By Natalie Herman

Jenna Nicholls and Brendan O’Shea will soon be broadcast to households all over the United States, as their music has been chosen to feature on the new ABC series, “Boston Med”, which premieres this Thursday, June 24, at 10/9c.

Critics are already calling this original, limited, eight-hour series the “best summer fare,” and with top-notch music such as this, I can understand why.

From ABC:

Picking up where “Hopkins” left off, “Boston Med” travels to a city renowned for medical excellence and home to three superb American hospitals, Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Children’s Hospital. Over four months, ABC cameras had unparalleled access to hospital staffs and patients. From operating rooms to end-of-life meetings, “Boston Med” explores the culture of doctors and nurses and the conversations that happen outside the patient’s earshot. This unsparing look at the ups and downs of hospital care holds many surprises for viewers.

Brendan will also be appearing in an episode of HBO’s “Rescue Me” starring Dennis Leary in late summer. He plays a member of a wedding band.

Congratulations to Brendan and Jenna, who are both in the works to release new albums this year: Brendan’s Songs From a Tenement and Jenna’s In the Blooming Hours.

Check out all of their latest happenings at their new websites, http:/www.brendanoshea.com and http://www.jennanicholls.com. Make sure to join the mailing lists so that you will be first to know about news, gigs, and other appearances.

Natalie Herman provides content for Paddy-Whacked Radio™ News

Copyright © 2010 Natalie Herman and Paddy-Whacked Radio™

By Natalie Herman

From the way that “Copernicus Dreams” tumbles out of the CD the instant you press the “play” button, you can tell that Garrett Wall Band has been waiting for you. Their previous CD, Sky Pointing having been released in 2007, Garrett Wall Band likely has had tunes pressed up against the glass waiting to run free.

Hands and Imperfections is the latest offering by The Garrett Wall Band, a four-piece outfit fronted by Irish-born Wall, who has been based in Madrid for more than 10 years. Wall shows the influence that his adoptive country has had on him, paying much respect on this disc, which is flavoured with a traditional-Spanish blend of sounds. Brass (Howard Brown) features prominently on many of the tracks and a drum kit is eschewed for a cajón, the flamenco drum box, played by Robbie K. Jones. On many of the songs, the usual means of percussion are completely abandoned for “foot stomps,” “clucks & cracks,” “claps,” and “kicks & slaps”, giving rise to thoughts of flamenco dances.

“Worst-Case Scenario,” underlined by Dave Mooney’s heavy-handed double bass, brings the sound further south to give a Tex-Mex feel, falling short of the “country” genre but settling nicely into the Americana groove. Wall’s vocals are even reminiscent of Hal Ketchum on “Not Anymore”.

While the music moves through genres, the lyrics mostly vary on a single theme: love lost and the life that inevitably follows it. But the album title foreshadows the final overview of the collection - imperfections. Though the songs recognize that there have been “Better Days” (”most times it’s just one thing that make a good one bad”), they fall on the optimistic side of the fence. Recognizing that life is filled with imperfections makes it easier, as you will hear in each song, to let go of the bad and try to seek the “shelter,” the “shade in the sun.”

The strongest example of this is how the band moves from lamentation to exaltation with the single chorus, “we’re not at the center of the universe,” in “Copernicus Dreams,” which is easily the most pleasing song on the disc. The group vocals employed on this opening song is a device that carries well throughout the entire album.

The collaboration between Wall and Lua, the female lead singer of Spanish band We Are Balboa, landed the band four weeks on the RTÉ 1 playlist with the first single, “Is There No Freedom?”

Garrett Wall Band ends the album with an homage to Wall’s country of origin, “Never Give All the Heart,” which is a poem by W.B. Yeats set to music. It’s done with a deliciously Spanish interpretation, employing American musician Tom Corbett on the mandolin. The resulting song is a perfect blend of nationalities and an apt note on which to end.

Hands and Imperfections was released in Ireland on February 19, 2010. It is available from mondegreenrecords.com, garretwallband.com, iTunes, and Amazon. Garrett Wall Band will return to Ireland for some dates in July and can be found gigging in Madrid and throughout Spain. Check them out at their official website or MySpace for exact dates and locations.

