On The Record »

• Midnight Eez get a break 15 years on

  May 6, 2011 @ 10:00 am | by Jim Carroll

  It’s such a good story that you probably think someone made it up. But strange things do happen and the tale of how The Midnight Eez are now getting a release on All City is proof of that.

  Dublin hip-hop fiend DJ Splyce is on a record-buying expedition in New York City in 1995 or ‘96. He runs into two young lads who are hustling their demo tape of instrumental hip-hop outside famed hip-hop store Fat Beats.

  They have a chat and the Irishman departs with a tape of The Midnight Eez, while the producers go home to the Bronx probably thinking that they’re going to be become super-famous in Ireland and appear on The Late Late Show.

  Fast-forward to 2011. These days, Splyce lives in Japan, while the Dublin-based All City label which he co-founded with Olan O’Brien is noted for releases from Onra, Hudson Mohawke, Dam-Funk, Mike Slott, Ras G and others. When the tape was located in a house-move, it is decided “in the spirit of musical altruism” to give it a proper vinyl release.

  So what do The Midnight Eez think of all this? Where have they been since they bumped into Splyce all those years ago? Did they stay in the hip-hop game or did their career paths lead them elsewhere?

  Here’s where the tale gets interesting because no-one has a clue what happened to them. All attempts to track them down have failed. The only contact info was a pager number and that doesn’t lead anywhere. The Midnight Eez don’t appear to exist beyond that tape and the only way they’ll find out that their music has received a release is by stumbling across some article or reference. There could be another twist in the tale to come.

  Listen to tracks from the album here.

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• Hear Arcade Fire’s “The Suburbs”

  July 29, 2010 @ 12:07 pm | by Jim Carroll

  Yes, we know that many of you have already, er, acquired the album from elsewhere, but if you want to hear the third album from Arcade Fire in full before it’s released next week, check out this stream. Thanks to Gerry Hanratty for the Tweet-tip.

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• Sade’s back

  December 8, 2009 @ 5:06 pm | by Jim Carroll

  Listen to the title track from Sade’s forthcoming new album (her first in nearly 10 years) here.

  

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• Midlake, Dublin, February

  November 3, 2009 @ 12:32 pm | by Jim Carroll

  Midlake play Dublin’s Vicar Street on February 14. Tickets, at €23 a pop, go on sale on Friday. The band’s new album “The Courage Of Others”, the follow-up to the awesome “The Trials of Van Occupanther”, will be released on February 1 next. The band most likely to do a Grizzly Bear in ‘10? Love this remix.

  

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• Etc

  January 16, 2009 @ 9:29 am | by Jim Carroll

  Where the whole world goes to plug their wares….

  The Datsuns plugs their “Head Stunts” album with dates at Dublin’s Think Tank (February 4), Galway’s Roisin Dubh (5) and Belfast’s Spring & Airbrake (6)

  Hear why Dublin-based Theo won the Malibu Music Award for Best Alternative Song last October when he plays Whelan’s in Dublin on January 22.

  The latest re-release for Irish digital label Indiecater will be “The Ghost of H.W. Beaverman”, the debut album from Athens, Georgia band Folklore.

  The Brothers Movement, the band formerly known as Mainline, release their debut album in April

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• New Irish albums incoming

  January 9, 2009 @ 9:13 am | by Jim Carroll

  2008 was a bumper year for Irish albums, with more than 180 releases in all.

  While most of the domestic attention in 2009 will be on U-know-who, other Irish acts will also be getting back in the game.

  Bell X1 release their fourth studio album, Blue Lights on the Runway, on their own label in Ireland on February 20th, with Yep Roc releasing the album in the US on March 3rd.

  Veteran Northern Irish band Therapy? are also prepping a new album, with their 10th studio album Crooked Timber due for release on March 20th on the Demolition label.

  And David Kitt’s sixth album, The Night Saver, will be released on his own label in March.

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• Factory’s famous and not so famous

  January 2, 2009 @ 11:19 am | by Jim Carroll

  Factory Records was one of the great maverick labels of the 20th century. It’s a testament to the late, great Tony Wilson and friends that there is still plenty of interest in the label, even to this day.

  Factory Records: Communications 1978-92 is the latest lavish tribute to the label, its ethos and its acts.

  Released next week, the limited- edition four CD box-set features the label’s best-known acts (Joy Division, Happy Mondays, New Order) and some of its more idiosyncratic signings (Cath Carroll, A Certain Ratio (video below), The Durutti Column and, er, Northside).

  

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• Frank’s new house

  @ 11:12 am | by Jim Carroll

  It seems like only yesterday that everyone was getting very excited about a Pixies reunion tour. While there is still chatter about a new album, band members are cracking on with new projects

  Black Francis has enlisted the help of his wife, Violet Clark, for a new project called Grand Duchy. Their debut album, Petits Four, will be released here on February 13th.

  Francis claims that any proceeds from the album will go towards the purchase of a house in Luxembourg: “just a little place on the river, in the ravine, in the trees, in the stars.”

