Amusing Grace

We start this issue with news of my new favourite band New Amusement. The Dublin four-piece have been generating quite a buzz with their very fine single ‘Gone To Sea’ and more sonic treats are on their way in the form of the wonderful mini-album, Any Port In A Storm due on April 25 on Any Other City Records. To tide you over until then you can catch them upstairs in Anseo on March 27 and in The Sugar Club on April 11…
Theo and the Red Beats have just released their debut album Get What You Came For on their own No Biting label. The band comprises Theo (Terry Quinlan) and the Red Beats, ex-Jump The Gun men Peter Eades and Brian O’Reilly. Peter, who has previously worked with Thin Lizzy, The Four Of Us, Christy Moore and Clannad also produced the confection. The album features vocal contributions from Conor Mullen (Soldier Soldier and Holby City) and Fiona Bell (Trainspotting) on the spoken-word track ‘Barfly Hustle’. The debut single ‘This Is Not An Emergency’ was chosen amongst 30 finalists in the Rock Category at the 2008 International Songwriting Competition in Nashville where judges included Tom Waits, Robert Smith and Ray Davies. Very impressive!
News from Steafán Hanvey next: you can check out his new video clip ‘Desperation (Failed In Loving You)’ at www.vimeo.com/679119. It was shot in Helsinki and is the last release from his debut Steafán Hanvey And The Honeymoon Junkies album. Work is already well under way on the follow-up, Steafán reports that the first studio session in Helsinki last November went very well. It is being produced by Léo Fourastie and features Ken and Carl Papenfus of Relish, Jukka Jylli of Finnish cult band Kingston Wall and Canadian songstress Janine Stoll...
Dublin/Kildare indie rockers Bright Light Fiasco have just announced a run of live dates this April in support of their second single ‘A New Way Of Living’. Recorded in Redlab studios with Rooster from TwinKranes, the new track is darker than previous work, marking a shift in style for the band whose debut single ‘Red Sky This Morning’ was a top 40 hit last year.
The new release is available nationwide and online at downloadmusic.ie and iTunes from April 25. Check hotpress.com for live details.
Singer-songwriter Owen Brady has announced a slew of live dates in support of debut album Prepare To Be Happy due on April 4, and third single ‘Angry’ to be released on March 21. The long-player was recorded in London with Andrew Hale, who has produced Corrine Bailey Rae and Burt Bacharach...
Drogheda’s finest The Keds have released another single from their acclaimed Cloaks And Daggers album. ‘No Sense In It’ is available as a download from www.myspace.com/thekeds or by texting MUSIC395 to 57501. This is the follow-up to acoustic romp ’27 Years’…
Derry blues-punksters The Q have released their debut single ‘Powder Rooms’ on Sting & Shill Records. In the two years they've been together they've built up a strong live following, participated in the final of the ATL Rockschool and shared the stage with northern luminaries Oppenheimer…
Joe Chester releases his second album, The Tiny Pieces Left Behind, on his own label on April 18. Following on from 2005’s very fine A Murder Of Crows, fans can expect a blissful selection of warm melodies and top notch tunesmithery. Check hotpress.com for live dates.

For live updates tune into The Last Splash, Sunday nights 8-10, with Alison Curtis on Today FM
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