Find them on Facebook and Twitter.

Natalie Herman provides content for Paddy-Whacked Radio™ News

Copyright © 2010 Natalie Herman and Paddy-Whacked Radio™

By Natalie Herman

Neil Hannon’s The Divine Comedy has announced that its 10th studio release, Bang Goes the Knighthood is now available for pre-order and will be released on May 31, 2010.

The Limited CD includes the album plus a bonus disc featuring material from The Divine Comedy’s now legendary shows at Cite de la Musique in 2008.

Neil was asked to cover his favourite French songs - in French. You can hear the results on this CD!

The tracklisting is still to be confirmed, but will be around 10 songs.

There will also be an extra booklet with more photos and some thoughts from Neil.

We expect the Ltd Edition to sell out quite fast and we won’t make more so do order your copy soon!

Pre-order links for the vinyl and digital editions of the albums as soon as we get them…

Amazon - CD

Amazon - Ltd CD

Play.com - CD

Play.com - Ltd CD

A number of UK tour dates [including the sold out Sugar Club (Dublin) and Tabernacle (London)] are posted at the Tours page. There is also a date for the July “Days Off” festival in Paris.

If the older songs on MySpace are any indication of what the new album will sound like, you’ll want to snatch up your copy tout de suite.

Natalie Herman provides content for Paddy-Whacked Radio™ News

Copyright © 2010 Natalie Herman and Paddy-Whacked Radio™

By Natalie Herman

In the world of music, there is a man simply known as “Q” - the multi-faceted Quincy Jones. However, the world of Irish music knows its very own “Q” and that is none other than Colm Quearney, former guitarist and songwriter with the late ’90s contenders, Lir, and creator of cult rock act Dragonfly before that.

Q was raised in a musical family and grew up listening to blues and jazz. When he first heard Jimi Hendrix, he switched instruments from bass to lead guitar and was on his way.

A lifetime of music meant learning who he was as an artist. “I learned how to be in a band, how to write songs,” says Q, “and of how hard it was to be in a band, and how much fun it was. . . The interesting thing about being in a band writing songs with other people is that you’re not entirely free because you’re starting to censor yourself. In your head you’re going, ‘well, the guitar player won’t like that riff, or the singer won’t like this song, or the drummer won’t like that rhythm’.”

He launched his first solo album, The World’s Not Round in 2001, and has only moved forward since.

Q’s third studio album (and the first one in 6 years!) Root to the Fruit is now available on CD Baby and iTunes, as well as Road Records if you’re in Ireland. Says Q:

MAKING THIS ALBUM HAS BEEN A GREAT JOURNEY,
I BUILT A STUDIO ON THE NORTH STRAND IN DUBLIN ABOVE THE ANNESLEY HOUSE PUB IN THE SUMMER OF 2004. WITH THE PLAN OF RECORDING SOME DEMOS, SOME ALBUMS AND TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIMENT AND TRY OUT SOME NEW THINGS. THIS IS THE FIRST Q ALBUM FROM THESE RECORDING SESSIONS AND THERE WILL BE PLENTY MORE TO COME. I HOPE YOU ENJOY LISTENING TO IT AS MUCH AS I ENJOYED MAKING IT.

Samples from Root to the Fruit can be heard at MySpace.

Cover photography by our friend Bob Dixon.

EDITED TO ADD: Q plays as special guest to New Jersey bluesman Chaz De Paolo at The Crane Bar, Galway, on Thursday, April 29 at 9.30pm. Thanks, Kevin, for the heads-up!

Natalie Herman provides content for Paddy-Whacked Radio™ News

Copyright © 2010 Natalie Herman and Paddy-Whacked Radio™

By Natalie Herman

Friday, March 26, 2010, Upstairs at Dolans, Limerick, Last Days of Death Country release their debut EP, Mode and Effect, recorded and produced by Fergal Lawler of The Cranberries. Tickets are €6 and can be purchased in advanced at dolans.ie. Pick up the disc as well as t-shirts and badges. With very special guests and DJ Set by Steve Ryan (Windings).

