Archive for the Hy-Giy Category

Review: Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Steel Panther – Live @ The MEN Arena, Manchester (December 11th 2011)

Posted in Gig Review, Hy-Giy, INTO-NOISE!, Music with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 1, 2012 by Tickets There

Tickets There kept the head down majorly last year, but you didn’t think we’d miss one of the greatest touring line-ups in living history did you? The heroic conquering heroes Def Leppard, the filthiest grime and sleaze you can scrape off the streets of LA (Steel Panther :p) and the tided up and looking great Mötley Crüe all under the same roof! Not something to be missed no matter how far you have to travel.

Anyone that’s ever been to the MEN arena knows two things. First, it’s massive! Entering at the top level and walking down those oh so fun steps in the dark with thousands of people behind you is no fun whatsoever; but if fills you with plenty of adrenaline that can be doused with pints. Second, there’s no smoking….officially. What happens in the toilets, stays in the toilets. Aside from that, it’s easily one of the greatest venues in the U.K. with plenty of bars, merch stands, standing room and incredible sound. Walking in at the obnoxiously early time of 18:30, it’s strange to see the arena so full, but then again Steel Panther are already on stage and nobody wants to miss this.

Opening with ‘Supersonic Sex Machine’ from their new album, Balls Out, Steel Panther are on fire from the word go. While some felt their tongue in cheek take on metal wouldn’t wash with the English crowd (I cannot fathom where that idea came from) it seems Panther know what they’re doing no matter where they play. ‘Tomorrow Night’,’ Asian Hooker’ and ’Just Like Tiger Woods’ gain them a rapturous response from the crowd and an understood, open invite to return to the UK anytime they choose; but the night’s over yet. Their onstage banter, led by guitarist Satchel, and riff heavy tracks are the perfect entertainment to kick off a night of hair metal. The group close with the classic ballad ‘Community Property’, ‘17 Girls In A Row’ and the almighty giant, ‘Death to All but Metal’ and it’s oh so appropriate line, “Where is Def Leppard, Where is Motley Crue?”…well they’re backstage ”fucking groupies” according to singer Michael Starr. With the group earning “literally hundreds of pounds” to play this tour and their promotion over Reckless Love in the spandex genre, no doubt they’ll come back for more in 2012.

With the novelty side of the night over, it’s time for the first of our two headliners to lay the marker, throw the gauntlet and blow our heads off! Mötley Crüe explodes onstage with all the fire, energy and power they’re known for. ‘Wild Side’ (the greatest drinking song in their repertoire), ‘Saints of Los Angeles’ (proof they still know how to write bitchin’ tracks) and ‘Live Wire’ open the show. Nikki Sixx, Vince Neil, Tommy Lee and the great Mick Mars all shine on stage with Vince and Nikki covering every inch of the stage, Mick holding his own with the fans and on guitar; and of course, Tommy the legend overshadowing all of them from behind his kit. How does he do it? Well you gotta be blonde to find that out. In every possible way, everyone in attendance tonight knows they’re witnessing one of the most iconic bands in rock music at their best.

 ‘Shout At The Devil’ boosts a mass sing along from the crows with arms raised, explosions from the stage and pounding on the bass. ‘S.O.S.’ and the awesome ‘Primal Scream’ keep the adrenaline going before the band convene around a grand piano for a stripped back rendition of ‘Home Sweet Home’ before re-launching the action with ‘Looks That Kill’. Taking a break, the band retires back stage to let Tommy begin his drum solo and did we mention….. his drum was set up on a rollercoaster track? Oh Yeah! Tommy kicks off his solo as standard before the whole kit starts to roll to the left and right of the track before going into full 360° action without a single beat being missed. Slowing down, Tommy asks for volunteers from the audience to come up, eventually catching one bewildered looking lady who gets strapped in and flown off as Tommy drums the beat from the Chilli Pepper’s ‘Love Roller-coaster’. And we thought Steel panther were meant to have the theatrics! With that, the band return for Mick Mars apocalyptic-solo  before the bands returns for ‘Dr. Feelgood’.

