Night on my Side

With her debut, co-produced by ex-Frames man Dave Odlum and Flaming Lips/Mercury Rev knob twiddler Dave Fridmann, Tipperary girl and Whelan’s alumnette Gemma Hayes managed to make an album of two distinct personalities that perfectly mirrored and complemented each other – rootsy stuff (‘Day One’ and the wonderful ‘I Ran For Miles’) and shiny avant pop nuggets (‘Back of My Hand’, ‘Hangin’Around’). Okay, maybe three personalities, if you count the melding of both styles into a sort of tranced-out MBV folk-rock drone (‘Tear In My Side’, ‘Lucky Bird’). Night On My Side was an album of Chinese boxes, secret compartments, and intricate stitching all done in the most comely cowgirl voice.

No 42 in 2009, as voted for by over 200 Irish musicians. Up from No 74 in 2004.