The Riptide Movement
Hot Tramp
Angela Macari O’Looney
Dublin band The Riptide Movement or T.R.M. are a Rock/Folk/Roots music act, who have had a succession of hit singles in the Official Irish charts since forming in 2006.
With a good old fashioned Rock’n’Roll sound, they have been described as Dublin’s answer to The Rolling Stones. Their debut album What about the Tip Jars proved a huge success selling over 8,000 copies and with T.V appearances and airplay on top radio stations throughout the land, their star continues to rise!
Members of T.R.M. are Mal Touhy- Vocals/Guitar, Gar Byrne-(The Thump)Drums/ Percussion, J.P.R. Dalton-Lead guitar and Ger McGarry-Bass. Influences include Rory Gallagher, The Stones, Pink Floyd, Canned Heat and Creedence Clearwater revival, to name but a few.
This newest song will be the title track of their upcoming album, which is due for release in 2011.
Hot Tramp
This number begins with a bass intro, things building up with a foot stomping beat, followed by a commanding lead guitar riff. Elaborate lead with two guitars involved, thumping drums and Mal’s gritty vocals all lend to this exciting song.
The chorus is addictive, with all the lads belting it out She’s a hot tramp I mean, God damn! Take it all baby, take it all.
J.P performs an unbelievable lead solo, with Mal’s riff going on at the same time, which creates a busy effect. All three guitars are superb!
A wailing harmonica joins Mal as he sings the steamy middle eight, while the two guitars blast out show stopping riffs and complex lead bits that force you to shake your head and play your air guitar.
Ger McGarry’s throbbing baseline also features throughout this seductive and memorable rock number.
If it’s only a sample of what the new album promises, I can’t wait to hear the rest!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
STRUCK E.P. REVIEW
Struck
Three cheers for lying
Angela Macari O’Looney
Struck are a young Pop/Punk trio who hail from Castlebar, Co. Mayo. Members are Sean Walsh-Vocals/Guitar, Dylan Chambers-Vocals/Bass and Ger Duffy-Drums/Backing vocals.
The lads have had a busy summer with the release of their debut E.P back in April. Three cheers for lying. They have shared stages with bands such as The Coronas, The Shower Scene, Zulu, Scuba Dice and Home Star Runner.
A distortion laden chord combination and a fast beat take you into All I wanted. This is an explosive number with a catchy chorus, a beat to wake you up and exciting guitar throughout.
Lots of changes in tempo and a dramatic chord riff add spice to this song. Sean’s delivery is packed with charisma.
Owe you One
This song involves a long instrumental intro, with the sound building up gradually. Guitars come in, bursting with energy. Dramatic beats and stop- start bits throughout add interest to this lively number. A superb lead riff is the highlight for me. Backing vocals are very effective behind Sean as he blasts out the chorus of this memorable track. There’s a slow down for the middle eight, which is sung by all three lads and then the delicious lead guitar riff returns, taking you back to the chorus.
Vibrant and upbeat, Struck definitely strike a chord for me. This is feel good music that never gets boring and would appeal to anyone who likes cheerful melody lines, excellent guitars and bashing beats.
I’ll be watching out for the three lads when they’re gigging in Dublin.
Three cheers for lying
Angela Macari O’Looney
Struck are a young Pop/Punk trio who hail from Castlebar, Co. Mayo. Members are Sean Walsh-Vocals/Guitar, Dylan Chambers-Vocals/Bass and Ger Duffy-Drums/Backing vocals.
The lads have had a busy summer with the release of their debut E.P back in April. Three cheers for lying. They have shared stages with bands such as The Coronas, The Shower Scene, Zulu, Scuba Dice and Home Star Runner.
A distortion laden chord combination and a fast beat take you into All I wanted. This is an explosive number with a catchy chorus, a beat to wake you up and exciting guitar throughout.
Lots of changes in tempo and a dramatic chord riff add spice to this song. Sean’s delivery is packed with charisma.
Owe you One
This song involves a long instrumental intro, with the sound building up gradually. Guitars come in, bursting with energy. Dramatic beats and stop- start bits throughout add interest to this lively number. A superb lead riff is the highlight for me. Backing vocals are very effective behind Sean as he blasts out the chorus of this memorable track. There’s a slow down for the middle eight, which is sung by all three lads and then the delicious lead guitar riff returns, taking you back to the chorus.
