The Goo 1
Opinion DAN HEGARTY Stop, Rewind, Change Sides 20
22 isn’t over just yet, but my sight is already focused on two forthcoming Irish albums. Twilight Transmission, the debut from Chósta, is due to land on February 17th. The current single from it ‘Honesty’ is a collaboration with Fears (AKA Constance Keane). Chósta launches the album with a show at the Workman’s Cellar on Feb 17th. Just under a month before this, The Murder Capital’s hugely anticipated second album Gigi’s Recovery will be with us. The album was produced by John Congleton whose resumé includes St. Vincent, Explosions In The Sky, and Angel Olsen. The band will kick off their European tour in February; this includes a date at Dublin’s Vicar Street on the 26th of that month. The Irish contingent that will travel to the Eurosonic festival in The Netherlands in January has grown to 15 acts. Sprints, M(h)aol, Offica, Kynsy, Ailbhe Reddy, Caleb Kunle, The Mary Wallopers, 49th & Main, The Scratch, Bricknasty, Gurriers, CMAT, Khakikid, Somebody’s Child, and Selló (who is 2fm’s selected artist) will perform at Europe’s premiere new music festival in Groningen next month. CMAT has also received a nomination for the Music Moves Europe Awards 2023, which takes place in the city over the four days. Essex-based quartet She’s In Parties have built up some serious momentum this year. Fronted by Irish-born vocalist Katie Dillon, they’ve brought us three singles (‘I Follow You’, ‘Angelic’, and the most recent ‘Cherish’). The plan is for some Irish dates in 2023, so let’s hope these will happen as early in the year as possible. It’s been great to see some of Ash’s album’s being re-released both digitally and on vinyl this year. First it was their debut 1977, then Free All Angels (2001) and Meltdown (2004). It would be great to see JJ72’s two albums reappear in a similar fashion. Their self-titled debut appeared in the year 2000, followed two years later by I To Sky. They did record a third album, but that didn’t get released. The Dublin three-piece shone brightly but briefly, so it would be fantastic to get them introduced to a new generation of music fans. PAGE 34 CHÓSTA THE MURDER CAPITAL M(H)AOL SHE’S IN PARTIES ASH JJ72