As Crüe’s set comes to an end (still have another band! TT – you’re writing too much nonsense – Ed), Leppard singer, Joe Elliott, walks on stage to present Nikki with a birthday cake and rouse the crowd to sing to him. The set’s closed with ‘Mutherfucker of the Year’,’ Girls, Girls, Girls’ and ‘Smokin’ In The Boys Room’. With one encore of ‘Kickstart My Heart’, the boys are done and the stage is dismantled. While Vince’s voice has never been known for its dominating power in the arena, the sheer force of the band’s sound and incredible wealth of tunes makes them one of the must see bands on the road today. Anytime ye fancy an auld visit to Ireland lads, Tickets There will be waiting.

Now, time for the true Gods of the live arena. The band that sell sex, love and rockin’ out with every note! The one, the only (we’re fans – get over it); Def Leppard! While Panther have the comedy, Crüe have the edge; Leppard will always be the force that pulls it all together and adds so much more. They overcome every single obstacle in the book of ‘Shit things that happen to bands’ and still come out on top every time. They’ve lost members, limbs, fans, popularity and sales and yet here they are, 30+ years after their inception still headlining arenas around the world and breaking new ground with every step. No matter what you say about Def Leppard, they are a true model of how a band stays together, stays successful and comes out ‘winning’ every time.

Leppard kick of their set on a stage that suddenly looks twice as large with ‘Undefeated’ from their new live album, Mirrorball. The band looks every bit in shape and together as they ever have and they waste no time displaying those traits that help them outshine all others in their class. ‘Rocket’, ‘Action’, ‘Make Love Like A Man’ and ‘When Love and Hate Collide’ all lead the traditional route into the heart of their set with Joe Elliott’s voice literally decimating the sound system with its power. Despite the Crüe fans bickering about the true headliners tonight, no-one in the arena can deny that Elliott is knocking Vince Neil out of the park with every note. And it’s not like the rest of the band are taking a break either. ‘Gods of War’, a rare inclusion, sets the night on fire with its powerful riffs, courtesy of Phil and Viv. It’s pounding, yet starkly placed drums (aka – Mr. Rick ‘Thunder God’ Allen) and its incredible wall of backing vocals and heaving bas lines. Step up Mr. Sav. If this isn’t everything you want from a Leppard concert, I don’t know what is!

‘Two Steps Behind’, ‘Bringin’ on the Heartbreak’ and the mega ‘Switch 625’ really lay it home how good the band are sounding these days. It’s obvious the lads are delighted to be playing their first proper UK shows in four years (not including their 2009 and 2011 headlining shows at Download – ahem – Ed) and they’re basking in every minute of it. ‘Hysteria’ and ‘Animal’ follow before the pile drive the set home with the classics ‘Armageddon It’, ‘Photograph’ and ‘Pour Some Sugar On me’. The band scarified ‘Rock of Ages’ for Gods of War, but who’s complaining? Leppard return to the stage to round of an incredibly long but mind-blowing night with ‘Love Bites’ and the always classic, ‘Let’s Get Rocked’. Band happy, Lepp fans happy and Mötley Crüe begrudgingly tipping their hats – it’s a wrap.  After eight shows in five years, TT doesn’t know when we’ll get to see the mighty Lepp again, but one’s things for sure; there will be a next time. ..

….MAD4IT!

 

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HY-GIY?: Berkeley – Hope, Prayers and Bubblegum

Posted in Album Review, Hy-Giy, IRISH NOISE!, Music with tags , , , , , on December 22, 2009 by Tickets There

 

With the ridiculous turnover of bands we see in this country every year, some of the finest are often slipping into the ‘hiatus’ status before slipping away from consciousness altogether. Unfortunately, when it comes to the end of the year and people start their ‘Best Of’ lists, many acts that thrilled hundreds and thousands around the country just a few years before are too often left off in favor for the current ‘act de jour’. One such band is Donegal’s very own, Berkeley.

When Tickets There first started getting down and dirty in the Irish music scene alllllll the way back in naught two (2002), Berkeley were one of the most exciting, talented and promising acts going. Their debut album, Hope Prayers and Bubblegum was released the year before and through repeated appearances supporting some of the bigger acts going, TT was hooked. In terms of energy, the band resembled the same style of ferociousness on stage as the Future Kings of Spain and on record, they sounded like a undiscovered grunge act more than deserving of their chance at the big time. Fans of The Pixies, Nirvana and Big Black, will be surprised to learn that Mr. Steve Albini was sent a copy of the bands demo’s for the album and he instantly agreed to produce the album for the guys. What you have is one of the best Irish albums of the last ten years, maybe more.

