SONGS OF THE WEEK
James Vincent McMorrow - Rising Water
It's obvious that James McMorrow is a talented man, but for his forthcoming third album, it sounds like he's putting his heart and soul in it and pushing himself to deliver. Teaming up with the producer behind Drake mega-hits
One Dance
and
Hotline Bling
, McMorrow has been talking of being as vulnerable and as honest as possible, out of his comfort zone. If it's true, and
Rising Water
suggests so, we have a career-best candidate on our hands when
We Move
drops on September 2nd.
Booka Brass Band - Talk Dirty To Me
A live favourite from the Dublin band with largesse, Talk Dirty To Me is indeed a cover of Jason Derulo's R&B pop song retooled into a brass band style.
Selk - Beast
A duo consisting of experienced players Anna Jordan (who has previously scored Neil Jordan's
Breakfast on Pluto
) and Dennis Cassidy (Feather, Mixtapes From The Underground), Selk often utilises drums, vocals and looped samples to build their tracks.
Beast
, from the twosome's just-launched new album is indicative of their style.
White Boys - Get It Back
Mining the same sound universe as Republic Of Loose on their first two songs, the Cork-based pop R&B funkateers come across as even more retro 1980s pop music on their lyrically nostalgic new single. A smooth pop jam.
Jesse Heffernan - Just For You
Dublin singer/songwriter of soul and former member of The Animators, Heffernan is exploring his own path of a more chilled persuasion on the jazz-tinged torch-burner
Just For You.
For another side of The Animators' coin, take a listen to
[ Mango's grimey track BadmanOpens in new window ]
RELEASE OF THE WEEK
Róisín Murphy - Take Her Up To Monto
Recorded at the same time as last year's
Hairless Toys, Take Her Up To Monto
, with its title taken from the song written by the
Irish Times
music critic George Hodnett in 1958 and inspired by the former Dublin red light district, is an alluring proposition.
Monto
continues down the experimental path set by last year's album, but pushes that shapeshifting quality that makes Murphy such an arresting performer into fresh places. Everything from post-disco to electronica to ambient pop to titled synth-noir is utilised but like all of Murphy's best work, she is the spirited magnet at the centre of it all, pulling us in.
NEW ARTIST OF THE WEEK
Oh Boland
On day two of a festival, there's nothing you need more than some jaunty guitar noise and crashing drums to get you back up to speed. I'm speaking from personal experience. Last weekend, at Castlepalooza the rock trio Oh Boland blew the cobwebs away with their afternoon set. This is “rural Irish kitchen-sink bottle-fed rock'n'roll.” I couldn't have put it better myself. Tuam or Gloom!
VIDEO OF THE WEEK
This Side Up - Signs feat. Verb T & Moreone
Directed by Peter Martin
The Sligo rappers This Side Up are keeping things old-school in their style and Peter Martin's video keeps things simple by keeping the focus on the lyricists using a slow close-up shot throughout to tie together the video's look.