Vibrant and upbeat, Struck definitely strike a chord for me. This is feel good music that never gets boring and would appeal to anyone who likes cheerful melody lines, excellent guitars and bashing beats.
I’ll be watching out for the three lads when they’re gigging in Dublin.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Michael Buble concert
Michael Buble
A night to remember
Angela Macari O’Looney
The apprehension was over and at last, the long awaited concert had arrived. Months ago, I had been considering buying my tickets to see Michael Buble, whom I had seen in concert back in 2006 in the Point Depot with my Mum. After a lot of organisation and searching for the right person to invite along with me, the big day was here!
On a chilly but dry Saturday evening, Sandra my sister and I headed to the New Aviva Stadium, wrapped in warm jackets and scarves. We got a taxi some of the way and had a glass of wine in a nearby pub before going in, where we were shown to our seats in the West stand. The place is humungous, so I felt a pang of regret when I realised how far from the actual stage we were. However, I had taken Binoculars, so I could zoom in and watch a little closer if I chose. I shared them with Sandra throughout the show and it really helped us enjoy it better.
The warm up act was a band called Naturally 7 that performed soul/ hip-hop songs using close harmony. They were excellent, although when they talked between songs we couldn’t hear what they were saying. Our taxi driver had mentioned this was a problem he experienced at the show the previous night.
The place didn’t fill up until the warm up band were finished, but at around eight, there were very few seats left unoccupied. We noticed that the seating went right up to the roof and thanked our lucky stars we hadn’t ended up there. At eight forty five, the curtain went up, the blasting intro of Cry me a river heralded and out came Mr. Buble himself to a raucous reception. Cool as a cucumber, he sang as if he was among a few friends. Every word of his songs was being sung back at him by the crowd and it was a tremendously emotional thing to be among them, enjoying the splendour of the fabulous band, the amazing lighting, under a velvet blue Dublin sky!
He did all the favourite songs, such as All of me, Crazy love, Heartache tonight, You’re Nobody till somebody loves you, Some kind of wonderful.
I loved the stuff from his last album, but they are mostly covers. So I hoped he’d do a few of his original songs and earlier album numbers such as Home and I wasn’t disappointed. Like the true professional he is, Buble introduced his band individually. This took quite a while and unfortunately most of the wise cracks were totally lost on us poor souls down the back. But I got the gist of most of his words and I noticed how he gave his pianist a big thank you for his involvement in co-writing all Michael’s own songs. My dad who was a musician/band leader always said he judged a true artist from the way they treated their band and in this case, each guy deserved a standing ovation. What a sound!
At one point, the guy on trumpet did a solo and it was virtuoso stuff!
Also they did an instrumental, which would only be appreciated by jazz connoisseurs. Having grown up in a jazz orientated household, I understood what was going on and felt very privileged to be there, listening to the best of the best American musicianship.
I thought it was interesting to see a lot of men enjoying the concert, considering the huge female following Buble has. Beside me, a guy with his girlfriend was singing every line throughout the show and on the other side of my sister, there were mostly couples and the lads were enjoying it as much as their girls. However, being the charmer he is, Michael payed his female adorers lots of compliments and expressed his surprise at the amount of young people in the audience. He asked why they were coming to see him rather than Justin Biber, or the teenage heart- throbs who are currently in the charts.
He did a little tribute to the late Michael Jackson, performing an enjoyable version of Billy Jean and even did a moonwalk up the ramp onstage and some fancy twirls and postures that were Whacko’s signature moves. This got a tumultuous applause.
Lots of enormous screens surrounded the venue. Two each side of the stage, one at the back of it and another on a floating platform halfway up the arena. This was good for those at the back, like me. Despite this, there was remoteness about being seated far away from the heart of the show.
But somebody involved in the production end of things, had made allowances for this and thoughtfully arranged for Michael to walk through the crowd and up onto a podium atop the screen at the centre of the stadium, which was opposite our seats. This was spectacular and Sandra and I were delighted now. The guys who performed support did harmony to two numbers, which Michael did on this platform. I took a couple of photos, but my camera has a lousy zoom, so I used the Binocculars and made the best of the moment.
