Ireland Tunes - A Round-up

There's been quite a few great tunes coming from the island of Ireland at the moment. Here are a few that are currently floating The Metaphorical Boat.
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The Spook of the Thirteenth Lock - The Brutal Here and Now (Part 1)

Remember that song "Atlas" by Battles that seemed to excite every alternative music fan a few years back? Have you had sleepless nights thinking to yourself: "It's a great track. But what would it sound like if it was Irish, sung in a reasonable voice in a psychedelic-folk style?" Well fret no more, thanks to Dublin band The Spooks of the Thirteenth Lock (not to be confused with the equally brilliant Spooks of Bottle Bay). "The Brutal Here and Now (Part 1)" is a fantastic, slow building song that mixes both style and substance in equal measure. It's the lead song from their 2nd album "The Brutal Here and Now".

 

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Hunk! - I Want to Be Brave

Dublin band Hunk! are so new that they haven't got around to playing a full gig yet, although that will be remedied soon, as they are supporting Dogwillhunt in Queens Students Union on Friday 8th June. If you can get past the band's ridiculous name, you will find some lovely, Black Tambourine-esque lo-fi shoegaze on "I Want to Be Brave". It's a seriously good tune, which is strange for such an unserious band (one of their members goes by the name Sunny D)

 
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Gascan Ruckus - Pieces

It's funny how far some music can travel. During my year-long stay in Hastings, Nebraska, I came across a group called Gascan Ruckus, after the college's librarian mentioned that she was a fan of the group. To my surprise, I found out that the band were from my neck of the woods, relatively speaking. It turns out that the year before me, a relative of the band had stayed at the same college as I did, and had spread the word about the band. So Gascan Ruckus, if you're ever looking to tour America, you might consider playing a set in the picturesque setting of Hastings, Nebraska. If you can continue to produce all-out rock stompers like latest single "Pieces", then it's bound to go down very well.

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Katie & The Carnival - Dinosaurs 

Kooky Katie Richardson and her ever rotating Carnival are releasing "Dinosaurs" on June 18th. It's a charming song from a woman looking to add a little bit of theatricality to music, something which she seems to have succeeded in. They seem to be cropping up in some strange places recently, including an ice-cream advert and the Belfast edition on Come Dine With Me.