteen and the spirit of fellow Minneapolis band, Husker Du. That is the basis tenet which runs through The Hold Steady’s third album, a barnstorming rock n’roll racket which takes you on an intense ride through the peaks and valleys of young American lives.
Panic prevention is the debut album from Jamie T. The 20 year-old from Wimbeldon’s ability to tell stories has had him hailed as a modern day folk singer. Except, he’s a mental mix of the Streets, Arctic Monkeys, the Beastie Boys and the Clash. If you can imagine that!
Moving Hearts reformed this year in order to recreate their album ‘The Storm’. Nine top Irish musicians were reunited to play two gigs in Donegal, before a run of four nights at Dublin’s Vicar Street.
Humanzi are a four piece indie band from Dublin. They’ve recently released their debut album ‘Tremors’ and are representing Ireland in the Eurosonic festival and have been nominated for a Meteor music award. I had a chat with frontman Shaun Mulroney to find out a bit more about them: