Stephen Murphy used to be one of the guitarists with Dublin band Rollerskate Skinny. For his latest project he has toned things down a little, replacing the scorching chords with playful electronics and Caroline Lee Bakers tender vocals. Their debut album ‘Kindness’ came out in 2004 to critical acclaim and was followed up by the ‘Satellite’ EP this March. ‘Empire’ is taken from the debut and is a sufficiently classy to have you swaying like a field of barley, not in a soccer mom type of way, more like an indie snob who knows what is good for ears. The Radio were recently featured on the US TV Series ‘Gray’s Anatomy’ so it appears as if their stock is rising with each subsequent release. KD

The Radio - Empire

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Kindness [US] Kindness
Year: 2004

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With all this football I hardly know what month it is, let alone the day. So in the spirit of the moment here is a song for each one of them, some have tenuous links as you'll discover but let’s just put this down to blogeotic license. KD


January - Contact Light
Buy January's: [UK] I Heard Myself in You [US] I Heard Myself In You

On! Air! Library! - Feb.
Buy On! Air! Library's: [UK] On Air Library [US] On!Air!Library!

Marching Band - Letters
Buy Marching Band's: Marching Band EP

Talk Talk - April 5th
Buy: [UK] The Very Best of Talk Talk [US] The Very Best of Talk Talk

The Eighteenth Day Of May - Hide And Seek
Buy: [UK] The Eighteenth Day of May [US] The Eighteenth Day of May

The Like - June Gloom
Buy the Like's: [UK] Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking? [US] Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking?

Galaxie 500 - Fourth Of July
Buy Galaxie 500's: [UK] This Is Our Music [US] This Is Our Music

Band Of Horses - St. Augustine
Buy Band Of Horses's: [UK] Everything All the Time [US] Everything All the Time

Fiona Apple - Pale September
Buy Fiona Apple's: [UK] Tidal [US] Tidal

Belong - October Language
Buy Belong's: [UK] October Language [US] October Language

P:ano - All Of November...
Buy P:ano's: [UK] Brigadoon [US] Brigadoon

The Slip - Children Of December
Buy the Slip's: [UK] Angels Come on Time [US] Angels Come on Time


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The 4 Of Us were perhaps the first Irish pop band that I can remember that produced music without resorting to chart fodderness. They were 4 lads from the North who plucked their guitars with sweet precision while Brendan Murphy wrapped his tongue around the sweetest of harmonies on classics such as ‘Mary’ and ‘Washington Down’. The 4 Of Us never broke outside of Ireland so it is left to bands like the Rags who have a similar gift to forage in faraway lands. The Rags greatest achievement to date has been their masterful ‘Monster And I’ single and its promo (which takes shots at, heaven forgive them, their holinesses the Thrills). ‘Model Citizen’ is taken from their debut EP ‘Me And The Moon’ released in 2004 and is sufficiently jaunty to have you dancing around your sitting room in your underwear. Feck the neighbours, open the windows and let the world share in its preciousness. The six-piece are currently wrapping up their debut album with the ubiquitous (but much undervalued puppy love bomb) Marc Carolan in the sumptuous surroundings of Grouse Lodge studios Co. Westmeath. KD

The Rags - Model Citizen

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Some Musical Riches: Me & The Moon/Monster & I EP's
Year: 2004 & 2005

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Sometimes a rough around the edges production can be attractive if there is something alluring lurking in the shadows. Take the Contrail’s ‘Prime Ideals’ as an example; this is the sound of a scratched together demo yet Erin Czech sings so purposely he becomes the object of the listener’s affections despite the cesspit of noise in the background. Add to this a flagrantly beautiful chime fest near the end and what you have is a tune so endowed with wonderfulness that it’s worth having some riled up neighbours as you play it at full tilt. That is the magic of the Contrail, they leave you gasping in their slipstream and long after your journey together has ended you’ll be feasting on the memories. ‘Prime Ideals’ is taken from the bands 2000 album ‘Correspondence School’ released on Turn Records. KD

