Album News: Handsome Furs - Face Control

Announcement of announcements, Handsome Furs are set to release a new album in february. Face Control will be unleashed on the world on February 3rd, 2009. If you heard Plague Park last year, you'll know exactly what to expect from this Wolf Parade side-project. And if you don't, check out the video down below.

Tracklisting:
01 Legal Tender
02 Evangeline
03 Talking Hotel Arbat Blues
04 (Passport Kontrol)
05 All We Want, Baby, Is Everything
06 I'm Confused
07 (White City)
08 Nyet Spasiba
09 Officer of Hearts
10 (It's Not Me, It's You)
11 Thy Will Be Done
12 Radio Kaliningrad

Watch 'Can't Get Started':

Album News: Bon Iver - Blood Bank EP

At last, some new Bon Iver material. It's been like, what, a year, since he released For Emma. That said, even though it first came out in 2007, expect it to feature on 60% of Best of 2008 lists. Justin Vernon's new EP, Blood Bank will be released on January 19th, 2009, and features just four songs.

Blood Bank Tracklisting:
01 Blood Bank
02 Beach Baby
03 Babys
04 Woods

Stream: Fiction Family - When She's Near

Fiction Family, formerly The Real Sean Jon, are Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek and Jon Foreman from Switchfoot. They release their self-titled debut album on January 20th, 2009.

And now finally we have a real taste of what to expect, as 'When She's Near' has been posted on their MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/fictionfamily

Setlist: Bell X1, Vicar Street, Dublin, 11 November 2008

Thanks to Fergus for the setlist for Bell x1's latest show on home soil, where they pulled out a few new songs (those with the asterisks). Fergus also posted up a nice little review, which can be read on his blog, Seeking His Face.

Pinball Machine
Just Like Mr. Benn
Rocky Took a Lover
How Your Heart is Wired*
The Great Defector*
My First Born For a Song
Blowins*
Bad Skin Day
One Stringed Harp*
The Ribs of A Broken Umbrella*
Flame
Amelia*
Eve, The Apple of my Eye
-----------------------
Next to You
Is That All There Is?*
I'll See Your Heart and I'll Raise You Mine

Live: Sam Sparro at the Academy

"Black and Gold, Black and Gold..." Now it's going to be in your head all day.

How does he pull of those glasses? I bought a pair for a joke, and you should see the state of me in them. Oh Jesus.

Sam Sparro will play Dublin's Academy on December 10th, 2008. Yes, there's still gigs this year being announced. Tickets are on sale now at a price of €26.

Setlist: McFly, RDS, Dublin, 11 November 2008

Before you read any more, i would like to point out that I was not in attendance at this show. Nor do I know of anyone who was.

Setlist:
5 Colours In Her Hair
Obviously
That Girl
Room On The Third Floor
All About You
Star Girl
Transylvania
Lies
One For The Radio
Everybody Knows
Do Ya
Falling In Love
POV
Currupted
Going Through The Motions
The Last Song
Black Or White (Michael Jackson)

'5 Colours' at the Point:

Album News: Franz Nicolay - Major General

That's right, not Franz Ferdinand, but Franz Nicolay of The Hold Steady is set to release an album in 2009. He' best known for his moustache, but equally known for busting out some sweet, sweet jams.

The album will be called Major General, is produced by THS produced James Frazee, and is set to drop on January 13th, 2009

Major General:
01 Jeff Penalty [ft. Demander]
02 Hey Dad!
03 World/Inferno Vs. The End of the Evening
04 Dead Sailors
05 Do We Not Live in Dreams?
06 Confessions of an Ineffective Casanova
07 Note on a Subway Wall
08 Quiet Where I Lie
09 Nightratsong
10 X-Games
11 This World Is an Open Door
12 Cease-Fire, or, Mrs. Norman Maine
13 I'm Done Singing

Stream: The Killers - Day and Age 30 second clips

30 seconds of a song is better than no song at all. It'll have to do until the album comes out, or at least leaks.

Stream them here:
https://www.i-legalne.cz/jnp/cz/obchod/album/D-DAY-Day_Age.html?cookieCheck=true

Live Review: Cardinals at the Ambassador

My own review is further down, but here I thought I'd mention IndieLimerick's wonderful review, and he also has a download for the bootleg of the show.

