Swear I'm not Paul: 21/12/2008

My blog has moved! Redirecting...

You should be automatically redirected. If not, visit http://www.swearimnotpaul.com and update your bookmarks.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Best of 2008: Irish Blogs & Publications, Update 6

Like LargeHeartedBoy's worldwide list, I intend to make a list of every Irish best of I see. Email me at swearimnotpaul@gmail.com or leave a comment if you want yours added!

2UIBestow Top 3 of Everything in 2008
Alan Whelan's Top 50 Albums
Egocentric Best Albums: Evil Bob, Rob, ctrl/alt/delete
Evening Herald/Herald AM's Top Irish Albums
Hardcore For Nerds' Best Albums 1-6 7-13
IndieLimerick's Top 10 Albums
Irish Times' The Ticket Best Albums & Gigs
Jim Carroll's Top 20 Albums
Metro's Best Irish Albums
MP3 Hugger's Top 42 Songs
Nialler 9's Readers' Top 20 Irish Albums
Nialler 9's Top 30 Albums
Nialler 9's Top 50 Songs
Red's Albums of the Year
RTE Guide's Top 8 from '08
State Magazine Top 25 Albums
Swear I'm Not Paul (this blog, click on a section:) 60-51 50-41 40-31 30-21 20-11 10-01
UCD University Observer Top 3 Albums

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Download: We Wish UFCK Christmas 2008 full album download



Every year, some of the more talented members (i.e. not me) of a forum I use, www.ufck.org make a Christmas compilation album featuring traditional and new Christmas classics. This year is no different, and the 2008 version may well be the finest compilation yet. The artists featured here are all unsigned, and were very grateful to allow me to post the album in full for your listening pleasure. Please, please, please post comments letting me (and the artists) know what you think of it. And to all my readers, Happy Christmas, and enjoy this, you Christmas present from us for 2008:

Tracklist:
1. UFCK Boys' Choir - We Wish UFCK Christmas
2. Seconds to Breathe - O Holy Night
3. Michael Stafford - A Home Alone Christmas
4. Joel Sisto - Pretty Paper
5. Katrina Marie (music by Josh Glass) - Santa Baby
6. Michael Stafford - Just Go and Tell It!
7. Kay - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
8. The Chairs - O Come, O Come Emmanuel
9. Seconds to Breathe - The Gift

Download:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=4Z5CMQAL

Best of 2008: Irish Blogs & Publications, Update 5

Like LargeHeartedBoy's worldwide list, I intend to make a list of every Irish best of I see. Email me at swearimnotpaul@gmail.com or leave a comment if you want yours added!

2UIBestow Top 3 of Everything in 2008
Alan Whelan's Top 50 Albums
Evening Herald/Herald AM's Top Irish Albums
IndieLimerick's Top 10 Albums
Irish Times' The Ticket Best Albums & Gigs
Jim Carroll's Top 20 Albums
Metro's Best Irish Albums
MP3 Hugger's Top 42 Songs
Nialler 9's Readers' Top 20 Irish Albums
Nialler 9's Top 30 Albums
Nialler 9's Top 50 Songs
RTE Guide's Top 8 from '08
State Magazine Top 25 Albums
Swear I'm Not Paul (this blog, click on a section:) 60-51 50-41 40-31 30-21 20-11 10-01
UCD University Observer Top 3 Albums

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Download: Iron and Wine - The Shepherd's Dog Alternate Versions



In order to celebrate the redesign of their site, Sam Beam, aka Iron and Wine, is giving away a zip file of 8 alternative versions of songs from The Shepherd's Dog here:
http://www.ironandwine.com/

Click the picture like the one above to download.

1. The Devil Never Sleeps
2. Boy With A Coin
3. Pagan Angel And A Borrowed Car
4. Peace Beneath The City
5. Lovesong of the Buzzard
6. Innocent Bones
7. Flightless Bird, American Mouth
8. Resurrection Fern

Watch: Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You clips

Lil Allen - It's Not Me, It's You album cover

Watch the promo video for the new Lily Allen album, due in February, featuring clips of:
Everyones At It
The Fear
Not Fair
22
Never Gonna Happen
Fuck You

Album News: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Self-titled

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart album cover

Sometimes, it's the artists with the most terrible names that make the best music. Take the Red Hot Chili Peppers for example, how did a band with that name become succesful? The same should happen with the atrociously titled The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and their similarly awful eponymous debut album.

It will be released on Fortuna Records in the UK in February 2009, and I cannot wait. The acronym is even terrible, POBPAH. But luckily the album looks set to be one of the best of 2009, and they're an act definitely should look out for. Expect them to feature on my alternative to BBC's Sound of 2009!

