Applause Music Reviews: Belfast and Northern Ireland

brand new friend - The American Bar, 24th January 2019  My entire body is somehow rigid and shaking at the same time. I can feel goosebumps travelling down my arms. Sweat starts to pool on my back. Fun Fact: The show was about two hours from starting. I was sitting in my car outside, having a heart attack. I’d just narrowly voided crashing into a lorry (didn’t have his indicators on, the prick) and then a traffic pole (emerged from the shadows like a Balrog). Good start. I manage to collect myself and vacate my vehicle, headed for the relative safety of The American Bar, one of Belfast’s better-kept secrets. This cosy boozer has played host to some of the best talents in the city (Joshua Burnside, Villers and The Villans, Malojian etc.), a fact hidden behind its quiet demeanour and unassuming facade. As I enter, football scarfs hang from the rafters. A couple chats loudly about everything and nothing. A lone pensioner sips a frothy beverage. The door in front of me has a

JOSHUA BURNSIDE – WEAR BLUEBELLS IN YOUR HAT IF YOU’RE GOING THAT WAY Belfast’s premier folk artist  Joshua Burnside returns  with his newest album ‘ Wear Bluebells In Your Hat If You’re Going That Way .’ Always far from a one trick pony, Burnside’s latest release sees him flex his creative biceps. While the same folkish fire remains, WEAR has elements as far reaching as alternative rock and indie present throughout, something that only betters his music and allows for a more complete, well rounded sounding record. Those looking for evidence of this need search no further than opener ‘ Little Blind’ , which varies between rustic folk, electric grungy guitar twangs and bluesy keys. And while this diversification of sound is welcomed, it’s not exactly new territory for the face of Quiet Arch. Thematically anyway. Never one to shy from complex, intangible themes (most notably nostalgia, childhood, fear and hope), Burnside’s ever-growing repertoire of sounds and stories continues w

Fever 333 - Strength In Numb333rs It’s 2019 and the state of the world is one of anger. At least, according to Fever 333, the end product of a generation raised on Rage Against The Machine. Fury, it seems, has no sell-by date. Their latest album Strength In Numb333rs is a furious mix of pop punk, rapcore and hardcore malevolence, which burns bright but misses the mark when trying to inspire a level of earnestness. Musically, Strength fits the mould of the contemporary alternative landscape. Rough screeching vocals that embody the Fall Out Boy whine tell tales of violence, riots and uprisings. Drum blast beats are spliced with industrial hip hop fills, giving small blurts of variation that helps keep things brazen. Frontman Jason Aalon Butler plays the part of the livid soapbox preacher, part town crier, part skate punk poet, on songs ONE OF US (“Another one in jail, another young black male, he kinda looks like me”) and BURN IT (“When the neighbourhood in pieces, they say pr

SACHA, the pseudonym and project for producer Adam Sacha Weston, is now the proud owner of one of Belfast’s most addictive singles. Lyrically pleasing, slickly produced and dripping in stoner rock malevolence, Deperson is a triumph for the local musician.  Opening with a dark, musty beat that invites, nay DEMANDS bodily movements, the number is enticing from the get go. Like something dragged from the annals of the Wild West, the steady swing and underlying obscenity is an addictive counterpart to its 70’s style outlaw groove. An evident alternative edge is present, while the lyrical wordplay is a sustained pleasure throughout. There’s an ease of being despite the unsettling themes, a flow that implies a higher level of commitment to Deperson’s vocal backbone. It pays off, with exchanges such as “smoke myself into a hearse” and “in the fossil fuels of my imagination” being highlights. And while the lyrics are impressive, often eliciting audible breathes of appreciation from mys

Modern Rome - Under Wraps  Belfast alternative four-piece Modern Rome are back at it again with their latest release, proudly sticking to their trademark lighter, refreshing take on the genre. Following their well-received earlier release, Work In Progress, the quartet return with melodically heavy ‘Under Wraps’. Most arresting is the vocal of frontman Thomas Lowry, which has an almost choral element to them. Indeed, the entire song has a vested interest in a mixture of spiritual and alt-rock, which brings to mind hints of Biffy Clyro in the way in echoes and enlarges. Impassioned and aching with a healthy dancey kick, ‘Under Wraps’ has a solid back line of bass and percussion which is cemented firmly in the ground with its rock roots, while the indie (dare I say, pop-ish?) aspirations see Modern Rome reaching for the sky. A tune with a surprisingly satisfying chomp during its heaviest moments and a sweeping, gush of orchestral keys, during its lightest, Modern Rome have the

Mastodon - The Ulster Hall, Belfast  Both Luke Harris and Aaron Milligan of Brand New Friend recently dubbed the Ulster Hall as their favourite venue to play in and attend. It’s not difficult to see why. The iconic building, all wrought iron posts and high ceilings, is one of the most imposing in Belfast.  The only building in the world to have banned both Winston Churchill AND The Ramones, it adds another notch to its belt tonight with the return of psychedelic heavy metallers Mastodon, who are accompanied by some of the best headbangers in their field. First on stage is Mutoid Man, who play a buzzing and electric set. Free flying and aggressive, the thump of the drums could be felt in our collective chests, while the electrifying guitars and ferocious riffs were enough to whip the hall into a frenzy. The second band of the night, Kvelertak hails from Norway and brought some Scandinavian fury along with them. Sounding like a Viking invasion, their employment of four (!!) guit

Stephen McCorry, Arsenic & Lace, John Andrews - Voodoo, January 6th  Local hostelry/music enthusiasts at Voodoo kick off 2019 in the proper fashion, with an evening dedicated to some of the best local blues and rock outfits around. Specialists in grit and grind, I was thrown by the familial feeling present on the night. As I sat in Voodoo’s raised seating area supping my beverage, band members and fans mingled from group to group, grabbing shoulders, initiating embraces and grasping palms. The vibe was good, and the music followed suit. Resident firebrand John Andrews is the first to take the stage, with a fully equipped band in tow. Once a lone performer, having backing musicians on board allows Andrews to fully commit his energies to frontman duties, a role which he seems a natural at. It’s not long before a thin film of sweat covers the East Belfast bluesman, his trademark fiery intensity leading his musical charge. Andrews set was, as always, an assault on the senses h

Castlerock may not be the first town people think of when it comes to musical acts, and yet pop-rock quartet brand new friend proudly call it home. It’s been quite the journey for the group so far, from impressing a record label with their demos to touring with the like of Snow Patrol and ASH all over the UK, all while juggling jobs and studies in the background. I caught up with the four-piece at their secluded practice space to talk about childhood memories, Hare Krishna and having their nose picked by their heroes. I think it’s only right that we start at the beginning. What is your first memory relating to music? Taylor Johnson: I bet you have a great answer for this Aaron! Lauren Johnson: No pressure. TJ: Was it your mum teaching you Elvis songs on the guitar? Aaron Milligan: Yeah! Well, no. It was probably hearing Paranoid by Black Sabbath for the first time, with my uncle, in my room when I was younger. It was the first album I ever bought because it was the firs