Music Review Unsigned

Mike Got Spiked were a well loved Irish band who had made a dent in both the single and album charts here until they relocated to the U.S.A where they have been constantly touring since 2006.

Recorded in The Cat Club in Hollywood CA, 'Live and Acoustic' sees the Monaghan natives show in acoustic mode, but yet they still manage to capture the frenzied passion of a full electric set.

The Ska/Punk/Rock flavoured Mike Got Spiked show themselves as a kit well accomplished outfit and this stripped down set shows the band for their intrigued arrangements. New and previously released tracks sit side by sit comfortably.

Speechless starts as a breakneck speed ska track cohesively held together by a slick rhythm section. Second track, Tit For Tat, features some catchy hooks. Dave Lodge's lightning fast bass skills are on display on 'Sleeping With the Enemy'. 'Come Dancing' is a funk track that Republic of Loose would be thrilled if they wrote.

Mike Got Spiked let their “Oirish' out in 'Whiskey For Ma Tae', which the local crowd seem to adore. A rock diddly eh die track with a good old tin whistle.

The band enlist the help of singer Lorriane Maher on 'Stop Thinking', a tender (yes I used tender in a MSG review), thoughtful song. Once the track kicks in, Gavin McGuire shares some great harmonious moments with his guest vocalist.

The band's first chart entry 'All You Need' gets a jazzy make over. 'Fool for the ladies' (DCUfm favourite) also gets the acoustic treatment and McGuire's vocals seem to have the greatest range on this track. The live session is closed with 'No is not the Answer', an insight that Mike Got Spiked ain't leaving familiar ground.

This is a good stepping stone in the countdown to the release of their second album, MSG manage to pack so much punch into this acoustic offering that when the album does come round, your head might just explode!

Three piece Mugger Dave kick off their debut album with an brilliant intro that suggests this is an actual event. Keys, acoustic guitar and immaculate harmonies build up to a full rock explosion.

It's a good old guitar driven rock n roll album, mixed throughout with harmonies and decent melodies, add a little dash of punk and perhaps even a trickle of ELO in a modern setting and you're sorted.

Along with previous singles “Crawl Up' and 'Got a lot on my mind', the band mix up tempo and slower tempo-ed tracks throughout the album. 'End Meat' deserves a mention, catchy hooks, memorable refrain.. contender for a next single perhaps.

It's a definite grower, sit down with headphones on 48 minutes, its practically the same length as one half of a game in this boring World Cup... you'll be entertained.
Review by Nessy

Placeholder EP

I could not believe my ears when I played this cd as my first thought was how like to Nina Simone it thought she was. Miranda shows how soul music should be grown up. I quite enjoyed this ep and fell in love with Miranda’s voice to the extent of shivers down my spine. Lyrically this girl is amazing form telling us about dangerous girls, keeping secrets to loving the wrong person, which is telling the stories of many young woman. Adding in elements of funk, blues and jazz this girl is going to please your music taste buds no matter of ‘’your’’ genre. Lyrically and musically, the whole EP goes together like peas in a pod and this girl deserves all her success that comes her way.

Review By Jennifer Ormsby

Review: 4/6

'Love Sounds' is the second single taken from Miracle Bell's debut album 'Light Shape Sound'. The electro pop sound from the Kildare based band is refreshing, polished and current.

It's a melodic radio friendly track, with an uplifting tempo. It's a well structured and produced by Ciaran Bradshaw is mixed to perfection. It’s an interesting track with this listener noticing different synth sounds and tricks with each listen.

'Love Sounds' has clever lyrics and a catchy chorus/refrain. These guys are easily on a par with UK electro acts like Delphic. Excellent.
Review by Nessy
6 out of 6

There seems to be a new breed of Irish band emerging with a more uptempo rock feel that want to take you by the shoulders and give you a good shake. Count Morning Hush in that.

The Dublin based band have been around for a couple of years and are about the release their single 'Romance'. The track kicks in immediately and the guitar/synth/bass rift gets in your head and stay there. There's nice vocal interaction between the male and female leads.

The Goldilocks-esque refrain 'Who's been sleeping in my bed' and chorus with memorable lyrics could easily make this track a live favourite as well as having a home on radio.

The nice surprise about this two track single is the remix of 'Romance'. While the first track is obviously a rock track, the Eberhart remix gives the track a life in a completely different genre. The remix is a complete reworking of the track and it seems to this listener that the only original music tracks used are the vocals. This has pumping bass and phat beats (always wanted to use that). Clubbers Delight.

