After a weekend of bombast and electro-shock, Vetiver provided the perfect Sunday night soother.

The vaguely hippieish filled out Crawdaddy last night, as these Devendra Banhart collaborators took to the stage to promote their latest album Thing of the Past. It’s a collection of covers, remoulded in Vetiver’s americana heavy, country blues style and includes tracks as diverse as Hawkwind’s ‘Hurry On Sundown’ and Loudon Wainwright III’s ‘The Swimming Song’. However despite crowd requests, which prompted groans from the band, the rollicking Hawkind track wasn’t played. Instead Vetiver took it easy.

Their sound is so mellow and soft that as soon as those fingers start plucking you can just imagine you’re sitting on a porch, beer in hand, watching the sunset, while in the background the cicadas creak and the wireless gurlges in the kitchen. Their music lulls you with a gentle sway. It’s not the most amazing sound ever, nor the most exciting, however it could claim to be the easiest to listen to. Yet this overriding sense of peace that descends upon the gig dosen’t overwhelm the music itself. ‘Been So Long’ and ‘Luna Sea’ stand out as prime examples of well crafted songs that although they fit into the mood of the concert also entirely transcend it. Their quality allows them to stand alone, isolated from the set. It is this that makes Vetiver worth listening to.

Vetiver’s Thing of the Past is out now

In my inbox this morning was a heartwarming Monday-morning surprise. Analogue under-rated indie favourites The Antlers are free-releasing a new EP, New York Hospitals to coincide with the NY-based After The Jump Fest this 21st of June. In ringleader Pete Silberman’s own press-released words the EP consists of “Two covers from New York-ish bands from around 1999 surround an original, entitled “Sylvia (An Introduction)”, intended to introduce the focus of the soon to be completed Hospice LP.” Last time we talked, Silberman chatted about his burgeoning My Bloody Valentine affections, and their influence can be heard seeping through the EP, as the three songs absolutely drip with reverb and ethereal vocals. Yet the New Yorker’s high-frequency vocals and increasingly orchestral compositions lend a particularly singular sound to a record with more cover material than original.

“Nothing Matters When We’re Dancing”, from the Magnetic Fields seminal 69 Lovesongs filters the song through some Mazzy Star aesthetics to spectral effect (get used to thesaurus-ized versions of the word “haunted” for this blog entry… comes up quite a bit). It is a deceivingly hopeful opener, and one look at the lyrics set the song up for an impending darkness. Silberman’s lyrics complete the Herculean challenge of matching the haunted chill Merritt’s own words invoke with second song “Sylvia (Introduction)”. He sings in his Elliot Smith-like vibrato ostensibly about Sylvia Plath (It made you crawl under that house/And stick your head under the stove), possibly from the point of view of Ted Hughes. Rather though, it seems like a personal allegory for a Plath-like person in his own life, and the spectres they carry through their lives. Their inability to cope with mortality at an early age “makes you sting/…makes you want to kill“, and Silberman, or Silberman’s character struggles to understand his Sylvia’s morose pain. Set against the same sea of reverb “Sylvia (Introduction)” is otherworldly enough to keep Yvette Fielding in business.

The closing Yo La Tengo cover, “Tears In Your Eyes” from And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out acts as a sort of desperate attempt to save the aforementioned Sylvia, with it’s assurances that “Darkness always turns into the Dawn.” A beautiful rendition, if not somewhat unmemorable, rounds a short EP off with the commendable feat of actually engaging with the source material of the songs Silberman has produced here, and is a promising opening salvo from forthcoming sixth album Hospice. Mind you, if it’s this macabre in the New York Hospital, I’ll be needing a much bigger thesaurus for the Hospice…

Get the EP here.

Ed Banger parties have a reputation for being a bit wild, and last night’s sets at Transmission in The Button Factory from label head Busy P and DJ Mehdi were not about to break the mould. Playing to a packed and wildly enthusiastic crowd, the Ed Banger head honcho took over from local boy Arveene shortly before 1am, and, opening with Sebastian’s Motor and Mr Oizo’s latest, Z, things got off to a rocking start.

