Hudson Taylor To Feature On ‘The Host’ Soundtrack

Having received a majorly positive response to two fantastic EPs, released in quick succession, it seems Dublin brothers, Harry and Alfie Hudson Taylor, plus the new addition to the group, Tadgh Walsh-Peelo, are leaping further into the public eye and are onto even bigger and better things this year.

The extremely talented trio have just announced that their ultimate fan-favourite, and most popular song live, Chasing Rubies is set to be a part of the soundtrack for upcoming film, ‘The Host’. This soon to be released film hails from Stephanie Meyer, the author of The Twilight Saga, and will be in cinemas across the UK on March 29th.

It definitely looks like the years of busking around Dublin have paid off for the Hudson Taylor lads, as they unsurprisingly start their movie soundtrack appearances at the top, with this eagerly awaited film.

If you are amongst one of those who cannot wait to hear Hudson Taylor and the many other talents appearing on this soundtrack, you can download this soundtrack on iTunes from March 26th, and catch the movie in cinemas from March 29th.

Don’t forget to follow Hudson Taylor on Facebook & Twitter for all the latest on gigs and releases.

Watch ‘Chasing Rubies’ here:

Lauren Aquilina – ‘Wanderlust’ Single and Music Video

After hours and hours of anticipation and excitement from Lauren’s fans, and even Lauren herself, her brand new single Wanderlust is out now, as of 12am.

This beautiful mellow track, accompanied by a fantastic music video took a whole three months to plan, not to mention the months and months of saving Lauren had to do to hire the venue.

Wanderlust is a beautiful sounding track (and the sound in the music video is live recorded, I should add), which is filled from corner to corner with emotion, as one would only expect from Lauren Aquilina. Over four minutes of flawless piano leading Lauren’s extremely powerful vocals which pour out real, honest lyrics, combined with the fact that all profits go to such an extraordinary charity- what more could we ask of this young inspiration?

Filmed between 11pm and 3am, this music video is filled with grace and goes hand in hand with the melody of the track beautifully. The extremely intricate, complex lyrics we see in Lauren’s songs shines in this fantastically written track, and definitely stands out as one of her most mature sounding.

Following her extremely successful release with Fools EP, there’s clearly a great level of consistency in Lauren’s songwriting, and she’ll just grow and grow in the industry.

Follow Lauren on Twitter & Facebook.

You can download the single for free (donations are accepted and greatly encouraged) HERE. All proceeds go to Comic Relief.

Watch the music video here:

Review: Tom Mitchell – ‘Ruthless Thing’ EP

Bristol based singer/songwriter, Tom Mitchell has recently branched out to take on a solo career, having been involved in bands since the age of 15, and of course having played guitar for Duffy in 2006 and 2007.

To begin this solo career, Tom has just released his debut EP, entitled Ruthless Thing. With influences reflecting off the likes of Mark Knopfler, this EP was always destined to have a beautifully delicate sounding guitar to support soft vocals, which execute The Kinks and BellX1 influenced writing styles.

This EP begins with the title track, pouring upbeat guitar melodies into a mix of quiet, soft vocals and ultimately creating a mature folk-y slant on a generic acoustic genre. With a satisfactory introduction complete, the music flows into a more deep, complex song- Only Partly There, displaying a sweet sounding guitar picking pattern. Being used to harmony-based vocals, the harmonies, although relatively subtle, shine in this song.

Almost completing a full circle in terms of guitar pieces, we are directed from an upbeat beginning in Ruthless Thing, then toning down to less strumming and more complex sounds, to lifting back up in the final track- He Forgot To Check His Heart At The Door.

Ruthless Thing EP is an extremely easy-to-listen-to EP. A man and a guitar is essentially what would appear at the fore; but the lyrical substance of each track is something that Mr. Mitchell should be acclaimed for.

Find out more about Tom on his website.

You can download ‘Ruthless Thing’ EP HERE.

Don’t forget to follow Tom on Twitter & Facebook to keep up to date with his music.

Review: Shauna Mackin – ‘Rita’

Following her debut EP Little Blue, Shauna has recently released her latest single- Rita.

Kicking off with a rustic, booming guitar piece, giving off the essence of a slight Ryan Sheridan vibe, this track immediately registers with enthusiasm and life. When Shauna’s voice appears through the surface slowly, lowering the volume of the thundering instruments for a short verse, we’re reminded of what’s so special about this artist. This uniquely soulful voice, which was almost calming in previous tracks, is fantastically uplifting and motivating when given the task of competing with this incredible abundance of noises- in the best way possible!