Singer-songwriter Michael Hargan released his debut album "Conversations Between Us" in 2005. The album showed off the Glaswegian's talents immensely, with gorgeous production and song arrangements. Now 5 years later Hargan is releasing this 6 track live EP. He begins the album by introducing his backing musicians Rebecca and Morag and saying to the audience "This tonight is the proposition". And what a proposition it is. Beginning with the tender "Ultraviolet" Hargan shows us his talents straightaway. His lightly accented vocals are emotively vulnerable, the guitar work simple but hypnotic and the string accompaniment is perfectly understated.Elsewhere on the album Hargan stretches himself a little more. On "Told A Lie"previously featured on "Conversations Between Us", his voice is angry and passionate with remorse. For the most part however Hargan sticks to beautiful quiet acoustica."Done Dancing With You" and standout track "Cruel for a Minute" both feature the same sound introduced at the beginning. Somehow though it doesn't become stale despite rehashing a familiar formula. With this collection Michael Hargan shows us exactly what he's got. Unfortunately though his large talent is hidden by the modest song arrangements and production afforded by a live EP. The bigger and more polished ideas he has in his head are almost audible while listening to him sing.Bring on album two because this man has big plans.

Live at The Regional Cultural Centre Letterkenny, This double album comes with a bonus Dvd and what away to launch a album, Mark Black is backed up with some fine musicians, The roots orchestra consists of thirteen members so if you like your blues and guitar solos this is the album for you, on disk one Mark does a cracking version of Robert Johnson's song "Rambling on my mind" and the singer songwriter adds some of his own blues passion in "Jesus Never let me down" nice catchy tune with some hints of gospel blues and a cracking riff on the guitar, there is a dark moody feel coming from the song, but great backing vocals they really lift the tune. In disk two there is a classy Gospel/folk number called "Sweet Rescue Blues" nice and catchy with some fantastic vocals. "Travelling Riverside Blues" is another stunner on the album reeks with bluegrass all over it right from the swamp land... it's got vibes of Crossroads from it but sounds great. So much variety of blues music from the double album but it's truly got class.

Hailing from Dublin's North side, Machine Gun Baby have been starting to get their name around lately. I'm going to see if I can’t find out why.

The two track promo starts with 'Yes I'll Wait' a slow building track to rousing chorus. At 2.47 it's a radio dream. Vocalist, Keegan has a strong Kings of Leon type voice and this track seems not to stretch him at all. The bass sound is a little reminiscent of Adam Clayton's sound, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s not a bad track, I'd like to see a little more of the rousing chorus style though, the track rises and falls a little too much perhaps for a short track.

'Under the Sun' is more like what I was looking for. A nice guitar, drum, vocal combo, this is quite a KOL influenced track. The track again rises and falls, almost for Keegan's vocals. I'd like to see more of the rises. The overall production isn’t bad either, if the drums were a little louder and more in your face, this could be a stonking track.

Not a bad start, Machine Gun Baby, have their sound and seem to know where their strengths lie. A little bit of fairy dust could go a long way with these guys.

Handwritten in it's rawest form, as i listen to what’s to be a fine album, Massimo Martella UK singer songwriter is packed full of musical wisdom and powerful songs, this album needs a cover and the world needs to hear it, fine tunes like the rustic bluegrass song "Hello Hello Hello" full of folk strumming guitars and a foot tapping melody, this is a cracking tune with fine production that has nice big sound. Another song that needs to be brought to attention is "Signs of a Recluse" this would make a super single release it's got the ingredients of a real solid song with some good backbone to it. "Emily Moves" has a sweet mood to it's melody I feel this song has got lots of room to improve to something better, it's got all the elements of a great tune it just needs that extra pinch of salt. overall great sound vocals are perfect and the music is sweet.

Martin Livingstone from Scotland/UK has created a wonderful ten track album, it almost has the feel of folk with some indie pop melodies creeping in the mix, Martin has got a great feel to his voice and this is expressed in "I'll be there" and "An Answer" to its full potential. The folk enters the album and adds some beauty and clarity in the song "Stephanies Castle" very flowing and ballad sounding with some class vocals by Martin, top track for me has to be "Sleeping with Angels" it's moody and with passionate lyrics, very nice feel coming from the melody.

The first Track on the cd is called Recession Song and after about ten seconds it makes you feel they must have recorded this in a low budget studio great idea if you can hold a beat or a song together, I get the theme of the song, cheap very cheap. "Valuable Words" this is a very raw punk tune with very loose vocals but a cool catchy chorus saves this song from destruction. "Beauty Queen" this is a nice upbeat song with a cracking harmonica groove over shadowed with some punk styled vocals. "The Latest Craze" punk music with rock driven beats, this has some very interesting lyrics in parts and the lead singer Shane Faherty's voice adds some great character to the song ,not bad but I would get rid of the Recession song.

Mark Conway

MarkConway

Mark Conway's debut EP 'Steal The First Light' has just been released. Quite a nice little package it is too!

