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  • irishtimes.com - Posted: February 9, 2010 @ 10:40 am

    The randomiser says “who dat?”

    Jim Carroll

    Date for yo’ diaries: the next On The Record Presents night will feature new breed leaders Mount Kimbie at Twisted Pepper (Middle Abbey St., Dublin) on April 16.

    YouTube Preview Image

    On the gig beat (part one): beautiful tunes and lush atmospherics from The Low Anthem at Vicar Street last night. Naturally, they played a bunch of tunes from the striking “Oh My God, Charlie Darwin” album, but it was a couple of debuts which really caught the ear. I also now know that the instrument I most want to learn how to play is the crotales.

    More GeorgeLeeExTD, anyone? If you haven’t had enough of GLXTD already – for someone who was exiting politics, he sure got around yesterday, turning up on the News At One, Liveline, The Last Word, Six One News, The Frontline and Tonight with Vincent Browne to tell his story and make sure he was centrestage – good pieces in today’s paper from Elaine Byrne and Fintan O’Toole.

    You have a couple of days left to go see the excellent Picturing New York photo exhibition at the Irish Museum of Modern Art. Take tomorrow off and head to NYC.

    Very sharp piece on blog rock’s lack of a political edge.

    Maybe this is what digital radio needs to make a splash in Ireland – a radio scrappage scheme.

    Mo’ radio: what the iPad means for radio. Next week, what the iPad means for tillage farmers

    Teens say no to blogging, Twitter and doing their homework. Meanwhile, Billboard magazine reckon Twitter is the new Second Life. Ouch.

    On the gig beat (part two): did you know that the excellent She Keeps Bees were playing in Dublin’s Whelan’s last night? It seems I wasn’t alone in getting caught on the hop by this gig which makes you wonder should there be a Fas course in how to promote a show (lesson one: get the info to anyone who has written a few times before about the band and make sure the show is listed here). Nonetheless, a sparse attendance enjoyed a smashing feast of bluesy, primal riffs from Jess and Andy. We also enjoyed Jess’ thoughts of driving a car off a ferry. If you’re in Cork, they play at Cyprus Avenue tonight and if you’re in Galway, they play at the Roisin Dubh tomorrow night. Go along, you will not be disappointed. This is what they look and sound like.

    YouTube Preview Image

    New York Times says “hell no” to MasterNation

    You think MP3s are the business? Behold, the future sound of music.

    Analague take two: second time around for Analogue’s web-TV show with the latest episode featuring Angkorwat, a piece on fishing in Ireland soundtracked by Hunter-Gatherer (very Caught By the River, that) and an interview with Kurt Vile. Watch it here

    Latest podcast from State magazine has previous Choice Music Prize winner Julie Feeney talking about the impact the win had on her career, an interview with Placebo’s new drummer Steve Forrest and Nialler9 waxing lyrical about the acts to listen out for in 2010.

    And finally: you can call him Rafael. Tall man tries to impersonate short-ass singer Paul Simon and fails.

    • 41 Comments

    1.
    February 9, 2010
    11:03 am

    Just heard Glee’s latest ‘interview’ on TodayFM, though I don’t know if the term is appropriate for what was, in essence, the Ray D’Arcy-George Lee self appreciation society.

    Apparently George is a maverick (that sound familiar?) who got out before he was institutionalised. I maintain if he wanted to make the immediate economic impact he claims he oh so badly strived for he’d have offered his services to Lenihan as an advisor.

    Comment by Joe
    2.
    February 9, 2010
    11:04 am

    The Low Anthem really are something special-
    -go on the musical saw..

    Comment by Lorelei
    3.
    February 9, 2010
    11:07 am

    Joe – he’s not still going on doing interviews, is he? Man, he really does want to be the centre of attention. If he hurries, he’ll get The Book out for the Christmas market

    Question, though, who is doing his PR? I mean, I know it was a big story yesterday but did he have to go on every show which would have him and give his sob-story? I half expected to hear him on the FM104 phone-in show last night.

    Lorelei – a splendid gig – and that musical saw was the business

    Comment by Jim Carroll
    4.
    February 9, 2010
    11:08 am

    The Low Anthem was a very special gig- it felt so timeless- they are all so ridiculously talented makes me feel bad I haven’t got round to learning one instrument..

    Comment by Lorelei
    5.
    February 9, 2010
    11:37 am

    Great line on Morning Ireland today. ” And here with the sports news is George Lee”.