Kicking things of is the chaotic, stripped back New Heavy, an obvious nod to the songs working title. New Heavy sounds like someone placed a few random mikes around the room and told the band to go mental. Very similar to At The Drive In’s style, the band shred and roar their way through some blistering moments of well composed anger. The changes and riffs are top of their game and the bands onstage rawness couldn’t be captured any better.  Not to let things down, the band jump right back with Follow Through which starts off as a full on guitar monster before the bands sublime side show’s itself and suddenly the raw, aggressive guitars are replaced with polished melodies and soft vocals. Within seconds the song’s transformed again as the guitars go to full distortion and once again we’re back in full swing.

One Way Out is a much more somber affair. The song’s composition is much grander than the first two numbers. The verse is similar to Follow Through but the chorus attempts to reach another, deeper level making the song one of the more serious styled numbers on the record. A great tune but it quickly fades away when you hear the funk fueled bass line opening of Explanations. This is a number that’s alot more radio friendly than the previous numbers and the overall production is much tighter during the heavier moments.

Ah hell, buy this album. Tickets There ain’t to tell you what every single track is like (well…you kind of are when you’re reviewing an album – Ed), where’s the magic in that? We guarantee you that if you’re a fan of At The Drive In, The Mars Volta or uplifting-ish grunge, you should like Berkeley. They write brilliant songs, they play well and they disappeared completely about two years ago. Buy their record, show them you love them and maybe we’ll coheres them into returning one day….I just got  a taste of Guinness from a plastic cup in Whelan’s.

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HY-GIY?: Bell X1 – Music in Mouth

Posted in Album Review, Hy-Giy, IRISH NOISE!, Music with tags , , , , , , , on December 14, 2009 by Tickets There

Have to take a break from Guns N’ Roses stories and it’s been too long since I revisited some of the finest albums our local acts have released over the years so let’s turn the spotlight on Kildare’s favorite sons, Bell X1.

I first discovered Bell X1 in March, 2003. I remember the date because it was the month Turn launched their second album, Forward in Vicar Street and they roped in the Bellies as support. I wasn’t overly impressed. I’d heard Neither Am I briefly the year before and hadn’t been too impressed by that either (although Man on Mir will always be amazing). That was my first impression. What made its mark was one of my housemates playing White Water Song nonstop for about two months after the gig and then another housemate constantly playing Alphabet Soup on the guitar every time someone blinked. By September I was turning my favor towards the group and that same month I was back in vicar Street to see Turn only this time they were supporting Bell X1 for their Music in Mouth album launch. Turn were great but admittedly, the night belonged to the headliners despite my love for the Kell’s trio and with that, I was hooked.

A few days later I was back in Sligo and saw a copy of Music in Mouth for sale so I bought it, headed to work thinking I’d some fine listening for the evening. Two minutes later I’d managed to bump into Paul Noonan loading gear out of a truck on O’Connell Street, into a tiny little pub called McGarrigles where the band was playing a show to around a hundred people or less. Bell X1 have been one of Tickets There’s favorite Irish bands ever since our first topsy, turvy year together and just two years after our initial encounter, the band were back in Sligo playing top over 5,000 fans in the Radisson Hotel, once again with Turn as support.

Anyway, that’s our original meeting with the band, now it’s time to discuss the music. Bell X1 have four albums, Neither Am I, Flock, Blue Lights on the Runway and our favorite and the subject of this review, Music In Mouth. I’ve picked this one for three reasons. 1, I’m not a massive fan of Flock and for some reason; I just never got into that much. 2, Neither Am I and Blue Lights On The Runway are great but not as good as MIM and 3, it was the album that got me hooked on the band. The styles on Music In Mouth and the song writing show serious improvements from their debut. The excellent Snakes and Snakes isn’t beloved by all but we like it. It’s a real upbeat, hooky number that displays the band’s talent for wacky yet cohesive musicianship, not to mention their always off the wall lyric choices.