Ed Banger has come in for its fair share of criticism recently, on account of a couple of lacklustre releases and the label’s extended association with the seemingly less popular US electro scene, but when you find yourself in an atmosphere of such reckless abandon, surrounded by people having this much fun, it’s difficult not to join in.

DJ Mehdi took over an hour and a half later and gave a set that lived up to his delirious standards. Looking slightly surly before the gig, as soon as he hit the decks out came that mile-wide smile, as he sang along to the tracks he was playing with all the delight of a kid on Christmas morning. His set encompassed the expected Ed Banger/Institubes/Boys Noize Records fare, together with other French stalwarts such as Daft Punk (until recently managed by one Pedro Winter, aka Busy P), as well as taking in influences from further afield, such as the Baltimore-inspired Be from Steve Angello and Laidback Luke, and Debonair Samir’s original Baltimore anthem Samir’s Theme.

The last time I saw Busy P and Mehdi on the same bill was a few days before Christmas in 2006, and, given the date, the crowd wasn’t huge. While a few characters surrounded the decks, the stage was full of dancing girls, with the odd stray male being promptly removed by security. This time around, a much bigger, and largely male, crowd ascended towards the stage, again meeting the same fate, all except for two girls who were called specifically to stay on stage by one of the DJs. What a life they lead.

The night closed in a slightly bizarre fashion – while Mehdi’s show in October with A-Trak ended with Junior Senior’s irritating Move Your Feet, the last track played this time around was The Buggles’ “classic” Video Killed the Radio Star. I scoff now, but maybe in three decades Junior Senior will be held in the same regard that The Buggles are today. Shortly after the music stopped, the fire alarms went off for an uncomfortably long time, prompting cries of “I’m in love the disco sirens” … Well, maybe it was just me. Midfield General is playing Andrew’s Lane in a few weeks time, maybe I’ll have someone to sing along with me then. Anyway, fire alarms blaring, P and Mehdi were led out of The Button Factory through hordes of adoring fans, male and female. After the reaction the two DJs had last night, one can only imagine how well a full Ed Banger lineup would go down on these shores. The guys themselves might like the venue, but I doubt The Button Factory could hold the multitudes that would flock to such an event.

First things first. The new Matmos album is considered their ‘pop’ record. To their fans, maybe. To the rest of us, well, not quite. Matmos you see, typically produce high-concept avant garde electronica that draws on sampled found sounds, and these boys will sample anything. You name it and they’ve sampled it. The sound of ejaculated human semen? Been there. The tap of an underwater mollusc shell? Done that. The soft tear of a human flesh opening under a scalpel? Matmos have bought the t shirt. It is only in circumstances such as these you can produce something like Supreme Balloon and call it your ‘pop’ record. For Supreme Balloon has at its centre a fantastic whooshing 24 minute Krautrock odyssey called Supreme Balloon. Pop? Emm, well its not going to cause Louis Walshe any sleepless nights. The track in question is a real period piece and surely a homage to the likes of Phaedra by Tangerine Dream, such is the smell of unicorn mane off its extended wibbly synth rushes.

The rest of the album, like the title track, is recorded exclusively from vintage synthesisers of all ages, shapes and sizes. However, the shorter songs are far more contemporary sounding and playful than Supreme Balloon. Best of these is ‘polychords’ which isn’t a million miles from Boards of Canada’s ROYBGIV, and bounces along in an exuberant rubbery way. Actually, rubbery is a pretty good adjective for the rest of the album. The music stretches, snaps, bounces and ricochets all over the place. It’s a veritable explosion in a rubber toy factory. It might not be to everyone’s taste, but if you have a penchant for experimental instrumental music served with a side-dollop of mischief then Supreme Balloon is for you. Now spark up a sneaky bowl and turn up the title track. It’s time to imagine you’re flying your pet rainbow-coloured animated unicorn over the pyramids.

Matmos play the Andrew’s Lane Theatre as part of the Future Days festival on June 12th. They’ll be backed up by the excellent Si Schroeder.