All this power and energy is pulled together excellently throughout this song, and in one beautiful finish, the eletric guitars have an absolute field day reaching their highest possible pitch, and are gently lowered and silenced by a set of almost whispering vocals, that could only be Shauna Mackin.

All in all, Rita is a fantastic song, beautifully written, and wonderfully executed… But even better- it is also accompanied by an extremely impressive music video. Check it out here:

Natalie Holmes Releases ‘The Simplest Things’ Official Music Video

Having spent a vast amount of time building up her fanbase on Youtube, British Singer/Songwriter, Natalie Holmes celebrated her first iTunes release at the beginning of this year, with The Simplest Things EP.

With beautifully honest lyrics set to smooth melodies, the response to this EP was bound to be amazing. Only a couple of months on from this release and we are presented with what is a perfectly articulated music video for title track The Simplest Things.

With Natalie being the main focus of the video (even baby Natalie!), it portrays the story that the lyrics speak, and the two go hand in hand wonderfully. A lot of thought and personalisation was clearly incorporated into this video; it definitely won’t become just an accompaniment for the song, but rather a story in itself. Top marks to Natalie and Daniel Broadley Films!

Natalie’s EP is available to buy on iTunes.

Don’t forget to follow Natalie on Twitter & Facebook to keep up to date with gigs, releases and general news.

The Simplest Things music video:

Interview: Swiss Lips

Manchester Dance-Eletro-Pop group, Swiss Lips, are planning to release an album in the Summer, and with their utterly unique sound and their musical energy, I've no doubt it will be a massive success. 

Having supported Bastille on a number of shows during their tour in October last year, Swiss Lips' fanbase just keeps growing, and who could question it, with such comfortable, lively stage presence to offer. Lead vocalist, Sam Hammond, spoke to me about the background of Swiss Lips, and also what's next on the cards for this upcoming group.

Interview: Matthew M. Taylor

British songwriter and producer, Matthew Montgomery Taylor has recently worked with a lot of upcoming musicians such as Katie Sky, Natalie Holmes and Orla Gartland. I caught up with this extremely talented guy to find out how it all kicked of for him and what’s next in his very positive looking career.

Orla Gartland Announces First Ever UK & Ireland Tour

After years of hard work and severe patience, Dublin singer/songwriter, Orla Gartland has finally announced her first ever UK and Ireland tour. Eagerly anticipated by her large, and rapidly growing fan base, Orla will be visiting a variety of places around Ireland and the UK during the month of July.

BriBryOnTour: #CutCakeNotWrists

As some of you may already know, Brian O'Reilly (better known as BriBry), has recently been touring the UK alongside Dave Giles, Tom Law and Eddplant for what was called 'The Upload Tour'.

Introducing: Ferals

Up and coming rock trio, Ferals, from Northen England, are growing rapidly in the music scene, having been invited into the studio with BBC. Having only been given birth to by vocalist and guitarist, Matt Dryden in 2012, this is an absolutely massive achievement for these guys.

Review: Bastille- 'Bad Blood' Album

Following very successful single releases, including one of their most acclaimed songs, Flaws, and the latest, Pompeii, Bastille's debut album is finally set for release on March 4th, eagerly anticipated by their rapidly growing fan base. I'm sure for Dan Smith, it feels like this debut album has been a long time coming; having travelled from being a one-man band to the frontman of what is looking likely to be the "next big thing" in the music scene.

Review: The Ruby Sessions 19/2/13

For those of you who don't know what The Ruby Sessions is; it's a weekly event held on Tuesdays in the intimate setting of Doyle's pub in Dublin city. Each week, four acts are scheduled to play for 20 minutes each. The Ruby Sessions has been running for 14 years now, so these guys know what they're doing. With many very successful artists having played here in the past, such as Damien Rice, Paulo Nutini, Mumford & Sons and Glen Hansard, the line up never disappoints. This week I decided to head along and review the show.

This weeks line up, once again attracted a massive crowd to Doyle's, all waiting to witness performances from Jason Clarke, Orla Gartland, Bairbre Anne and Leaders of Men. With these four acts on the cards, and the beautiful candlelit setting of The Ruby Sessions, who wouldn't head down for only a small admission fee of €6?! (All of which goes to the Dublin Simon Community for the homeless, I must add).