The following night, Oliver Cole, formerly of the popular group Turn, follows up his solo EP released in October 2009, What Will You Do?, with his full-length solo debut entitled We, Albitri. (For an explanation of the title, listen to Oliver’s interview with Shawn here.) Join Oliver at The Sugar Club in Dublin on Saturday, March 27, 2010, for his album launch party at 8pm. Tickets are €13.50 and are available at Ticketmaster 18+. From the event site: it will be a full band show and support on the night will come from “we cut corners” an excellent little band Be sure to attend and pick up your copy of this long-awaited disc!

Natalie Herman provides content for Paddy-Whacked Radio™ News

Copyright © 2010 Natalie Herman and Paddy-Whacked Radio™

By Natalie Herman

While Steafán Hanvey is putting the finishing touches on his forthcoming CD, he graces the States with a quick tour of the Northeast beginning March 12 in Massachusetts with several dates in Vermont before finishing it up at The Scratcher Sessions on April 4 (Easter Sunday) in New York City. Full dates can be found on his official web page or his MySpace page.

If you can’t wait for the new disc (and believe me, you can’t!) run out and get Steafán Hanvey and the Honeymoon Junkies from CD Baby or download it on iTunes or at Amazon.com.

Also bringing their sweet sounds to the States are STAND, whose 100,000 Ways to Harvest Hope debuted at #22 on the Irish iTunes chart on the first week. A big congrats to the lads! If you don’t have yours yet, check this out and pick up a copy. Bonus freebie as a thanks from their Twitter.

Their tour also kicks off on March 12 in Pennsylvania, and hits Ohio, Illinois, and New York (The Bowery Ballroom on March 20 with support from Meteor-winning The Coronas) before winding it up March 27 in New Jersey. Visit Standland to find full tour details. And if you get up really early, you can catch Neil and Alan on Today With Pat Kenny (10 am GMT; 5 am EST) tomorrow morning (March 9). If you miss it, you will be able to stream the show for a week before it is lost to the annals forever.

If you are in the northern part of the U.S., you must make it a point to check out these great shows (and report back for those of us less fortunate)!

Natalie Herman provides content for Paddy-Whacked Radio™ News

Copyright © 2010 Natalie Herman and Paddy-Whacked Radio™

By Natalie Herman

Our good friend Roddie Cleere is raising money for The Carers Association which seeks to provide support to those “Family Carers” caring for loved ones who, for whatever reason, are no longer able to care for themselves. Whether it be elderly parents or an ailing spouse, caring for other people is a difficult job. For economic reasons and because the comfort of one’s own home is preferable to a hospital or health care facility, many people choose home health care rather than care at a facility. The Carer’s Association provides financial, emotional, social and psychological assistance to those who are taking up the mantle of family care.

Roddie’s event is the National Dog Walk to take place on Easter Monday, April 5, in various locations around Ireland. You can bring your pooch out and walk, or if you haven’t a dog or would have to cross an ocean to do so, you can sponsor Roddie at http://www.mycharity.ie/event/roddy/. It’s good for your health, good for your dog, and a great help to all those Family Carers.

Please use this link to make sure that your donation goes to sponsor Roddie’s event: http://www.mycharity.ie/event/roddy/

Here’s a way to give back to Roddie for all the support he provides the Irish indie music community!

Natalie Herman provides content for Paddy-Whacked Radio™ News

Copyright © 2010 Natalie Herman and Paddy-Whacked Radio™

By Natalie Herman

Dominic Cromie of Clear the Battlefield is asking folks to come out this Sunday, March 7, 2010, for the Sunnyside/Woodside St Patrick’s Day Parade (43rd Street & Skillman Ave) beginning at 1pm. The parade is based on a host of guest speakers on Immigration Reform who are expected to provide insight on the progress being made on the issue. Live Irish music will follow after the Parade at Bar 43 from 5-8pm.

Visit the Facebook page for Get The Irish Home For Christmas 2010 Without Fear for more information.

Natalie Herman provides content for Paddy-Whacked Radio™ News

Copyright © 2009 Natalie Herman and Paddy-Whacked Radio™

By Natalie Herman

NPR allows a “First Listen” to the new CD by legendary traditional Irish band The Chieftains teamed with American musician, Ry Cooder, entitled San Patricio.