After a set of about an hour and a half, he finally sang Haven’t met you yet. The whole audience stood up and swayed and sang along with this really popular song. It has such a cheery riff, as do all of his uptempo numbers. Fireworks burst out and lit up the night and not long after this, he finished on a slow number;Hold on. This surprised me. He came back after a few minutes and did three more numbers, ending his last song by taking his mike off and singing out to the vast arena, proving the dynamic power of his vocals. I’m sure there will be some who don’t consider this concert to have been what they’d hoped for. But I had a blast and was just glad that I have the memory, for those cold mornings after I’ve left my little boy to school and am having my me hour with my tea and toast and Crazy Love belting out from my windows media player.
A night to remember
Angela Macari O’Looney
The apprehension was over and at last, the long awaited concert had arrived. Months ago, I had been considering buying my tickets to see Michael Buble, whom I had seen in concert back in 2006 in the Point Depot with my Mum. After a lot of organisation and searching for the right person to invite along with me, the big day was here!
On a chilly but dry Saturday evening, Sandra my sister and I headed to the New Aviva Stadium, wrapped in warm jackets and scarves. We got a taxi some of the way and had a glass of wine in a nearby pub before going in, where we were shown to our seats in the West stand. The place is humungous, so I felt a pang of regret when I realised how far from the actual stage we were. However, I had taken Binoculars, so I could zoom in and watch a little closer if I chose. I shared them with Sandra throughout the show and it really helped us enjoy it better.
The warm up act was a band called Naturally 7 that performed soul/ hip-hop songs using close harmony. They were excellent, although when they talked between songs we couldn’t hear what they were saying. Our taxi driver had mentioned this was a problem he experienced at the show the previous night.
The place didn’t fill up until the warm up band were finished, but at around eight, there were very few seats left unoccupied. We noticed that the seating went right up to the roof and thanked our lucky stars we hadn’t ended up there. At eight forty five, the curtain went up, the blasting intro of Cry me a river heralded and out came Mr. Buble himself to a raucous reception. Cool as a cucumber, he sang as if he was among a few friends. Every word of his songs was being sung back at him by the crowd and it was a tremendously emotional thing to be among them, enjoying the splendour of the fabulous band, the amazing lighting, under a velvet blue Dublin sky!
He did all the favourite songs, such as All of me, Crazy love, Heartache tonight, You’re Nobody till somebody loves you, Some kind of wonderful.
I loved the stuff from his last album, but they are mostly covers. So I hoped he’d do a few of his original songs and earlier album numbers such as Home and I wasn’t disappointed. Like the true professional he is, Buble introduced his band individually. This took quite a while and unfortunately most of the wise cracks were totally lost on us poor souls down the back. But I got the gist of most of his words and I noticed how he gave his pianist a big thank you for his involvement in co-writing all Michael’s own songs. My dad who was a musician/band leader always said he judged a true artist from the way they treated their band and in this case, each guy deserved a standing ovation. What a sound!
At one point, the guy on trumpet did a solo and it was virtuoso stuff!
Also they did an instrumental, which would only be appreciated by jazz connoisseurs. Having grown up in a jazz orientated household, I understood what was going on and felt very privileged to be there, listening to the best of the best American musicianship.
I thought it was interesting to see a lot of men enjoying the concert, considering the huge female following Buble has. Beside me, a guy with his girlfriend was singing every line throughout the show and on the other side of my sister, there were mostly couples and the lads were enjoying it as much as their girls. However, being the charmer he is, Michael payed his female adorers lots of compliments and expressed his surprise at the amount of young people in the audience. He asked why they were coming to see him rather than Justin Biber, or the teenage heart- throbs who are currently in the charts.
He did a little tribute to the late Michael Jackson, performing an enjoyable version of Billy Jean and even did a moonwalk up the ramp onstage and some fancy twirls and postures that were Whacko’s signature moves. This got a tumultuous applause.
Lots of enormous screens surrounded the venue. Two each side of the stage, one at the back of it and another on a floating platform halfway up the arena. This was good for those at the back, like me. Despite this, there was remoteness about being seated far away from the heart of the show.
But somebody involved in the production end of things, had made allowances for this and thoughtfully arranged for Michael to walk through the crowd and up onto a podium atop the screen at the centre of the stadium, which was opposite our seats. This was spectacular and Sandra and I were delighted now. The guys who performed support did harmony to two numbers, which Michael did on this platform. I took a couple of photos, but my camera has a lousy zoom, so I used the Binocculars and made the best of the moment.
