On The Record

  • The Ticket’s 50 best Irish music acts right now - part two

    April 10, 2009 @ 9:32 am | by Jim Carroll

    Due to public demand - and the fact that our first list caused such fun and fuming across the nation amongst commoners and pop royalty alike - we present the next 50. Go get ‘em pop-pickers.

  • 55 Comments »

    1.
    April 10, 2009
    9:37 am

    And So I Watch You From Afar

    Comment by Stephen
    2.
    April 10, 2009
    10:14 am

    Must check out that group Aphex Twin….

    Comment by Sean Donegan
    3.
    April 10, 2009
    10:15 am

    Whoops. Pony Club appear twice on this list, at 80 and 90. They should be at number 80 only. That leaves one more spot, meaning that The 100th Best Band. In Ireland. Right Now (according to us anyway). Is …. drum roll …. New Amusement.

    All others from The Mighty Stef to So Cow should be bumped up one point.

    Comment by Conor Goodman, Ticket Editor
    4.
    April 10, 2009
    10:21 am

    *runs for cover*

    Comment by RH
    5.
    April 10, 2009
    10:23 am

    … in which the triumvirate of voters demonstrates that at least one of them is aware of the rednecks, giveamanakick, mumblin deaf ro, etc.

    (still no BATS though … was it a triumvirate? I failed to store the number of voters in my brain)

    Comment by Cormac-out-of-Stoat
    6.
    April 10, 2009
    10:59 am

    is there any bands left???

    Comment by petee
    7.
    April 10, 2009
    11:28 am

    Still no Tenaka? I’m outraged Jim. Outraged. It’s worse than the Wolverine leak. Outraged.

    Comment by Ronan
    8.
    April 10, 2009
    11:31 am

    Pony Club at 80 and 90? Result!! ;)

    Comment by Le Catch
    9.
    April 10, 2009
    11:52 am

    Pony Club made the list twice apparently…

    I suggest you swap them with Ham Sandwich.

    Comment by Una P
    10.
    April 10, 2009
    12:08 pm

    One Day Fight Like Villagers X1 are number 98???? Myself and three other people saw them in Crawdaddy and they were incredible…they should be higher on the list, at least number 2.
    For shame! And so on and so on, etc, etc……

    Comment by Quint
    11.
    April 10, 2009
    12:24 pm

    Aphex Twin is about as Irish as the Queen.

    Comment by Quint
    12.
    April 10, 2009
    12:35 pm

    i haven’t got the energy for another one of these lads. give it a break..

    Comment by Niall
    13.
    April 10, 2009
    12:50 pm

    No Boxcutter, ASIWYFA, Cashier No.9, LaFaro or BATS and Adebisi only scrape in? Bloody hell.

    Comment by Chris
    14.
    April 10, 2009
    12:50 pm

    Ha ha. Hilarious. Aphex Twin on the list.
    ….wikipedia….wikipedia….( Richard David James was born to Welsh parents Lorna and Derek James in St. Munchins Limerick Regional Maternity Hospital, Ireland.) Who’d have thought. Amazing.

    Comment by Tom
    15.
    April 10, 2009
    1:07 pm

    Petee-”is there any bands left???” - LOL.

    Yes, It does now look like more like a list of bands ‘currently active in Ireland right now’ rather than a ‘best acts right now’ list.

    Comment by Quint
    16.
    April 10, 2009
    2:16 pm

    come on the shank!
    yahoo!

    also kudos on Captain Moonlight, best rapper out there at the moment,(where’s the 3rd album Captain?) until RíRá’s album comes out.

    Pony Club, last album was one of the worst things i’ve ever heard, really bad, self-loving pretentious struggling artist crap……..

    And So I Watch You From Afar, cá bhfuil tú?

    If ye had told us there was gonna be another list, there probably wouldn’t have been such a hullaballu eh?, viewed as one list then it makes a really good read.

    Comment by paddy m
    17.
    April 10, 2009
    2:28 pm

    Aphex Twin is about as Irish as the Queen.

    The queen is Irish? Who knew?

    i haven’t got the energy for another one of these lads. give it a break..