In Rainbows: However much you want (read: free)
Radiohead ticket: €70.70
Ticket charge: €3.50
Transport to Malahide Castle: €1.05—> €25
Merchandise (incl. “Yorkie: Not For Girls” t-shirt and ironically empty “In Rainbows” wallet ): €10—-> €100
“Chips” and “Cheeseburger”: €9
Inflatable sofa (for the less able-bodied fan): €20
Token Bat For Lashes headband so you fit in: €7.50 (try Claire’s Accessories)
Booze: €Whatever’s left in your wallet x however many times you want to use a portaloo.

Free Jape instore gig in Tower Records at 6 o clock: Fucking priceless.

Pic by Loreana Rushe

Noise is great. Hands up who likes noise? And I mean proper, loud noise. Like the dizzying, distorted blast of chart techno you hear every time you hurl toward the centre of a trashy fairground ride, or the endless thunder of a waterfall up close. It quickens the blood; its powerful and cathartic. Times New Viking know this. The American three-piece (one girl, two guys) are all about noise, and tonight they bring it to Andrew’s Lane Theatre.

Before the onslaught all is quiet. When the band take the stage there is a funny muted feeling in the air. Its a Monday evening and, frankly, not many people have turned up. People stand around in clusters. The band tune up quietly. In fact they are so unassuming in doing this that there isn’t a clap or holler until they actually start to play, making me wonder if people initially thought they were sound technicians or some such. I fear the worst; a damp squib of a gig to a half empty venue. But then they play, and the torrential sound they make is so raw, so electrifying, that any such doubts are rinsed away in minutes, and replaced by a euphoric blood-rush brought on by this scuzzy, fucked up, yet utterly melodic pop.

Times New Viking don’t just do noise. They also do brevity. Tonight, the songs come ridiculously hard and fast. Tunes pile violently into each other like a twenty-car pile up on the M50, and the audience gape on like thrilled rubberneckers. Throughout, drummer Adam Elliot and Keyboardist Beth Murphy share vocals, most excitingly on (My Head) which ends on the demented chant “we need more money/ ‘cos we need more drugs”. His voice is viciously distorted, a ragged howl to match the mangled interplay between Murphy’s keyboard and Jared Philip’s guitar, both of which manage to sound like an entire army of banjaxed instruments. In fact, what is most impressive about the band tonight is how they manage to coax such a great wall of sound from a keyboard, a guitar and a drum-kit.

At around forty minutes the gig is aptly short and intense, but it satisfies. I’m left with a bigger shit-eating grin than a Cheshire cat and the conviction that Times New Viking are one of the most thrilling bands going. If they come back and play again, I hope its to a bigger crowd. They deserve it.

Hard Working Class Heroes 08 launched last night in the Button Factory with a couple of acts and three hours of free beer. On first impressions, it looks pretty good.

First off, it’s back to Temple Bar. That lovely new redbrick warehouse Andrew’s Lane Theatre looks like being the flagship venue, which is good news by most accounts. Tripod was a bit empty a lot of the time last year, and I don’t know how Andrew’s Lane matches up capacity-wise, but it seems like it could be an improvement. The Button Factory (good), Meeting House Square (very good), Eamonn Doran’s (em) and The Hub (smelly) are the other venues.

Budweiser aren’t on board any more, but there are various other “friends” who are chipping in. State are curating the photography exhibition, which was a genuine attraction last year. MUZU.tv are throwing up videos of all the bands. And entertainment.ie are in charge of the download chart.

The big news is the Invasion though. The bookies were leaning towards maybe electronic Byzantium, France, but it turns out to be Scotland. Sons and Daughters are curating it, which has both positive and negative connotations as I see it.

Positives: they’re a pretty big band, so maybe they can pull other reasonably big bands over; they’re not terrible; the fact that a band from Scotland are doing it lessens the chance of duds, or a really scatty, incoherent sense of what’s going on there.

Negatives: there is every chance they will just bring over all their mates; they’re not brilliant; Scotland isn’t really as much of a finger-on-the-pulse a choice as Canada and Scandanavia were (not to say that there won’t be a lot of great bands coming over).

In other news, new|amusement played. I think they get disproportionately good coverage, especially online, because they have one really good song (see if you can guess which one I mean). There’s nothing madly impressive about them, though. They’re harder and faster than Delorentos, but at the expense of hooks. The world doesn’t need a new Bloc Party, especially a less catchy one.