The fantastically catchy Alphabet Soup, with its refined banjo / guitar riffs and its instantly memorable choruses follow and its overdriven, stripped back jumble of instruments after the choruses make this song as enjoyable as it is unique. Taking things back quite a distance, Daybreak presents a much more delicate side of the bands song writing. Not only is it one of the nicest songs on the record, it’s one of the nicest songs the band has ever written and anyone who, like Tickets There, has put this on first thing in the morning will know how good it is to wake up to. Lovely harmonies, lovely playing, lovely flow…and the feedback at the end gives you the final kick you need to wake up.

Off course everyone knows the very famous Eve, The Apple of My Eye. Once again it comes from the softer side of the band. What can you say about this song other than its lovely? You can say it was used during a very (searches for the appropriate PG word)…nice moment during the O.C. which ensures it’ll be a classic for many, many men out there for years to come.  

This puts us right in the ‘album track’ territory of Music in Mouth. Next to You, West of Her Spine and Bound for Boston Hill all make excellent additions to the record but it’s only when the opening notes of Tongue flare up that you realize just how sharp the Bellies song writing really is. Yes they have the knack to write perfectly sublime, enchanting and atmospheric pieces but, they also have a gift for heavy, loud bruising tracks that incorporate all the traits shown on the lighter material but still manage to kick you in the ass. The next track, White Water Song is another very, very good example of this. Chaotic guitars, bucket loads of O.T.T.-ness, Paul’s frenzied lyrics and style and the massive crunching chorus with spiraling guitar driven choruses launch forward gripping the confused first time listeners who were just warming up to the comfort shown on the rest of the album.

In Every SunFlower see’s a return to the land of album tracks but final song, I’ll See Your Heart and Raise You Mine gives the album on of its true highlights. As loveable and gentle as Eve, The Apple of My Eye but less popular making it just that little bit more special.

So that’s it, our review of our favorite Bell X1 record. Have You Got It Yet? No!! Go get it.

(What a corny way to end but I’ll See Your Heart… is still playing so forgive our soppy little words and child like gramm….I mean innocence.

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HY-GIY?: Jape – Ritual

Posted in Album Review, Hy-Giy, IRISH NOISE!, Music with tags , , , , , , , , , , on September 7, 2009 by Tickets There

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If you read my blog you should know three things. 1, I have a frightening love for Sheffield’s finest rock band, Def Leppard. 2, I like tearing into terrible bands and ridiculing them to the point where it just inst professional and I make very few apologies to fans or band members for the way I discuss them and three, I consider Jape to be one of Irelands finest talents ever produced and last year, he sealed that claim with his third album, Ritual.

Ritual was without a doubt my favorite Irish album of 2008 and one of best ever to come out of this country as far as I’m concerned. Yes I know Enya has a lot of albums to compete with but let’s leave that aside shall we!. Richie Egan is one of very far artists making experimental music and getting it right pretty much every time.  No matter what style of song, effect or theme Richie deals with, he still manages to back everything up with inarguably good melodies; structure, imagination and a strong musical backbone (take note bands!). Before Ritual he had the poorly received Cosmosphere and the underground smash The Monkeys in the Zoo Have More Fun than Me which spawned the massive cult single Floating. However Ritual brought all of Richie and co’s onstage energy as well as his styles and writing to a peak they hadn’t managed to release on either of the first two albums.  

Opening with the well weathered Christopher and Anthony, the album gets a feverish grip of dance beats, electronic samples and Richies unique lyrical style that fans hoped would play a more dominant role of this record than the previous albums. Despite it having all this, second track I Was A Man bombards in and ups the bar 100%. Previously, Floating was the dance highlight on Japes set and fans but he has worked hard to ensure this is pushed to mid-set and his newer work gets the attention instead in order to prove he isn’t a one hit wonder and I Was a Man proves this no end. All the dancey beats, anthem styled lyrics and changes any human could want from their bands. The overall chaos of the song is best seen live but as studio recordings go, you couldn’t ask anymore from this song.

