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

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

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

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

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

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: