It's been three years since the release of "Arrow", the second album from Northern Irish singer/songwriter Ciara O'Neill, who for our money has one of the best voices of any vocalist from this neck of the woods, and who came on the podcast around the release of that record (and if anyone who heard that podcast was wondering - since then I've finally finished the copy of Norwegian Wood that had been gathering dust beside my bed, although now I've got a copy of Kafka On The Shore to get my teeth into instead).
She's been quiet on the music front in the past year owing to you-know-what, but with better days ahead, she's released a wonderful new song. "Le Soleil" (which translates as "the sun" in French, thank you "B" in GCSE) is a a hopeful song of brighter days ahead, with a rich production that recalls the chilled, lush production of Zero 7 or The Beatles at their most relaxed, all topped off with the wonderful vocals of O'Neill.
"Le Soleil" is taken from the E.P "La Lune" (which means "the moon" in French - once again, thanks GCSEs), which is due for release in the autumn.
Derry-based group Invaderband first came to our attention a few years ago through their self-titled debut album and its infectious lead single "Not Alan Rickman", a short-sharp ode to the late thespian's greatest movie roles.
Four years later, and with album #2 on the horizon, the group have released their new single. Clocking in a less than 2 1/2 minutes, "I Won't Remember You" is sardonic ode to perpetual forgetfulness, and it's a great post-punky track which calls to mind the music of Franz Ferdinand or the Buzzcocks. It's an infectious, snappy little earworm of a track.
"I Won't Remember You" is out now, and is taken from their forthcoming album "Peter Gabriel".
The Metaphorical Boat has been fans of Strabane singer/songwriter Lauren Bird for some time, enjoying her fantastic 2017 album "The Inbetween", and even having her on as a guest on the podcast around the time of its release.
Since then, she's been relatively quiet on the new music front, bar a one-off single release in 2018, but at the end of last year she released "Millennials", a song that saw Lauren taking her music in a new direction, most notably with the absence of the ukulele, the instrument that she's most associated with.
Her new single, "Keep Trying", is also ukulele-free, although it's not something that's too concerning, given how much this song struck a chord with me. It's a tender song about self-acceptance, about learning to love yourself for who you are, a song for "anyone who still struggles to look in the mirror." As someone who spent 29 years of his life looking in the mirror, hating the person he say in the reflection, it's the sort of song I wish I could have heard many years ago, and hopefully it's a song that can provide comfort and support to the people who need it.
Plus, the music video has cute dogs in it. And everyone sensible likes dogs.
This is a blog post that has been nearly 10 years in the making.
I first came across singer/songwriter Kacie Williams back in 2011 when I was living in the United States. I was on Spring Break in Nashville, Tennessee, and I went to a Battle of the Bands in the Mercy Lounge in the city - incidentally, it was at this Battle of the Bands where I saw Big Surr, the band that inspired me to start The Metaphorical Boat in the first place, so definitely an event that sticks in my mind. I got talking to Kacie at the gig (she was there to see Keegan DeWitt, who's gone on to score a smorgasbord of soundtracks since then), and after that made a note to check out hermusic going forward.
She hadn't released as much music since then, but as of last year she has been releasing music under the name Touma, and has been building up a reputation on the local indie scene in Nashville. Her first single under this moniker, "Bodyguard", came out last year, and has now followed this up with "Fading Out (Epilogue)". It's a song that's very much of the epic pop variety and very much a widescreen heartbreak anthem.
For those who haven't come across her work, it's a great introduction to the sound of Touma. Hopefully it won't be another 9 years before this blog writes about Kacie's music.
A new addition to the burgeoning group of "bands who have named themselves after obscure references from The Simpsons", Brighton group Thrillhousehave been releasing quite a few well-received singles over the past year or so. The song however that caught our attention is "2045". A song that ruminates on the passage of time, the song mixes the songwriting style and vocals of Talking Heads or 80s era David Bowie with a production style that calls to mind acts like Yeasayer to create a great song that toes the fine line between eclectic and overwhelming.
"2045" is available now in all the usual places, as well as some unusual places, one presumes.
Back in March when "the event" was starting to ramp up, I went out and bought a bucket load of albums from artists I was less familiar with on a whim in order to have enough new music to see me through the next few months. There were a few great artists and albums that I got my metaphorical teeth into during that time - Elma Orkestra, Porridge Radio & The Lost Brothers being some of the artists whose albums helped to keep me sane during this strange, strange time.