Replays hops in at third and is again surprisingly upbeat and dance oriented. It’s one of those songs that just simple, cut n grab pop. Not the kind of pop you’ll see on X-factor anytime soon, I mean good f**king pop. Once again it’s impulsively catchy, upbeat and a full on stormer of a dance floor hit. Maybe if RTE felt compelled to play Irish music more often, this song, along with many more from the album might have actually reached the country. Ah well, there only the national broadcaster. Can’t expect them to start endorsing Irish talent when there’s easy ratings to be found with international crap. If you’re reading this and you work for RTE I say to you, Go F**k Yourself you absolute waste of an organization!!

(In a ranty mood today, had to put a Happy Mondays review on hold because I wrote 500 words of complaining). Graveyard follows and gives the album one of its most relaxed moments. Lyrics are interesting and worth reading if you can find them on the net. The song just has an overall sublime melody and flow that’s just so easily enjoyable and mellow. Bringing the quality up even further is the incredibly melodic and well loved, Phil Lynott. Hard to describe why this song is so special but its worth getting this album just to hear it, never mind the other songs and seeing it live is even better.

The dance tone returns with the bouncy Streetwise. Like Replays, this is pure pop and is followed by the albums most prominent reminder of Japes Monkeys style. At the Heart of all this Strangeness is the albums most stripped back piece of music. Acoustic guitar arrangements, mixed with low melodies and Japes quiet vocals striving to stay above the music’s volume. Absolutely fantastic song and one of the few singer/songwriter style arrangements that Tickets There fully endorses. Apple in the Orchard follows with another beat laden, smack your face anthem. This song has one of the catchiest chorus of all the songs on this album and there is some very stiff completion. Another crackin’ anthem, Strike Me Down, follows and gives Richie’s set yet another classic dance fueled hit for his live show. Final song, Nothing Lasts Forever has a real Moby-ish style piano melody and haunting vocals with a great bassy drive. Incredible stuff all round.

That’s all I can really say. I reviewed this album for Drop-D when it came out last year and its quality has been diminished one bit. It’s as strong, original and enjoyable as the day it came out. If you haven’t heard Jape I advice a trip to his MySpace and I’m sure you’ll have the album on your stereo by 6.00pm this evening.

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Tickets There HY-GIY?: Turn – Forward

Posted in Album Review, Hy-Giy, Music with tags , , , , , on August 19, 2009 by Tickets There

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Without a doubt, this is Tickets There’s favorite Irish album of all time. Now, when it comes to Turn I will happily admit to being fully biased, as I am with almost everything I write except the majority of the MySpace reviews. As far as I’m concerned, Turn were one of the greatest Irish band ever to emerge from the great Emerald Isle in the last twenty years. Oliver Cole’s vocals, guitar melodies, riffs and songwriting talent, mixed with Gavin Fox’s force, energy and writing skills all backed by Ian Meldays forceful command of all things rhythm makes the Kell’s trio kings in my book. Now, that may seem a little over the top and dramatic but I’ve been watching a lot of ROME recently so forgive me.

I first discovered Turn around 2002, shortly after the released the Another Year Over / Summer Song single and within a few months that opened my eyes to an amazingly impressive Irish scene I knew nothing about before. I hadn’t even heard a whisper of bands like Bell X1, Berkeley, Paddy Casey or many of the other big names around the country at the time. For someone who was as devoted to music I found this a little odd and began a quest to seek out some of this country’s finest talent. After seven years I still haven’t found many bands that compare to the power of Turns records and even fewer that can match their amazing live shows.

When Forward came out in 2003 it was praised as the album everyone who’d been following them from the late nineties knew they had in them. In sharp contrast to their third and last album, Forward’s sound was generally down beat with very few exceptions. It saw them grow from the hard guitars sound of their debut (Antisocial) and move onto more melodic song structures. Opening song, You Got Style really captures the feel of the entire record. A slow bruising  piece that builds and builds as the song evolves. Dumb as it Is follows and adds some light after the darkness of You Got Style. A nice, upbeat with restrained bass lines thumping throughout with a sharp change to guitars for the chorus bursts. This is the second song written by Ian Melady to appear on a Turn record (the first being Queen of my Heart from Antisocial). Third track Harder is one of few heavy guitar tracks on the album and in comparison to the likes of Beretta, Beeswax or Too Much Makeup from the earlier outputs, it comes cross musically light but atmospherically heavy.

