Swear I'm not Paul: 17/08/2008

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Friday, August 22, 2008

Album News: Lisa Hannigan - Sea Sew album cover

Lisa Hannigan - Sea Sew album cover art

Not really much more news on this one, but expect to hear tunes from it this weekend at Kingston Hotel and next weekend at Electric Picnic. But anyway, here's the album cover!

Live: The Cardinals (Ryan Adams) at the Ambassador

Ryan Adams Cardinals logo
Big big big big big news for Swear I'm Not Paul. My very own favourite musician, Ryan Adams is playing the Ambassador Theatre on November 8th. Under the guise of his band the Cardinals (with whom Ryan played an excellent National Stadium show last year), the man who releases more music in three months than MTV shows in one year is set to return to our shores to promote new album Cardinals II/IV. And I for one, am very, very excited.

Tickets are on sale next Friday, the 29th, and cost €33.60-€39.60. It's money well spent!

Pre-sale for tickets starts on Wednesday to fanclub members.

This Weekend's Gigs: 22-24 August 2008

I see Lauren over at entertainment.ie has taken a leaf out of my book and started a similar section to this. It's nice to be a trend-setter sometimes!

Friday, 22 August 2008


Owen Brady
The Sugar Club
19:30€13.55
Duke Special
National Concert Hall
20:00€37
Stand
Whelan's
20:00€15

Saturday, 23 August 2008


Damien Dempsey
National Concert Hall
20:00
€35
Lovebox Festival
Marlay Park
14:00€58.80
Seu Jorge
The Purty Kitchen
21:00 €28

Sunday, 24 August 2008

Lisa Hannigan
Kingston Hotel
21:30
Free

Setlist: The Killers, Marlay Park, Dublin, 21 August 2008

The second of their two-night Dublin stint was a much bigger affair, with an all-guns blazing show at Marlay Park. Granted the gig itself was only 70 minutes in length, but when a band only has two albums proper, you shouldn't expect much longer.

For Reasons Unknown
Somebody Told Me
Sweet Talk
Shadowplay
Smile Like You Mean It
Tranquilize
When You Were Young
Under The Gun
Mr. Brightside
Read My Mind
Sam's Town Abbey Road
Spaceman
Bones
----
Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine
This River Is Wild
All These Things That I've Done

(If anyone has the Bloc Party setlist for Marlay Park, please email it to me at swearimnotpaul@gmail.com Thanks)

Album Review: Monkey – Journey to the West

Monkey - Journey to the West album cover art

First let me get this out of the way: Monkey is no Gorilla(z). It’s from the same species, but far from the same animal. Gorillaz is strong and powerful, obvious, yet vastly interesting. Monkey is more complex, long and stringy in comparison, and takes careful observation as well as a meticulous attention span.

The soundtrack for Monkey: Journey to the West from Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett is probably exactly what I expected, while at the same time being nothing like I imagined. Everyone knows Albarn can sometimes have a love for the more obscure aspects of music (look at his ninety million ongoing projects), and seeks to bring this stuff to the mainstream. Luckily for this album, he’s a well known figure, because without his celebrity, this vanity project would sell few.

The album is not without its moments (I base this review solely on the music, not the theatre show or the excellent BBC Olympics intro), but like you’d expect from Monkey, it’s all over the place. Where it works is when the songs are left as instrumentals, such as ‘Into the Eastern Sea’, ‘Out of the Eastern Sea’, and ‘I Love Buddha’.
Some of the songs with vocals are a bit above so-so (‘Monkey Bee’), but songs like ‘Confessions of a Pig’ would have been so much better without the vocals. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not impartial to a bit of oriental singing (I even have some Final Fantasy soundtracks), but in some places, ‘Confessions of a Pig’ especially, the vocals here sound more like barks than music.

In the context, this music probably works so much better. You would need to see the stage show to truly appreciate it. However, us in Ireland are unlikely to see Monkey appearing at the Gaiety anytime soon. A DVD version will probably be released from the show. But as of now, I can only base my review on the soundtrack, and unfortunately this time, Albarn has missed the mark. Some soundtracks still work excellently as stand-alone products (like the Atonement and Jurassic Park OSTs), but sadly without Monkey See, there’s not too much to Monkey Do.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Live: The Killers, The Academy, Dublin, 20 August 2008

A nice little warm-up for their Marley Park gig tonight. Save journeys to anyone who's going. Last night's show was more intimate than usual and the band played a storm to the adoring fans lucky enough to snatch tickets.