But of all the albums, the one that I enjoyed the most was "Fragments", the debut solo album from Welsh singer-songwriter Matthew Frederick, who had been nominated for the Welsh Music Prize with his band Climbing Trees. "Fragments" is a great, pastoral album, a thing of beauty that gets better and deeper with every listen.
The song that I enjoyed the most from the album was "Laura Jones", which stands out from the rest of the tracks with its pop-orientated sound compared to the more folksy sound of the rest of the album. It's a tale of a long-lost teenage love that will have you singing along to the chorus for days on end. To coincide with its release as a single, Matthew Frederick has offered anyone whose name is Laura Jones a free download of the single, so whilst it might not be worth getting married or changing your name by deed poll for (but only just), it is well worth getting if you happen to be blessed with said name. And if not, the album & song are well worth paying for regardless.
"Laura Jones" is taken from the album "Fragments", which is out now on various formats on Staylittle Music.
Chris McConaghy, who records under the moniker Our Krypton Son, has been one Derry's more underrated singer-songwriters of the past few years, releasing two well received albums, including the Northern Ireland Music Prize-nominated "Fleas & Diamonds", a giving us some fantastic songs along the way, our highlight being the Scott Walker-esque "Catalonian Love Song", a song that still gives us goose-pimples to this day.
Ahead of the release of a new set of material, he's released a new single which sees Our Krypton Son move in a different direction musically. "White Sun" is produced by Ryan Vail (who won last year's Northern Ireland Music Prize with his collaborative project "Borders" alongside Elma Orkestra), so unsurprisingly the track is an electronic and synth-based, something we haven't really seen in an OKS production to date. Although even with the change in direction, the focal point of McConaghy's vocals remain firmly intact, and as engaging as ever.
"White Sun" is taken from the 3rd album from Our Krypton Son, "Modern Ruins", which is due for release in July.
We're not entire sure that given "the event", if it is fortuitous or unfortunate that the debut single from Belfast 4-pieceBig Daisyhappens to be called "Go Outside". We guess it depends on your perspective, one supposes, although given the song is described as an 'agoraphobic power ballad', it could just end up being the former.
The song itself is a great piece of scuzzy, lo-fi indie-pop, inspired by the sound of Weezer & also some fantastic Alvvays vibes as well. Great music whether you want to be out in the world, or more likely that not at the moment, whether you've got no option to stay in and listen to great music with a cup of coffee and some delicious Battenberg.
One effect of the self-isolation that's come about as a result of "the event" is that we're likely to see a lot more remote collaborations between artists & musicians over the next few weeks. One team-up that we've already seen is from Northern Irish artist Malojian & Jason Lytle (of Grandaddy fame), who've recorded "The Singularity" remotely from their simultaneous lockdowns. It's a lovely song for an uncertain time.
"The Singularity" is currently available to download on a pay-what-thou-want basis, alongside an acapella version (for all your banging-remix needs), an an instrumental version for your "making up your own words" reasons.
London based singer-songwriter Jamie Johnson first caught my attention last year with his wonderful song "Christopher", a heart-rendering song which made our Top Songs of 2019, (as well as picking up love from Phil Taggart at Radio 1), and that felt like it had been written just for me, and not just because it shares its name with myself.
And with his first release of the year, it looks as if 2020 is going to be just as bright. "Old Friend" was inspired by a old classmate he met on the train, and is a gorgeously tender track that manages to create something very special using such a sparse setup of just acoustic guitar & vocals, and calls to mind a more lo-fi sounding version of Jim Croce.
Jamie Johnson has a habit of releasing songs that pull all the emotional strings, and he's done it again on "Old Friend".
All The Few are a 4-piece group from Belfast. Having released a couple of well-received singles in 2019, they are gearing up for the release of their debut E.P. Taken from it is "Remedy", a confident indie-rock single that has a touch of the Kings of Leon in their more anthemic, stadium-hugging mode, and a strong foundation stone for the band going forward.
"Remedy" is taken from the E.P "Sorry, Try Again", which will be launched on 27th March in Love & Death in Belfast.
It's been a while since we've did one of these round-ups of songs from Northern Ireland that have really taken our interest, but there's been a few songs that have grabbed us over the last few weeks that we felt were very much worth bringing to your attention - Mark Hegan - Love, Wait For Me
We've been fans of Mark Hegan on the blog for a number of years, both in his former band and now through his solo material - his song "Skyward" made the top 10 of The Metaphorical Boat's Top Songs of 2019.