After a set of about an hour and a half, he finally sang Haven’t met you yet. The whole audience stood up and swayed and sang along with this really popular song. It has such a cheery riff, as do all of his uptempo numbers. Fireworks burst out and lit up the night and not long after this, he finished on a slow number;Hold on. This surprised me. He came back after a few minutes and did three more numbers, ending his last song by taking his mike off and singing out to the vast arena, proving the dynamic power of his vocals. I’m sure there will be some who don’t consider this concert to have been what they’d hoped for. But I had a blast and was just glad that I have the memory, for those cold mornings after I’ve left my little boy to school and am having my me hour with my tea and toast and Crazy Love belting out from my windows media player.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Cause and Effect E.P. Review
I-Pheonix
Cause and Effect
Angela Macari O’Looney
I Pheonix are a band I’ve admired since I first saw them perform support at a gig in ’09. From the get go they appeared confident and professional. They had an explosive and unforgettable sound and their demo remains a firm favourite among my collection.
Hailing from Dublin, their music is a combination of Alternative/ Rock and Pop, with influences such as Biffy Clyro, Joy Division, and New Order coming through.
Cause and Effect, released in May ’10 at Temple Lane Studios by John Henry, is their debut E.P.
Conor Wilkins – Vocals/ Guitars, Donal Fleming – Drums/ Percussion and Kevin Brew – Bass are a talented trio of individuals and seem to improve every time I see them perform live, with each contributing to the overall sound. Haunting melody lines, scorching lead solos, throbbing baselines and pulsating electronic loops to enhance Donal’s lively beats, are all the ingredients that give each track life. The end result is a truly enjoyable CD of quality numbers.
Night Sparks
A brilliant choice of song to begin with, this is my absolute favourite I Pheonix number. The intro consists of a fast explosive beat, with a synth baseline that’s out of this world.
Then the lead riff comes in that for me defines I Pheonix and is really captivating. Conor’s haunting vocals are sung almost reverently. The resurrection of sounds from the late 70s touches a nerve for me here. The blend of post punk music with present day sophistication lends astounding dynamic that is irresistible!
Arcadia
This rhythmic number has a catchy riff intro that is used throughout. Guitars are spectacular, with fab lead followed by an explosive, distortion- charged phrase, where the pace alternates. Vocals are excellent, with a speck of close harmony added for the chorus.
Fade and Erase
Chord combinations are sweet in this number, which has a fairly fast beat despite it being more laid back than the other songs. The guitar riff is superb, the melody line is simple and memorable and there are lots of chops and changes in the beat, which keeps it interesting. Twin guitars do a delicious break before the last chorus and I particularly like the unexpected finish, where everything just stops!
Friction is a killer
Definitely leaning more towards a rock number, this involves lots of powerful chords, with distortion used all over the place and drum rolls and paradiddles galore. The beat changes completely in at least three places. Guitars are spectacular, with riveting riffs at every turn. Conor belts out the dramatic chorus, with backing vocals supplying additional volume.
I love the finale-style ending, where guitars do a hammering military type riff and you hear a sound a little like a plug fusing!
The three boys have progressed from being a support act, to being one of Dublin’s top bands, with regular headliners and regular airplay on the best radio stations in the land. The lads were chosen out of hundreds of hopefuls by Hot Press and got the opportunity to make their first video. Night Sparks was the number chosen, which doesn’t surprise me since it is a sensational song.
I Pheonix have had a wonderful journey since they formed in 2008. They were selected to perform at the Sugar club for the IMRO Showcase and also gigged with choice music award winner Jape in April ’09. It looks like they’re on a roll and I for one hope it continues.
Cause and Effect
Angela Macari O’Looney
I Pheonix are a band I’ve admired since I first saw them perform support at a gig in ’09. From the get go they appeared confident and professional. They had an explosive and unforgettable sound and their demo remains a firm favourite among my collection.
Hailing from Dublin, their music is a combination of Alternative/ Rock and Pop, with influences such as Biffy Clyro, Joy Division, and New Order coming through.
Cause and Effect, released in May ’10 at Temple Lane Studios by John Henry, is their debut E.P.
Conor Wilkins – Vocals/ Guitars, Donal Fleming – Drums/ Percussion and Kevin Brew – Bass are a talented trio of individuals and seem to improve every time I see them perform live, with each contributing to the overall sound. Haunting melody lines, scorching lead solos, throbbing baselines and pulsating electronic loops to enhance Donal’s lively beats, are all the ingredients that give each track life. The end result is a truly enjoyable CD of quality numbers.