What starts like it could be just another guy singing with a guitar turns into something quite sparkling, once the chorus starts on 'Nothing Left To Do', the fantastic layered harmonies take over.

Conway's vocal style is quite similar to John Mayer, not a bad thing, the upbeat 'What I've been living for' shows it off nicely.

'Untold' is a track, in the modern Americana/folk vein, not unlike something from the Dawson's Creek soundtrack. Truthfully this song is good enough to have been on that soundtrack.

The jazzy styled 'Steal the First Light'

Review by Nessy

Rank: **** 4 out of 6

http://www.myspace.com/markconwaymusic

Mick Hargan and the Proposition

Adulation
single review
After having so much success as a singer songwriter and with his early album "Conversations Between us" Glasgow native Michael Hargan has got the backing of a full band behind him now and with the release of Adulation on the 3rd of August 2009 UK and in Ireland on the 10th, This is a metamorphic stage in Mick's career and it's shaping up pretty good, already his style has changed from folk to a good rock/pop style.
The single Adulation has a pure upbeat and progressive pop feel coming from the rhythm guitar and a real good solid rock beat from the drums, Mick has penned some superb catchy lyrics in this song and a cracking chorus to sing a long to, Adulation for me is a very upbeat commercial song and has got to be the teaser for the new album to come!
Review by T.Halpin

Rank:****** 6 out of 6

http://www.mickharganandtheproposition.com

This EP has high commercial and mainstream pop roots style to it, Mark's lyrics are well written and composure of the vocals stands out extremely well especially on Something opens windows track, I feel Mark has lots more to offer us, if he can produce this song which is taken from his debut album "Because of you" well we are in for a treat from this UK singer songwriter the second track on most EP"s usually are a let down but not here Day to Day has a nice blues tone trying to escape but Mark's vocals keeps the blues at bay with his uplifting emotion and feel to his voice, Ok they have the love and sad theme but i hate saying this but soppy music sells and I'm sure Mark will do well, superb stuff.

The first time i heard Mel Wiggins sing was a pure delight... I had just gone to check out her Myspace after receiving a friend request and found that not only did she have the voice of an angel but that she had a stark and enthralling beauty to rival that amazing voice. Mel has an incredible passion for her music, her songs are crafted from her own real-life experiences and that passion is shared by her many fans. In a very short time, Mel Wiggins has managed to attract superb audiences to her live performances. During one of the songwriter nights in the now defunct Rotterdamm Bar in Belfast, the sheer volume of people turning up to see Mel's performance even caused the bar manager to call in extra staff. In the year since that gig, Mels songs have earned her a lot of interest from local radio and venues alike, she has also managed to enamour herself to many of the other artists in the local singer-songwriter scene. She has performed at pretty much all of the main songwriter gigs from the humble coffee shop setting of Common Grounds and Clemments in Belfast to headlining at the 'showcase' Stage Music Club at The Island Arts Centre in Lisburn. One reason behind Mel's success is an ability to engage her audience and hold them captivated as she leads them on a wonderful musical odyssey, an exciting quality that promises to open up the whole world to this bright new talent. You only have to listen to My Brother's Keeper, the wonderfully etheral Watershed or The Broken Road to Freedom to get where Mel Wiggins is coming from, beautifully crafted melodic tales depicting life in Mel's colourful world that will leave you spellbound, uplifted and craving more and more!A talent such as Mel Wiggins will not lie hidden forever... this girl will break into the mainstream in a very big way
in the very near future, of that I am certain, success is only a matter of time.

Christian, C-Dogg, Danny, John gel well together to produce Mean Poppa Lean. Made up from ex-members of Hedroom, They and The Lodge. Although based in Brighton they play across the South East and West of England. A lively band who’d get the best wall flower boppin’ onto the floor.

Mean Poppa Lean ~ a raw funk song with strong bass instru backing. I can imagine the audience participating to this groove ~ ‘just hope the venue walls are sound proof.

This band will go far... ‘just hope they can get someone like Sheryl Crow to invite them on tour as support.

Charles Dickens once wrote "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times". Never a more apt quote could have foreseen for the start of Maria Willson (and her band's) musical career. A beautiful young woman with a great rock voice gets scooped up by a major label. Cue the photoshoots, the big support gigs, embarking on your debut album and everything is rosey. The stuff unsigned dream are made of, right? So the kicker is, the label suddenly goes bust right at that critical moment (having thrown stupid money at other, unsustainable acts). So through no fault of your own you're back to square one. That sort of knock back would be enough to send most mortal artists running for the security of the 9 to 5 and cashing in the Fender for a microwave. Not so Maria...
Having found themselves back at the starting line again, stripped of all the trappings of a contract, Maria and her band have dusted themselves down and come back stronger and more street-wise with a bunch of new demos (see the Myspace site for tasters) and while form is temporary, class is clearly permanent. Maria herself, stunningly glamourous, has a voice somewhere between an English Kelly Clarkson and a younger Sheryl Crow. Her songs, albeit still just demos for now, ooze trans-Atlantic class, and are stomping pop/rock anthems underpinned by some fat Hammond style organ lines and chunky guitars such as the smouldering 'Ready to blow' or the sassy strutt of 'Agent Provocateur'. Demos for now, but destined for bigger things me thinks.
If there's any justice, Maria and her band will once again be scooped up and popped back into the spotlight that has their name on it and I have my fingers crossed. Review by Drumhead