Reasons Unknown
Somebody Told Me
Shadowplay
Sweet Talk
Bones
Tranquilize
When you were young
Under the gun
River
Sam's Town
Smile like you mean it
Read my mind
Spaceman
Mr. Brightside
----
Jenny was a friend of mine
Neon tiger
All these things

Watch 'Somebody Told Me' from last night:

Setlist: Metallica, Marlay Park, Dublin, 20 August 2008

This setlist isn't in the right order, so if anyone has corrections, please email them to swearimnotpaul@gmail.com Thanks guys

Creeping Death
For whom the bell tolls
Ride the Lightning
The memory remains
Sanitarium
Cyanide
...And justice for all
The four horsemen
Fade to black
Master of puppets
Whiskey in the jar
Nothing else matters
Sad but true
One
Enter sandman
-------------
Last caress
So what
Seek and destroy

Thanks to Colin and Clint for corrections.

Live: Lovebox Stage Times Announced

Many of you are of to Marley Park this weekend (or maybe this week, Killers, Metallica, Lenny Kravitz and all), so here's the timetable for the Lovebox festival:

MAIN STAGE TIMES
21.50 MAXIMO PARK
20.20 N*E*R*D*
19.05 PAOLO NUTINI
17.55 KID CREOLE & THE COCONUTS
16.50 THE METROS
15.45 PLAIN WHITE T'S
14.45 DAS POP
14.00 RGB’S

WAREHOUSE STAGE TIMES
19.30 GORILLAZ SOUND SYSTEM
18.15 ARVEENE
17.30 FILTHY DUKES
16.15 MEN IN MASKS
15.30 DETBOI
14.45 MIKI DEE
14.00 CHEMISTRY DJ'S

STOCKADE STAGE TIMES
20.10 TIMMY STEWART
19.20 AL KEEGAN
18.30 SPLITLOOP LIVE
17.45 JOHNNY MOY
17.00 AL GIBBS
16.15 PSYCATRON AKA PAUL HAMMIL
15.30 CHEWY
14.45 MARK ALLTON
14.00 JEV NEILAN

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Stream: TV on the Radio - 'Golden Age'

TV on the Radio - Dear Science

In anticipation of the new album Dear Science,, I've got two treats for you. The exquisite album cover, above, and also I'm here to tell you to visit their myspace to hear new track 'Golden Age'.

A note on that album cover, I thought the comma was meant to be part of the album title? Did you lie, or is that a fake? Hmmm.

Stream 'Golden Age' here:
http://www.myspace.com/tvotr

RIP: Ronnie Drew, Leroi Moore

I was never the biggest fan of the Dubliners. It was more the kind of music my Dad listened to. But I respected Ronnie Drew as a man. I had seen him on the Late Late Show a good few times - it was staple viewing in my house, and perhaps the only thing I was allowed to watch post 9.00. I would convince my parents to let me watch the news on school nights, not because I wanted to see it, but just so I could stay up. Now I think I was better off in bed.

Ronnie Drew was an inspiration to many, he probably directly caused the careers of other musicians. Damien Dempsey is one such musician who acknowledges this. But from all those scant fleeting appearances of Drew from my childhood, I knew the music. I even felt like I knew the man. And he will be sadly missed by all.

Ronnie Drew 1934-2008


I woke up this morning to read that the saxophonist in the Dave Matthews Band - the band of my adolescence, and the adolescence of millions of Americans (not so many Irish) - has died following his admittance to hospital due to a quadbike (ATV) crash.

Moore was 46 and one of the founding and ever-present members of DMB. This is the band I embraced as a teenager, when everyone else here was all about Linkin Park and Eminem. They were the band I moved on to from Counting Crows. They were the band, that essentially, shaped my musical existence. And now, it feels like I've lost a little bit of that.

I never met the man himself, but I did see him twice on stage - once in New York and once in Dublin - and no-one who has seen Dave Matthews Band live can argue that he wasn't one of the best saxophonists of recent years. He gave DMB an extra dimension - the brass sound about them maybe made them unique for me. Dave Matthews Band were my band. Leroi was my saxophonist. And now he's gone.

LeRoi Moore - 1961-2008

Download: Dan Black - 'These Things Take Time'

After the success of the single 'HYPNTZ' (which I posted here a month or so back, you can still download it), Dan Black is releasing an entire album of his excellent sampling. Dan was recently featured on the Zane Lowe radio show, so if that's not a sign of things to come, I don't know what is. This guy could be massive!

