This week's show (2 Viewers)

[underground]

Just a quick reminder of this week's show coming up tomorrow morning:

The Underground of Happiness
Tuesday Aug 31st 2010
11.00am-12.00pm GMT
Cork Campus Radio 98.3FM
*listen live on the web at
www.ucc.ie/ccr

*this week's show is a special extended version, the first part an Electric Picnic Festival Preview (Neon Indian, These New Puritans, Timber Timbre, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Mountain Man, Field Music ++), the second part freestyle with music from Joanna Newsom, Robert Scott, Richard Thompson, Ennio Morricone and the Arctic Circle Explorer's Club for August among others

www.myspace.com/theundergroundofhappiness

 

[underground]

The Underground of Happiness
uplifting pop music of every creed

www.myspace.com/theundergroundofhappiness

Playlist 141 - Electric Picnic Festival Preview
Tues Aug 31 2010
11.00am-12.00pm
Cork Campus Radio, 98.3FM
listen live on the web at www.ucc.ie/ccr
*listen back to this show at
http://rapidshare.com/files/416230545/UOH_Podcast_Aug_31_2010_Elec_Pic.mp3




Playlist
Here We Go Magic - Moon
These New Puritans - Hologram
Jennifer Evans - Scattered
Caribou - Found out
Field Music - Them that do nothing (also playing Cyprus Avenue, Cork, Sept 8)
Jonsi - Tornado
Timber Timbre - Demon host
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble - War
Steve Mason - Am I just a man
Friendly Fires - Stay here
Neon Indian - Terminal chill
Mountain Man - Animal tracks
Patrick Kelleher - Finds you (Thread Pulls remix) (Thread Pulls playing Electric Picnic)
Black Mountain - The hair song
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Indiana
Channel One - Three stars
Gil Scott Heron - I'm new here



*all artists playing the Electric Picnic Festival, Stradbally, Co Laois, Sept 3-5

e-mail the show on [email protected]
or text +353 (0)86-7839800
please mark messages “uoh”

Conor O'Toole,
c/o Cork Campus Radio,
Áras na Mac Léinn,
Student Centre,
University College Cork,
Cork,
Ireland.

 

[underground]

Just a quick reminder of this week's show coming up tomorrow morning:

The Underground of Happiness
Tuesday Sept 7th 2010
11.00am-12.00pm GMT
Cork Campus Radio 98.3FM
*listen live on the web at
www.ucc.ie/ccr

*this week's show features music from Cathal Coughlan, Shearwater, Smoke Fairies, Boa Morte, Nancy Elizabeth and Seeland among others
*and win tickets to see Cathal Coughlan in Cork at The Pavilion next weekend

www.myspace.com/theundergroundofhappiness

 

[underground]

The Underground of Happiness
uplifting pop music of every creed

www.myspace.com/theundergroundofhappiness

Playlist 142
Tues Sept 7th 2010
11.00am-12.00pm
Cork Campus Radio, 98.3FM
listen live on the web at www.ucc.ie/ccr
*listen back to this show at
http://rapidshare.com/files/417654868/UOH_Podcast_Sept_7_2010.mp3




Playlist
Richard Thompson - The kibosh (from the soundtrack of the film Grizzly Man)
Shearwater - Black eyes
Boa Morte - Tears on a full moon
Damien Jurado - Arkansas (playing Whelan's, Dublin, Sept 24)
Seeland - Black dot, white spider
Cluster - Heisse lippen
The Sleeping Years - Cattle and cane (Arctic Circle Explorer's Club, jointhecircle.net)
Nancy Elizabeth - Please please please let me get what I want (playing Band on the Wall, Manchester, Sept 9, w/ Homelife & Denis Jones)
Smoke Fairies - Strange moon rising (playing End of the Road Festival, Sept 12)
Cathal Coughlan - Alphadena (playing The Pavilion, Cork, solo show, Sept 12, w/ Adrian Crowley)
Grinderman - Heathen child (playing Cité de la Music, Paris, Oct 26)
Robert Scott - The moon upstairs
Ken Peel - v7.1 (Long Division with Remainders)
Perfume Genius - Perry
Tunng - Don't look down or back



*next week's show features music from Joanna Newsom, Amiina and Twin Sister, as well as an interview with Caitlin Rose

e-mail the show on [email protected]
or text +353 (0)86-7839800
please mark messages “uoh”

Conor O'Toole,
c/o Cork Campus Radio,
Áras na Mac Léinn,
Student Centre,
University College Cork,
Cork,
Ireland.

