Roblammas

I've had the pleasure of discovering Roblammas some months ago on myspace, and the tracks have been steadily growing on me. There is very little of his material to go on as of yet, but in the few demos available so far, the songs tend to delve into distorted melodies at times, while at other times recline into shoegaze-ambience, although I would say the material is at its best somewhere in between these extremes. The stand-out Roblammas track is the song Daylglow. I would describe this as dusk music. Perhaps the sunset avatar currently on his myspace has just lent me to think of it in this way, but it does effectively capture a sense of inevitable loss, of the fading of warmer moments. It is a real gem.

While Roblammas is predominantly in the process of recording demos, he is also directly involved with You Are Not Safe, a fledgling indie label/entity in Dublin which has put on some shows recently in the Dublin area and is a promoter of Roblammas material. Dayglow and a couple of other demos are currently streamable from the Roblammas and You Are Not Safe myspaces. These are nice listens to say the least.

Related Links:

http://www.myspace.com/roblammasmusic

http://www.myspace.com/youarenotsafemusic

STAR BELGRADE

This is my third time writing about Star Belgrade this year. In retrospect, I find it hard to believe that back when I reviewed them for Lostmusic webzine, as recently as last March, they had yet to even play their debut gig. A lot has happened in the intervening six months. They have become the most downloaded unsigned Irish band of all time on Irish music website cpu.ie. They have headlined a number of gigs around Ireland, and have just returned from performing at Festivals in the UK and Germany. They have also evolved their sound a lot, with the addition of keyboards and electronica beats to the often full-on fuzzed guitars which were more prominent in their earlier recordings, and segments of the press have started to take serious note, with some extraordinary predictions of success being made recently by both Metro and Drop-D magazine, extrapolating to talk of Grammy Awards and eventual Coldplay-like status (sic).

This is all quite phenomenal for an unsigned band that have yet to even record their debut EP, and whose demos have all been made using just 4-track recording equipment. Actually, they are to enter the studio for the first time this Autumn to start recording their debut EP.

I received a promotional demo from Star Belgrade earlier this week. The opening song 'Disconnect' is a fine example of the distinctive sound they are now carving out for themselves. It uses some rather unusual percussion as its backbone; a sparse loop which sounds quite mechanical, yet with a funky off-center beat, and while it didn't appeal to me at first, after a few listens has started to become quite infectious. The soft vocals as ever are of the highest order, but it is not until the guitar noise finally weighs in bursts, that the song can be fully appreciated for the counter-balances within it. Up next is the familiar early flagship song 'Red Arc', a song which I have before likened to U2, with vocals comparable to Bono's at his most heartfelt - granted I'm not a huge fan of U2, to say the least, but I can appreciate the quality in this song, particularly as it holds back from the need for a catch phrase chorus. Next up is a live recording of them performing 'Refugee' which does more than enough to prove they are very competent as a live act, although the song itself does not inspire me all that much. The rest of the demo tails off rather disappointingly however, with a quite pointless live performance of Simple Minds' 'Theme for Great Cities' and then closing with 'Broken Words', interesting as a concept-song, adopting a broken vocal delivery, but which is ultimately unsatisfying to listen to.

It seems Star Belgrade are gradually evolving away from the promising sounds which had interested me at first, where their MBV and Sonic Youth influences were more prominent in earlier songs such as 'All This Noise' and 'Checkmate' - as far as I am aware they still perform these live, although neither appear to be available for download anymore. Regardless, there is no doubting this band are fast-tracking towards success, and by all accounts are a must-see live act with a reportedly massive full-on sound. A number of their songs are available for download from their myspace and CPU space, with 'Disconnect' and 'Red Arc' the recommended listens.

They return to the UK for two further gigs in October, playing Moshulu in Aberdeen (9th) and 53 Degrees in Preston (10th). They perform at HWCH Festival in mid-October, followed by an appearance at Limerick Boatclub (28th) and later in November play Crawdaddy in Dublin (25th). Further dates are to be announced, and full details of all their gigs can as ever be found on their cpu.ie space.

Related Links:

http://artists.cpu.ie//bands/1193

http://www.myspace.com/starbelgrade

Red Eskimo

Red Eskimo are a Limerick-based band whom I have been meaning to write something about for quite a while now. They formed a few years ago from the ashes of another rather different Limerick band called Newland Gesture. Red Eskimo have a somewhat indie-acoustic vibe, with a healthy level of Can experimentalism, and a natural propulsive energy which is quite infectious. Recently focusing most of their time on writing new material, and experimenting with a lot of different ideas, they have been playing around with mixed instruments and soundscapes; adding keyboards, the harmonium, the ukulele, and the accordion, while also experimenting with percussion sounds.


