Favourite Irish albums?

Stompbox

I wouldn't exactly describe myself as a patriot but I do have an affinity for works produced by my fellow countrypeople, be it in the fields of music, art, literature, beverage-making, etc. I think it's of vital importance to support Irish music at the grassroots level for a variety of reasons; there are some extremely talented artists on this island of ours producing some incredible material that's worth listening to, the lack of a sufficient musical infrastructure to support these bands means that they rely on patronage on an individual level in order to develop and foster their abilities and also the sense of community amongst Irish musicians is a rewarding phenomenon to be a part of.

I figured that it'd be an idea to list some Irish albums, both old and new, from established artists, forgotten artists and nascent artists alike, that really deserve a listen or three and maybe even partake in some discussion about the characters, places and events that may have precipitated or been actively involved in the production of some of the indispensable material to follow.

The Immediate - In Towers and Clouds (2006)
I shudder when I consider the amount of talent and promise that this band held and effectively jettisoned when they split prematurely after releasing a stellar debut. Of course, Conor hadn't quite exorcised his musical demons and continues to release excellent material with Villagers but there was something about the Immediate that was so exciting and refreshing. Here was a band that had arrived fully formed with an album stuffed with ideas, dizzying structures and watertight melodies and harmonies. One regret of mine is that I never got around to experiencing the Immediate's live show, but this album cushions that pain somewhat, even though it stands a bittersweet document of a band brimming with virtuosity and innovativeness but sadly lacking in stamina.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlcM-a1_nAo

Squarehead - Yeah, Nothing (2011)
Squarehead were a band that I first seen supporting Deertick in Whelan's around four years ago or so and while I don't remember being particularly taken with the performance it must have impressed on me a bit considering I decided to pick up a copy of their debut on a whim a month or so later in the RAGE on Fade Street. What a whim that was! This album didn't leave my turntable for months; just an absolutely cracking set of garage-pop nuggets with delightful 60s girl-group vocals, wry, sentimental lyrics and sugary melodies that just won't leave your noggin. My favourite song is possibly the song 'Get Light', I think Roy Duffy is definitely one of the more underappreciated Irish songsmiths out there; it's a shame that Squarehead aren't at least 10 times as big as they rightfully deserve to be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTh8jh5G2TQ

More to come...

iomega

The Chalets - Check in : An indie pop minor masterpiece. See also September Girls.
Cathy Davey - Something Ilk: I've read she wasn't happy with this, I think it's great. it's the one of hers I've listened to the most.
The Vinny Club: Rocky IV Reckyrd: He's was the bass player with Adebisi Shank. It's 8 bit video game style electronic music, really inventive.
Republic of Loose - Aaagh: They won't better this, it sounds like a greatest hits.

Mr E

It's a cliché at this stage, but Whipping Boy's Heartworm has to be up there. I was blown away when I originally heard it, and it's still on regular rotation in my music collection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVzZFdbM6d0

Gemma Hayes had some ups and downs (her most recent album, released a few weeks ago is definitely an 'up'). My favourite album of hers is Night on my Side.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IktgyKAcCBI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snqCTfw8zQs

Blink are a completely underappreciated Irish band, and deserved to do better. Their first album (A Map of the Universe) was a cracker...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbZOjD0dBLs

6am7f9zxrsjvnb

Rollerskate Skinny - Horsedrawn Wishes

Could never understand how this beauty never garnered cult status beyond our shores.

daUbiq

Bryan Slimy Muslin wrote: »

Rollerskate Skinny - Horsedrawn Wishes

Could never understand how this beauty never garnered cult status beyond our shores.

Everything these guys released is awesome!

stanley1

stepaside, sit down and relapse, baggot inn, sportsmans inn, loved the 80's.

lordgoat

Jape, So Cow, Chalets, Turn... Jape

This is one of those questions that pops up a lot, and of course there's been hundreds, thousands maybe of great ones down the years. For me though every time I think about it, 100% of the time the very first name and album that comes to mind immediately is this one:

Golden Horde, S/T, 1991 - the year rock'n'roll achieved perfection, baby! Have an autographed copy of it too, and love it as much today as I did then.

Dandelion6

Isn't Anything

Joebags

New secret weapon
Cold Comfort Tainted Winds!

Arne_Saknussem

Going back quite i while with this one, No Disco fav's Revelino's self titled debut.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uw0xyF9cTpY

Downwind

daUbiq wrote: »

Everything these guys released is awesome!

agreed

Downwind

Mr E wrote: »

It's a cliché at this stage, but Whipping Boy's Heartworm has to be up there. I was blown away when I originally heard it, and it's still on regular rotation in my music collection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVzZFdbM6d0

Gemma Hayes had some ups and downs (her most recent album, released a few weeks ago is definitely an 'up'). My favourite album of hers is Night on my Side.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IktgyKAcCBI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snqCTfw8zQs

Blink are a completely underappreciated Irish band, and deserved to do better. Their first album (A Map of the Universe) was a cracker...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbZOjD0dBLs

what happened to blink terry lamberts brother playey with them I think?