Night Sparks
A brilliant choice of song to begin with, this is my absolute favourite I Pheonix number. The intro consists of a fast explosive beat, with a synth baseline that’s out of this world.
Then the lead riff comes in that for me defines I Pheonix and is really captivating. Conor’s haunting vocals are sung almost reverently. The resurrection of sounds from the late 70s touches a nerve for me here. The blend of post punk music with present day sophistication lends astounding dynamic that is irresistible!
Arcadia
This rhythmic number has a catchy riff intro that is used throughout. Guitars are spectacular, with fab lead followed by an explosive, distortion- charged phrase, where the pace alternates. Vocals are excellent, with a speck of close harmony added for the chorus.
Fade and Erase
Chord combinations are sweet in this number, which has a fairly fast beat despite it being more laid back than the other songs. The guitar riff is superb, the melody line is simple and memorable and there are lots of chops and changes in the beat, which keeps it interesting. Twin guitars do a delicious break before the last chorus and I particularly like the unexpected finish, where everything just stops!
Friction is a killer
Definitely leaning more towards a rock number, this involves lots of powerful chords, with distortion used all over the place and drum rolls and paradiddles galore. The beat changes completely in at least three places. Guitars are spectacular, with riveting riffs at every turn. Conor belts out the dramatic chorus, with backing vocals supplying additional volume.
I love the finale-style ending, where guitars do a hammering military type riff and you hear a sound a little like a plug fusing!
The three boys have progressed from being a support act, to being one of Dublin’s top bands, with regular headliners and regular airplay on the best radio stations in the land. The lads were chosen out of hundreds of hopefuls by Hot Press and got the opportunity to make their first video. Night Sparks was the number chosen, which doesn’t surprise me since it is a sensational song.
I Pheonix have had a wonderful journey since they formed in 2008. They were selected to perform at the Sugar club for the IMRO Showcase and also gigged with choice music award winner Jape in April ’09. It looks like they’re on a roll and I for one hope it continues.
Fox jaw bounty hunters
Fox Jaw Bounty Hunters
Congress of Oddities
Angela Macari O’Looney
From Limerick City, this uniquely entertaining band have emerged, capturing the attention of music critics and gathering a large fan base throughout Ireland.
With their strange but fabulous Rock/Punk/Blues sound, they have caused quite a stir and this E.P. is dark, ghoulish and hair raising. However, there’s no denying the musicianship and awe inspiring talent, that is hidden in the depths of each memorable dirge and after a couple of listens, you begin to really enjoy the six tracks.
Members of FJBH are Ronan Mitchell-Vocals/Piano/Guitar/Banjo, Morgan Nolan-Vocals/Guitar/Bass and Shane Serrano- Drums/Vocals/Clarinet.
Congress of Oddities is the band’s second E.P., released in ’09. Their debut self-titled E.P. received momentous critical acclaim and they have gigged extensively across Ireland, Germany and America since their formation in 2006.
A piano intro in choppy style opens up the first track; Walking with the dead. Discords are used to give it creepiness and it explodes into a grunge soaked blast of guitars. Spine- chilling, distortion-packed chords and an Adams family- style riff throughout add to the morbid melody line.
Ronan’s vocals take on a Zombie tone, as he sings the lyrics in a deep bass. A key change before each chorus lends dynamic and a riveting drum break also gives socks to this masterful composition.
The guitar solo is elaborate, sounding like the wailing of a banshee at times and the way the pace alternates just before the final chorus, is yet another change that adds to the charm of this imaginative number. Not for the faintheared!
Homeward bound and gagged is a bluegrass type song. The beat alternates, with a stop start effect that is catchy. This track involves a trickling banjo and the lads all seem to be singing on it, with quite effective harmony coming through.
Cornelius T. Ampersand
A wonderful carnival-style intro and excellent chord combinations and lead guitar are for me the highlight of this song. From a sweet three four tempo, with the vocals deep, it suddenly turns into a bashing crescendo of drums, glaring defunct guitars and ear splitting vocals. But it returns to the lovely trickling guitar again. The complex notation, disconcerting changes and strange happenings make this number more of a rhapsody than just a song.
