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Category: Music Review

  • Guns n’ Roses: Live at The 02, Dublin, Review

    Guns n’ Roses: Live at The 02, Dublin, Review

    Following Guns n’ Roses September 2010 gig, where after a long wait for the band, someone threw a bottle and Axl left the stage, this gig seemed like it was a last chance for the GnR on our shores. Putting it nicely, Axl pissed off a hell of a lot of punters. This was a make or break gig and ended up being one of the best rock performances I have ever seen. The music started at 1930 with Vengeance and The Panther Queen followed by Thin Lizzy. They left the stage about 21.20 and the audience had to wait an hour before Axl & Co. hit the stage. I left the venue at about 120 am after three hours of the best rock music around. You can read all about my adventures on Goldenplec.

    Enjoy the video!

  • runawayGo E.P. Review

    runawayGo E.P. Review

    RunawayGOrunawayGo are a Belfast based five piece who have just unleashed a five track E.P. and it’s a great introduction to the quintet.

    Starting off with ‘Electric’, runawayGo draw you in with driving beats and guitars, coupled with great twin vocals from Fiona O’Kane and Dave Jackson, the combination is enough for the hair on the back of your neck to stand up. Musicianship on the track is top notch and it’s mixed beautifully, bring out every guitar note, every breath both singers take, without overcrowding the soundscape. Anthemic rock at it’s best.

    When you start an E.P. so well, it can be hard to live up to the opener. What runwayGo do, is then show a softer side on ‘Drowning’. It still features great upbeat dramatic guitars but ‘Drowning’s best asset is the vulnerability in the vocal combination of O’Kane and Jackson backed against the grunge-like musicianship.

    Releasing these tracks as an E.P. was a clever move, the band have been slowly releasing them to the public since Summer 2011, ‘Delicate Man’ being the first that your humble reviewer heard and I have to be honest, there are not many bands that make me love them like runwayGo. They write great songs as this E.P. shows, they structure their songs beautifully, rising and falling just where they should and having two lead singers is something, very few bands do successfully. But runawayGo do. Their vocal arrangements are something to be admired and musically they have merged elements of grunge, emo and straight up indie rock to create a relevant and contemporary sound.

    It’s still only May but runawayGo are one of my bands of the year.

  • Eric McGrath: Let’s Get Curious Review

    Eric McGrath: Let’s Get Curious Review

    EricMcGrathLetsGetCuriousBannerLet’s Get Curious is the lead single from Eric McGrath‘s debut album ‘Little Ripples’ which is due for release at the end of June 2012. McGrath manages to fuse latin grooves and indie vibes for a sunshine flavoured track. Production wise, the track is given a minimalist approach, spanish guitar, with brushed drums and McGrath’s vocals are given an old school treatment which in turn gives the track a timeless edge.

    McGrath has previously been given the thumbs up by Bic Runga and Cathy Davey, opening for both so his debut will definitely be one to watch for.

    EricMcGrathmusic.com

  • Review: Keith Moss – The War Outside Our Door

    Keith MossDublin based musician Keith Moss is back with a new three track single ‘The War Outside Our Door’. Moss is known for his quirky social commentary and this guitar led indie pop track is no different. Think 80’s American indie a la Psychedelic Furs or Pixies with some airy vocals and you’ll have where this track is. This is a definite grower, the more you listen the better it gets.

    ‘Burn Away Inside’ is more like what I’m actually listening to all the moment. Sparse electronic beats with guitars,keys and vocals. The vocals lie beautifully upon layers of instrumentation. Very different from the previous track but it’s a great indication of what a varied musician Moss is.

    The final track ‘The Memory Store’ almost melds what we have seen from Moss in the previous two tracks. In his mixing laboratory, he has again used electronic magic alongside guitars but what separates this tune is the clearness of Moss’ vocals. This is what early nineties indie in 2012 sounds like. Best track on this single for me and leaves itself open for some awesome remixes.

    This isn’t bad at all, the further into material you go, the better Moss gets. More of that please. (more…)