    Wait till next Friday, my friend

    Comment by Jim Carroll
    18.
    April 10, 2009
    3:09 pm

    Like any good top 50, I don’t like al l of the hoices and haven’t heard of a few others. The Irish music scene definitely has something for most. Being from Cork I suppose I’m aware of some that others may not be but here are a couple of great bands just starting out that I’m loving at the moment and strongly recommend people check out.
    Ladydoll: www.myspace.com/ladydollband
    The Avalanche Effect: www.myspace.com/theavalancheeffect
    Side project:
    www.myspace.com/sideprojectrock

    Silo:
    www.myspace.com/thesiloband

    Hooray for humans:
    www.myspace.com/hoorayforhumansband

    How about the ticket does a piece on great studios/producers helping out the Irish music scene, for example most of the bands I have mentioned here have worked or are working in the next year with data recording studios in Kerry (www.datarecordingstudios.com). Maybe great music scenes don’t revolve around good venues any more but great studios/producers.

    Comment by Stone Throwing Youths
    19.
    April 10, 2009
    3:11 pm

    Surprised there’s still no Super Extra Bonus Party. They’ve been gigging and have a new album due out in May I think.

    Comment by Eoin
    20.
    April 10, 2009
    3:22 pm

    Aphex Twin is about as Irish as the Queen.

    Aphex Twin is German?

    Comment by JD
    21.
    April 10, 2009
    3:54 pm

    Jim I’m dreading next week!

    This is quite interesting though-who would have thought how much controversy a number beside a band would be!

    music is about personal taste as much as anything else-but this is great craic!!

    Comment by dave
    22.
    April 10, 2009
    3:59 pm

    This list has done my head in a bit. Some of the bands I thought had potential or were straight up good are quite low down on the list. Some of the bands I thought were pretentious, shallow, weak and/or famous were pretty high up.

    So, do I have bad taste, or do the people who came up with this list have bad taste, or does the concept of bad taste apply here at all?

    I’m sure if they told me what their definition of good music or a good band was I would wholeheartedly agree.

    Yet my interpretation of these musical quantities differs quite a bit.

    Kind of makes you wonder if there are any absolute constants for delineating/measuring ‘good’ bands/’good’ music.

    If there isn’t, well, thats yeer job f**ked then.

    Comment by Rory Phelan
    23.
    April 10, 2009
    4:03 pm

    I see in the print edition ‘LM1′ was left in beside Fight Like Apes. I guess we know who to blame for including that ‘gimmicky’ band now?

    still surprised to see Ham Sandwich nowhere in the top 100, even if So Cow make it in at 99.

    Comment by gabbagabbahey
    24.
    April 10, 2009
    7:44 pm

    So, Mr North, an Irish band that has an album produced by Jerry Harrison, a self-produced album and also an EP by Steve Lillywhite, a band that has supported The Who, Van Halen, Bryan Adams, Live and a band that has played Lollapalloza, the Carneige Hall in NYC and Sunfest in Miami doesn’t make the list? and a band that has one brutal EP does? Give me a break. Who writes this list, friends of the bands? As an aside, watch out for Irish band Vox Rising this year amigos.

    Comment by worldwidekev
    25.
    April 10, 2009
    8:44 pm

    I’d like to echo the comment about questioning our taste when you see a comprehensive list like this that simply doesn’t mach your own list. I suppose it confirms the subjectivity of music! I think there are only about 10 acts in the top 100 that are in my own top 50 list over at: http://2uibestow.blogspot.com/2009/04/my-top-50-best-irish-artist-list.html

    Apologies for the shameless self plugging!

    Comment by Peter N
    26.
    April 10, 2009
    9:53 pm

    So what’s happening next week then?

    Comment by Ronan Hunt-Murphy
    27.
    April 11, 2009
    3:55 am

    Was there no votes for Super Extra Bonus Party at all?!?

    I’m not a massive fan or anything but kinda astonishing that a bad can be the Choice Prize winner one year and off the charts the next…

    Reminds me of that band Gomez who won the Mercury from out of nowhere then managed to evade critical acclaim thereafter…

    Of course, I hope the lads come up with something special and prove the critics — here — wrong

    Comment by Teddy
    28.
    April 11, 2009
    10:02 am

    [ ] The Ticket learns lessons from response to first list.

    [X] More of the same.

    Well done on endearing yourselves to a wider audience.