Firefly
A three four tempo accompanies Ronan’s mournful verse for this song. Backing vocals lend depth to the chorus. This track is short and very memorable, with minor chords used throughout. This seems to be a key ingredient in FJBH’s songs. My only criticism is that they put this track next to Cornelius T. Ampersand. The two three four tempos so close together make them sound very samey. However, this is only a minor glitch. I like both tracks immensely!
Care to play?
This song begins with a weird, out of tune piano intro. I adore the way it then bursts into life, with revving, heavy guitar chords. Harmony is brilliant, with a sense of drama in the melody line. Vocals are dreary, but delicious. A quiet guitar break comes along, with haunting ahs contradicting the earlier grunginess.
Suddenly, in comes an explosive, distortion-packed chorus, with a surprising array of minor to major chord combinations and a sense of hope in it, the choral style vocals amazing.
It returns to the morose minors, bending guitar notes and dramatic mood from earlier, winding down this way.
Darker Shade of Blue
Ronan performs the verse of this bonus track with passion. With a trickling guitar accompaniment, it’s a mournful number with delicious harmony in the chorus. His vocal ability is demonstrated, when he goes from bass notes right up to a falsetto. The sound gradually builds up, till soon you hear bashing drums and guitars, filled with drama and vitality.
It returns to the laid back mood for a while. But after the sorrowful chorus it becomes crazy again, with a powerful blast of drums and guitars. This is an excellent finish to the E.P. , where all the stops are pulled out.
I find this band impressive and extremely entertaining, but I would like to hear them doing an occasional upbeat song, to break the dowdy atmosphere that’s constant in each song. A clown smiles out from the cover of the CD, but he seems to be the only cheerful thing about it.
The three lads are planning their debut album for 2011, which is sure to be as successful as this and their debut E.P. and hopefully they’ll include one or two songs with a happier mood in them. Fox Jaw Bounty Hunters have had regular airplay on top radio stations and seem like an unstoppable force and I look forward to seeing them live, when they are in Dublin.
Congress of Oddities
Angela Macari O’Looney
From Limerick City, this uniquely entertaining band have emerged, capturing the attention of music critics and gathering a large fan base throughout Ireland.
With their strange but fabulous Rock/Punk/Blues sound, they have caused quite a stir and this E.P. is dark, ghoulish and hair raising. However, there’s no denying the musicianship and awe inspiring talent, that is hidden in the depths of each memorable dirge and after a couple of listens, you begin to really enjoy the six tracks.
Members of FJBH are Ronan Mitchell-Vocals/Piano/Guitar/Banjo, Morgan Nolan-Vocals/Guitar/Bass and Shane Serrano- Drums/Vocals/Clarinet.
Congress of Oddities is the band’s second E.P., released in ’09. Their debut self-titled E.P. received momentous critical acclaim and they have gigged extensively across Ireland, Germany and America since their formation in 2006.
A piano intro in choppy style opens up the first track; Walking with the dead. Discords are used to give it creepiness and it explodes into a grunge soaked blast of guitars. Spine- chilling, distortion-packed chords and an Adams family- style riff throughout add to the morbid melody line.
Ronan’s vocals take on a Zombie tone, as he sings the lyrics in a deep bass. A key change before each chorus lends dynamic and a riveting drum break also gives socks to this masterful composition.
The guitar solo is elaborate, sounding like the wailing of a banshee at times and the way the pace alternates just before the final chorus, is yet another change that adds to the charm of this imaginative number. Not for the faintheared!
Homeward bound and gagged is a bluegrass type song. The beat alternates, with a stop start effect that is catchy. This track involves a trickling banjo and the lads all seem to be singing on it, with quite effective harmony coming through.
Cornelius T. Ampersand
A wonderful carnival-style intro and excellent chord combinations and lead guitar are for me the highlight of this song. From a sweet three four tempo, with the vocals deep, it suddenly turns into a bashing crescendo of drums, glaring defunct guitars and ear splitting vocals. But it returns to the lovely trickling guitar again. The complex notation, disconcerting changes and strange happenings make this number more of a rhapsody than just a song.
Firefly
A three four tempo accompanies Ronan’s mournful verse for this song. Backing vocals lend depth to the chorus. This track is short and very memorable, with minor chords used throughout. This seems to be a key ingredient in FJBH’s songs. My only criticism is that they put this track next to Cornelius T. Ampersand. The two three four tempos so close together make them sound very samey. However, this is only a minor glitch. I like both tracks immensely!