As for now, why don't you have a listen to one of their tunes from that debut record...

Download:
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - 'Everything With You'

And check out their myspace for more:
http://www.myspace.com/thepainsofbeingpureatheart

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Setlist: Coldplay, O2 Dublin, 22 December 2008

The second date of their two day visit to Dublin had a similar setlist to the first night. SO similar in fact, it was entirely the same..

1. Life In Technicolor
2. Violet Hill
3. Clocks
4. In My Place
5. Speed Of Sound
6. Yellow
7. Chinese Sleep Chant
8. 42
9. Fix You
10. Strawberry Swing
11. God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (partial techno remix)
12. Talk (partial techno remix)
13. The Hardest Part (Chris solo piano)
14. Postcards From Far Away (Chris solo piano)
15. Viva La Vida
16. Lost!
17. Green Eyes (acoustic)
18. Jingle Bells (acoustic)
19. Fairytale Of New York (acoustic - Will lead vocals)
20. Viva La Vida (remix interlude)
---
21. Politik
22. Lovers In Japan
23. Death And All His Friends
---
24. The Scientist / Back For Good
25. Life In Technicolor ii
26. The Escapist (outro)

Watch 'Jingle Bells' and 'Fairytale of New York' here:

Setlist: Coldplay, O2 Dublin, 21 December 2008


First of two dates at the newly reopened Point Theatre, Coldplay put on a great show. I'd recommend buying tickets for their big Phoenix Park gig next summer. It'll be brilliant! State Magazine has a nice insight into the media nonsense surrounding the new O2 and has some more nice photos like the one above, here:
http://www.state.ie/blog/photos-coldplay-the-o2-dublin/

1. Life In Technicolor
2. Violet Hill
3. Clocks
4. In My Place
5. Speed Of Sound
6. Yellow
7. Chinese Sleep Chant
8. 42
9. Fix You
10. Strawberry Swing
11. God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (partial techno remix)
12. Talk (partial techno remix)
13. The Hardest Part (Chris solo piano)
14. Postcards From Far Away (Chris solo piano)
15. Viva La Vida
16. Lost!
17. Green Eyes (acoustic)
18. Jingle Bells (acoustic)
19. Fairytale Of New York (acoustic - Will lead vocals)
20. Viva La Vida (remix interlude)
---
21. Politik
22. Lovers In Japan
23. Death And All His Friends
---
24. The Scientist / Back For Good
25. Life In Technicolor ii
26. The Escapist (outro)

Monday, December 22, 2008

Setlist: Kings of Leon, The O2 Dublin, 19 December 2009

No, it's not called the Point anymore, right? Also, I'd like to take this chance to apologise for taking the last few days off, as that aforementioned night was my birthday. I wasn't at KoL though. Fergus was, and he sent me the setlist: and he also might be putting up a review on his blog)

1. Closer
2. Crawl
3. My Party
4. Razz
5. Molly's Chambers
6. King of the Rodeo
7. Joe's Head
8. Fans
9. Revelry
10. Milk
11. Four Kicks
12. Pistol Of Fire
13. Wasted Time
14. Sex On Fire
15. The Bucket
16. Notion
17. Use Somebody
18. On Call
19. Cold Desert
20. Trani
----
21. Knocked Up
22. Charmer
23. Slow Night, So long
24. Black Thumbnail

Best of 2008: irish Blogs & Publications, update 4

Like LargeHeartedBoy's worldwide list, I intend to make a list of every Irish best of I see. Email me at swearimnotpaul@gmail.com or leave a comment if you want yours added!

2UIBestow Top 3 of Everything in 2008
Alan Whelan's Top 50 Albums
Evening Herald/Herald AM's Top Irish Albums
IndieLimerick's Top 10 Albums
Irish Times' The Ticket Best Albums & Gigs
Jim Carroll's Top 20 Albums
Metro's Best Irish Albums
MP3 Hugger's Top 42 Songs
RTE Guide's Top 8 from '08
State Magazine Top 25 Albums
Swear I'm Not Paul (this blog, click on a section:) 60-51 50-41 40-31 30-21 20-11 10-01
UCD University Observer Top 3 Albums

Best Albums of 2008: Metro's Best Irish Albums

Jape - Ritual album cover

METRO IRISH ALBUMS OF THE YEAR by Eamon De Paor.

Jape: Ritual
Following the success of Floating (famously covered by The Raconteurs), Richie 'Jape' Egan fretted be would become a one-hit wonder. He responded with his finest album yet. Bursting with killer beats and hooks, Ritual is both musically sophisticated and heart-on-sleeve emotional. Its centrepiece is the wistful ballad Phil Lynott, perhaps the loveliest song Egan has written.