    Comment by Tokenista
    29.
    April 11, 2009
    1:07 pm

    “Surprised there’s still no Super Extra Bonus Party. They’ve been gigging and have a new album due out in May”

    eoin they are an extremely bad band thats why

    Comment by derek murphy
    30.
    April 11, 2009
    4:59 pm

    Did I miss something or were Ham Sandwich left off the list completely? What’s with that?

    Comment by Siobhan
    31.
    April 11, 2009
    5:30 pm

    Upon its release, The Ticket had this to say about the Ham Sandwich debut album Carry The Meek:

    “Eclectic without being all over the place, judiciously selecting choice harmonies over dissonance, and boasting arrangements that favour subtlety over swagger, Ham Sandwich deliver, with an apparent minimum of fuss, a mini triumph.”

    A year on and they cant make it into the top 100 bands in the country.

    Very odd indeed.

    Comment by Aodhgán
    32.
    April 11, 2009
    6:55 pm

    Going on the last few comments, the internet has reached Kells

    Comment by Jim Carroll
    33.
    April 11, 2009
    7:20 pm

    hell no jim, its just that some of us live in dublin now.

    Comment by Aodhgán
    34.
    April 11, 2009
    9:28 pm

    derek - I recognise that SEBP have a lot of critics. I mean A LOT. It’s a wonder they won the Choice Music Prize at all. Thought their first album started and finished very strong (’Everything Flows, ‘Erosion’, ‘Drone Rock’ and ‘Propeller’ are great tracks) but was very weak in the middle. That said, I’ve caught them live a couple of times and they rock.

    They’re winning Choice seemed to irk a lot of people but I always felt labeling them a bad band was hard to justify.

    Comment by Eoin
    35.
    April 11, 2009
    9:43 pm

    That’s undoubtedly the best comment you could have made.

    I am always shocked by the number of people who think a magazine’s reviews are somehow representative of every single person that writes for it.

    Comment by Dave
    36.
    April 11, 2009
    10:22 pm

    As a Kells man I can confirm that people were queuing up outside the local library to access the town’s solitary 56kb modem to complain to On the Record about Ham Sandwich not making this list.

    Comment by Darragh
    37.
    April 12, 2009
    11:39 am

    Thanks for announcing the death of folk music in Ireland.

    Christy Moore in the 60s?

    Only 2 trad references?

    Comment by Makl
    38.
    April 12, 2009
    12:20 pm

    Nah we’re just stealing it from Navan

    Comment by Stampy
    39.
    April 12, 2009
    1:41 pm

    Jim, I think it’s facetious to suggest that Ham Sandwich only have fans in Kells

    Comment by Ciaran
    40.
    April 12, 2009
    11:58 pm

    *giggles* at the controversy of it all. ;)

    Comment by Sharon
    41.
    April 13, 2009
    8:34 am

    I started the Ham Sandwich thread an no, I’m not from Meath! Have seen them live lots of times around Dublin and at Elec Picnic last year, as well as loving the album. They definitely have a bigger following than Kells.

    Comment by Siobhan
    42.
    April 13, 2009
    9:46 am

    Some great bands on the list finally… but no sign of SACK. What about Rollerskate Skinny and Saso too

    Comment by Ken
    43.
    April 13, 2009
    1:20 pm

    Jim, I think it’s facetious to suggest that Ham Sandwich only have fans in Kells

    Ciaran - never suggested anything of the sort, bud. You just jumped to that conclusion.

    Comment by Jim Carroll
    44.
    April 13, 2009
    1:34 pm

    Good list, but where are Super Extra Bonus Party?!? Sure they’re only the most inventive irish act of the past decade?!!!!! Considering they won the choice music prize and they’re new album is out next month they should be on that list

    Comment by Scoffey
    45.
    April 13, 2009
    3:18 pm

    ha, that ham sandwich thread is quite funny.

    slowly working through justifying all of my fifteen choices: http://hardcorefornerds.blogspot.com/2009/04/top-15-irish-artist-in-words.html

    Comment by gabbagabbahey
    46.
    April 13, 2009
    3:20 pm

    ha, that ham sandwich thread is quite funny.

    It’s on the agenda for the next Kells Town Council meeting

    Comment by Jim Carroll
    47.
    April 14, 2009
    2:33 pm

    Giveamanakick only 92?

    No Kila, Therapy?, Dudley Corporation, Ten Past Seven, Dirty Epics, Kill City Defectors,The Urges or Revellions all with beween 1-12 records released wtf?!