MICHAEL PHILLIPS

Michael Philips describes himself on Myspace in these words: 'I play an eclectic collection of ambient music influenced by sounds from around the world and around the corner'. Michael's style is very individual, and built on a platform of folky, post classical acoustic/Spanish guitar style. His songs all have the vague whiff of ambient new age about them and the significant word here is 'ambient'. With titles like 'Minkie whale conversation' - (which sounds to me like the sort of background music you'd get while having your Raiki massage or browsing the Vegan book store) or 'Shady places big hats', you will see where Michaels slightly hippy-esque roots are. There is no question Michael Phillips is a talented musician and his guitar credentials are of the highest order. His guitar playing on the aforementiond 'Shady places..' is peerless. But you will have to be prepared for this, with an incredible slowing of pace and thoughtful musings this is an acquired taste. Pleasant? - yes, ambient? - without doubt, played well? - unequivocally, a panacea for modern stressful living? - yes, I guess so. It is slow tinkling music that hovers around your head like bursting bubbles and is equally as light of touch. But its very delicate, almost fragile songwriting. Be prepared to let it creep into your consciousness, maybe even take a couple of listens, otherwise it could float past you completely, like a dandelion seed on the breeze. It won't be for everyone and I am struggling to imagine a concert of these songs, but for those moments when you want to kick back and just let the sounds carry you off, it could be for you. Personally, I like my music with a little more beer and a bit less froth, but what Michael does is easy on the ear and mind. If you like your soothing sounds more on the macrobiotic side, check him out.

MR LIGHTWEIGHT

Its a thin line between being 'influenced by' established bands and wanting to 'be' them. So many demos and CD's I hear lately, you can sit down and easily pick out who the players want to be. Its currently very rare to find a new band that are genuinely (or even try to be) original. Its a grey area and could narrow your chances of being picked up by a label if you travel too far over the line in the direction of "sounds like...". So why do I give you this slab of Drumhead wisdom? Read on...

Mr Lightweight, are a four piece of 19 yr olds from Carlow (Ireland) and I tell you what, they're a bit good. They are not going to be winning any awards with originality of style as their songs are carbon copies lifted straight from the Blink 182, Bowling for Soup, NOFX, Jimmy Eat World and Lost Prophet song books. BUT, despite some very obvious influences here's the thing, they do it bloody well. As I sit here in my pants in Drumhead Towers with a Jack Daniels and a smile, I am playing and replaying tracks like 'Debs Song', 'Sunbed' and 'Time is the only enemy' and nodding my head thinking "yeah!" as these are really excellently recorded/produced tracks (excellent recording job lads) that kick some serious behind. Pats' drumming is fast tight, and well... lets just say, Travis Barker should be looking over his shoulder. The lead guitar is clear, compliments the songs and note perfect without resorting to 'noodling'. Its all tight, the songs are memorably sing-a-long and all in all, its a band on top of its game. I would go as far as saying that for an unsigned band, this is almost as good as it gets, there are no weak areas, I love it.

So what of the Drumhead philosophy? Well, Mr Lightweight should be signed, of that I have no doubt. At this moment in time though, most companies are going to think that they have enough emo/punk/pop bands to invade a small country, so despite the quality of Mr.L's work, it may help them to get that extra foot in the door if they start stamping more of their own identity on the songs and be confident enough to move away from emulating their heroes. Then they'd be remembered for the quality that they produce and not because they sound like, say, Blink 182. Top stuff.

MICHAEL HARGAN

(A true genius in the art of songwriting, excellent vocals full of passion.)

Michael really knows how relax his audience with his witty a funny comments in between his songs giving off the vibe of a true professional musician, with songs like "REMEDY" excellent rhythm gutair with bursting colourfull lyrics, the song went down really well. I had a small chat with Micheal before the gig and he told me he was really tired from all the traveling he was doing, but i could see no effect when played the night without a glitch and controlled the night very well, sadly the night came to a end when he finished out with "MEXICO" another track from his album "CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN US" a real moving tune Michael played the song with a lot of passion you could feel the energy coming from this song, overall it was a superb performance from Michael on the night.