Happiness: The Coral - Another Way

It would be remiss of me to pass up on Liverpool’s the Coral for any series that had happiness in the title. For that feeling is what pervades on their latest album ‘Butterfly House’. Getting in John Leckie (he of the Stone Roses debut fame) was a masterstroke because the fella can sure conjure the stereophonic allure of the past. That said there’s no point in having a creative producer in to polish a batch of duds, so James Skelly worked even harder on his mesmerising retro flourishes. ‘Another Way’ is a highlight from the album, all sun is out and everyone’s feeling fine vibes from its dreamy harmonies and low-key acoustics. Smiling is catching. KD

The Coral - Another Way

More Info: Official
Buy Songs: The Coral
Year: 2010

Happiness: The Hormones - Stay Ahead

The doom and gloom is really getting intolerable. Turn on the TV and its 5 billion here, 10 billion there, open a newspaper and its batten down the hatches for the imminent budget to arrest the unprecedented economic crash. Taking the haircut has never been so unpalatable, so much so that I write this with 2 hairclips, borrowed from the little ones carry bag, damming what is an unstoppable rush of fringe. So in a hastily organised scheme to guide thoughts away from all matters fiscal this blog will be hosting a week of the happiest songs that we can lay our ears on (with the clever tagline of 'Happiness'). As the days roll by all thoughts of Cowen and his cohort of bovine wonders will be shelved with the fastidiousness of the proposed hardback by Wayne Rooney titled 'My Fergie, My King'. Our opening salvo comes courtesy of Marc Carroll and the Hormones who made lots of Friends stateside in the late 90's. My favourite Carroll moment came much earlier however when he fronted Puppy Love Bomb and wrote the effervescent 'Bobby Milk' EP. Thankfully he is still writing tunes so lets hope his talent gets the recognition it deserves. KD

The Hormones - Stay Ahead

More Info: Official Buy Songs: The Hormones
Year: 1998

The Gorgeous Colours - The Creatures Down Below

The Gorgeous Colours launched their own kickstarteresque fund during the summer and in the process found out just how many people out there think they’re both the rainbow and the elusive pot of gold underneath. Our last meet was on foot of their glorious eponymous debut with ‘Means To An End’ finding itself well within the confines of our top 42 songs for 2008. The title track from ‘The Creatures Down Below’ is likely to replicate that feat owing to its delicate craft and innate pop sensibilities. The promo video accompanying the song is pretty stark and disturbing so for today we’ll stick to the rich harmonies and wanton experimentation which never detracts from what is close to the premier piece of Irish pop I’ve heard all year. There’s probably no end to this bands talent so strap yourself in for lots of future treats. KD

The Gorgeous Colours - The Creatures Down Below

More Info: Official
Buy Songs: The Gorgeous Colours
Year: 2010

Hopewell - Contact

Sunday evenings were just made for retro silliness and as we’re on the eve of the reissue of the Sewing Room’s ‘And Nico’ this might just be the thing to get you in that way things used to be mood. But first, take a peek at the inspiration from 80’s TV (yeah, it had me spellbound in 2 channel land all those years ago even if the bullfrog was a little unsettling). The splendid cover comes from Hopewell (having formed in 1993 they would have taken in the TV programme giving the piece the required authenticity) who not only retain the twee nerdiness of the original but also give it a spankingly loud anthemic quality. Hopewell lead man Jason Russo actually started out with Mercury Rev, explaining the appearance of Dave Fridmann as producer on several of their records. Science was never this interesting. KD

Hopewell - Contact

More Info: Official
Buy Songs: Hopewell
Year: 1998

The Sewing Room - Kill Me

Not the cheeriest title and probably not the most uplifting of subject matters but who cares when the tune is this sweet? An oldie too, 15 years to be precise since the day the Sewing Room's debut album 'And Nico' made its first appearance on the revered Dublin label Dead Elvis. Now thanks to Eamon Crudden (from the label) and Dez Foley from the band we are able to offer the LP in shiny digital form via our very own Indiecater. This is such a proud moment for us because 'And Nico' is
never far from our side such is its classy manoeuvring. It spins tales so morose it hardly seems sane to reintroduce it when we are at such a low ebb as a nation but look beyond the bleakness and you'll be treated to song writing of the highest order. 'Kill Me' has a splendid indie pop jangle and an experimental edge which permeates through the album. We're offering 'And Nico' for just 4 euro but you can hear it in full for free so you don't have to feel left out if bobs are in short supply. KD

The Sewing Room - Kill Me

More Info: Official
Buy Songs: The Sewing Room
Year: 1995 & 2010

SnowblindWaltz - Bread Van

‘If you would like to sample SNOWBLIND WALTZ, they would be happy to m a k e you a copy of their four-track cassette. You provide the blank tape and 40p and it's yours.’ So went the piece in the Galway Advertiser towards the end of March 1990, only 20 short years ago but an altogether different world. I’d heard of the band via a Fanning Session and they sounded much more soft and jangly than this song but somehow this was my favourite track from their one and only album ‘Sheer’. Probably because it sounded like Whipping Boy before they became famous. SnowblinkWaltz were friends with Toasted Heretic back then and look at Julian Gough now, award-winning novelist no less. Pity poor Snowblind Waltz, they’ve melted away, confined to near forgotten memories of a Galway that still rains just as much to this day. KD

SnowblindWaltz - Bread Van

More Info: SnowblindWaltz
Year: 1995

Hosannas - When We Were Young

I’d put Hosannas in the highest bracket imaginable because they dare to do something different. Something that doesn’t sound like the band practising next door, something that takes unexpected tangents, something completely experimental yet unexpectedly symmetrical. ‘When We Were Young’ practices bright new constructs while all the while offering a taste of the Cure/Walkmen. It’s taken from the Portland bands’ upcoming album ‘Together’ and that prospect is making me feel quite giddy. This first taster ain’t something to apply your Saturday night makeup to, instead it should have you rinsing the week from your hair come 9pm on a booze soaked Friday evening down the local dirt and grime indie emporium. Thank the heavens for Hosannas. KD

Hosannas - When We Were Young

More Info: Official
Buy Songs: Hosannas
Year: 2010