Taking time out from a busy schedule as the band rehearse for the recording of their debut album, accordion maestro Finn Ó Mainnín guides us through all things Cardinals. A Cork band with heart, soul and principles.

They continue to develop their unique sound on latest single 'Big Empty Heart' and look forward to a big festival Summer including supporting Fontaines DC. Then it's an Autumn tour taking in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia. Flying high and unionising romance.

Cardinals' Instagram

All gig tickets

In our latest episode we are heading over the Atlantic to chat to Andy Gesner. Andy is the founder and president of HIP video promotion based in New Jersey in the USA.

His company have promoted over 4800 music videos, starting with someone called Johnny Cash and his video for Hurt. Interestingly they have turned down over twice that number which for us that marks them out as a company of integrity.

Andy shares over 20 years of experience in this field and has great advice and tips on how up and coming artists can produce and promote videos which will help them carve out a career in a tough industry. 

As he says "if you are a music creative your visual is your most potent and powerful piece of marketing currency"

You don't get a second chance to make a first impression!

HIP website

HIP on Instagram

Pebbledash are a six piece outfit from Cork who effortlessly and thrillingly mix shoegaze, dream pop, noise and traditional Irish music. In this episode I am joined by Cormac and Fionnbharr from the band to discuss their debut EP 'Four Portraits Of The Same Ugly House'.

As we play excerpts from of each of the four tracks on the EP (the physical versions also have 2 bonus tracks), we delve into their creative process, find out what the slightly cryptic title means and why they are named after a house cladding material. 

The EP was recorded and produced by Aidan O'Mahoney at Kitten Lane Studios in Cork and mastered by Pete Maher. 

Pebbledash Instagram

Pebbledash tour tickets

Buy EP on vinyl

During lockdown, ex Revelino guitarist and Vicar Street promoter Bren Berry oversaw the re-release of the band's debut album on vinyl. Their songs were written by Brendan Tallon. With the encouragement of his best mate (and also Brendan's brother) Ciarán, he has stepped up to the microphone with an album of his own songs 'IN HOPE OUR STARS ALIGN'.

In this episode we play several songs from the album and chat to Bren about what inspired him to start writing songs and what fires his lyrical concerns. As he says, he views these tracks as protest songs wrapped in love letters post marked Dublin City. 

The 12 songs cover personal reflections on family, friendship, home, resilience, music & creativity, and address some of the social & political crises that we are living through in these troubled times. The album title comes from 'Fire Drill' and is inspired by Seamus Heaney’s 'The Cure At Troy'. 

Album on Spotify

Buy vinyl on Bandcamp

Bren Berry Instagram

Tracks Played

1. Come Alive
2. Black Satellite
3. Winter Song
4. Neon Lights
5. Fire Drill

To mark the announcement of the inaugural West x Sound West Blowtorch Records showcase, Michael Smyth from Old Crows Promotions and Belfast shoegaze band Virgins turned the tables and made me a guest on our own podcast.

West by Sound West (WxSW) is on May 1 2025 and features 8 bands across 2 floors of Galway's Róisín Dubh. Virgins and Adore are co-headliners and joined by Nerves, Nixer, iNNUENDO, Some Remain, The Savage Hearts and Scattered Ashes. Rob Smith from Swedish Railway Orchestra finishes the night with one of his legendary DJ sets.

WxSW tickets (early bird €10)

It is a joint promotion between Blowtorch Records, A Modern Movement and Old Crows Promotions

"It's just a punk record with me shouting my head off"

Meryl Streek understates his impact as his outspoken oratory, delivered over a mix of melodic electronica and punk, blasts his chosen targets - the catholic church, cover-up culprits and capitalism. His new album Songs For The Deceased hits just as hard as 2022 debut 796 and is earning him swathes of new fans as well as critical acclaim and radio play.

He's on great form as we sit down before his upcoming UK tour and discuss what inspires him and makes him angry, and why he chose to perform using only a laptop, a microphone and a torch. We also discover he has never liked his voice and that 796 originally wasn't meant to have any vocals on it. Listen in for more great stories from the man behind the contact lenses as he completes his third album.

You will find Meryl Streek mostly on Instagram and you can find all album and gig information via his Linktree

Songs played

Gambling Death
Full Of Grace
Counting Sheep
Dogs
Dear James by Burnt Out - check it out on YouTube

Dublin art rock four piece iNNUENDO have released their debut EP 'on occasion' and to mark the erm.. occasion we are joined by frontwoman and pianist extraordinaire Nora Ronan along with drummer Daniel Dennehy who also plays piano along with several other instruments. We are not worthy!

Listen in as we play the tracks and go for a deep dive into the making of the EP - their reflections, the inspirations, the bumps in the road and a great story about the string quartet which became a duo.

iNNUENDO on Spotify
iNNUENDO on Instagram
Buy the 'on occasion' CD
Keelin Sutcliffe on Instagram (artwork)
Launch gig tickets

Tracks played
clear motion
don't ask away
astros blue
brake faster
on occasion

Never ones to shy away from diving into deep waters, in this episode we delve into Black Poison Morning - the debut album from Limerick's His Father's Voice.

They offset dark lyrics and edgy instrumentation with soaring pop melodies and epic crescendos. The band comprise singer/guitarist Ash O’Connor, lead guitarist James Reidy, and rhythm section of Laya Meabhdh Kenny on bass and Cian McGuirk on drums.

Ash and James join us for the podcast in which we go through the album track by track for lyrical and musical insights and inspirations - "lyrically it's purposefully quite dark with obnoxiously dark titles"

Follow the band and get latest updates on their Instagram profile and on their Bandcamp page

The vinyl album is available to order in our online store

Tracks played
The Blues
Night Terrors
Through The Thorns
Forgot To Feed
Interior Decorator
Breathless
Arm's Length
Emotional Embargo

SCATTERED ASHES are an angular, abrasive post punk foursome originally from Dublin but now based in the UK. They have released their second EP All That Is Solid Melts Into Air and we chatted to frontman Rob Dalton and went through the EP track by track.

Despite suffering from a heavy cold, he gave us great background and insights into this essential listening EP.  You will also find out which track was inspired by The Eye Of The Tiger, who Rob’s favourite drummer is and what the hell the X-files have got to do with it.

At times angry, defiant, reflective, sad and optimistic, this EP finds them taking on the world. Incorporating guitars, samples, synths and sequencers, their expanded audio arsenal has melodies to match and attitude in abundance.

SCATTERED ASHES on Instagram
SCATTERED ASHES on Spotify
Vinyl EP in our online store

Dublin slowcore four piece of all living things have released their second EP Cold Plunge.

We chatted to Eunice and Danilo from the band on the day they played a support slot for  English Teacher in Dublin, in preparation for their own headline tour supporting the May 31 release.

Cold Plunge has a slower more intense and emotional feel than their debut On Familiar Ground; as we go through and play the EP track by track, we learn why that is, how they felt during the recording process and what inspired their songwriting. 

Buy Cold Plunge on vinyl
of all living things on Instagram
of all living things on Spotify