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Leftfield – Tripod, Dublin
Reunions, reunions, reunions. A quick glance at the majority of European festivals happening this summer and you’d think we’re still back at the tail end of the last century. Faith No More, Pixies, Orbital, Pavement, The Libertines, Soundgarden and tonight’s heritage act Leftfield are all gracing stages this year.
So how would this ’90s dance…
State.ie Mixtape – Chillwave
Seeing as it’s the long weekend we’ve gathered a few tunes for that long drive, pottering about the garden or just kicking back with a cold one. Inspired by the chillwave/hypnagogic/glo-fi scene going on State-side, it’s a tranquil collection to say the least – so don’t adjust your sets.
A few names will pop up…
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today
There’s a moment about a minute into ‘Round and Round’ where you genuinely believe there’s no way that this song can get any better. The sassy keyboard parp, the perfect pitch of a lost Bee-Gee’s B-side replete with tonsil-tingling falsetto and the breathy ‘I’m Not in Love’ ‘aahhhs’ billowing through the looping bassline, it’s pretty…
Sam Amidon – Whelan’s, Dublin
Sam Amidon‘s music is best defined as reinterpreted folk and gospel songs. The Vermont troubadour has carved a vocation out of age-old tales of love, God and murder. Though much of his material is of lost origins from centuries passed and from places you may have never been, Amidon sings with a credibility and earnestness…
State @ Primavera Sound 2010
Primavera Sound has become something of a pilgrimage to Irish music fans over the past few years. Perhaps that’s because the Catalonian festival offers something that our own Irish festivals just can’t, namely guaranteed sun and a distinct lack of mud. Despite So Cow being the only musical representation from our shores, it seemed that…
The Black Dog – Music for Real Airports
When Brian Eno released Ambient 1: Music For Airports… in 1978, flying was still a relative luxury and airports were gateways to holiday destinations that didn’t involve candy floss and sandcastles. Eno’s four-track suite of delicate piano and impressionistic vocal treatments may have conjured up images of pinstripe suits in departure lounges in Charles de
Europavox 2010 – Day one
It’s been a long day, starting with a 6am flight to Amsterdam, then a transfer to Paris and a tedious three-and-a-half hour train journey but State has finally arrived in Clermont-Ferrand. And as beers are sipped-upon under the cloudless sky of a balmy French summer’s evening, it already feels like it’s been worth the effort.…
Music on TV this week
Monday 31st May
U2 360 Live From The Rose Bowl – Sky One 8pm …
Out on video this week, U2′s LA show has already been broadcast live on YouTube and now appears on satellite. An hour’s highlight package is probably about right, hopefully cutting the overblown and baggy bits in favour for the moments of
Various – The New Breed: The Best Of New Irish Contemporary Music
Look in certain quarters (State included) and there are plenty who will tell you that the Irish music industry is in rude health. Our bands are getting both kudos abroad and commercial success at home, coupled with a healthy underground scene. All we need now is someone to document it. Step forward, perhaps unexpectedly, EMI…
Oasis – Time Flies…. 1994 – 2009
And that, it would seem, is finally that. With the Gallagher brothers having now firmly declared their hands, it does appear that the Oasis story has finally limped to an ignoble, messy end. Time Flies… seeks to bring it all together musically, if not in a complete fashion (singles only) but certainly in a lot
State.ie Mixtape – Something for the weekend
Here’s a mixtape of free-to-download tracks that have been knocking around the State HQ for the past couple of weeks. By way of a house-keeping exercise we feel the need to bring them to your attention.
It’s a fairly relaxed set, starting with Junip, Jose Gonzalez’ foray into the pop-rock spectrum, some psych-pop from Spirituals…
Biffy Clyro interview
They’re freaks, are Biffy Clyro, they are weirdos. Certainly when compared JLS, Cheryl Cole, Justin Bieber and the other pop poppets that the they have just spent the weekend with at BBC Radio One’s annual free festival. Sandwiched between Ke$ha and Rihanna (as it were), they emerged triumphant – even if Rihanna’s -people’ insisted that…
State Podcast #13: Summer Festivals 2010
Get out your wellies and dust off your suncream because festival season is fast approaching. In this the fourth episode of the newly rejuvenated podcast series, Jules and Laura invite over some friends to State HQ for some nibbles, a few wine spritzers and a chat about all things festival.
Not sure how we did…
New Arcade Fire songs in full, album announced
Update: Third album The Suburbs… has been announced via their website. It will be released on August 2nd (UK) /3rd (US). You can pre-order it here.
Both songs from the new Arcade Fire 12″, ‘The Suburbs’ (lyrics) and the punky ‘Month of May’ appeared on the internets last night. State recommends.
Arcade Fire – The
