Ticking All The Boxes

There’s something remarkably potent about the chemistry of trios… The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Police, early Lizzy, Cream. When the players are at the top of their game and the songs are the dog’s bollocks, it makes it even more special!
Not to saddle them with lofty comparisons but Dublin rockers The Minutes fall into this category. The outfit have just signed to leading Irish independent label Model Citizen Records and are about to unleash their debut single, ‘Black Keys’ on March 25.
It was recorded at Marcata Studios in upstate New York with production duties by the band and Kevin McMahon of The Walkmen and Titus Andronicus repute. John Goodmanson of Nada Surf, Fight Like Apes and Blood Brothers fame took care of mixing duties.
Since the mid-noughties the garage rock combo have built up a strong fanbase and have support slots to Supergrass, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and The Phantom Band under their belts.
We can’t wait for debut album Marcata in May...
In other single news, Yngve and The Innocent follow 2010’s ‘Nothing Was Delivered’ with impending single ‘Draw A Line’, which blends influences such as The Band, Bob Dylan and Tom Waits into a potent folk/blues cocktail. German-born Yngve grew up in Sligo and developed a love of music listening to his father’s weekly blues sessions. In 2008 he formed his band The Innocent who have shared the stage with acts such as Katell Keineg, Treetop Flyers, Television Personalities and Paul Weller and wowed crowds at The Belfast Arts Festival, Castlepalooza and a BBC Showcase at the London Thames Festival. Yngve features in the next Communion event on March 25 in the Grand Social, Dublin alongside The Hot Sprockets, Arrow In The Sky and Rachel Austin. Kassette, Matt Corby, Kowalski and We Cut Corners cooked up an aural storm there recently. The imminent bash promises to be of equal excellence.
Dublin acoustic rock combo The Hot Sprockets are already getting ready for festival season with dates announced for the Sibín shindig and Vantastival. Virginian Rachel Austin is poised to unleash her second EP Age Of Love this Spring as are Mullingar duo Arrow In The Sky whose follow-up to the beguiling Do What Thou Wilt should be with us shortly…
On another Westmeath note Hogan have been stirring up quite a storm in the UK leaving a trail of positive press in their wake. The outfit head out on the road soon and dates include a 20-night stint playing support to Jody Has A Hit List...
Meath neighbours Youth Mass have just played a stonking show in Crawdaddy with the rather excellent Zombie Cops. Following the plaudits heaped on debut EP Misanthropy – Steve Lamacq is a fan you know! – the band are making top track ‘Tony Don’t You Worry’ available as a free download. The nugget is culled from recent EP Mood Swings which was produced by Shane Cullen (K9 Studio)…
Electro-poppers Sleep Thieves are preparing for the release of highly-anticipated long-player Heart Waves on April 6 but before then they’ll be treating us to 7” taster ‘5am, November 6th’, available from Bandcamp from February 25. It was recorded and mixed by Ciaran Bradshaw who already has Dark Room Notes, Miracle Bell and O Emperor on his CV…
The very wonderful Popical Island Collective have announced the release of the debut Yeh Deadlies album, The First Book Of Lessons, which will be launched in the Shebeen Chic, Dublin on April 1.
Band members Annie, Padraig, Jonny Fun and Dave Green are all founders of the collective and will be known to many for their delightful recent offering The Dead Living EP. And Annie and Padraig you may know from Tieranniesaur. We can’t wait…
March 18 marks the release of ‘The Busker’ from Dubliners TKO, taken from the forthcoming Keystone EP. Since their birth two years ago the troupe have shared the stage with The Frames, The Wailers, The Waterboys, Martha Wainwright, Mercury Rev and Damien Dempsey. The band have just been confirmed for this year’s Vantastival in May and West Fest in June alongside Imelda May, Republic Of Loose and a host of others…