Summer Song gives the album a slower, more acoustic based before the bands legendary anthem, In Position comes in and blows everything away. One of the most perfectly composed songs the band have ever written and a solid fan favorite. Without You is more obviously a love song than any of the others on Forward with more harmony based melodies and upbeat guitar and piano’s rather than the down trodden sound that dominates the rest of the album. Another Year Over is another one of the albums upbeat anthems. Not much you can say about this except the fact that it’s fucking amazing and the chorus is so heavy live it’ll make your ears bleed. Ain’t it a Love is possibly the heaviest song on the album and it harks back to their earlier material without copying the same styles the band used before. Very fast, very heavy and very brilliant (Can you say very brilliant? Well I just did).

Can’t keep Waiting is similar in tones to You Got Style and at the same time, sounds nothing like it. It’s a little sadder in its tones and much more simplistic. Really atmospheric and well done. Like Never Needed from the bands Check my Ears EP, Can’t Keep Waiting doesn’t rely on several verses of poetry to carry it though, it’s a one liner folks and it works well. No More (I Close My Eyes) is another of those lovey songs, like most of Turn’s outputs. A lot of vocal stretches and a very low, smooth sound…until you get about half way in and the full guitars and vocal harmonies are released. Even Though is one of the nicest acoustic songs the band have ever written. Very emotionally based again and only listenable sometimes. Definitely not for people in a good mood. And finally we come to the album’s title song, Forward. It’s great as well 😉

Turn have been split up for over three years now though (god, it seems like a hell of a lot longer than that), but their music is still out there with new fans still discovering them. If you didn’t like Humanzi, make Forward the album you send your scouts out for this Christmas.

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Tickets There HY-GIY?: Humanzi – Tremors

Posted in Album Review, Hy-Giy, Music with tags , , , , , on August 18, 2009 by Tickets There

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Time for another dive into my MP3 player to pick one of my favorite Irish albums from my limited selection of what Tickets There calls good Irish music. One of the main reasons I’ve picked this album is because the boi’s have a second one coming out sometime in the near future (although I said that last year) and I’m really hoping the Irish don’t let this one get past them.

When Humanzi burst onto the scene a few years ago they were fairly unlikely candidates for the clientele of Whelan’s and the underground scene in general to endorse them. I put this down to the fact that Humanzi are one of very few bands that can play, write good music and put on a fantastic live performance. Unfortunately their success didn’t grow outside of the Dublin scene so they took the sensible option and left the country to tour around Europe and further afield in the hopes of establishing a fan base that might actually grow. I’m not sure how much this has worked but the band don’t seem to have had any bother getting gigs across the continent thus far so I imagine it’s all good.

So back to Tremors. The first time I heard this record, I wasn’t hugely impressed. I thought many of the tracks just seemed to run together and the album had an overall style with any deviation or diversity meaning the tracks all kind of ran together and came across weak. Then I gave it another go and for a couple of months I found it hard to listen to anything else. Diet Pills and Magazines is quite simply a brilliant Punk Rock track. The lyrics are clever and witty, the tone is aggressive and the song is constructed with pop sensibilities. You can ask for any more than that now, can ya? The beating keyboards, the stomping rhythm of the guitars, drums and bass and the Shaun’s vocals are so perfectly fitting it’s uncanny. 6 Gun has a great opening, really dramatic and simple, again classic punk. Like Diet Pill’s.. it has a really full on attack mode chorus and Shaun e..bla, bla, bla. You get the point. Out on a Wire is one of my personal favs’. Great bass line, great guitars and I love the vocals. If you’re sitting down listening to this track it’s hard not to tap your feet along with the drums and when you’re on a dart or bus that looks a little strange. Really, really, really great song. I Want Silence is another of my favorites. Really swash buckling, ship swaying music. You can almost see the stage swaying from side to side with the band on it. You couldn’t stand still to music like this, it’s just too full of beats and melody not too enjoy. The verse is quite stretched but the chorus is just an anthem any band could be proud to have in their collection.

Long Time Coming is another good track. It’s a bit quieter than the others and does change the tone of the album a little. The flow is fantastic and the energy is ever present. Tremors is more like a Nine Inch Nails track than a punk song. Really heavy, really loud and really fucking good. Want to hear the best in the country, stick it on. Industrious, infectious and full of little beats, nooks and crannies that lead the song down different paths from time to time giving all the meag-moshers in the their audience a few moments of peace before it all comes crashing back down again. Song for Understanding is another slowish one. Now when I say slow and Humanzi, don’t go expecting Phil Collins singing In the Air Tonight, think more along the lines of the Sex Pistols covering …the Sex Pistols. Anyways, this one is a little more pop than the others and not a personal fav of Tickets There.

Fix the Cracks is another of the albums singles and a cracking wee tune it is too. Well worth the hype and praise it initially received and a pity it didn’t break the band abroad. Catchy chorus, great riffs and all that guff. Help me in the Morning is more a dance track than the others and shows there is a basic dance foundation ion the groups sound. Maybe that’s why they sound fresher and more original than most Punk Rock acts out there who all just to try and sound like the Clash / The Ramones or Green Day. Get your Shit Together sounds exactly like what you’d expect. Dirty distorted guitars, a mother thumping drum beat and all the attitude four lads from da north side can muster. Great track unless you’re a prat. Mass Hypnosis is last but not least. Heavy, undistinguishable vocals and a lot going on…yet still great.

If you have to get one Irish album this Christmas, make it Humanzi – Tremors.

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Hy-Giy – Tickets There Very unsure

Posted in Hy-Giy on August 17, 2009 by Tickets There

Oh… really not sure about this series. Just did a quick draft of the artwork I was thinking of using and I dont get music from it. it seems to be asking a different kind of question. Prize for the funniest answer you can think of 🙂

ttgiy

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Tickets There HY GIY?: The Aftermath – Friendlier Up Here

Posted in Album Review, Hy-Giy, Music with tags , , , , , on August 17, 2009 by Tickets There

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I May have been a bit harsh on this new series, maybe it’ll work and here to help me road test its second outing is The Aftermath and their debut album Friendlier Up Here.  This is one of those albums I’m very surprised Tickets There hasn’t found a way to review before but first, a little bit of background.

Hailing from the fine towns of Longford, Leeds and Mullingar, The Aftermath have been working overtime for the last few years gigging every single chance they get in order to make a name for themselves. Their live performance is always fantastic and the Johnny Cronin is every bit a classic rock front man. Thankfully the band don’t sulk and stare down when on stage and they also don’t hide behind a pile of hats, masks, gimmick’s or any of the other shite most Irish bands try. It’s just them and the music and that’s all you need folks. Friendlier Up Here was released last year and has received a massive load of critical success. Unfortunately The Aftermath are one of those Irish bands that RTE scouts haven’t picked up yet (may your heads be struck from your shoulders) and this is one of the reasons the band haven’t achieved the commercial success they truly deserve.

Opening with the infectiously catchy Are You Not Wanting Me Yet?, the band explode into a semi-psychedelic/Beatles driven kind of sound that comes nicely packaged as a heavy, upbeat array of sounds. Really, really, really catchy. I Wish My Love Would Die is a strange choice for a second song after such a full on opener…but it works, works so well in fact that the massive difference in sounds highlights each other qualities and the bands ability to diversify their talent rather than play on one strength. Northern Lingerie is pure pop-rock at its finest. Another dance floor filling, slightly psychedelic riff’s played by a rock guitarist (of you catch my drift. Imagine Oasis playing The Velvet Underground). Nice, slow and once again, extremely catchy. All I Want For You Is To be Happy is one of the bands lead singles and a firm fan favorite. It’s a little slower than their other dancy songs and it’s just a lovely piece of music, probably because it’s clean cut and believable. There’s no bitches or bling bling. There’s also no decaying rats are antichrist mentions but it’s also not The Script.

Another single One is Fun is probably the bands best live track. Really upbeat, really melodic and full of crackin’ beats and changes. (Yes I’m rushing through this because my MP3 is about to die and I want to listen to each track while I’m writing about it). Overlooking Paris is the bands strongest love song. The style and tones are completely different to everything else on the album and the added accordion and string backing makes it all the more special. Haunting would be the best way to describe the atmosphere for this one. Up and Down with the Aftermath is a nice, short instrumental  that leads into another heavy number, Need. Really fast guitars and drums and a great hark back to the days of Brit-pop.  There’s a Darkness is another one of the albums strongest tracks and by this time you start to wonder how the hell this album hasn’t made it to number one? Hollywood Remake, Joyful Mystery, Tickets There’s personal favorite Six Days to Saturday and Song of a Graveyard follow  and expand the albums incredible stock pile of tracks.