    Comment by Feathers McGraw
    6.
    February 9, 2010
    11:38 am

    Jealous on the Low Anthem front, adore them, they are possibly my new Yo la tengo or Lambchop.

    Not being in Ireland just now it is hard to experience the full burn of Mr Lee’s tantrum.
    From what I can make out he is a little childish, throwing toys out of the pram is pointless if the pram is hurtling downhill.
    Still he has ensured everyone knows how upset, ill used and unappreciated he is. Bless his little cotton socks. To throw a job back in the faces of those who elected you in a time of such high unemployment is crass.

    Wasn’t Bertie considered a Maverick once, do we need more Mavericks?

    Comment by 127.0.0.1
    7.
    February 9, 2010
    11:39 am

    I was meant to go to Low Anthem last night but family stuff stopped me.

    I did get one report about the show that I found interesting. It was commented that for a show that had been promoted up/moved to Vicar Street, the venue only seemed about half full/half empty.

    Can anyone clarify if this was the case? I wonder are the promotors being a little over-ambitious in chasing the dollar?

    Comment by James D
    8.
    February 9, 2010
    11:43 am

    Feathers – chuckle

    127.0.0.1 – he certainly has left no-one in any doubt as to how much of a big baby he is.

    James D – they didn’t have upstairs open and it was all-standing downstairs. I’m fairly shit at guessing the size of a crowd but I’d say there were about 700-800 paying punters in the venue – certainly more than they’d have been able to get into Whelan’s.

    Comment by Jim Carroll
    9.
    February 9, 2010
    11:52 am

    Jim, yes, the word “Flounce” comes to mind when I think of him.
    The country is in a state of chasis and all he can do is flounce out with sobs of how he wasn’t respected in the morning, poor child.
    I have come to a musical impasse, any recommendations?

    Comment by 127.0.0.1
    10.
    February 9, 2010
    12:00 pm

    Whoever thought mp3’s were the business?

    Comment by Simon
    11.
    February 9, 2010
    12:02 pm

    By my count he has been on the one o’clock news with sean o’rourke, lunchtime with eamon keane, Liveline, The Last Word, Frontline, Vincent Browne and D’Arcy. For someone who complains that no one listens to him..

    Very jealous to have missed the low anthem. Of what I saw at EP (sound issues aside) they look like they can put on a special show

    Comment by Joe
    12.
    February 9, 2010
    12:07 pm

    those bee’s have a real sting…musical tangent sorted!

    Comment by 127.0.0.1
    13.
    February 9, 2010
    12:11 pm

    Kurt Vile’s gig in Twisted Pepper last December was another one that seemed to slip by unnoticed by a lot of people. I was so disappointed for him, he deserved a much bigger audience – but only that I know the guy I wouldn’t have known the show has happening.

    And yes, the Picturing New York exhibition is incredibly good. I loved the history, the variety of moods, and that it encompassed everything from spontaneous to staged, from mundane to high drama. So much to admire. And Cindy Sherman rules.

    Comment by Fiona
    14.
    February 9, 2010
    12:18 pm

    Jim, re. digital radio

    I’ve been holding off ‘cos of the lack of channels available beyond the RTÉs – however, what could majorly drive the the growth in Ireland is the recent Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and Irish Govs regarding the Digital Switchover and the provision of digital services in Norn Ireland and Ireland, which says the governments will cooperate to help ensure:

    f) That the possibilities are explored regarding the reciprocal sharing in both jurisdictions of public service broadcasting digital radio services. applied in both jurisdictions.

    I think that if the BBC’s radio channels were to become available on DAB in Ireland then in the indies might become a bit more interested in joining the platform.

    Comment by Ivor
    15.
    February 9, 2010
    12:33 pm

    I would love to see what Ireland made of some of the great channels we have here in UK, including BBC7, Asian network, BBC4TV.

    What I particularly like is that I can take a call, and rewind my radio back to where I stopped listening ;o)

    Always handy for “The Archers” ;o)))))

    I would be interesting though, give RTE a run for its money on the inclusive stakes for sure!

    Comment by 127.0.0.1
    16.
    February 9, 2010
    12:33 pm

    Does that memorandum of understanding mean that RTE will be available on the free to air digital service. Its annoying that even though you pay for a TV licence you still cant get RTE unless you are willing to pay SKY/Chorus. Presume that SKY/Chorus pay RTE for allowing them to show their channels but would they not get more in advertising if they had a wider audience?

    Comment by Feathers McGraw
    17.
    February 9, 2010
    12:44 pm

    internet radios. the new dab.

    Comment by ciaran
    18.
    February 9, 2010
    12:45 pm

    Thanks for the ‘She Keeps Bees’ heads up Jim, it had almost slipped under my radar..

    Comment by fanning sessions
    19.
    February 9, 2010
    1:02 pm

    127.0.0.1 @ 9 – that reminds me to do a new Recommending Listening post. Stay tuned! And for now, check out Quadron, Morning Benders, Valgeir Sigurdsson, new Gil Scott-Heron, the “Lost & Found” compilation from Keb Darge and Paul Weller and the beautiful “There Are Many of Us” by Aska – http://www.myspace.com/askaxaska

    Fiona – that Kurt Vile gig was another one from the lastminute.com book of promoting gigs, as far as I can remember. Foggy Notions only got the gig very late in the day and it was in the middle of a mad run of gigs. And the Picturing NY exhibition is lovely. Love the fact that they’ve also got a Robert Frank in there too – saw The Americans exhibition in New York last year and it was spell-binding. Admission is free on Fridays if anyone needs further encouragement to go

    Ivor @ 14 – very interesting – that would definitely have a positive impact of digital radio usage here. Admission to the Cork show is FREE so absolutely no excuses there.

    fanning – spread the word – be good if there was a crowd to see them tonight and tomorrow

    Comment by Jim Carroll
    20.
    February 9, 2010
    1:10 pm

    Also check this out…

    http://www.myspace.com/juliannabarwick

    Comment by Simon
    21.
    February 9, 2010
    1:11 pm

    Feathers @ 16.
    AFAIK, the four Irish channels will be free to air on the new digital service – Saorview as it will be known.

    The big issue here is that Ireland will be using a different and, indeed superior, system to that in the used in the UK so there is going to be a huge amount of confusion on the run up to the switchover. People are being sold Freeview tv and set top boxes on the assumption they will work in Ireland when they won’t.

    Also paying one’s TV licence does not entitle one to receive RTE, it is a licence to have a television regardless of what one watches on it. You can get RTE for free just by using an antenna as well – you don’t need to pay Sky/Chorus.

    Comment by Ivor
    22.
    February 9, 2010
    1:16 pm

    Simon @ 20 – good call – “Florine” is lovely and ideal for anyone like our friend 127.0.0.1 who is into Milinal

    And just added to the above post – very good piece in the Guardian about US blog rock’s lack of a political edge – http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2010/feb/09/blog-rock-political

    Comment by Jim Carroll
    23.
    February 9, 2010
    1:21 pm

    Fiona – Kurt Vile was playing in December? damn

    Comment by daniel
    24.
    February 9, 2010
    1:22 pm

    Only heard about Malcolm Middleton playing the Academy, 2 weeks after the gig was over!

    It would appear that the big promoters put on shows for the small bands to placate the agents, and couldnt be bothered putting the effort into promoting them.

    Comment by Tertence
    25.
    February 9, 2010
    1:28 pm

    listening to Anjos now thanks, splendorous…

    Comment by 127.0.0.1
    26.
    February 9, 2010
    1:36 pm

    Thanks for the related plugs dude.

    Pity about the She keeps Bees gig. I usually list the Hefty gigs in those Gig guide posts anyway.

    There’s a couple of shows like that happening this week:

    The Leisure Society in the Sugar Club
    Breakage – Twisted Pepper

    Also regarding the future of MP3s – it’s MusicDNA apparently

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/jan/24/musicdna-digital-music-file

    Comment by Niall
    27.
    February 9, 2010
    1:39 pm

    Oh and Mount Kimbie! Nice one.

    Comment by Niall
    28.
    February 9, 2010
    1:57 pm

    Tertence – in the case of She Keeps Bees, I assume the promotert would have looked at the band’s MySpace and press quotes, seen one from a journalist based in Dublin and contacted him about the gig. Didn’t happen and only that the band got in touch, I’d have been none the wiser.

    Niall – you should make that weekly gig guide an email service too, dude. I’d sign up to it. Yes, I know, it’s not all-inclusive but the people who read and subscribe to the blog know your music tastes and know you’ll point them to the right gigs.

    Am very excited re Mount Kimbie. Eoin @ Bodytonic has been trying to put that one together for ages and never gave up.

    Comment by Jim Carroll
    29.
    February 9, 2010
    2:02 pm

    I already do a daily email subscription service but will look into it. Funny, I thought of doing an iPhone app for it just to learn how to do it.

    Comment by Niall
    30.
    February 9, 2010
    2:08 pm

    @8

    i heard the numbers for last night were around the 760 mark.

