SPEEKERBOXX

CD Reviews

Open Forum Productions – Against the Odds

This ground-breaking CD is perfect for music lovers everywhere. It is a combination of talented young artists from the East Cork area doing what they do best to leave the listener astounded. It includes music from bands such as Commiserate, Mute, Levelhead, Ephemeral, Gecko, Powder Monkey and Mick Hayes, guitarist for Rulers of the Planet. This epic CD is a must buy. When you listen to it you are captivated by the catchy melodies and hard rock rhythms these artists provide. It is produced by Open Forum Productions, a group of TY students. They worked closely with the bands over the production of the CD to bring you this innovative new product. It is available at Cork Rocks and Fat Alberts’ Pool Hall, Midleton and from Plugd Records, Washington Street, Cork. For just €10 this is great for young and old.

Declan O' Rourke – Since Kyabram

“Since Kyabram” is the amazing debut album from Dublin singer/songwriter Declan O’Rourke. O’Rourke, who has toured with the likes of Paddy Casey, played the Half-Moon Theatre in Cork, with his selection of mostly boy-meets-girl type songs. Also, he’s busy because he’s been on all the major breakfast radio shows accompanied by an appearance on Tubridy Tonight. He starts off with “No place to hide”, a slow intro to the more up-tempo songs to follow. “Birds of a feather” is the first of the boy meets girl songs followed by the radio smash “Galileo”. “Your world” & “No brakes” are two tracks yet again showing his love for an anonymous girl. “We didn’t mean to go to sea” is a bit drawn out at 6½ minutes but is still a fairly good song. “ 1-Way minds” picks up where “No brakes” left off and speeds up the album once more. “Love is the way” is the feel good track with a chorus of amateurs ‘singing’ the title over and over again but no matter how stupid it sounds, the track is still good and leaves you feeling like your part of a part of a happy cult. “Sarah (Last night in a dream)” is a stunning tune that is one of the best tracks on the album. The worst thing about the album is the last two tracks. If I heard these two tracks first I wouldn’t have bought it, however the other 9 tracks make up for them both. Basically, this is a deadly album and you should never get tired of it. Your collection is not complete without this album and is available from any good record shops now.

Green Day – American Idiot

While Busted played with dolls, Green Day were making waves in bratty teenage punk rock.  It’s been four years since Green Day’s last studio album Warning. Now in their thirties the band has decided to grow up.  The modern rock superheroes, Green Day (Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool) have released one of the most anticipated and most controversial albums of the year, American Idiot. The 13 song album includes two mini-operas.  The album tells the story of an America dealing with war, terrorism, and plagued with paranoia. 

 The band after 16 years have voiced a political voice and have shown that they are still capable of producing a good rock album.  Green Day has shown their deeper side and shows how the political climate has impacted on America’s culture.  This album is the year’s first important punk rock record.

Mark Geary – Ghosts

Following on from the success of his last album ’33 1/3 Grand Street’, this new album is most certainly a step in the right direction.  This talented singer/songwriter along with a little help from his friends, Josh Ritter, Ann Scott and Glen Hansard with Dave and Karl Odlum doing most of the production side of things, have created 11 great new songs and even put in one hidden track for good measure.  In the new album we see a much darker edge to Mark Geary instead of the usually cheerful one.  The new album has had a serious and professional approach to recording.  The backing band and additional vocals make a significant difference to the songs, but the focus is still on the songwriter.

 Some of the tracks may surprise his followers but Mark Geary’s album is one to look out for.

Mundy – Raining Down Arrows

Mundy was born in Offaly and started off on stage at The International Bar in Dublin.  People introduced him to music from the great John Martyn and the like.  He released his debut album Jellylegs in late 1996 at the young age of twenty.  In 2001 he released his second album 24 Star Hotel and by 2004 had sold 27,000 copies in Ireland. 

Mundy’s new album, Raining Down Arrows, is quite different from his previous album.  This new album has been recorded in America, and on Mundy’s travels he has picked up many new influences.  At first I wouldn’t have known it was Mundy with raw drumbeats and choppy riffs, but one thing that has remained are his extremely catchy lyrics.  One of the best songs on the album I think is ‘Soulmate’.  Overall this is a satisfyingly good album. Mundy has grown in popularity and this album can only improve his popularity.  

The Frames – Burn the Maps

This weeks review comes courtesy of Ireland’s latest gods of rock, The Frames. Their fifth studio album  went straight into the Irish charts at number one. The Dublin group have been working on this creation since their last album, “Set list”, the live album recorded in Vicar St. Dublin in November 2000.

 The latest release includes songs sampled on Cork crowds during their visit to the Opera House last December and Glen’s solo performance in June,” Keepsake”, “Locusts” and “Fake”, their top five hit of the summer.

 Once more, they have failed to disappoint their ever growing fan base in Ireland but especially their fans all over the World because, this is the first time an official recording of The Frames’ will be on international release, much to the delight of their Australian and American followers.

 “Burn the maps”, available since Friday 17^th of September, is a very angry album with most of the songs sounding sad and slow at first but then becoming faster and heavier. The chances are that you won’t like it on the first listen but it grows on you each time you listen to it. The band recently played the Cork Opera House and the Everyman Palace Theatre to sell-out crowds being pleased by new songs and older crowd pleasers.

 The Frames have a little known 1^st album called “Another love song” which you can get at www.theframes.ie for around $12 which can’t be bought anywhere else. You can also get some singles and they have copies of albums from different countries with different songs as well.