The Underground of Happiness

This week's show kicked off with windings' new single, a great piece of prog pop from the Limerick band. Melody's Echo Chamber was in there again, can't get enough of that; Jon DeRosa , from a beautiful album called A wolf in preacher's clothes , for fans of Scott Walker; some Goat , for that itchy funk fix, new music from Thread Pulls , more brilliant skeletal grooves and Melt Yourself Down , a new project from ex Acoustic Ladyland members, more great African-inflected live dance music. And of course Ariel Pink ..."you sank my battleship, no I sank your battleship...". Class. The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/theundergroundofhappiness Playlist 237 Tues Oct 2 2012 11.00am-1.00pm (repeated on Tuesdays 8.30pm) UCC 98.3FM listen live on the web at www.ucc.ie/983fm *listen back to this show here http://i.mixcloud.com/CBmesQ Playlist windings - This is ...

Great to see Thread Pulls again over the weekend, playing on Friday at the Crane Lane Theatre in Cork . They make some racket for just two fellas and a (small) bit of machinery. One of the highlights of the gig was this, from their New thoughts album that came out last year on Osaka . I'm not sure about the choice of venue, although it was quite amusing watching what the Crane Lane weekend "regulars" made of sparse rock 'n roll, stripped to the bone. Not as entertaining as the gig itself, mind you. I spoke to them when they played in Cork last year, you can check out that interview here . Also on the double bill were fellow Dubliners Twinkranes , a band I hadn't seen before. They brought drums and organ, with electronics, and were pretty impressive in a driving, krautrock kind of way. We like a bit of motorik, in fairness. You'll get an idea from this. And have a look at their eye-catching hanging backdrop here.

The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/theundergroundofhappiness Playlist 182 Tues June 28th 2011 11.00am-12.00pm (repeated on Tuesdays 8.30pm) Cork Campus Radio, 98.3FM listen live on the web at www.ucc.ie/ccr *listen back to this show at https://rapidshare.com/files/3371091017/UOH_Podcast_June_28_2011.mp3 Playlist Future Islands - Before the bridge ( playing Plan B, London, July 9 ) Thread Pulls - Weight ( playing Crane Lane Theatre, Cork, July 1 ) Cian Nugent - Sixes & sevens (excerpt 2) ( playing Triskel Christchurch, Cork, July 22, w/ Ryan Francesconi ) Patrick Kelleher & his Cold Dead Hands - Too many harsh words ( playing The Grand Social, Dublin, July 15, album launch ) The Reich Effect Festival, Cork, July 27-31 Ensemble Avantgarde - Pendulum Music I ( Steve Reich Public Interview, Cork Opera House, July 27 ) Efterklang - Illuminant ( playing Savoy Theatre, ...

The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/theundergroundofhappiness Playlist 167 Tues Mar 15th 2011 11.00am-12.00pm (repeated on Tuesdays 8.30pm) Cork Campus Radio, 98.3FM listen live on the web at www.ucc.ie/ccr *listen back to this show at http://rapidshare.com/files/452658555/UOH_Podcast_Mar_15_2011.mp3 Playlist Thread Pulls - Sink and swim ( playing Terminal Convention Festival, Crane Lane Theatre, Cork, Mar 19 ) *d'load i'view from Sept 2010 here: http://rapidshare.com/files/430980967/UOH_Thread_Pulls_Interview.mp3 David Hope & the Henchmen - Hell or high water ( playing Terminal Convention Festival, Crane Lane Theatre, Cork, Mar 18 ) Efterklang - Modern drift ( playing Knust, Hamburg, Mar 16 + screening of An Island, see http://www.anisland.cc/ ) Rich Bennett - Wild ride Grinderman - Palaces of Montezuma (Barry Adamson remix) ( playing Marquee, Cork, June 20 ) Extr...

My favourite track from New thoughts , Thread Pulls' excellent debut album from last year, gets the Jacques Cousteau treatment. Here's what I thought about the album when it came out in September 2010. Thread Pulls - New thoughts (Osaka Records) The last thing I see myself as is a cheerleader for the "Irish music industry" (TM). However, this feels like an important Irish rock album at the beginning of a new decade. The fact that this Dublin band consists of nothing but a bass player and a drummer (with a few electronics worked in) compounds the feeling of a new template. Thread Pulls have taken out cymbals, synths and guitars, all the better to highlight the power of drum and bass. Why is this album important? Because it's full of catchy tunes with a powerful punch that you can dance to (my own favourite, and one of the songs of the year, is Weight , with its floppily insistent post punk rhythm interspersed with drum flurries and a sweetly melodic, almost ...

That time of year for lists again. A vaguely arbitrary exercise, although strangely satisfying. Especially when it's been another great year for pop music . Below is what has been soundtracking the UOH cabin for the past year. Read. Discard. Listen. Enjoy. I've also put together a Best of 2010 Podcast which I'll send details of in another post. Til 2011, stay warm. The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed Favourite Albums of 2010 (71, in no particular order) Syd Matters - Brotherocean (Because Music) Sone Institute – Curious memories (Front & Follow) Dum Dum Girls - I will be (Sub Pop) NLF3 - Beautiful is the way to the world beyond (Prohibited Records) Joanna Newsom - Have one on me (Drag City) She & Him - Volume Two (Double 6) Christy & Emily - No rest (Klangbad) Field Music - Field Music (Measure) (Memphis Industries) *d'load interview (phone) with David & Peter from Field Music here The Ruby Suns - Fight softl...