    The Villagers in top 10 after 1 ep (granted aint heard it yet but 6?)

    At least there are over 100 bands/solo artists that people know of which can only be a good thing for the country’s music.

    Comment by corduroy
    48.
    April 14, 2009
    2:39 pm

    no Hooray For Humans either?!!

    jaysus

    Comment by corduroy
    49.
    April 14, 2009
    8:30 pm

    Another comment on Christy Moore, the second of all replies to the blog.

    The fella is the chief purveyor of folk music in Ireland, as distinct from trad. Once in a generation does someone appear like this, back through ewan maccoll, woody guthrie. yes there are many others, but folk musicians themselves would never in their dreams deny these three musicans’ greatness. go ask irvine/brady/lunny/burke/spillane/macgowan (yes some trad influences but well part of this scene)…….

    Christy Moore still sells out most of every gig he plays - from the royal festival hall to vicar street - yes so could westlife, but in fairness we’re not workin on the same lines here. these are not whelans type venues who many of the above (also great for the most part) bands are relyin on.

    and as for the ‘pissing off dyed-in-the-wool CM fans’ remark??? what?! ask Jinx Lennon what he thinks of that. go into any expat uk/ireland folk session across europe and lay out that comment, see what happens.

    in fairness, there hasn’t been a lot of complaints that he’s not here. none actually, ‘cept mine above. i can’t explain that especially in terms of great album&ticket sales. but for anyone who’s worth their salt, if doubtful or unknowing about christy (i mean that in the least patronisin way, anything for the spread of folk), at least start with some some of his live stuff (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW1MUpZT4ug - viva la quinta brigada) and some renditions of old folk songs (e.g. green cd on box set)… and for a plug for folk in general try a bit of ewan maccoll on youtube (e.g. ballad of accounting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vN2xyMWt-Q&feature=PlayList&p=26A3975B76DAF2F5&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=12 with peggy seeger)

    Makl

    Comment by Makl
    50.
    April 15, 2009
    8:52 am

    I too find the omission of Super Extra Bonus Party (on both lists) extremely strange.

    Did they not fit the criteria or was it just a flat out diss?

    Comment by robbie
    52.
    April 15, 2009
    10:07 am

    To Derek Murphy, comment 29, support your arguement before making a comment like that. Here’s mine:

    That album won the choice music prize, one of the most prestigous awards going (because lets face it the meteors don’t count) for a reason. The reason being it covers several genres very well i.e. it’s bloody fantastic.

    Which is why they sold out Whelans on New Years eve (in case you didn’t know just being offered that slot is a pretty big deal never mind packing the place) not to mention selling out andrews lane and playing the second stage of picnic last year where there were about 6000 people going wild for them.

    Also considering the likes of Captain Moonlight, Fight Like Apes and Cadence Weapon all jumped at the chance to feature on their new album, not to mention Jape doing some remixes and giving them a support slot next month they must be doing something right don’t ya think?!!

    Comment by Scoffey
    53.
    April 15, 2009
    11:21 am

    comment 29, support your arguement before making a comment like that.

    He think they are, that’s all he needs, he doesn’t have to supply any supporting evidence for it.

    Your evidence just shows that some people that aren’t him like them.

    Comment by Ian
    54.
    April 15, 2009
    2:29 pm

    Interesting list with some shrewd choices, i.e. Villagers, RSAG and David Holmes at 1 is totally spot on; bizarre inclusions, Aphex Twin!!! So what if he was born in Limerick; and even stranger omissions for example under the radar acts such as Twinkranes, Thread Pulls, Deep Burial & Yeh Deadlies…

    As for the SEBP I’m not particularly a fan but I do find it bizarre that they didn’t make the Top 100 band cut only a year after winning the choice and raises q’s as to the credibility of such award and lists.

    Still the debate and awareness raising that both The Choice and this list generates can only be a good thing for Irish music.

    Comment by Darren
    55.
    April 15, 2009
    2:49 pm

    As for the SEBP I’m not particularly a fan but I do find it bizarre that they didn’t make the Top 100 band cut only a year after winning the choice and raises q’s as to the credibility of such award and lists.

    On the one hand, awards and lists are bad….

    Still the debate and awareness raising that both The Choice and this list generates can only be a good thing for Irish music.

    but on the other hand, awards and lists are good

    Comment by Jim Carroll

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