The Contrail - Prime Ideals

More Info: The Contrail
Buy Album: Correspondence School
Year: 2000

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Ploughing the same territory both musically and physically as Grandaddy Built Like Alaska have slipped rather gently into the night. Despite releasing a sophomore album of real worth in 2005 their stock has hardly raised a jot. This means that mini classics such as ‘Random Car’ have fallen through the world’s collective fingers. A couple of years back Modesto underwent a flurry of activity as labels scoured the dusty streets for the next Grandaddy. Built Like Alaska proved to be a particularly good fit. Neil Jackson is the chief songwriter and it’s hard not to hear Jason Lytle’s voice in his outpourings. The band itself has a kooky edge, displaying flitting organs and chiming chords in spades. Perhaps if Built Like Alaska had appeared from the slopes of the Alps they could have shaken the nagging second best band in Modesto tag (but they’re from Oakland) and have infiltrated a million stereos by now. KD

Built Like Alaska - Random Car

More Info: Built Like Alaska
Buy Album: [UK] Autumnland [US] Autumnland
Year: 2005

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Ok, enough of this backseat music for all the family. How about some glass shattering dynamism from one of Dublin’s forgotten bands? There are definite nods to My Bloody Valentine in Rollerskate Skinny’s epic ‘Horsedrawn Wishes’ (no doubt aided by Kevin Shields brother Jimi on guitar!). The band were led by the impressive mop topped Ken Griffin and bundled so much noise above what was often exquisite tuneage that it could initially be quite abrasive. The live experience was especially so, Rollerskate Skinny are the only band I’ve seen live where I had to retreat backwards to avoid ear perforation (although Mogwai have since come close). Thankfully Griffin has resurfaced several times in acts of un-Shields like adventure. His new band are based in NYC and are called Favourite Sons (praise be for european spelling). Included here is ‘Hang On Girl’ from their soon to be released debut album. While not as richly endowed as Griffin’s previous work it fairly spins by with assured confidence proving that there is life in the old dog yet. KD

Rollerskate Skinny - Swingboat Yawning

Favourite Sons - Hang On, Girl

More Info: Rollerskate Skinny & Favourite Sons
Buy Album: [UK] Horse Drawn Wishes [US] Horsedrawn Wishes
Year: 1996 - 2006

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Becky Stark is the voice behind the Lavender Diamond project from Los Angelus. And boy does she come out with all the laurels on the opening track from the bands debut EP ‘The Cavalry Of Light’. ‘You Broke My Heart’ is as fragile as cracked china but draws strength from the super glue that is Stark’s gently building falsetto. The music is minimal, understated and ably plays second fiddle to the singers state of heartbrokenness. There is a creeping feeling of the season of goodwill with a drifting reindeer bell but memories of Christmas past count for little as Stark’s emotions are run through her boyfriend’s organ shredder. ‘You Broke My Heart’ is at once utterly unique and compelling, so some credit must be awarded to the bastard of the piece. KD

Lavender Diamond - You Broke My Heart

More Info: Lavender Diamond
Buy the EP: The Cavalry Of Light
Year: 2005

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Bardi Johannsson is a TV star in his home country of Iceland. For the rest of us its the way he sings with the fey wonder of Mew’s Jonas Bjerre that matters. Perhaps, a whole album of gloriously styled slow tempos might be a bit too much to bear but once in a while it's nice to surrender to songs like ‘It’s Alright’. Sparse save for an acoustic guitar, a shaking maracas and Johannsson’s shimmering harmonies ‘It’s Alright’ does take its time to befriend, in fact I went several months between listens but the return proved the luxuriousness of the montage. Too copped on for coffee table yet reassuringly sedated this will either enslave your senses or have you rushing another entry to your recycle bin. KD

Bang Gang - It's Alright

More Info: Bang Gang
Buy Album: Something Wrong
Year: 2003

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Hey, what’s this? A drummer (from Comets On Fire) called Utrillo Kushner decides it’s high time he stepped out of the shadows and record what has been going on in his mind for a decade. The fact that he can play a mean piano obviously helps but 'Acapulco Roughs' also casts a knowing eye on the vagaries of life. Kushner has that gift of creating songs that initially sound happy but on closer inspection bear a deep melancholy, sort of like what Grandaddy were up to. A breezy brass is what elevates ‘Just Like A Mademoiselle’ but there is much to savour in Kushner’s elegant tinkling and slightly ironic words. Much of the reviews of ‘Acapulco Roughs’ extol its 70’s stylings but I can’t for the life of me spot it. This is contemporary indiepop with a sussed personality and a warm heart. KD

Colossal Yes - Just Like A Mademoiselle

More Info: Colossal Yes
Buy Album: [UK] Acapulco Roughs [US] Acapulco Roughs
Year: 2006

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