Care to play?
This song begins with a weird, out of tune piano intro. I adore the way it then bursts into life, with revving, heavy guitar chords. Harmony is brilliant, with a sense of drama in the melody line. Vocals are dreary, but delicious. A quiet guitar break comes along, with haunting ahs contradicting the earlier grunginess.
Suddenly, in comes an explosive, distortion-packed chorus, with a surprising array of minor to major chord combinations and a sense of hope in it, the choral style vocals amazing.
It returns to the morose minors, bending guitar notes and dramatic mood from earlier, winding down this way.
Darker Shade of Blue
Ronan performs the verse of this bonus track with passion. With a trickling guitar accompaniment, it’s a mournful number with delicious harmony in the chorus. His vocal ability is demonstrated, when he goes from bass notes right up to a falsetto. The sound gradually builds up, till soon you hear bashing drums and guitars, filled with drama and vitality.
It returns to the laid back mood for a while. But after the sorrowful chorus it becomes crazy again, with a powerful blast of drums and guitars. This is an excellent finish to the E.P. , where all the stops are pulled out.
I find this band impressive and extremely entertaining, but I would like to hear them doing an occasional upbeat song, to break the dowdy atmosphere that’s constant in each song. A clown smiles out from the cover of the CD, but he seems to be the only cheerful thing about it.
The three lads are planning their debut album for 2011, which is sure to be as successful as this and their debut E.P. and hopefully they’ll include one or two songs with a happier mood in them. Fox Jaw Bounty Hunters have had regular airplay on top radio stations and seem like an unstoppable force and I look forward to seeing them live, when they are in Dublin.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Roy Shiels
The Teenage Storm
Angela Macari O’Looney
Multi musician Roy Shiels has taken the singer/songwriter label to a whole new level. From Dublin, he is extremely creative and uses his experience from playing guitar/ Bass in cover bands and blends this with a penchant for keyboards, rhythm and sound production.
Along with appealing vocal ability, memorable melody lines and emotion-charged lyrics, Roy composed and arranged the lovely collection of songs on this debut E.P. This is the beginning of what should prove an incredible journey!
Unique and quite laid back, each number involves imaginative riffs and enjoyable guitar solos. Choruses are simple enough, but his style is original. And having your own sound is a must in an ever growing, competitive singer/songwriter scene!
Vessel
The first track has a catchy riff intro, harmonic ahs, with the tempo fast and cheerful. Roy’s vocals are crisp and clear, as he sings the lyrics which have a sense of regret from a broken relationship; But nothing made me shiver more than losing you. Than losing out to everything I’d loved.
Surprisingly, the mood of the song is quite upbeat. A lead guitar solo followed by a slowdown for the sung middle eight, captures the listener and then things stop.
Soon the beat picks up again for the last verse. I like these chops and changes. Drums, bass and each facet of Roy’s creation, come together beautifully here.
To Feel it
Powerful, fast and rhythmic, this number begins with a catchy guitar riff. Twin guitars add drama with pulsating notes throughout. This is a rock song where drums are vibrant, as is the baseline. A delicious echoic guitar solo in the middle breaks things up a little. Both lyrics and melody line are magical. Roy’s delivery is masterful and like a work of art, this song is one you just have to hear again and again, with each listen a new experience!
State of mind
Seductive melody, a thumping beat, this is probably my favourite track on the E.P. The lyrics are a little bit cryptic, but there’s a sense of strength in the sentiment ;And in the morning when I drown, I feel like crying but I hold my ground. Strength in numbers, the weak ones tear, held by the hands of a hundred stares.
Before the sung middle eight, there’s a sweet build up with a catchy do do do thing going on.
The lead solo is the piece de resistance and also the wonderful close harmony in the chorus. Definitely a song I’d want to play my air guitar to!
The Girl
A trickling intro takes you into the haunting verse here. Distortion-packed guitars create a dynamic rock rhythm for the chorus, lifting the mood of this entire track. It involves beautifully descriptive lyrics and I particularly enjoy the change from soft love song, to vibrant rock number. Harmony lends depth, as Roy performs the moody vocals with conviction.
In this as in each arrangement, there’s a lot of attention to detail including some sensational chords and riffs, making it an unforgettable piece.