This CD sets out to combine the traditional music of Mexico and Ireland, telling the tale of Irish deserters of the American army, particularly in “The Sands of Mexico.”

The Saint Patrick’s Battalion - Batallón de San Patricio in Spanish - was a group of European immigrants, mainly Irish and German, who fought as part of the Mexican Army against the United States in the Mexican-American War of 1846 to 1848. These men were uncertain as to why they were fighting a Catholic army for a cause that was not their own and fed up with being mistreated by Anglo-Protestant officers. They left the army being led by General Zachary Taylor, and under the command of Captain John Riley of County Galway, fought against the United States until Mexico surrendered in February of 1848.

The CD’s sound is meant to reflect that which would have been heard by the Irish soldiers, who called themselves “San Patricios,” combined with their own traditional music from the homeland they left behind.

San Patricio hits stores on March 9, 2010.

 
 
Thanks, Pattie, for the heads-up.

 
 
On a related and somewhat personal note, I reconnected with a good friend who I met in third grade and with whom I lost touch after graduation - through Facebook, of course. I learned that though our paths have diverged, they had not taken us into completely different directions. Though I cannot remember a single Irish influence in our upbringing in El Paso, Texas, aside from the usual St. Patrick’s Day school fanfare, Everett Saucedo also became an “honorary Irish” member, and he is the bodhran player for El Paso’s best (and only) regular seisiun, The San Patricios. If you are ever in El Paso and happen upon a ceili band, buy the bodhran player a pint and tell him Natalie said hi.

Natalie Herman provides content for Paddy-Whacked Radio™ News

Copyright © 2010 Natalie Herman and Paddy-Whacked Radio™

By Natalie Herman
Seachtain na Gaeilge kicks off its annual festival early on March 3 at the Button Factory in Dublin. The non-profit organization promotes “the use of Irish language and culture both at home and abroad within a two-week festival held in March every year,” this year scheduled for March 5 through the 17.

“Organizations, local councils, schools, libraries, music, sporting & cultural bodies all register their Seachtain na Gaeilge events with us.”

One event that remains the same is the annual Ceol CD. “Ceol” is Irish for “music”, and popular Irish artists record songs in Gaeilge for the disc, which is a fundraiser for SnaG’s chosen charity in addition to a tool to promote the language. The artists either record original songs in Irish or translate existing English songs to the Gaeilge for the record. This year’s Ceol ‘10 will be released on Friday, March 5 with the following track listing:

1. Eddi Reader – Foirfe (Perfect) 2. Bell X1 – Bladhm (Flame) 3. Mick Flannery – Nuachtáin an Lae Amárach (Tomorrow’s Papers) 4. The Coronas – Taibhse nó Laoch(ra) (Heroes or Ghosts) 5. The Devlins – Cóinleach Glas an Fhómhair 6. Noelie Mc Donnell – Trí Bhliana D’Aois (Nearly Four) 7. Luán Parle – Taibhse (Ghost) 8. Declan O’Rourke – Coscáin ar Bith (No Brakes) 9. Gemma Hayes – Rith mé go Crích (Ran for Miles) 10. Mundy – Cailín na Gaillimhe (Galway Girl) 11. Fiach – Is Aoibhne (You Dear) 12. The Walls – Grian Gheal Lonrach (To the Bright and Shining Sun) 13. The Saw Doctors – An Cailín Sin 14. Wallis Bird – Comhaireamh chun Codladh (Counting to Sleep) 15. Kíla – Cabhraigí Léi 16. The Coronas **BONUS – Éist a Ghrá (Listen Dear)

Check out their website (don’t worry - those who are not proficient in Gaeilge can click on the “English” tab on the left to translate the site) to see all of the events, including concerts with Kila and Liam O’Maonlai. Kila provided much of the music in the Oscar-nominated animated film, The Secret of Kells. Liam O’Maonlai did a feature with the Irish Independent called “Learn Irish with Liam O Maonlai”.

Natalie Herman provides content for Paddy-Whacked Radio™ News

Copyright © 2010 Natalie Herman and Paddy-Whacked Radio™