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Playlist: Land Lovers – Best of Ireland

• 10th May 2016

Dublin dream-indie-pop band Land Lovers have announced the release of their brand new album, The Rooks Have Returned, out 16th May on Popical Island. We caught up with Padraig and Shane from the band recently to get their take on all of the best music from their native home of Ireland:

Lie Ins – “Go Back To Billy”
Mike Stevens is Ireland’s best lyricist and the current Lie Ins 3-piece line-up gives him the most sympathetic accompaniment of his 40 year career. Go Back To Billy is a brilliant, concise tune with room for a trademark guttersnipe guitar solo.

Cian Nugent – “Shadows”
A rather beautiful song, with very very tasteful playing. It’s my favourite on his recent album, Night Fiction. Cian is deservedly a well regarded artist internationally.

Paddy Hanna – “Underprotected”
On first inspection there is nothing to this song… it is almost not there. That’s its great trick. It is as light as a feather, the groove is effortless and the lack of clutter leaves way for a tremendous vocal performance.

Brigid Mae Power – “It’s Clearing Now”
I saw her play this song live a number of months ago and it immediately brought to mind Sandy Denny. It stood out as a fabulous piece of singing, and this recording is as perfect as I remembered it.

No Monster Club – “I’ve Retired”
An out and out hit, this should have been number 1 in Spain at the very least. No Monster Club have a lot of music for you to discover – this song is off the outrageously tuneful People Are Weird which might be the most accessible place to start.

Laurie Shaw – “She’s Heaven”
The spirit of Joe Meek is strong in this production. It’s a fine song too, by a northern English fella who lives in Cork and churns them out at the No Monster Club rate. And sticking with transplants of that nature…

Ginnels – “Europe’s Soil”
… Ginnels is Mark Chester, another northern Englishman in Ireland, and one who produced our album. Ginnels have been my favourite band in Dublin over the last few years, it’s just a pity that they don’t play as often as they used to. So many 2 minute blasts to choose from, but this one is a relatively pastoral number that expresses the English people’s ancient and unbreakable connection with their mother continent.

Dinah Brand – “Bands”
The last Dinah Brand album is one of the best Irish albums, full stop, and an unusually expressive collection of songs regardless of origin. The restraint and good judgement of the playing is crucial: the band is always fully invested in the song. The part of this song that really gets me is when the line “I had to go to watch Dee Dee Ramone, all gorgeous and stoned” is delivered like the saddest thing in the world.

Patrick Kelleher – “Broken Up Now”
A beautiful song from one of the best Irish albums of recent years. Really looking forward to hearing some new songs from him at some point this year.

I Heart The Monster Hero – “Toni Bailey”
One of the many projects of Andy Walsh, the riff on this songs gets me every time it kicks in.

You can listen to the full playlist here: