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JUNE-JULY 2022 GO IS TWO MINUTES SIX SECONDS OF P
OSITIVE ENERGY, A PERFECT SONG FOR THE POST PANDEMIC BLUES.. honey dipped voice deserves a much wider audience so hopefully this alternate version of ‘You’ will start to open more doors for her. The album version of the song is a slinky nu soul tune that wouldn’t be out of place on an Erykah Badu album but here she takes it down to the bare bones with just a piano as accompaniment and it proves that you can’t keep a good song down. Gorgeous. Lights but as Shobsys distinctive vocals kick in, the track finds its own lane and from there on, there’s no looking back. WALLIS BIRD: GO FIRST CLASS & COACH: NEON HIP This Cork based band (recently signed to FIFA Records) are making great waves at the moment, mainly due to recent release ‘My Oh My’ and some incendiary live shows. New single Neon Hip sees guitarist Rueben Maher take lead vocal duties with Geraldine Thomas punctuating the choruses and it’s a winning manoeuvre. The song has shades of Interpol, The Fall and PJ Harvey, tons of FC&C attitude and a glorious two minute long dream pop instrumental outro. Their second album is due out this Summer and it’s set to be a banger. The fourth single from Wallis Bird’s new album ‘Hands’ Go is two minutes six seconds of positive energy, a perfect song for the post pandemic blues. There’s no grass-isgreener metaphors here as the Berlin based artist urges the listener to take control of their own destiny by being proactive. Go zips along brusquely and, as usual with Wallis Bird, you always feel in a better mood after listening to one of her songs. SORCHA SHOBSY: DRIVEN After the release of the startling debut ‘Vanity’ Dubliner Shobsy returns with a mellower take on his 1980’s meets 2020’s sound on Driven, a track which, this time, showcases his lower register vocals and proves, yet again, that this boy can go all the way. Its sultry rhythms and sampled female vocal motif initially remind this listener of Kanye’s Flashing RICHARDSON: ARCHIE Following on from her triumphant Academy sell out a few weeks ago, Archie sees Richardson in a more sombre mood than on previous singles as a yearnful slide guitar glides over a laconic drum beat, leading the track almost to the brink of somnambulance. It’s a tease though as Richardson snaps the fingers and moves up a gear on the chorus before a rousing finale sees the guitars in full flight. It’s impeccably arranged and produced and will only add to the singer/ songwriters allure and imminent success. should get in early for opening act Gabriels. This band is set to fly. The L.A. based three piece have released some of the best soul singles over the last year (incorporating doo-wop, weary jazz, classic R&B, vibrant gospel choirs and airy electronics into the mix) and One And Only is another outstanding track that showcases lead singer Jacob Lusk’s incredible voice. GABRIELS: ONE AND ONLY Anyone who has a ticket for Micheal Kiwanuka in Trinity College on June 27th JOSH JOHNSON: I SAVE YOU LODI Johnson is a well known and respected pianist in Dublin musical circles and beyond who is equally at home playing jazz, folk, rock and soul. On this, his first single taken from his new Reasons To Fly album (his 6th), Johnson weighs in with an uptempo, feel good slice of big band blue eyed soul a la Andy Fairweather Low, Jools Holland, Nillsson and, most pointedly, Randy Newman. The performances are terrific and Johnson’s voice exudes charm and a flamboyant playfulness. PAGE 11