The month in Northern Irish music...
Well it's certainly been another busy and exciting month for new and established music in Northern Ireland. So let's kick things off with Amidships....
Amidships are a current favour of mine on the scene, with their beautiful brand of melancholic rock that just fills you full of intensity from the first riff. I had the joy of catching these guys at a charity event in the Stiff Kitten in Belfast, where they played a beautiful cover of Snow Patrols, 'Run'. The band have an almost Arcade Fire presence about them, which fills up a venue with nothing but pure musical charm. Their last EP, 'The Friendly Fire Sessions' is seven tracks of wonderment and I for one await with bated breath for their next offering.
My favourite track is the epic beauty of 'The One'.
Next up at the same event! I managed to catch the exciting and energetic Runaway Go. A band with an enthusiastic heavy stage presence, once you get over the fact that they tried to make the crowd sing along, you were left with one hell of a musically tight band. The indie five piece are still in the early stages of their career, which is a bit hard to believe as they already are showing potential to become one of NI's next big acts to break out across the pond. Fronted by vocalists Dave Jackson and Fiona O'Kane, they astound with confidence and sing with such a passion that every note resounds and sends chills. A favourite track of mine is 'Delicate Man' which is an offering from their debut EP. However, catch the official video for one of their newer tracks 'Electric' below...
Now for you guys I have the most Impressive act I have yet to see, Gerard i2. One word describes this guy and that is EXPLOSIVE! - not just because of his impressive light show. Live, Gerard i2 blows the crowd away with his special brand of Irish hip hop. An act that is certainly very different from Northern Irelands usual outputs, not many could pull of his infectious rhymes, especially in a Northern Irish accent. It is no wonder that Gerard i2, along with the noisily, ruckus causing rockers that are, Trucker Diablo won the two support slots at the Tennents Vital festival. Gerard i2 is certainly an artist biting against the grain of conformity and he is shaking up the scene with lyrics that are seeped with personal truth. Check out his track 'My House' below....
To take us back to more mellower sounds I bring you Dungannon born Chris Steenson - who performs under Cedric Has a Name. The singer songwriter comes again with melancholic undertones that remind in a distance of Elliot Smith, with his somewhat beautiful harmonies. Cedric Has a Name released his second EP 'Farewell to Reason' on the 14th June. It is four tracks long and is filled with elements of an unmistakable raw and home-made production. However, the whole way through listening to this record I felt that something was missing, maybe it is that Steenson seems to sing in clichés and without conviction. An artist that is certainly to be watched as I feel with experience he could have a long way to go, but for now he is pleasant background music at best with the potential with age to maybe become more. The track 'After Image' for me is the one where you can truly hear Steenson's potential as a singer song writer, especially in his instrumental arrangement. The EP is available to listen to on the link below...
An exciting new release also comes from Steering Fail, this Friday (June 22nd). The band will be releasing their seven track EP 'Tubes', almost a year after their first single 'Good Luck / Bad Luck'. Steering Fail are a band who are all about the hard core riffs and a frantically blazing monstrous noise. Stand out track for me on this album is 'Riot Dogs' with its dirty little blistering intro and a raw vocal ability that in some respects reminds me of an early Deftones. It's hard to believe that a three piece can cause this much noise! You can check out the EP below..
Now with all this rock and hip hop you may not feel my musical choices are very befitting of the summery months we are approaching. In that case check out this amazing release by Reuben Keeney, feat Glenn Rosborough 'Give it Some Time'. This track just screams SUMMER ANTHEM and Reuben Keeney is definitely an artist that should be watched!
I will leave it at that then this month as I prepare for a summer of exciting local festivals, which I will bring you all the news on next time! For now keep on listening......
Words by Dorothy Lawrence
Amidships are a current favour of mine on the scene, with their beautiful brand of melancholic rock that just fills you full of intensity from the first riff. I had the joy of catching these guys at a charity event in the Stiff Kitten in Belfast, where they played a beautiful cover of Snow Patrols, 'Run'. The band have an almost Arcade Fire presence about them, which fills up a venue with nothing but pure musical charm. Their last EP, 'The Friendly Fire Sessions' is seven tracks of wonderment and I for one await with bated breath for their next offering.
My favourite track is the epic beauty of 'The One'.
Next up at the same event! I managed to catch the exciting and energetic Runaway Go. A band with an enthusiastic heavy stage presence, once you get over the fact that they tried to make the crowd sing along, you were left with one hell of a musically tight band. The indie five piece are still in the early stages of their career, which is a bit hard to believe as they already are showing potential to become one of NI's next big acts to break out across the pond. Fronted by vocalists Dave Jackson and Fiona O'Kane, they astound with confidence and sing with such a passion that every note resounds and sends chills. A favourite track of mine is 'Delicate Man' which is an offering from their debut EP. However, catch the official video for one of their newer tracks 'Electric' below...
Now for you guys I have the most Impressive act I have yet to see, Gerard i2. One word describes this guy and that is EXPLOSIVE! - not just because of his impressive light show. Live, Gerard i2 blows the crowd away with his special brand of Irish hip hop. An act that is certainly very different from Northern Irelands usual outputs, not many could pull of his infectious rhymes, especially in a Northern Irish accent. It is no wonder that Gerard i2, along with the noisily, ruckus causing rockers that are, Trucker Diablo won the two support slots at the Tennents Vital festival. Gerard i2 is certainly an artist biting against the grain of conformity and he is shaking up the scene with lyrics that are seeped with personal truth. Check out his track 'My House' below....
To take us back to more mellower sounds I bring you Dungannon born Chris Steenson - who performs under Cedric Has a Name. The singer songwriter comes again with melancholic undertones that remind in a distance of Elliot Smith, with his somewhat beautiful harmonies. Cedric Has a Name released his second EP 'Farewell to Reason' on the 14th June. It is four tracks long and is filled with elements of an unmistakable raw and home-made production. However, the whole way through listening to this record I felt that something was missing, maybe it is that Steenson seems to sing in clichés and without conviction. An artist that is certainly to be watched as I feel with experience he could have a long way to go, but for now he is pleasant background music at best with the potential with age to maybe become more. The track 'After Image' for me is the one where you can truly hear Steenson's potential as a singer song writer, especially in his instrumental arrangement. The EP is available to listen to on the link below...
An exciting new release also comes from Steering Fail, this Friday (June 22nd). The band will be releasing their seven track EP 'Tubes', almost a year after their first single 'Good Luck / Bad Luck'. Steering Fail are a band who are all about the hard core riffs and a frantically blazing monstrous noise. Stand out track for me on this album is 'Riot Dogs' with its dirty little blistering intro and a raw vocal ability that in some respects reminds me of an early Deftones. It's hard to believe that a three piece can cause this much noise! You can check out the EP below..
Now with all this rock and hip hop you may not feel my musical choices are very befitting of the summery months we are approaching. In that case check out this amazing release by Reuben Keeney, feat Glenn Rosborough 'Give it Some Time'. This track just screams SUMMER ANTHEM and Reuben Keeney is definitely an artist that should be watched!
I will leave it at that then this month as I prepare for a summer of exciting local festivals, which I will bring you all the news on next time! For now keep on listening......
Words by Dorothy Lawrence