Anyway, bands and photographers have until July 2 to apply online, and tickets are on sale now, for €44.98.

The nice guys behind Transmission have given us 3 tickets to give away to Transmission’s Ed Banger Party featuring Busy P & Dj Mehdi this Friday Saturday at 11pm in the Button Factory. Support comes from Arveene. So the first 3 people to leave a comment below will win. (Please include an email address)

If you’re not one of the lucky winners Tickets are 20 blips available from Ticketmaster, Road Records, City Discs, Sound Cellar etc.

I’ve posted about radio shows before, I know. But I’ve stopped listening to the radio during the day- mainly because if I hear ‘Radio Heart’ by the Futureheads one more time I may kill myself. Thankfully, night time is a happier radio time. The excellent excellent Cian O Cíobhán presents ‘An Taobh Tuathail’ from 11pm-1am every Monday to Friday night on Radio na Gaeltachta.

An Taobh Tuathail has been broadcasting the cream of underground music from around the globe on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta/ANOCHT FM since May 1999.

Cian Ó Cíobháin who has been presenting the show since its very first broadcast, presents the show Monday to Friday, 11pm-1am.

Cian spins a broad range of mostly underground music on the show. The shows from earlier in the the week are more reflective in mood - drawing on electronica, dream-pop, alt-folk, post-rock, soundtracks and jazz.

Thursdays and Fridays are devoted to electronic dancefloor music: predominantly house, electro & techno, which Cian plays at clubs around Ireland (http://www.sisi.tv).

On Wednesday, you could say ‘file under: other’, though usually theres’s space for Balearic gems, nu-disco, dubstep and electro-pop on the midweek show.

Now, I know it’s as gaeilge, but when the playlist is as ace as this, and when you hear o Cíobhán’s beautiful Irish, language will cease to become an issue.

Podcasts are available díreach anseo, and a best of cd can be bought here.

Pic By Loreana Rushe

The last time Foggy Notions had Jens play here, it was a stripped down affair in Whelans. Just him, backed up by his guitar, a bongo drum and a very special appearance by one Owen Pallett playing violin on a few songs. It was a remarkable gig. It was intimate, heartfelt and touched with more than a tiny bit of Christmas magic, no doubt helped by the fact that Whelans was newly redecorated and smelled of fresh pine-wood. He entertained, he charmed, and he pretty much had a capacity crowd hanging off his every utterance. Tonight, Jens returns to Dublin to what is perhaps an unfair weight of expectation.

Certainly, memories of the previous performance are fresh for many of the audience here, and I’m sure friends have been dragged along in tow with effusive tales of ‘that night’. However, as any seasoned gig-goer knows, the conditions that conspire for gigs that special are mercurial and lightning sadly rarely strikes twice. This, despite the presence of Jens’ full band (dressed up in varying monochrome colours like female versions of those disturbing Aussie TV children’s characters The Wiggles) and a sampler. Thats not to say its a bad gig. It isn’t. It just feels a little flat, rehearsed, and at times the band’s twee capers make me want to watch through my fingers in embarrassment. For example, at one point they all down their instruments, stretch out their arms and run circles around the stage pretending to be airplanes. Its like watching a community drama group getting in touch with their inner children. Its just a little too much for me, a cutesy contrivance too far, and I’m an avowed Belle and Sebastian fan.

However, there are plenty of highlights. ‘Maple Leaves’ and ‘You are the Light’ are delivered in a particularly rousing fashion by Jens, benefiting from the big band treatment. The full on version of ‘Black Cab’ makes an interesting counterpoint to the hushed version we were treated to last Christmas and thanks to the sampler ‘It was a Strange Time in my Life’ comes complete with the deeply peculiar duck-child warble that spooks the shit out of me. I guess tonight is ultimately about the type of music Jens trades in and how honest he can be to that. He trades in sincerity wrapped up in showmanship. His songs demand his and our full attention. Tonight he’s possibly tired, at the end of a long tour, and perhaps going through the motions. Because of this, what felt so real at Christmas now feels a little vaudeville. The original spirit is slightly lacking, making us more aware of the shiny, showy shell.