See here:
http://indielimerick.blogspot.com/2008/11/ryan-adams-live-ambassdor-theatre_11.html

Check out my own review here:
http://swearimnotpaul.blogspot.com/2008/11/review-ryan-adams-cardinals-ambassador.html

Stream: Story of Hair - Cheap Rate

They were the next big thing in Ireland before Fight Like Apes came along and stole their thunder, and with the release of Cheap Rate, it's easy to see why.

You can stream the whole thing here, as well as read an interview from Ireland's number 1 music lady, Lauren Murphy:
http://entertainment.ie/Music/feature/Interview-with-Story-of-Hair/1/62.htm

Live: Gaslight Anthem at the Academy

Thanks to Lauren and Jim for the info. And what great info. (Sorry for the hiatus yesterday, btw, throat infection. Not fun).

The Gaslight Anthem will finally play Ireland. They come to Dublin's Academy on March 4th, 2009, in what will be one of the gigs of the year.

No ticket details yet, but they're priced at €17.50. If you even half agree with any of my opinions, go to this gig. It'll be fantastic.

Watch 'I'da called you Woody, Joe":

Review: Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, Ambassador Theatre, Dublin, 8 November 2008

A totally different show from last year's sit-down extravaganza at the National Stadium, where the setlist was:

Bartering Lines
Peaceful Valley
Please do not let me go
Cold Roses
Goodnight Rose
Rescue Blues (Ryan on piano)
Why do they leave
When the stars go blue
Everybody knows
Freeway to the Canyon
Shakedown on 9th Street
---
Mockingbird
Beautiful Sorta
Off Broadway
Magnolia Mountain
Dear Chicago
Wildflowers
Ripoff
Blue Sky Blues
The Sun Also Sets
---
Two

This time, with a new album to support, the band was billed as The Cardinals, no sign of Ryan's name on the bill. As a result, Ryan talked a lot less than last year, where he possibly did as much speaking as singing. It was also a much heavier show than last time out, with Ryan jamming away on 'Natural Ghost', like it's a totally different song. Many many highlights from this show, especially songs we didn't get to hear last time out. 'I Thought Myself How to Grow Old' was jaw-dropping, with Ryan pulling off some tremendous solo work. 'Wonderwall' was also a nice little treat, and I definitely wasn't expecting to hear 'Desire'.

The new songs sound so much better live than on the record, 'Crossed Out Name' being a special highlight. And after hearing 'Stop' live, my opinion of it has shot up. It sounds glorious with DRA on piano. One of the new songs which was absent was 'Magick' - which is this album's 'Halloweenhead', and since he has played neither live for me, I'll have to go again. Damn you Ryan!

The encore was yet another high point, bring out 'La Cienega Just Smiled' and 'I See Monsters', two (excuse the pun) monster tracks. Oh, and did I mention 'Come Pick Me Up'? With the crowd singing along (well parts of it), it was beautiful.

Only major negative: no repeat of the amazing Joyce/Rose poster from last year. Guess I'll have to make do with this t-shirt.

(Photo by Martina from www.ryanadamsarchive.com)

Setlist: Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, Ambassador Theatre, Dublin, 8 November 2008

Setlist:
Cobwebs
Everybody Knows
Born into a Light
Please Do Not Let Me Go
Fix It
Natural Ghost
Goodnight Rose
Off Broadway
Wonderwall
I Taught Myself How to Grow Old
Sun Also Sets
Come Pick Me Up
Grand Island (Neal singing)
Go Easy
Sink Ships
Crossed Out Name
Whe the Stars Go Blue
Let it Ride
Desire
Evergreen
Cold Roses
---
Freeway to the Canyon (Neal)
Like Yesterday
La Cienega Just Smiled
Stop
Two
I See Monsters

Live: Yo Majesty at Crawdaddy

Thanks to Lauren on entertainment.ie for the news that Yo Majesty (no, your ma) are set to play Crawdaddy on Harcourt Street (yes, that's where it is) on April 2nd next. It's a while away yet, so no solid ticket details. Expect some soon however, I'll let you know when I hear more.

Live at Coachella:

Live: Girls Aloud at the O2

Get the new album yet? I hear it's their best ever. Well so Heat Magazine tells me!

Nadine "I'd never lie to you Linda, you're my best friend" Coyle and Co. will play Dublin's O2 on May 2nd, 2009.

Tickets for Girls Aloud will be available from Saturday.

I couldn't find the clip from the Irish Popstars when she got kicked out: