David Maybury | Blog

Is that children’s writer Larry O’Loughlin appearing at the Button Factory in Dublin with The Last Waltz tribute band The Group?

I think it is, despite vicious rumours that it could have been Charlie Daniels. I think Charlie is a better dancer

Remember the eighties?

Ricky Gervais wishes he didn’t…

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Busy week getting things ready for my week off. Expect plenty of procrastinating blog posts from Monday. For now:

Bookslut has two recommendations: Regina Lynn’s excellent Sexier Sex and the webcomic Next Door Neighbourhless: The True Story. I heart Jessa Crispin.

Stan ‘excelsior’ Lee is heading to Disney. To work on three new projects according to Kung Fu Rodeo. Lee’s not past it. Not at all.

A new comic based on Tori Amos’ music is coming. CBR has the rest. Reminds me of the excellent book that accompanied Frend’s angel she’s a killer release last month.

Can’t remember who linked to it but Reproduckt is worth a click. French and German webcomics to tickle the taste-buds.

Use FontStruct to build your own font. Oddly addictive. Honest. [via Photos.com]

And finally, via the Grand Poo-bah, er Rick: the interweb is watching you on cubo.cc

A link post for today seeing as I’m off to the Poetry Now Festival for the weekend. (Say hello if you’re there.)

A new blog looking at the arts online. Great idea with some loooong posts. Business with Arts Blog.

Joe Hill, brilliant btw, reviews Neil Gaiman’s new book. Not to be read by us normal folk for a few more months.

On reviews, the-girl-who’s-afraid-of-foxes looks at Miranda July’s No one belongs here more than you.

Achokablog talks to Anthony Horowitz for the UK Herald.

Stereotyping recommends: Rice-Boy. Go have a read.

Two from Una - The (5th) Dublin Gay Theatre Festival launched last night (missed it for work). Programme is going on the site soon. A new mag, Butcher Queers (only 1000 copies though) but looks great!

InterventTech are looking for bloggers on ‘New Media and Visual Arts, Performance and Live Arts, Music Sound and Sonic Art, Flash Animation, Video and Games, Computer, Net and Data art’. More over at Cyberscroll.

Aoife over on The Indie Hour is mixing things up - school starts here.

Caitriona has a complete list, including links, to all the bands for Electric Picnic. Hours of work, so you don’t have to.

And finally: Elly’s birthday is May 6. Birthday celebrations and Bertie’s ousting part in the Longstone Pub. Hooray!

With the best name in music The Ravonettes, a duo of Danish early-rock revivalists, have released their third album, Lust, Lust, Lust. Listening to all three in succession may not be the best way to hear any band but it does The Ravonette’s no harm.

There is a darker substance to the new album that was lacking in the first two. Focusing on the sex of sex, drugs and rock and roll, along with the trademark tracks played fast and loud. The first few songs are more lucid than the rest of the album but there is something in each one to catch you all the way to the end. A worthy alternative to REM’s Accelerate (on the playlist for next week).

Songs of the album - Aly Walk with Me, Dead Sound.

I spent today on Merrion Square in Dublin being spun left and right, upside down and right side up again. First they do it slowly. Then fast. Then really really fast. Until suddenly you’re remembering, 78 feet above the ground, that you haven’t posted on your website since Thursday.

No Music Monday 101 this week, I’m still dizzy.

Sinéad has found something interesting in New Zealand group The Ruby Suns, go have a listen. (Sorry for stealing Sinéad!!)

A copy of Colm Ó Snodaigh’s album Giving fell into my lap on Friday. I’ve only managed to listen to it once (and a half) so this might not be the fairest judgement delivered on the album. First impressions are worth something though.

Giving is an eclectic mix - it was hard to find a definite thread that runs through all of the tracks apart from Ó Snodaigh’s own vocals which sometimes exude confidence, while at others shy away. The confidence on the album overall is a mixed bag - the songs jump from weakly written, Adieu, to impressive, subtle and haunting tracks like Lechaileach Arís and Is tú mo Ghrá.

The album is far removed from the usual sounds that Kila deliver - which is an interesting move for Ó Snodaigh. It does focus heavily his voice, which comes into it’s own in some of the tracks. Good for a Monday night in with a book and a glass of whatever you’re having yourself.

Everything is running a bit slow after the blog awards. Here’s todays 101 - just a little later than usual.

I’ve had the Delorento’s living in my ear all this week - discovering them nearly three years since they were the ‘next-big-thing in the making’ (according to Mr Sheridan). There is something very calmative in the songs on their album in love with detail. The confident vocals supported by the lyrics, repetitive without becoming irritating, are what stand out for me. The percussion and bass create a great, and subtle enough, atmosphere for each song that makes listening to the whole thing a real pleasure.

The band sound familiar, even on first hearing, which really can’t be a bad thing for a first album. Overall the Delorento’s have mightily impressed me - so much so that I have just booked myself two tickets to see them in the Olympia in April.

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For those that don’t know (I didn’t until yesterday) Adrian Crowley has become a resident of Whelans. Well, he is every Wednesday throughout March at least. Wednesday night will see him alongside Mumblin’ Deaf Ro and Boa Morte. Aoife has an interview with Ro (as the Mammy calls him).

Thanks to everyone for their comments and suggestions - Goon Moon and Guggenheim Grotto are on the playlist in the next few weeks.

Right-so, all this week I’ve been listening to Joanna Newsom. (Newsom was a complete discovery for me. I picked up two of her albums last week and she has been plucking away in my ears ever since.)

At first her voice is a bit startling - especially mixed with the lightening speed and amazing sound that comes from her harp. But after a week of jumping between her albums (Milk Eyed Mender and Ys) I have come under her spell completely. The story like songs are vividly written and have a completely unexpected use of language. Brilliant!

Of the two - Ys is fast becoming my favourite. Anyway, no point harping on about her here - go and have a listen.

I know shit about music. There, I’ve said it. I can can blag my way through conversations sure - but that is only with the help of blogs like Sigla, Analogue, Nialler9, On The Record, The Indie Hour and many others. The Sigla Musical Rooms series and Analogue’s recent post on where to find new music filled me with jealousy and shame. My ignorance is not something I’m proud of but it is something I can fix. So to appease the music gods: Monday Music 101 is born. (I can work on the name. Effective alliteration though)

My first leap into the unknown comes by way of Ken McGuire. We saw Clive Barnes live (courtesy of KilkennyMusic.com) last September. Barnes is amazing to watch as he plays and is a natural born storyteller - each introduction captivated the hushed crowd in Cleere’s theatre before a single chord was played.

Apparently Harry Guerin has said that “Clive is a lap slide guitarist who can make one acoustic sound like six“. I don’t know about one guitar becoming six but he can definitely create a hypnotic and familiar blues sound when his fingers find the strings. Clive Barnes is the first music 101 recommendation: the few tracks up on MySpace don’t really do him justice but his spot on Other Voices is still live.