Speaking with lead singer Neil recently, he explained how all this has meant less gigging activity than usual for Red Eskimo, who have also been busy working on changing their live sound so they replace the use of a live drummer with the use of some pre-recorded percussions and sounds from the other instruments which they have been experimenting with instead. The hope however, would be to start headlining within the next few months with the newer material, record as many songs as possible, put them online, and look to gig around Ireland on a regular basis before delving back into songwriting and starting the cycle again.

An independent minded band, their aim is to continue to do everything themselves where possible, not just from the perspective of recording their own songs the way they feel they should sound, but also in everything from the making of their own video for their song 'Battery' to designing their CD covers, posters and website.

They currently have just a handful of their older songs recorded, a few of which are available for download from the Red Eskimo myspace - '1981', 'Battery' and 'Buffalo Nation', all rather excellent, and are songs which I have found to be very durable listens ever since first taking note of them some months ago. Well worth checking out.

Related Links:

http://www.myspace.com/redeskimo

Black Soul Strangers - Amphetamine Psychosis

When I reviewed a Black Soul Strangers demo earlier this year, although rating their songs quite highly, I mentioned that I had some reservations about the overall sound at the time. They completed a new demo since then, a significant improvement on the previous offering; and I have to say that this newer demo is quite an irresistible piece of work.


The superbly titled 'Down and out in Vegas with amphetamine psychosis again' is the track which grabs the attention, and is a well penned song which sounds every bit as good as the title might suggest, indie-rock vibes with a raw frustration and intensity, while the other two tracks on the demo - the equally intense 'Paramount', and a fine ballad in 'Photo' are also fine efforts. All three of these tracks can be downloaded from the Black Soul Strangers myspace. Highly recommended listening from this unsigned Dublin band, with influences ranging from Joy Division to early Radiohead to The Clash.

They are playing support for LA's Juliette Lewis and the Licks at Dublin venue The Village on October 3rd.

Related Links:

http://www.myspace.com/blacksoulstrangers

http://www.blacksoulstrangers.com

The Ghostwood Project

I had read quite a bit of hype this year about The Ghostwood Project, an instrumental band who have been referred to "as one of the best and most innovative bands on the Galway live scene", but after seeing them live last month I was left wondering what all the fuss was about.


They have been described as sounding "like a more rocking Mogwai with some of the epic moments of Godspeed and the off tune avant rock of Sonic Youth", by which description I should like this band quite a lot, but I was left feeling rather underwhelmed. Perhaps my expectations were set too high after reading a name-checking involving such bands, but at times The Ghostwood Project can seems like not much more than a scripted jam session of punk/metal riffs, lacking sufficient variation to keep a gig interesting over the full course. Regardless of having an abundance of talent for cranking out those quite infectious riffs, without sufficient variation I'm sceptical as to whether this alone will ever be enough to raise them above their current status as a cult phenomenon.

To date they have released two demo EPs, one of which is available online at Road Records. Some of these demo tracks can be streamed from their myspace, along with a video of them performing a track titled “Tom Selleck is an innocent Man” live last year. According to their myspace, they had planned to do a UK tour in Sept/Oct 06, although this does not seem to be materialising from looking at their gig listings. Instead, they have further gigs around Ireland lined up around this time-frame. Perhaps worth checking out once if you have not done so already, but don't be expecting anything sensational.

Related Links:

http://www.myspace.com/theghostwoodproject

Panda Kopanda - The Ocean Of Fire EP

Considered by many to be Belfast's finest emerging indie band today, innovative, emotive and quirky, Panda Kopanda have been described previously as 'a bruised and heartfelt twist on indie pop'. Formed around 2002 they have become quite well respected in many circles, and their debut EP 'The Letting Go' was released to much critical acclaim in 2005 on the now defunct Howl Records. Currently label-less, 2006 sees Panda Kopanda set to deliver a new EP entitled 'The Ocean Of Fire'.

While comparisons have often been drawn in the past with Pavement, their clean-cut vocals and massive radio friendly melodic choruses can often remind a bit too much of the ilk of Snow Patrol for my liking. An attribute which saves them from sounding overlty generic radio-indie-pop is an endearing lo-fi indie slacker attitude, as does their ability to intertwine some rather creative arrangements.

A few tracks from their 2006 EP 'The Ocean Of Fire' show some solid improvements from their 2005 offering, demonstrating a greater willingness to diverge a bit further from safe indie-pop sounds. While the lead track 'About My Temper' is undoubtedly the one which will draw the most attention, the clear favourite for me is 'Open Ground', which starts off tender, and delicately poised, it is soon offset by restrained aggression and some crunching riffs as the song progresses - all in all an excellent tune, and surely their finest moment yet.