Pony Club - Post Romantic.
Not to be confused with god-awful nu-ravers New Young Pony Club, this Dublin outfit is a long running vehicle for singer-songwriter Mark Cullen. Something of a sink-estate bard, his latest album cuts and pastes tender ectro pop and social commentary.

Oppenheimer: Take The Whole Midrange And Boost it
In a just world, Belfast's Oppenheimer would be all over the airwaves. Keyboard-thunking duo Rocky O'Reilly and Shaun Robinson have patented a near perfect mix of New Order synth-rock and Neptunes-style production ballyho. The result? A sweet alt.pop triumph that demands to be danced to.

David Holmes: The Holy Pictures
Who could have guessed David Holmes was such a softie? The Holy Pictures casts the Belfast DJ/ soundtrack impresario as a sensitive soul with a sweet voice and a belly-full of heartache.
Chronicling his 1970s childhood and inspired by the recent passing of his father, the record is perhaps the high-point of Holmes' career

Chequerboard: Penny Black
Recorded in Sligo, where Chequerboard's John Lambert spent a year on a music
fellowship, Penny Black is an exquisite blend of Berlin ambient techno and folk. Despite its brooding and melancholic air, the record is never dreary. Lambert's use of spry beats and twitchy acoustic guitars ensures that, even when the mood is heavy, there's something interesting going on.

Best Albums of 2008: Herald's Best Irish Albums

Halfset - Another Way of Being There album cover

Herald AM and Evening Herald Best Irish Albums of 2008, by critic John Meagher.

ANOTHER WAY OF BEING THERE
Halfset
This beguiling and beautiful album - a collection of post-rock and electronica will have you reaching for such terms as'widescreen'and'cinematic! Three years in the making its 10 songs are meticulously crafted, not least a pair of standouts; Salmon' and'Prairie'The album is, by turns, upbeat and reflective but never less than absorbing. When Jeff Martin takes the title tracks contemplative vocals, the group packs a significant emotional punch. Halfset may be the sort of band created for appearances on the tedious arts show 'The View/, but please don't hold that against them Another Way of BeirgThere' offers a leap in progress from their debut and it's the best Irish album of the year.

THE HOLY PICTURES
David Holmes
The Belfast man has become celebrated of late for his Hollywood soundtracks, but this album finds him returning much closer to home, with atmospheric music that documents his youth and musical influences. It also serves as a tribute to his late parents, Jack and Sarah. Much of it is minimal and some of it rocks. And the guest duty of Martin Rev - frontman of post-punk visionaries, Suicide'- proves to be a masterstroke. While his previous albums worked as exercises in cool, there was always a sense that Holmes was at a remove from his music. That couldnt be further from the truth with this album, and right from the off, one Ws that it's a tabour of love - a document to people and places.

RITUAL Jape
Richie Egan has had his fair share of record industry woes, but this third album finds the Dubliner in revitalised form. This eclectic album offers an exercise in experimental pop-rock that'sjust both clever and commercial. From the dancefloor swagger of 'I Was A Man' to the delectable 'Replays' and onto the stripped back acoustic-driven 'Phil Lynott', Egan has created somethingvery special here.

SEA SEW
Lisa Hannigan
The Meath singer has had little trouble
stepping out of the shadow of Damien- Rice and this hugely assured debut reveals herto be a songwriter of some distinction. Those looking for Ireland's answer to Feist could begin their search here. An Ocean and A Rock' is typical of her strong melodic gifts and Sea Sew has been wowing audiences in the US.

COLOURS OF SOUND
Autamata
The third album from the under-rated Ken McHugh is his best - a slick productionjob that takes his electronics into the mainstream The Mayo-man has the commercial nous of
Moby - they both share the same agent Regular cohorts Cathy Davey and Carol Keogh provide the vocals and are intypically fine form. A chill-out record par excellence.

SPECTRE&CROWN
The Jimmy Cake
Once more lauded than they really deserved, the instrumental Dublin-based collective finally came good with 'The Spectre and the Crown', their third album Minimalist one moment, multi-layered the next, there's real beauty here, as well as - whisper it-tunes.

Download: Passion Pit remix winners



Earlier this month Passion Pit had a contest looking for artists to remix their excellent 'Sleepyhead'. White Sirens of Burr and Wallpaper were the two winners. LOL BOYS, Elijah Beat Generation and Clack Singles Club were runners-up.

You can download them all, and check out some photos of the celebratory gig here:
http://www.fotpnyc.com/blog/?p=154