First up this particular night was singer/songwriter Bairbre Anne, who has recently been over in London doing some writing and recording, and said she can't wait to get back to it. Opening up the show with an original song from her debut EP Helium Heart, I immediately saw why a large percentage of the people attending had come solely to see her. Bairbre performed four originals and one cover of I Follow Rivers' by Lykke Li. Of course, this got everyone singing along- as every song which is later made into a remixed club banger does! Bairbre had a wonderful, strong voice that sort of played Peek-A-Boo with an Alanis Morisette sound. Her set was pretty much the perfect chilled, yet powerful opener people want at an event like The Ruby Sessions.

Next to take to the stage was Jason Clarke, a Northern Irish singer/songwriter, accompanied by a band. As soon as Jason opened his mouth with the first line of an original song, Lawson immediately came to mind. With a writing style that could be described as a mix of pop and indie, and a beautifully smooth voice, Jason would easily fit into that very popular mainstream category that Lawson seem to be poster boys for at the moment. When Jason went on to sing his new song, I was instantly glued. The backing singer kicked in, and ultimately, the harmonies just came down and took the song to a whole new level, with a complete blend of tones that they executed delightfully. To finish his set, Jason attempted something that even he admitted should never be done, and to almost everyone there, it did sound like a disaster waiting to happen- a cover of Man In The Mirror by MJ. Brave or what? At least I thought it was brave, until I realised this was absolutely no risk for this guy; he smashed it. Hitting every note perfectly and making it his own in a modern sound, he had people singing a long to every chorus, and that's always a good sign right?!

It was then time for the second last act of the night. The girl probably most familiar to The Ruby Sessions stage; Dublin singer/songwriter, Orla Gartland. Kicking off her set with a new-ish song, Jealous, which is up for free download on her Facebook, she really portrayed her capabilities as a singer; hitting those high notes with precision, and getting the powerful, abrupt guitar chords bang on. After the bit of chit-chat and promised humour that Orla always takes with her when performing, it was time for one of Orla's most well known, and probably most lyrically heart-wrenching song- Devil On My Shoulder. Every time Orla performs this song, she manages to draw the crowd away from everything else, and just silence the room. This is one girl, one guitar, and one song; and to have the talent and the ability to do that to a crowd of people (especially an Irish pub!) is incredible. Admitting that she likes trying new things at The Ruby Sessions, we were next presented with a brand new song- Piece By Piece, before moving on to a fun, light-hearted cover she had also never performed live before- Another Brick In The Wall by Pink Floyd. Orla's performances are always so relaxed and more importantly, they never fall into that trap of being fake- she's a purely genuine performer. That, mixed with the beautiful friendly atmosphere that every week at The Ruby Sessions brings, will always be a winner.

Unfortunately, due to time restrictions, I was unable to review the last act of the night, Leaders of Men. One of the acts I was looking forward to reviewing the most; I was quite excited to see what they'd produce. No panic, I'm sure I'll catch them again at The Ruby Sessions in the not so distant future.

Are you in Dublin on a Tuesday night with nothing to do? I strongly recommend you get yourself down to Doyle's pub and discover four talented acts at The Ruby Sessions. You won't be disappointed. 

Also, you should be able to catch a review of The Ruby Sessions right here every week from now to the foreseeable future. 

The Lumineers Live: Olympia Theatre, Feb 16th 2013

February 16th had been marked on my calender for quite a while. It was always set up to be an amazing night; The Lumineers with support act Langhorne Slim & The Law- how could there be any doubt. Well, I underestimated it completely. In all honesty, there was no support act at this show- either act could have been mistaken for the headliner on this particular night. Langhorne Slim & The Law may have been the opening act, but my god were they difficult to follow.

Introducing: Shauna Mackin

Ever listen to an artist and immediately think "why amn't I hearing this person everywhere?!". Well, 22 year old singer songwriter, Shauna Mackin is a perfect example. Shauna is originally from Dublin, but because of her passion for music and, I suppose, the booming industry in the UK, it was only a matter of time before she was sent packing to Manchester to pursue a degree in music.

Review: Langhorne Slim & The Law- 'The Way We Move'

Relatively known for his 2009 release Be Set Free, American singer songwriter Langhorne Slim, has since been joined by a band, and together they have managed to create something that many of us are lucky to have grace our ears. 

Review: Taylor Ames- 'Songs You Were Never Meant To Hear'

20 year old British singer songwriter, Taylor Ames, seems to be making a name for himself in what is an increasingly competitive music industry. With over 37,000 followers on Twitter, it appears that this guy might just have what it takes to overtake a large portion of the sea of songwriters that are currently on the rise.