Although 'The Letting Go' EP is available for purchase online from their myspace, 'The Ocean Of Fire' does not yet appear to be available. However, the track 'Open Ground' is available for download, while some other songs from 'The Ocean of Fire' EP can also be streamed. Panda Kopanda play a few dates in Northern Ireland in late August at Vital '06 in Belfast Botanic Gardens (22nd), and The Forfey Festival in Enniskillen (25th), before journeying south of the border to play a few dates in Cork (26th) and Limerick (27th) with Redjetson and envelope.

Related Links:

http://www.myspace.com/pandakopanda

http://www.pandakopanda.com

Omb And The Furious Tree

Omb And The Furious Tree are an unsigned band from Dublin who play a retro-psychedelic punk-rock. They formed just late last year, although most band members have been playing together under various guises since coming together after Dublin bands The Ravines and The Ripleys both disbanded around 2004.

They have described their sound as "catchy instantaneous melodies wrapped-up in a raw-riotous energy of beefy rhythms, punchy guitars and bright splicing organs, steeped in a rich undercurrant of retro-psychedelia" - quite a mouthful, but not far off the mark. I encountered them just recently, and was quite impressed by some of their songs, in particular 'Abba's Hoover' which is high on adrenalin, wih a strong thumping beat, and quickly breaks into an infectiously melodic chorus reminiscent in ways of early Beatles, but clanked out in true garage style. There's a lot of 70s punk attitude in there, and even more so in the equally good 'Ryu vs Ken', another energy-laced track which splices 70s punk with swirly psychedelic guitar/organ sounds.

Three tracks from Omb and The Furious Tree are available for download from their myspace, including 'Abba's Hoover' and 'Ryu vs Ken', where details of some upcoming gigs in Dublin are also listed, most imminent at The Hub in Dublin this August 22nd.

Related Links:

http://www.myspace.com/ombandthefurioustree

THE RAGS - Razors & Ropes

The Rags, a 6-piece indie-rock band from Dublin, have sufficient variety in their material to have been described before as everything from 'Doves meets early Radiohead' to 'Smiths-esque guitar-pop', the latter comparison being drawn on their new single 'Razors & Ropes' released earlier this month on their Grand Cake label.

Just as their two previous releases have done, 'Razors & Ropes' has again achieved the accolade of 'Single Of The Fortnight' in Hotpress magazine, and I must concur - these are well deserved praises. The Rags new single does have a great Smiths-esqe style in both lyric and melody - actually the Morrissey/Marr influence has been quite prevalent in their earlier releases at times also (for one, the anthemic taunt 'You Decide To Come Alive When Everyone's Dead' from the like titled track on last year's 'Monsters & I' EP). However, it must be said that this new single is delivered with a ballsy rock swagger more akin with the likes of Oasis's Liam Gallagher, and this new-found attitude in The Rags is the added ingredient which makes this by far their best release to date.

The video to 'Razors & Ropes' can be viewed on The Rags myspace, where some tracks from the previous releases and demos of new recordings can also be heard. It is also one of the currently featured videos on the Frequency-Ireland myspace. The 'Razors & Ropes' single is available at record stores throughout Ireland and can be purchased online at Road Records, where the 'Monsters & I' EP is also still available. The Rags have also recorded a wealth of new material which they have been performing at gigs over the summer and play at this year’s Electric Picnic festival on Saturday September 2nd.

Related Links:

http://www.myspace.com/therags

http://www.therags.com

http://www.electricpicnic.ie

SUPER-8

Loud, melodic, and drenched in guitar feedback, a small band from Northern Ireland, going by the name of Super-8, have been creating some devilishly good sounds of late. They've refined a loud guitar sound into which they work some memorable melodies, with a rock n'roll vibe in keeping with the likes of The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Stooges and The Velvet Underground. I also hear the sounds British indie-rock in the melodies burried underneath the noise, everything from Primal Scream to early Stone Roses, but essentially this is music a lot more closely bonded with that early rock n'roll punk vibe.


According to vocalist/guitarist Shane in recent conversation, speaking modestly about their achievements and ambitions, he explained they have already completed a full album of demo material, although have yet to take their sound to a live environment:

"As you said there's only 2 of us so playing live is sorta tricky. Having said that, the past month we have been setting up in my kitchen and working out stuff to play live. At the minute it's just 2 guitars and vocals but we are going to record some backing tracks. Looking for a bassist and drummer is not out of the question. So hopefully we'll get it sorted."

"The whole Super-8 thing started out as a bit of fun. We set ourselves a target of making a CD with 12 songs. I don't know why but guitarist Steve was pretty adamant it should be 12. We finished it early this year. It's really a CD of 12 demos."