It’s Love
Anthemic style intro, with big chords and Roy belting out the first verse, this last track on Teenage storm is short, but sweet.
The lyrics seem to be contradictive in the second verse; Lost but still awake, sad still having fun/ Tired but still awake, loose but not undone.
There’s a complexity about each song and this is no exception. The arrival at the simple chorus It’s love, oh it’s love is almost soothing.
Melody line is lovely; Harmony in the verse and the short guitar break that takes you to the finish perfectly placed.
Roy’s work is easy to listen to, with memorable melody lines and unexpected changes here and there. His courage to explore all his potential and push it to the limits is evident. This has paid off for him, with a successful stint on the London circuit, extensive gigging around Ireland and airplay on top radio stations.
I find his lyrics a little too deep at times, but despite this, he has accomplished his own sound and if this is a sample of his songwriting and musical genius, I’ll be looking forward to hearing more.
The Teenage Storm
Angela Macari O’Looney
Multi musician Roy Shiels has taken the singer/songwriter label to a whole new level. From Dublin, he is extremely creative and uses his experience from playing guitar/ Bass in cover bands and blends this with a penchant for keyboards, rhythm and sound production.
Along with appealing vocal ability, memorable melody lines and emotion-charged lyrics, Roy composed and arranged the lovely collection of songs on this debut E.P. This is the beginning of what should prove an incredible journey!
Unique and quite laid back, each number involves imaginative riffs and enjoyable guitar solos. Choruses are simple enough, but his style is original. And having your own sound is a must in an ever growing, competitive singer/songwriter scene!
Vessel
The first track has a catchy riff intro, harmonic ahs, with the tempo fast and cheerful. Roy’s vocals are crisp and clear, as he sings the lyrics which have a sense of regret from a broken relationship; But nothing made me shiver more than losing you. Than losing out to everything I’d loved.
Surprisingly, the mood of the song is quite upbeat. A lead guitar solo followed by a slowdown for the sung middle eight, captures the listener and then things stop.
Soon the beat picks up again for the last verse. I like these chops and changes. Drums, bass and each facet of Roy’s creation, come together beautifully here.
To Feel it
Powerful, fast and rhythmic, this number begins with a catchy guitar riff. Twin guitars add drama with pulsating notes throughout. This is a rock song where drums are vibrant, as is the baseline. A delicious echoic guitar solo in the middle breaks things up a little. Both lyrics and melody line are magical. Roy’s delivery is masterful and like a work of art, this song is one you just have to hear again and again, with each listen a new experience!
State of mind
Seductive melody, a thumping beat, this is probably my favourite track on the E.P. The lyrics are a little bit cryptic, but there’s a sense of strength in the sentiment ;And in the morning when I drown, I feel like crying but I hold my ground. Strength in numbers, the weak ones tear, held by the hands of a hundred stares.
Before the sung middle eight, there’s a sweet build up with a catchy do do do thing going on.
The lead solo is the piece de resistance and also the wonderful close harmony in the chorus. Definitely a song I’d want to play my air guitar to!
The Girl
A trickling intro takes you into the haunting verse here. Distortion-packed guitars create a dynamic rock rhythm for the chorus, lifting the mood of this entire track. It involves beautifully descriptive lyrics and I particularly enjoy the change from soft love song, to vibrant rock number. Harmony lends depth, as Roy performs the moody vocals with conviction.
In this as in each arrangement, there’s a lot of attention to detail including some sensational chords and riffs, making it an unforgettable piece.
It’s Love
Anthemic style intro, with big chords and Roy belting out the first verse, this last track on Teenage storm is short, but sweet.
The lyrics seem to be contradictive in the second verse; Lost but still awake, sad still having fun/ Tired but still awake, loose but not undone.
There’s a complexity about each song and this is no exception. The arrival at the simple chorus It’s love, oh it’s love is almost soothing.
Melody line is lovely; Harmony in the verse and the short guitar break that takes you to the finish perfectly placed.
Roy’s work is easy to listen to, with memorable melody lines and unexpected changes here and there. His courage to explore all his potential and push it to the limits is evident. This has paid off for him, with a successful stint on the London circuit, extensive gigging around Ireland and airplay on top radio stations.
I find his lyrics a little too deep at times, but despite this, he has accomplished his own sound and if this is a sample of his songwriting and musical genius, I’ll be looking forward to hearing more.
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