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• Etc

  December 19, 2008 @ 10:25 am | by Jim Carroll

  Plugging your gig/event/book/magazine is not just for Christmas, you know. Plug away to your heart’s content but please be polite and declare an interest where relevant

  Your first must-see new Irish band of 2009 will be Villagers, the new act fronted by ex-Immediate dude Conor O’Brien. They play February shows at Dublin’s Ruby Sessions (3), Cork’s Cyprus Avenue (17) and Dublin’s Crawdaddy (21). Their debut release, the “Hollow Kind EP”, will be released on band drummer (and ace Phantom FM DJ) James Byrne’s Any Other City label in February.

  Fans of electropop with a swagger should get their tickets right away for Ladyhawke, playing Belfast’s Stiff Kitten on February 4 and Dublin’s Academy the following night. Video for “My Delirium” follows

  

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• Digging deep for a good cause

  December 12, 2008 @ 9:48 am | by Jim Carroll

  It’s the season for music fans to put their hands in their pockets for various good causes.

  While there are some truly terrible charity records and tunes doing the rounds, there are a handful of releases which do merit repeat plays.

  The Ray Darcy Show on Today FM has already put together a number of cover version albums to aid various charities. The latest is Even Better Than The Disco Thing with Cathy Davey, Lisa Hannigan, Jape (video below), Republic Of Loose, The Blizzards, Duke Special, Director and many more getting on down.

  All proceeds go to the National Children’s Hospital and Barretstown.

  

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• An Irish indie Christmas

  December 5, 2008 @ 11:31 am | by Jim Carroll

  On The Record is a sucker for Christmas albums. Despite some “bah humbug” feelings about the season in general, we’re quite partial to pop stars making merry with musical ho, ho, hos.

  While nothing can dislodge A Christmas Gift for You From Phil Spector from the number one slot in our affections, recent years have seen commendable festive fare from Sufjan Stevens, Low and, this year, Glasvegas.

  Irish online label Indiecater are now getting into the game with a 17-strong compilation of seasonally-adjusted songs.

  Acts who’ve donned Santa hats and novelty antlers for the occasion include Nina Hynes, Jape, The Very Most, The Cloud Room and My Teenage Stride.

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• Ding-dong-ding-dong – news round-up

  December 4, 2008 @ 10:31 am | by Jim Carroll

  Due to, uhm, “unforseen circumstances”, On The Record was away yesterday and missed the following stories

  Awesome! Ladyhawke comes to Ireland next year. She plays Dublin’s Academy on February 5. Video from herself below to mark this news

  Bob Dylan to play the 02 in Dublin on May 5.

  Lovefoxxx obviously didn’t get the memo that we’re sick and tired of seeing the same acts coming round like a bad penny. The CSS lead lady comes to Ireland in March to see if we can spare some more recession-euros for her DJ set at Dublin’s Button Factory on February 21

  Lily Allen – remember her? She was sort of big in 2007 – plays Dublin’s Academy on March 16. That’s the night before Paddy’s Day. Brave (and perhaps stupid) woman.

  “Dark Was The Night” is a double-album compilation coming in February on 4AD. From the Red Hot folks, we will be calling it “Red, Hot & Indie” as it features exclusive or new tunes from such acts as Antony, Arcade Fire, Beach House, Beirut, Bon Iver, The Books featuring Jose Gonzalez (a version of Nick Drake’s “Cello Song”), Grizzly Bear, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, The National, Sufjan Stevens and Yeasayer.

  Pinnacle Entertainment, which distributes over 400 labels and such acts as Fleet Foxes, has collapsed..

  Proof that an old dog is best for the hard road: Vinnie on Nighty Night with Vincent Brown gave Eamon Ryan a well-deserved and overdue drubbing last night for what seemed to be the entire show. Talk about being all up in your grill: Vinnie just never stopped with the bashing. Even when they were reviewing the papers, Vinnie was hounding the smuggest man in the cabinet about everything from the RTE Authority to the Green ministers asleep in their beds as the government organised a bail-out for the bankers. It reminded you that the coursing season is in full swing nationwide. Video of some of the exchange is here.

  On The Record is now in the red. Yes, we have our colour-coded links back thanks to the IT IT guys working like the clappers on this for, oh, months.

  

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• Etc

  November 21, 2008 @ 9:31 am | by Jim Carroll

  The weekly post where you can plug away to your heart’s content. The floor is yours – club nights, gigs, new releases, bands to check out, credit crunch celebrations etc. Please be polite and declare an interest or don’t be surprised if one is declared for you.

  Bright new Irish talent on show at Club AC30 at Dublin’s Whelan’s this Sunday in the shape of And So I Watch You From Afar, We Are Knives and Lights.

  The full cast for Other Voices next month in Dingle, Co Kerry is Emiliana Torrini, Duke Special, Billy Bragg, Liam Finn, Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Elbow, Richard Hawley, James Morrison, Lisa Hannigan, Eric Bibb, Steve Reynolds, Mick Flannery, Kila, Imelda May and Jape.

  The best way to start a new year: Bruce Springsteen releases his 16th studio album, “Working On A Dream”, on January 23. Old-school video follows to mark the occasion

  

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• Beyond The Pale

  November 14, 2008 @ 8:54 am | by Jim Carroll

  The Pale’s run continues.

