Applause Music Reviews: Belfast and Northern Ireland

Seventh Heaven: Taylor Johnson Back in 1977, NASA sent a probe into deep space laden with earthly goods. One such object was a golden record, containing some of the best music created by human beings: J.S. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chuck Berry. All in the hope that, should life exist beyond our spacial borders, anyone that came into contact with the probe would be prepared for homo-sapien culture.  But what if we got to choose which albums went into space?   Seventh Heaven is a feature in which musicians and influencers pick their seven favourite albums and send them out into the heavens in the hope of spreading peace and good vibes throughout the galaxy.  Writing for this edition of Seventh Heaven is Taylor Johnson of brand new friend #1. The Smiths – ‘Rank’ The Smiths fell into my life just when I needed them most. From the first time I heard this band, it felt like they were talking directly to me. As if they existed only to soundtrack my life. Morrissey sang of unr

Billie Ellish - WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO Loathe as I am to admit it, California emits some pretty cool shit. Kendrick Lamar and Vince Staples are two of the bigger rap stars in the world. FEVER 333 are bringing hard-style to the mainstream. Even FIDLAR are making being uncool look desirable. Enter the 17-year old Billie Ellish, the family-assisted/self-made star who has moulded the internet to her own whims. Where others have struggled to adapt to the YouTube algorithms, Ellish was born in the social media era, moulded by it, and has yet to fall prey to its psycho-social tendencies. Her debut album, ‘WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO,’ is a microcosm for the subtle intricacies and cynicism that comes with a developmental period that is subject to global scrutiny and access. And damn if it isn’t impressive. The teen described her debutant effort to billboard.com as a “coming of age” moment. A mysterious, absurd album that has its roots in her own person

Son Of The Hound - Cheers, Sound, Good Luck Followers of the Mad Notions podcast may be aware that on the 3rd of April 2019, there will be a gig in Limelight 2 for the official launch of Michael McCullaghs aka Son Of The Hound 's aka Mick’s debut album (it's ok if you missed it, they barely mention it on the show). For fans of the hound, the fact that this is the inaugural release may come as a surprise. After all, his ‘Also-Rans’ internet shorts were a musical/comedy cult hit, his brand of guitar pop is infinitely accessible and he has the backing of international superstar Nathan O’Regan. Nevertheless, ‘ Cheers, Sound, Good Luck ’ is the troubadours first foray into album releases under this moniker, combining both a flamboyant bounce and thoughtful subtlety into its ten track setlist. Playing to his strengths as a natural storyteller, Cheers… takes great joy in making the mundane engaging, with many of its song topics taking the recognisable and giving them conse

Deaf Havana, The LaFontaines & Hot Milk - Saturday 30th March I am taking a break from investigating the legal repercussions of having my mail forwarded to Limelight 2 to write this review. Feels like I’m in there often enough that I should be paying rent. Some serious talent has passed through their stage doors, and on the 30th of March, three more names were added to the list. After stomaching the steep pint prices, I squeezed through to the front of the crowd, discontent with the idea of missing a single act. First on stage were rising Manchester group Hot Milk , making one of their first appearances on Irish soil. A competitive scene to emerge from, they have followed in the footsteps of their predecessors, peddling a pounding, addictive sound that has caught ears all over the UK. Tonight proved to continue this trend. The ‘ Awful Ever After ’ hitmakers played a distinctly emo flavoured pop-punk set, complete with screaming vocals, vivacious guitar and goosebump-indu