    Comment by me
    31.
    February 9, 2010
    2:26 pm

    @ Daniel – yes, and it was awesome. I really hope he comes back and more people get to see him.

    @Jim – maybe Foggy did indeed get the gig late in the day. I was just surprised given KV had both the date and venue several weeks in advance. It did strike me as unlike Foggy not to have some very lovely posters (I’m liking their current run) in all the right places.

    Totally forgot to second the enthusiasm at the upcoming Mount Kimbie show!

    Comment by Fiona
    32.
    February 9, 2010
    2:28 pm

    Nice to know I wasn’t the only one Googling crotales late last night. Beautiful stuff. A real pleasure of a gig, perhaps largely aided by the small-ish crowd of respectful listeners.
    My photos and shizz up on State.ie shortly…

    Also, Simon @20, good stuff with the Julianna Barwick mention. Her album is amazing. Slightly one-trick pony stuff, though her remix of Radiohead’s “Reckoner” is outstanding.

    Comment by kDamo
    33.
    February 9, 2010
    2:36 pm

    The Low Anthem gig was something special last night and if it weren’t for a few small issues it would have been magical. I was wondering what Jocie was using the bow on so thanks for linking the crotales- the addition of a fourth member really helped the show as well and there wasn’t as much hopping back and forth on the instruments as there was at EP.

    So glad this was moved to Vicar St for the sound…and what I was particularly amazed at was how quiet the gig goers were- besides The Mouth at front left the crowd were amazingly chatter free! Hardly any mobiles taking pics or flashes either…best use of the mobile on the night was when Ben actually included them in a tune. Really like the new tunes Maybe So and Apothecary (not sure of exact title but used that word so many times)- if those are reflective of the new album then it’s definitely promising!

    Tis difficult trying to keep track of all the gigs in town these days and Nialls post really is useful- have been checking out Thumped a bit more often as well since some of the promoters will hit there and also put up the stage times which is helpful if you have more than one that night.

    Comment by Tim
    34.
    February 9, 2010
    3:19 pm

    “And just added to the above post – very good piece in the Guardian about US blog rock’s lack of a political edge – http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2010/feb/09/blog-rock-political”

    Can’t agree with you about that piece Jim. I’ve read several articles just like that over the years, focusing on different scenes (although mainly indie) and I find they all overlook the same point – politics and music generally don’t mix that well. Do we really want to hear Beach House sing about the healthcare debate or Afghanistan? If an artist decides to record a political song it should be judged on its own merits as a piece of music and not as part of a judgement on the artist’s political awareness. On the other hand, if you like their music why should you care if an artist neglects to tackle weighty political issues in their songs? I don’t feel that ‘they’re not political enough’ is a valid criticism of either a scene or an individual band.

    And when exactly was the use of lo-fi recording techniques considered an anti-corporate statement? I take it he’s referring to punk but it’s a bit of a reach. I’d have always considered it a question of aesthetics or, in some cases, of resources.

    Comment by Gearóid
    35.
    February 9, 2010
    3:28 pm

    Gearóid – of course, not every band has to have a political edge but I’m more interested in what the writer sees as the unchallenging, vague, nostalgic aspects of the blog rock scene. I dont think there’s anything wrong with their music whatsoever – I’m actually a fan of a lot of the acts he mentions/gently chastises in the piece – but I do feel that the focus on those acts right now is quite telling in terms of the rise of apolitical viewpoints.

    Comment by Jim Carroll
    36.
    February 9, 2010
    5:18 pm

    Back in 2008 when we saw TV On The Radio, you decided that the Moog Synth was the instrument you wanted to learn how to play. How far did you get with that lesson?

    Comment by Pedro
    37.
    February 9, 2010
    5:24 pm

    Pedro – not very far, you little bolloxhead!

    Comment by Jim Carroll
    38.
    February 9, 2010
    6:18 pm

    Low Anthem was great last night. So peaceful and warm. Was wondering what those little cymbal yokes were called.

    Comment by Una Mullally
    39.
    February 9, 2010
    6:27 pm

    Hahaha – Bolloxhead, amazing!
    Sometimes you miss Irish insults.
    Canadians are too bloody passive-aggressive and non-confrontational.

    Comment by Pedro
    40.
    February 9, 2010
    6:28 pm

    Pedro – it’s the insult of choice round here at present.

    Comment by Jim Carroll
    41.
    February 10, 2010
    2:43 pm

    Mt. Kimbie. Can’t wait. Any price yet?

    Comment by Dan

    Comments on this article are now closed.


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