BriBry Set To Release New EP- 'Grow'

The much loved Irish Youtuber, BriBry, known for his 'Things To Do Before You Die' series, recently reached a phenomenal, but well deserved 100,000 subscribers. Becoming increasingly successful on the site, it's not only his Youtube popularity that's making 2013 look promising for Brian. With a new EP- Grow on the way, people have an even bigger reason to be talking about the "Irish willy on Youtube" as he makes himself known!

Review: 'The Simplest Things' EP- Natalie Holmes

Having released two very successful albums previously, Natalie's new EP could still very well be the game changer in her music career. The Simplest Things EP is just a real easy-to-listen-to EP- consisting of beautiful melodies executed by soft guitar and piano chords.

Introducing: Frank Hamilton

You may already be familiar with Frank Hamilton because of his most well-known EP You, Your Cat & Me, which was released in 2008. This British singer, songwriter (originally from Cambridgeshire, currently living in London) has had a very busy 2012, literally dedicating the entire year to his music.

Introducing: Kodaline

This alternative rock quartet, made up of Stephen Garrigan, Vinny May, Mark Prendergast and Jason Boland, seem to be making an extremely rapid break in the Irish music scene, and are also fast approaching international recognition.

Introducing: Cry Monster Cry

The majority of people reading this are probably thinking "never heard of these guys", and to be completely honest, neither had I until they supported fellow Irish brothers Hudson Taylor back in December- but my God am I glad they were brought to my attention!

Three Screws Loose: Hometown Gig

Having been used to seeing Three Screws Loose gigging frequently around the small town of Shannon, people began to really miss these guys for a while. When the four piece announced that they'd be returning to a local pub in the town for a Stephens' day gig, it became the talk of the town over the Christmas period.

Hudson Taylor Live: Academy 2, Dublin.

Dublin brothers Harry and Alfie Hudson Taylor have definitely been missed busking on the streets of Dublin and playing frequent gigs in their hometown, so you can imagine the excitement of their Irish fans when they announced two Academy 2 headline shows. As the crowd were piling into the basement of the Academy, support acts Little Bear and Cry Monster Cry gave two outstanding performances that definitely kept the mood up in the room. The atmosphere was just building and building, and that, combined with the expected buzz four days before Christmas created a beautiful setting.

Natalie Holmes To Release 'The Simplest Things' EP

Firstly, let's cement it for those of you who have never heard of Natalie Holmes. If someone threw Ellie Goulding and Joni Mitchell and a few other artists into a pop/folk flavoured cake, iced it with pure honesty, and then sprinkled it with some Lucy Rose... You'd pretty much have Natalie Holmes. 

Orla Gartland @ Academy 2, Dublin.

Saturday the 15th of December brought an exciting buzz outside the doors of The Academy, Dublin, for Orla Gartland's second headline show in this venue. As the queue started to make its way through the doors, you could hear people singing Orla songs. The venue was filling up fast as a lot of people made their way straight to the merch stand at the back.

Vote For Your Favourite Album!

Hey guys! A website I write for- 'Fortitude Magazine', have set up a shortlist of our favourite albums from 2012. You get to vote for up to 3 albums, by just commenting in the comment box at the end of the page. I will leave the link to the page down below. The voting will close on January 1st 2013, and we will be announcing the album of 2012. Get voting for your favourite! Thanks a million!

http://www.fortitudemagazine.co.uk/music/fortitude-magazine-album-of-the-year/

Currently Listening to:The Lumineers

To be completely honest, it actually took me a while to get into American folk rock band, The Lumineers. I first stumbled upon their music when I got to that part of Youtube that you're never sure how you got to- you all know what I mean!

Orla Gartland Announces Dublin Headline Show

Dublin singer-songwriter, Orla Gartland is set to play a headline show in Academy 2, Dublin, on December 15th. This girl has grown more and more as a musician since her first headline show in June....

Hudson Taylor: Set to Release: Cinematic Lifestyle

Dublin duo- Hudson Taylor, recently announced to their fast growing fan-base that they will be releasing another EP towards the end of this month. The exact release date for this 4 track EP is November 23rd, and it includes the songs 'Butterflies', 'Watchtower', an acoustic version of 'Chasing Rubies' and, of course, the title track 'Cinematic Lifestyle'....

Recommended: The Original Rudeboys

If you're not from Ireland, chances are you've never heard of The Original Rudeboys. These guys are an acoustic hip-hop band from Dublin. Their sound is extremely unique; usually described as a mix of indie and hip-hop...