If you haven’t bought it already, go and get it now.

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Tickets There: HY-GIY (Have You Got It Yet) Future Kings of Spain – Nervousystem

Posted in Album Review, Hy-Giy, Music with tags , , , on August 17, 2009 by Tickets There

future-kings-of-spain-nervousystem

Hmmm, not sure about the title for this series. I like the fact the initials spell Hy Giy (Hi Guy for all you slow folk) but I just don’t know. Wouldn’t mind if someone came on and said it sucks, then I could go back to the drawing board and dream it all up again.

Anyways, this series is similar to the Tickets There Likes one except it will focus solely on a handful of Irish albums we consider to be the best in the new millennium. First up is The Future Kings of Spain’s second output, Nervousystem. Now, personally I consider the Future Kings of Spain Irelands best act on the go at the moment. Closely followed by Jape, Humanzi, The Aftermath and Concerto for Constantine. I know I’ve made no secret of this but hey, if you want diversity and underground bla, bla, ego, go check out Una Rocks or Niallier9, plenty of pretention and nonsense over there to keep you occupied for the rest of your life. Anyways, enough bitching about other music blogs. They get a lot more hits and mentions than Tickets There so they must be doing something right.

So back to the Kings. Well, their debut came out in 2003 and it was great. Then they had record label issues which was shit. Then they nearly broke up which was even more shit. Finally they managed to pull things together, work out their issues and release their second album in 2007. Was it worth the four year wait? You’re damn right it was and I encourage any of you who bought album two years ago to take it of your shelf and give it another listen because it’s not a record that should be forgotten.

Kicking things of is Guess Again. Not a bad song, good riff but Tickets There got a little sick of this track a long time ago.  One More Mistake is next and it’s easily the closest thing to a grunge classic any Irish band I’ve heard has ever managed (except Ash’s A Life Less Ordinary which is, I’ll happily admit, a better tune). Vocals and guitars are nice and dirty during the verse and the constant bridges, breaks and extras all combine nicely in the ear drum shattering chorus. Joey Wilson has a savage voice that’s both believable and reckless.  I don’t like the very start of This Is the End but the song has a great overall feeling, nice anthem kind of tune. Lost and Found is a real smooth, atmospheric number with some lovely melodies, harmonies and changes. There’s a real air of restraint during the first part and you’re just waiting for the song to explode into its full form. Syndicate is has much the same feeling as Lost and Found except it’s on a much grander scale. Without a doubt the Kings flagship masterpiece. Simple, complex, light, heavy…everything really and a great video to accompany it. At nearly eight minutes in length, it’s astonishing the band manage to keep the song as interesting and evolving as it is.  Each verse and bridge brings something new into the fold and every chorus whips them all together to deliver the classic FKOS hard hitting style in as much force and energy as anything else out there.

Kick in the Teeth is another good, simple track. Slow, heavy and beating is the best thing I can say about it…in a good way. Another classic pops up next in the form of You Dream in Solid Gold. The Kings talent for writing this kind of track is unparalleled in this country and it’s a style that really can be attributed to them. Nineteen Eighty One brings more guitars and pounding drums back into the fold as melodic lead’s hover in the background behind one of the albums best chorus lines and a good heavy riff. Chemical Burn is one of the actual ‘album tracks’ on Nervousystem. Very simple and catchy but nothing too classic here except a great chorus. This Song is one of the slowest the band have ever done and sounds a little like something the Foo Fighters could come up with. In saying that, The Foo Fighters didn’t and the FKOS did so it’s there’s. Very moody and grungy and a nice penultimate number before I Disappear comes raging in to show Nervousystem isn’t one bit short of great tracks.

Overall a great album (that’s why I’m writing about it). If you want to hear a great Irish band playing great music, you could do a hell of a lot worse than the FKOS. Readi ng over this piece, I’m not entirely happy with it so I’m not sure how many more I’ll do. Thankfully, Tickets There isn’t one to waste over 800 words so this one’s going up anyways.

All the best, Tickets There

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