His first release of the year is "Love, Wait For Me", which has all the characteristics of his solo material - the melding of the electric and rock elements, with a high level of pathos running through it. If you're looking for a less heavy Gang of Youths, then you'll enjoy this one.
Conchúr White is an artist that we first came across as frontman of Silences, whom we've had much love for over the years. He's now recording under his own name, and having released the great "Daisies" last year, and having come off an Irish tour with Villagers, he has released his first single of 2020.
"Bikini Crops" sees White taking on a more surreal quality to his lyrics - Father John Misty & Alex Turner have been cited as influences - which shows a development in his songwriting since his band days. It's also got a blissfully powerful chorus, it's the most infectious one he's done since "The Sea", and if it's any justice, it will be the song that firmly establishes his solo credentials.
The one thing we love about music videos from Northern Irish artists is that their music videos tend to be shot in places we are very familiar with, which always gives us a little sense of satisfaction. Watching the video for "Badlands" by Dark Tropics, we were convinced from the get-go that it's filmed in the Botanic Gardens in Belfast, which we had a great affection for growing up. It's funny how it's the little things that give us a lift.
But anyway, "Badlands" is the debut single from duo Dark Tropics, made up of singer/songwriter Rio and producer Gerard Sands, who's been involved in a few artists we've enjoyed over the years. The song is a slice of dark pop-noir that pulls you in from the get-go. One of fans of Lana Del Rey.
Still in their teens, our interest in The Florentinas was piqued when we saw that Gary Lightbody had been quite complimentary about them. Off the strength of their single "Stay" (which was recorded live in Start Together Studios), we can see that they're a group with a lot of potential in them. It's an atmospheric, hypnotic track that will stay in the back of your head for a while after you've heard it.
They've got a few support gigs coming up in the next few weeks, opening for The Maine and Brand New Friend, so we must make a note to see them live when we can.
It's Valentine's Day this week, so what better time to have on the blog a song about divorce? Our timing is always impeccable.
"Half of Everything" by Canadian singer-songwriter Scott MacKayis a country-inflected song that takes the idea of splitting everything 50/50 after a romantic split, and taking it to its most logical, ridiculous conclusion. The song's got a classic singer-songwriter county feel to it, sounding something a bit like Jake Bugg, if he had a sense of humour.
For those of you who like things in list and/or Spotify playlist form, here are The Metaphorical Boat's Top 50 songs of 2019 in full (note that out #3 song is not currently available on Spotify):
Vampire Weekend-Harmony Hall
Sean McConnell-I Could Have Been An Angel
The Radar Station-Zanzara
UVERworld-Touch off
Vampire Weekend-This Life
Mark Hegan-Skyward
Maps-Just Reflecting
Billie Eilish-bad guy
Blossoms-Your Girlfriend
EGOISM-What Are We Doing?
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard-Fishing For Fishies
Anybody with a worried mind could never forgive the sight
Of wicked snakes inside a place you thought was dignified
I don't wanna live like this, but I don't wanna die
And so our favourite song of 2019 is the comeback single from one of this blog's favourite artists. There was a six year gap since Vampire Weekend's last album, and given the passing of time & reconfiguration of the band (with Rostam Batmanglij no longer being a permanent member), we weren't sure that the band would be able to re-spark our interest in the way that their earlier material did.
Well, along came "Harmony Hall", the first single of Vampire Weekend Mk II, which blew away all our doubts on one fell swoop. The song is miles away from the indie-rock sound that first attracted us to them, but still feels like it's a natural progression for the group (especially given that the main lyric also features on the song "Finger Back" from their last album).
The lyrics have layered meanings, with inspirations coming from the White House, slavery & Jewish identity, with the music taking inspiration from roots music, baroque, baggy, and even a little country twang in there, as well as a production that both mimics and plays with the lyrics. From the moment we heard the song back in January, we had no doubt in our mind that it would be The Metaphorical Boat's favourite song of 2019, and 11 months later, no other song this year could top it.
So enjoy our favourite song of 2019, "Harmony Hall", in all its glory -
We're getting closer to finding out which song has clinched the top spot in our favourite songs of 2019, but before that, let's see the still-fantastic songs that just fell short at the final hurdle -
5. Vampire Weekend - This Life
Like another song in our top 10, "This Life" was a song that was all over the radio during the summer months without translating into a bona fide hit in its own right, mores the pity. The song is perhaps the most straightforward pop song that Vampire Weekend have recorded to date, a jaunty-sounding track that we've seen compared to "Brown Eyed Girl", whose lyrics belay a mournfulness that juxtaposes the sunny melody.
