This weeks Thursday tunes come form Dublin indie rock band Glimmermen. With a background firmly in the underground scene and a new album out in Greyslate Recordds Glimmermen are playing tonight in the SoundHouse.
Leatherface – ‘Springtime’ / from the album ‘Mush’
Sounds dumb but I like to listen to seasonal songs. Like a lot of people I find January a hard month. I like to keep a bit of springtime in my mind or hope. I look forward to when gardens come back to life, buds, re-birth etc. There’s a nostalgia thing for me here as well, I’ve loved this album since way back. I think Frankie Stubbs lyrics are always poetic and the band always deliver it in such a beautiful way. It’s rocking but it also makes me emotional. I also happen to think that the album is perfect from start to finish.
’There’s a little bit of springtime in the back of mind, remembers when there was a time when , we laughed and we danced, spent some time drinking wine.’
Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile ‘Let it go’ from the album ‘Lotta Sea lice’
I like this album because I love the sound of the guitars and their voices together. I also like that it’s a concept album where lyrically I believe a lot was done by email, little pieces of a what both parties are thinking about and conversing about. Different time zones, different countries, like a lot of what we know communication to be about these days. There is a connectedness/disconnectedness vibe to it – just people that both like music and songs and have a shared sense of something. I think this song is a good representation of the concept as a whole.
‘what time do you usually wake up? Depends on what time I sleep.
Percy Sledge – ‘The dark end of the street’
This is a great old song. I just got it off a CD Soul compilation. You know one of these bargain bin purchases. I’d heard Frank Black and the Eels do versions in the past and I’m sure many others but Percy’s is great. Before Christmas the street light in my estate went out and they were a long time fixing it. We live at the end of a row of terraced houses. I couldn’t help but sing it every time I got home. Drove the family crazy. 😛
‘At the dark end of the street it’s where we’ll always meet’
J.Robbins – ‘Abandoned Mansions’ Abandoned Mansions EP
Jawbox play soon in Whelan’s. This was a great band and I’m really looking forward to finally seeing them live. Glimmermen recorded with James in The Magpie Cage in Baltimore for our debut album ‘I’m Dead’. I love this solo song by J as I like the sentiment in it. The way I read it is – ..its saying something about the hollowness of money and power and meaningless aspirations There is a bang of ‘look at my works ye mighty and despair’ ozymansius vibe to it.
There are a couple of different versions of this online but the one I bought was this, the acoustic EP. There is piano on this and it has a kind of Baltimorey feel that reminds me of when we were there… I’m thinking, Edgar Allan Poe, the Baltimore Hotel..The Owl Bar..anyway.. i’m also of course reminded of his hospitality, his good nature, conversations about art ,politics bands etc.
‘Grand abandoned mansions from a better time, Rotting out from the inside’
‘Gaurd The Fort’
Chali 2na & Krafty Kuts featuring Lyrics Born & Gift of the Gab
I’m partial to a bit of rap. I like something that puts a spring in my step. Always have been probably because my older brother Ragga-man Bob free-styles so much. Also the lads from Scary Eire, RiRa and Dada Sloosh are from my town Tullamore too. I like to get to gigs as much as I can or can afford. It’s always amazing to me that you can meet the people you listen to and respect. Rira supported Chali Tuna in The Sugar Club a while back. Needless to say the roof was raised. I love Chali Tuna’s timbre and his flow..this tune is a lovely pass the mic vibe to it. As an aside / At the end of the gig as a fan-boy I asked for a selfie with Chali and he kindly obliged. I had it on timer mode ..so we both let the 10 secs count down which was …awkward 😛 but he was so nice about it,
‘I’m in weapons mode for .this episode’
I’m everyday listening to everything..always surprised by stuff I haven’t heard before. I’m sure if you asked any other member of the band it would be different again, Thats the lovely thing about Glimmermen we are all bringing something different to the band. All music fans.
Gavin.