  Next year, the veteran Dublin band release a new album, “Proper Order”, and there are two tracks from it, “Chocolate Factory” and “Lady Gregory”, now available as free downloads from the band’s website.

  The band’s earliest tracks, particularly the songs recorded with their mentor and producer, the late Columb Farrelly, have been long unavailable on CD, a state of affairs which they hope to rectify in the near future.

  Live, they play The Quays, Galway (November 21), Academy, Dublin (with Sultans of Ping, December 20) and Sky, Portlaoise (with The Stunning, December 21).

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• Wolves at the door in 2009

  November 7, 2008 @ 10:24 am | by Jim Carroll

  The demise of the record label is still a long way off, especially those labels still run by genuine music fans.

  Besides putting on live shows around the city, Dublin’s Skinny Wolves are also in the business of releasing records, with three key releases due between now and year’s end.

  The pick of the bunch is the new single from Cap Pas Cap. “We Are Men” goes on release on November 28 with remixes from Jape, Decal and Thatboytim. Lets hope an album is on the CPC plans for ‘09.

  Skinny Wolves are also releasing “Sangles Redux”, a round-up of early recordings from Houston band Indian Jewelry, and a split single featuring Effi Briest and Telepathe, the latter one of many people’s tips for 2009.

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• Etc

  October 31, 2008 @ 10:23 am | by Jim Carroll

  Get ‘em while they’re hot. Plug away to your heart’s content, remembering to declare an interest where relevant or don’t be surprised if one is declared for you

  Early 2009 albums to look forward to include new releases from Animal Collective (“Merriweather Post Pavilion”), Franz Ferdinand (“Tonight: Franz Ferdinand!”) and Antony & The Johnsons (“The Crying Light”).

  Take That are the first act announced for Dublin’s Croke Park next summer, for June 13th. Interestingly, it’s billed as a co-promote between big boys MCD and Aiken Promotions.

  Foggy Notions‘ November shows at Whelan’s in Dublin include Cass McCombs (15th), Parenthetical Girls (21th), These Are Powers (22th) and Beach House (27th – video below).

  Quote of the week: “I don’t notice politics, but I got caught up in it because politicians seem bent on ruining Iceland’s natural environment” – Björk comments on the Icelandic economic crisis

  

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• Etc

  October 17, 2008 @ 9:12 am | by Jim Carroll

  Here we go, here we go, here we go – it’s the weekly plugathon where you (yes, you) can sell your wares to millions of On The Record readers for the small price of a declation of interest.

  Win Gabriela’s guitar! Check out previews from Rodrigo & Gabriela’s new “Live In Japan” album and DVD plus a competition to win that Yamaha APX guitar right here. From your pals at irishtimes.com.

  Downpatrick classic rock faves The Answer are to support AC/DC on the American dates of their Black Ice world tour.

  Songs For Susie is a new compilation in aid of the Susie Long Hospice Fund, featuring such Kilkenny acts as Engine Alley, the excellent R.S.A.G (video below), Kerbdog and many more.

  Canadian electronic artist Milosh hits the road with Chequerboard next week for dates in Galway (De Burgos, Tues), Dublin (Whelan’s, Wed), Dundalk (Spirit Store, Thurs), Cork (Triskel, Fri), Tralee (Brogue Inn, Sat) and Limerick (Red Cross Hall, Mon).

  

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• Hear the new Duke Special album on irishtimes.com

  October 10, 2008 @ 9:19 am | by Jim Carroll

  The Duke’s latest album “I Thought This Day Would Never Come” is now streaming on irishtimes.com. Click here for more.

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• All in a day’s work

  @ 9:08 am | by Jim Carroll

  The word on Stee Downes appears to be spreading.

  The Dublin vocalist, DJ and multi-instrumentalist, who has also played a big role in Bodytonic’s Scribble label, is seeing his All in a Day debut album get a worldwide release, thanks to Sonar Kollektiv.

  Downes has collaborated in the past with a wide range of acts, including London’s Loose Ensemble and Echoplex’s Ed Eustace. All in a Day was recorded earlier this year in Croatia with production assistance from Ishfaq.

  Downes plays live at Dublin’s Crawdaddy on October 26th and supports Roy Ayers at Dublin’s Button Factory on December 22.

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• Etc

  September 12, 2008 @ 9:51 am | by Jim Carroll

  As always every Friday, the floor is yours to plug away to your heart’s content in this spot. Be polite and declare an interest where relevant (ie if you are involved in putting on the show or releasing the record) or it will be declared for you.

  Get into the Culture Night spirit with a Roots Freeway concert at RTÉ’s radio studios on Sept 19th, featuring No Crows and The Carter Brothers. Free tickets from the show’s website.

  Musical Rooms is 40. Sinead Gleeson’s online series (and occasional Ticket feature), in which musicians talk about where they go to be creative, hits the big 4-0 with Swedish instrumental rockers Immanu El.

  Veteran Irish rockers Lir release their first album in 13 years on Oct 3rd. Live will be launched, naturally enough, with a show at Dublin’s Whelan’s the following night.

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