4. UVERworld - Touch Off
Japanese alternative-rock band UVERworld's song "Touch Off" rose to prominence in 2019 through its use as the theme to the critically acclaimed Japanese series The Promised Neverland. It's perhaps one of the few heavy-rock songs that manages to use a saxophone prominently throughout without sounding a bit weird.
3. The Radar Station - Zanzara
This song first came to our attention when the Belgian band in question were known as Sun Gods, although due to legal reasons the band are now known as The Radar Station.
"Zanzara" (which is Italian for mosquito), is a tender electro-stomper of a song that calls to mind the production of Prides or Bear's Den circa "Red Earth & Pouring Rain", with a songwriting style that draws fond comparisons with The Waterboys.
2. Sean McConnell - I Could Have Been An Angel
And just missing out on the top spot is "I Could Have Been An Angel" by Massachusetts country-folk singer-songwriter Sean McConnell. It's a song built around two separate narratives of two people who have taken the wrong turn in life, and trying to rationalise why they didn't have the power within themselves to be good. There hasn't been a song that has affected me emotionally in the same way in 2019, even now I get a little bit bleary eyed whenever the guitars swell up in the post-chorus.
We're into the creme-de-la-creme now, with the songs that made it from numbers 10 to 6 in our year-end countdown of 2019, along with the reasons why we loved each track -
10. EGOISM - What Are We Doing?
The Australian duo won us over last year with their fantastic single "Sorry", and in 2019 they delivered another dreamy shoegaze gem in the form of "What Are We Doing?". The song sees them delivering a powerful punch of a chorus, as well a some sumptuous harmonies from the two. Given their rate of singles over the past few years, we're surely due an album from them in 2020, and if it's of the strength of what's already come, then it will be one of our musical highlights of the year.
9. Blossoms - Your Girlfriend
Stockport based group Blossoms enjoyed a radio hit in "Your Girlfriend" over the summer without the song ever troubling the singles chart (something something guitar music is dead something something). It's a great little gem of a song about being in love with someone you can't be with.
8. Billie Eilish - Bad Guy
"Bad Guy" has been one of the bone fide biggest songs of 2019 worldwide, in spite of, or possibly because, it doesn't sound like any other pop song out there this year. It's quite a claustrophobic song, underpinned by a banging hook and topped off by Eilish's hushed and confrontational delivery and dark yet humorous lyrics.
7. Maps - Just Reflecting
I owe a lot of my musical tastes to hearing the first album by Maps back in 2007, with "We Can Create" being the record that first got me interested in more alternative types of music rather than just what was in the charts.
Twelve years on, and James Chapman is still creating music of beauty, with the song that most caught my ear this year being "Just Reflecting". The song harks back to the "nu-gaze" sound of his debut album, whilst adding sweeping orchestral soundscapes to create something incredibly majestic & cinematic.
6. Mark Hegan - Skyward
Formerly of much loved local band In An Instant, released his debut single under his own name, "Skyward", having re-located from Bangor to London. It's a song about feelings of isolation and of losing one's identity after uprooting oneself, which successfully melds electronic and rock elements in a great way.
We're just on the cusp of finding out which songs that made the top 10 in our yearly count-down, but before that let's see what songs just missed out by making it to 15 through to 11 on the countdown. This section features French modern doo-wop, Canadian pop-rock, one of Omagh's favourite singer-songwriters with a song that harks back to late 60s rock, a Liverpool-based group with a sound that's more Americana than Beatles, and salmon-friendly Australian psych-rock -
We're up to the tracks at 20 to 16 on the countdown now, with tunes from a former year-end chart-topper, Scottish indie-rock, a fantastic singer-songwriter, a returning track from long-time gloom merchants, and one of the more successful indie-rock bands at the moment, and one of the few that can still get a UK Top 40 single -
We're into the top half of our favourite songs of 2019 now, with some fabulous tunes making it to 25 through 21 on our countdown. This section features a fine slice of English indie-rock, an earworm-worthy top 10 hit from the summer, an odd, Belgian, funky ode to James Bond, a genre-hopping Dublin singer-songwriter, and a somewhat-local electronic duo who've become award-winning podcast superstars since the last time they had a song make one of our year-end countdowns (whilst still making awesome music in the process) -
