Author Archives: Gene

Tom Waits-Closing Time

  This is going to be a hard one. Or very easy..this is one of my favourite albums of all time so I’m either going to wander into how much I love it or get mumbled along the way. Tom Waits debut ‘Closing Time’ is one of those perfectly aged yet never old albums aboutContinue reading “Tom Waits-Closing Time”

The xx- Berlin 25.02.17

When my girlfriend and I heard The xx had a new tour coming up to support the release of ‘I See You‘, we couldn’t wait to get our hands on some tickets. Trouble was, they didn’t announce an Irish gig (sad face). However, that wasn’t going to stop us and the chance to travel and […]

Director-We Thrive On Big Cities

Remember Director? They were an Irish band who released two albums before splitting, the debut We Thrive On Big Cities in 2006 and the follow up I’ll Wait For Sound in 2009. They came around at a time when the Irish music industry was making a name for itself, with the likes of The Coronas, DavidContinue reading “Director-We Thrive On Big Cities”

Tracks Of The Week- Bruce Springsteen- One Step Up & New York City Serenade

Two Bruce Springsteen songs I can’t stop listening to. 14 years between them and he was still as good a songwriter as the day he started. ‘One Step Up’ was written during his first marriage which was unsuccessful and the lyrics explain what he might have felt was happening at the time. ‘New York CityContinue reading “Tracks Of The Week- Bruce Springsteen- One Step Up & New York City Serenade”

Joy Division- Unknown Pleasures

Joy Division’s debut ‘Unknown Pleasures‘ is regarded by some as one of the best albums ever released.  When I first heard it I was in awe of the sound and feel of the album largely down to Ian Curtis presence. I was brought to the album through comparisons people had made between the music ofContinue reading “Joy Division- Unknown Pleasures”

Arctic Monkeys- Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not

This was one of the first albums I loved and played over and over. I was the perfect age for it,16, and at the beginning of so many of the stories the Arctic Monkeys tell in this album. So, I related to that but also to the music. The Kooks sang about much the sameContinue reading “Arctic Monkeys- Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not”

Future Island- Singles

  Future Islands are an American synth-pop band and ‘Singles’ was released in 2014. It was their fourth album and they have a new one coming out soon. The success and rise of the album was due in part to their appearance on ‘The Late Show With David Letterman’ where they played a rousing single, ‘Seasons’, leadContinue reading “Future Island- Singles”