The album HYPNTZ will be released on August 25th, so not long to go now. But to whet your appetite for it, here's another tune taken from it, 'These Things Take Time':

Dan Black - 'These Things Take Time'

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Stream: The Walkmen - You & Me

The Walkmen antlers cover
Could well be one of the albums of the year, well it'll be in a good many Year End Best of lists anyway. Probably not mine, but I know many people who love the Walkmen, and who will love this record.

Like the Glen Campbell record below, you can stream this one in full at AOL Spinner:
http://spinner.aol.com/artists/new-releases-full-cds?defaultTab=6

That'll keep you occupied until you actually buy the albums. Or else the new Oasis leaks. Hopefully the latter.

Stream: Glen Campbell - Meet Glen Campbell

Country music brings the rawk. So often. So, so often. Well, not so much the rawk, but it does give me an excuse to wear my stetson and spurs. Glen Campbell will always be a legend. Thus he's allowed to cover any artist he damn well likes.

As you may have read in an earlier post, he's got everyone from U2 to the Foo Fighters on here.

And until this Sunday (the 24th), you can stream the entire album here:
http://music.aol.com/songs/new_releases_full_cds?defaultTab=3

Also watch a little trailer here:

Watch: Oasis - 'Shock of the Lightning'

Oasis - Shock of the Lightning cover
Unfortunately I can't embed this, so you're going to have to follow the link, but I doubt you mind, when it's the exclusive new video for upcoming Oasis single 'Shock of the Lightning':
http://front.xstream.dk/eb/customers/eb/mediamaker_player.php?id=15405

Album News: Bloc Party - Intimacy

Bloc Party - Intimacy album covert art

Another case of follow in the footsteps of Radiohead/Raconteurs/NIN/whoever, with the official announcement for Bloc Party's third album Intimacy. Last night during a webchat it was announced that their new album will be available for download August 21st (this Thursday), with a physical release to come October 27th. Fans who wait for the CD/Vinyl will be treated to some extra songs.

The press release claims: "Some songs are Bloc Party at their most wildly experimental, while other tracks are simply classic Bloc Party, fitting in seamlessly amongst fan-favourites 'Helicopter', 'Banquet' and 'So Here We Are'."

I do not want new experimental stuff if their recent single 'Mercury' is anything to go by. Stick to what you're good at lads. Anyway, we'll all get to hear how good it is in just two days.

Tracklist:
01. Ares
02. Mercury
03. Halo
04. Biko
05. Trojan Horse
06. Signs
07. One Month Off
08. Zephyrus
09. Better Than Heaven
10. Ion Square

P.S. Hopefully 'Biko' is half a cover of 'Biko Biko'!

Monday, August 18, 2008

Live: Death Cab for Cutie at the Ambassador

Ok so, we haven't got a new Postal Service album since Give Up, or any Postal Service material for that matter. But 2008 did bring us new Dntel and new Death Cab for Cutie. We'll just have to take that.

The new DCFC album Narrow Stairs has one of my favourite album covers this year, and the music itself isn't too bad either. 'Cath' and 'Long Division' are among the band's finest songs. Nothing for me will touch The Photo Album though, not even Transatlanticism.

Death Cab bring their OC-endorsed rock to Dublin's Ambassador Theatre on November 13th. No info on ticket prices yet. But I'll let you know.

EDIT: Tickets on sale Friday Week, August 22nd.

Stream: David Byrne and Brian Eno - Everything That Happens

David Byrne and Brian Eno
Don't want to bother buying the record? Waiting for the download? Well wait no more, because now you can stream the entirety of the brabd-spanking-new-oh-my-God-amazing Brian Eno and David Byrne album Everything That Happens Will Happen Today on the album's official website, here:
http://www.everythingthathappens.com/

Enjoy!

Album News: The Killers - Day and Age (Rolling Stone article)

Why should I type out info when I can just get a scan from a magazine? Thanks to Mark (in capital letters) for this scan.

Click to enlarge:

Album News: Dido - New Album

Dido
While the impending release of a Dido album would not really be huge news for most (my girlfriend included), one thing makes this piece newsworthy.

Before I get to that, a big thanks to Chris for keeping things alive while I was on holidays. What a trip!

Anyhow, this new Dido album, which does not have a title yet, is being produced by the one and only Jon Brion. Everything he does is wonderful. Pity he wouldn't make a follow-up to Meaningless though!

The album is due out November 4th, and features guest appearances from her brother Rollo (from Faithless), ?uestlove (from the Roots), Mick Fleetwood, and other uber-producer Brian Eno.

To promote all of this, first single 'Don't Believe in Love' is released online on September 9th. Expect it to be big!