Downwind

yeah remember it now.

Alonso77

band info - http://www.irishmusiccentral.com/theidiots/interviews.html

Joebags

Any Idiots vinyl still knockin around? Nice sound.

Alonso77

Joebags wrote: »

Any Idiots vinyl still knockin around? Nice sound.

Only CD and cassette of album released around 95. hard to find these days I'd say

IamNotNumber

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

Going back quite i while with this one, No Disco fav's Revelino's self titled debut.

You might to interested to know that a few of the lads from Revelino released an album about 2 years ago until the name Saturday Captains.They never promoted or toured to my knowledge but there was some great tracks on it.
saturdaycaptains (dot) bandcamp.com

A Disgrace

Mr E wrote: »

It's a cliché at this stage, but Whipping Boy's Heartworm has to be up there. I was blown away when I originally heard it, and it's still on regular rotation in my music collection.

Heartworm isn’t just one of the best Irish albums ever, it’s one of the best albums ever, full stop.

Other than that, any of the first three A House albums, ‘Small Moments’ from David Kitt, ‘Understand’ by Brian, ‘Immigrants…’ from the Power of Dreams – all great and still hold up very well

flasher0030

A Disgrace wrote: »

Heartworm isn’t just one of the best Irish albums ever, it’s one of the best albums ever, full stop.

Heartworm is my favourite Irish album by a country mile. I know of no other album from my back-catalogue that regularly gets a spin as often as that album. It just ages so well. I never get sick of it.

Bought their other albums a couple of months ago by download. Couldn't get them in the shops. Haven't really listened to Submarine yet, but in my opinion, their self-titled album is not too far off Heartworm. Very solid piece of work. I'd love to get to see them live around Dublin somewhere, but chances are slim. Saw them whilst in college in Limerick (20 years ago). Loved it. Didn't appreciate it enough though.

Swiper the fox

Heartworm was an amazing album no doubt. Agree about the Blink album also, Happy Day is a forgotten Irish classic, still find myself breaking into it randomly so often that my kids practically know it off by heart:o

Frank and Walters are/were a very underrated band, After all is all most people know of them (a bit like James "sit down") but they released two superb albums in the 90s, Trains boats and Planes and The Grand Parade.

The Fat Lady sings released two albums of outrageous quality also during that period.

I've heard lots of great Irish albums but these ones from that period of my life are all that this thread title brought to mind for me.

tritriagain

Viva dead ponies by the Fatima mansions

A Disgrace

Swiper the fox wrote: »

Heartworm was an amazing album no doubt. Agree about the Blink album also, Happy Day is a forgotten Irish classic, still find myself breaking into it randomly so often that my kids practically know it off by heart:o

Frank and Walters are/were a very underrated band, After all is all most people know of them (a bit like James "sit down") but they released two superb albums in the 90s, Trains boats and Planes and The Grand Parade.

The Fat Lady sings released two albums of outrageous quality also during that period.

I've heard lots of great Irish albums but these ones from that period of my life are all that this thread title brought to mind for me.

Blink's second album (the end is high) is also very good.

Agree about the Frank and Walters, the Grand Parade is a near pop masterpiece - and the two following albums (Beauty Becomes More Than Life Itself and Glass) are fine albums too

IamNotNumber

Heartworm in the NCH with strings and the works!
Someone start a petition.

jossys_giants

Planes, Boats and Trains by The Frank & Walters would be my desert island disc, an absolute masterpiece to my ears. Grand Parade, Beauty, Greenwich Meantime, in fact anything they have done is top drawer.

Therapy? - Troublegum, wow !

Not an album, but Ash's Trailer EP was something else (to write those songs at that age, remarkable)

Swiper the fox

jossys_giants wrote: »

Planes, Boats and Trains by The Frank & Walters would be my desert island disc, an absolute masterpiece to my ears. Grand Parade, Beauty, Greenwich Meantime, in fact anything they have done is top drawer.

Therapy? - Troublegum, wow !

Not an album, but Ash's Trailer EP was something else (to write those songs at that age, remarkable)

Totally agree about Ash, unbelievable for their age, Petrol is pure excitement, a classic Irish single, 1977 is a masterpiece also, amazing that he wrote Girl from Mars as a 16 year old.

Great to hear from another Franks devotee also, though I've bought and own all their albums the First two along with the initial EP's are almost certainly their best work.

Mr E

Must dig up my Franks albums over the weekend.... it has been a while since I've listened to anything of theirs outside of their singles.

Dubhthamlacht

Rollerskate Skinny's Horsedrawn Wishes - what an album. I still listen to it occasionally these days and it's never lost it's appeal for me.

Over the past few years, some of my favourite albums have been from Irish bands. Bats' 2012 album The Sleep Of Reason is the finest Irish album I've heard in years. I also loved Solar Bears last album and from 2014, Rusangano/Family by God Knows + mynameisjOhn will stay with me for a long time.

Birneybau

*Head over parapet*

'Achtung Baby'. It was strange and new when it came out.

fiachr_a

Power of dreams - Positivity. Some impressive songs and better produced than their earlier albums.