"I had previously done some recording with my good friend Kevin under the moniker Russolo's Pet Project. We may do something with that at some stage in the future. We don't really have long term plans, I just thought we had this bunch of songs, why not put them out there via myspace and see what happens, isn't that what everyone else is doing?"

Four such songs are currently available to download from the Super-8 myspace, with my favourite of these being the exceptionally cool vibes of 'Undercover Blues'. I am looking forward to hearing the full demo.

Related Links:

http://www.myspace.com/wearesuper8

The Dirty Sweets

The first thing I thought when I heard The Dirty Sweets was Siouxie and the Banshees. There's that great haunting goth-punk discard about them, but make no mistake about it - The Dirty Sweets are not just another retrospective punk band. Although comparisons have been made with everything from Kate Bush to Blondie before too, there are a lot of more contemporary influences here, with an edge that if anything sounds vibrantly new. The songs are sharp, and have hookingly cool guitar indie pop sounds, encompassing that distinctive punk edge, and with some hints of a Bjork’s flair to be different.

The Dirty Sweets had been tipped as an emerging band to watch in 2006, although according to their last myspace post in March of this year, the band have now split. Although they remained unsigned, their music has not been entirely lost however, thanks to a superb demo recorded last year, the tracks from which are available to download from their myspace.

Related Links:

http://www.myspace.com/thedirtysweets

MICHAEL KNIGHT - Youth Is Wasted On The Young

Dublin band Michael Knight's full debut album from last year, Youth Is Wasted On The Young, has been described as "the most perfect summer indie-pop album in ten years", and while I wouldn't go quite that far myself, I have to say this is a great record. I picked it up just a few weeks ago and have been thoroughly enjoying the experience.

The album is steeped in dippy summer sixties moods, with strong influence from the likes of The Beach Boys, but with a quirky offset of more experimental influences. Some comparisons could also be drawn with early Divine Comedy, although there is a world of a difference between the two. From the infectiously delirious beats in 'The Lights Go On And Off' to the superbly 60s dippy longing moods of 'Seasons', I must say this album is a highly recommended indulgence, and when in the right mood for it, I find it a very difficult album to stop listening to.

Some tracks old and new are streamable from their myspace, and two songs from the Youth Is Wasted On The Young album are available to download from their indie label website, Villain Records.

Related Links:

http://www.myspace.com/michaelknightie

http://www.villainrecords.com

The Ugli Voilas

Emerging out of nowhere last month to myspace, The Ugli Voilas formed just a few months back, and deliver a loud melodic guitar sound with Pixies-esqe leaning vocals. They list The Cure, My Bloody Valentine, Whipping Boy, Slowdive, Interpol and The Smiths amongst their main influences, some more apparent than others, although none which overly-dominate their sound. Quickly gathering an appreciative fan base on myspace, in just a few weeks online at the time of writing this, they have already clocked up almost 800 friends and over 3000 plays.

They have some songs to download from their myspace, and although the production quality is rough and ready, the quality in their material is unmistakable, with the most impressive perhaps being the rather broody 'Not Enough' with vocals which take an impressive swereve into shoegaze moods. These guys are already showing great potential, and in their own words 'will only be getting better from here'. Listen now, and then watch them grow, these guys could well be going places.

Related Links:

http://www.myspace.com/theuglivoilas

The Terribles - Mistake: Do Over

The Terribles are a band that are on small Irish label Poltergeist Records and 'Mistake: Do Over' is the bands debut EP. There is scant information on the band that I can find on the internet (ok, I did one lazy search and found another band from the USA called The Terribles, I got confused and stopped looking!). The EP was recorded in the summer of 2005 and released in mid 2006.

So without much information to go on, the only thing that I can judge this EP on is the songs contained within. You get four of them, and they are all rather good. In fact, I'd say excellent rather than rather good, as it's not often I hear a band blind and am compelled to play their EP over and over again, which is the exact reaction 'Mistake: Do Over' got from me.

Opening song 'Promise' comes on like a cross between mellow Yo La Tengo and American Analog Set. With gorgeous female vocals added to the mix. I'd dare to call the voice alluring and seductive. This is slow paced indie pop that nods to the alt country sound. 'Those Songs' is up next, and it's slightly more upbeat, but I need to stress the slightly. It's another wonderful little song and after only two songs I was hooked.

The rest of the EP is equally great. The Terribles are one of best new finds I have unearthed in ages - wonderful stuff.

Related Links:

http://www.myspace.com/poltergeistrec

http://www.poltergeistrecords.com/main.html

Thanks to Lostmusic(UK) for donating the above review on The Terribles. Lostmusic also occasionally features reviews from Frequency-Ireland - TK (Editor).