Sounds Out: A Litany of Failures Compilation – Vol IV
"Volume IV may lack the singular sonic palette of C86 but this is a minor gripe. Sometimes you just gotta say, 'When it's good, it's good.'" - Mark Conroy
Audio Review: Bricknasty – Ina Crueler
The Ballymun collective set themselves apart by adding a sprinkle of Dublin grit to this veritable gumbo of apparent influences.
Audio Review: Perfume Genius – Ugly Season
"From the moment Ugly Season descends on fresh ears, its immediacy cannot be denied." - Zara Hedderman
Audio Review: Wilco – Cruel Country
“I love my country, stupid and cruel,” Jeff Tweedy intones on Cruel Country, the titular track of Wilco’s twelfth studio album... A click-clacking beat imitates a horse coming into town,…
Audio Review: Melts – Maelstrom
With this masterful debut, Melts have announced themselves with an assured artistry that will no doubt take their audiences on plenty of fun excursions with each return.
Audio Review: Pillow Queens – Leave the Light On
"Leave the Light On could soundtrack a sad solo dance in the kitchen as you make a meal for one as your poor heart recovers. An introspective album, the record…
Audio Review: The Deadlians – Watch out here come the Deadlians
"One of the most immediately captivating components to The Deadlians’ musicianship is the mesmerising combination of punk and psych rock sensibilities steering beast-like tracks like Scumbag with an Ice Pop,…
Audio Review: Niamh Regan – In the Meantime
"In the Meantime is captivating, both as a standalone work and a preview of Regan’s next full-length release." - Joe Joyce
Audio Review: Mitski – Laurel Hell
"Ultimately, a gratifying return." - Zara Hedderman
Audio Review: Elaine Mai – Home
In a month of bloated and male-dominated releases, the debut album from Elaine Mai is a euphoric breath of fresh air.
Audio Review: Rejjie Snow – Baw Baw Black Sheep
Following the introspective hip-hop opus that was his studio debut Dear Annie in 2018, Dublin rapper Rejjie Snow returns with Baw Baw Black Sheep, a super slick collection of trippy…
Audio Review: Adrian Crowley – The Watchful Eye of The Stars
Adrian Crowley has always sounded like the journeyman troubadour. It's a privilege to hitch a sonic ride in his company.
Audio Review: Marianne Faithfull with Warren Ellis – She Walks in Beauty
The latest collaboration between iconic singer-songwriter Marianne Faithfull and versatile multi-instrumentalist Warren Ellis is a fulfilment of Faithfull’s long-held ambition to put the words of the Romantic poets to music.
Audio Review: Skelocrats – Boy Bitten by Lizard
Returning from something of an unofficial hiatus, Dublin’s premier bockety-pop supergroup is back in business.
Audio Review: Bill Callahan – Gold Record
Overall, Gold Record is a densely storied and beautifully told record, certainly one of Bill Callahan’s best.
Audio Review: Pillow Queens – In Waiting
In Waiting embodies the winds of social change blowing through the country, doing its bit for LGBTQ representation along the way.
Audio Review: Bleeding Heart Pigeons – Stir
For their sophomore LP, Bleeding Heart Pigeons chose to record in a converted farm-shed - lending a gorgeous natural reverb across the instrumentation
Audio Review: Princess Nokia – Everything Sucks / Everything is Beautiful
This dual release is a reminder that in any politically polarised environment it’s no bad thing to have a three-dimensional spearhead as mouthpiece for one’s own community.