 

[underground]

Just a quick reminder of this week's show coming up tomorrow morning:

The Underground of Happiness
Tuesday Sept 14th 2010
11.00am-12.00pm GMT
Cork Campus Radio 98.3FM
*listen live on the web at
www.ucc.ie/ccr

*this week's show features music from Twin Sister, Sons of Noel & Adrian, Ennio Morricone and Amiina among others, as well as an interview with Caitlin Rose

www.myspace.com/theundergroundofhappiness

 

[underground]

The Underground of Happiness
uplifting pop music of every creed

www.myspace.com/theundergroundofhappiness

Playlist 143
Tues Sept 14th 2010
11.00am-12.00pm
Cork Campus Radio, 98.3FM
listen live on the web at www.ucc.ie/ccr
*listen back to this show at
http://rapidshare.com/files/419016352/UOH_Podcast_Sept_14_2010.mp3





Playlist
Joanna Newsom - Easy
The National - Conversation 16 (playing Olympia Theatre, Dublin, Dec 2,3,4)
Twin Sister - I want a house
Sons of Noel & Adrian - Black side of the river (playing Cyprus Avenue, Cork, Sept 15, w/ Peggy Sue)
Ennio Morricone - Una spiaggia a mezzogiorno (from the soundtrack of the film Vergogna Schifosi)
Caitlin Rose - For the rabbits

Caitlin Rose Interview
*d'load full interview at
http://rapidshare.com/files/418795355/Caitlin_Rose_UOH_Interview_Podcast.mp3

Caitlin Rose - Own side (playing Whelan's, Dublin, Oct 3, w/ Deertick & Squarehead)
Amiina - Over and again (playing The Grand Social, Dublin, Sept 25)
The Vaselines - Sex with an x (playing Deaf Institute, Manchester, Sept 23)
Yeh Deadlies - Magazine (playing The Quad, Cork, Sept 17)
The Beach Boys - Til I die



*next week's show features music from Brendan Benson, Sparrow & the Workshop, Polar Bear and Oh No Ono, among others

e-mail the show on [email protected]
or text +353 (0)86-7839800
please mark messages “uoh”

Conor O'Toole,
c/o Cork Campus Radio,
Áras na Mac Léinn,
Student Centre,
University College Cork,
Cork,
Ireland.

 

[underground]

Just a quick reminder of this week's show coming up tomorrow morning:

The Underground of Happiness
Tuesday Sept 21st 2010
11.00am-12.00pm GMT
Cork Campus Radio 98.3FM
*listen live on the web at
www.ucc.ie/ccr

*this week's show features music from Lee Hazlewood, Thread Pulls, Brendan Benson, Conrad Schnitzler, Darren Hayman and Polar Bear among others

www.myspace.com/theundergroundofhappiness

 

[underground]

The Underground of Happiness
uplifting pop music of every creed

www.myspace.com/theundergroundofhappiness

Playlist 144
Tues Sept 21st 2010
11.00am-12.00pm
Cork Campus Radio, 98.3FM
listen live on the web at www.ucc.ie/ccr






Playlist
Darren Hayman & the Secondary Modern feat. Emma-Lee Moss - Calling your name again (playing The Luminaire, London, Oct 5)
Oh No Ono - Internet warrior (playing Madam Jojo's. London, Oct 12)
Erland & the Carnival - The Derby ram (playing The Windsor Festival, Oct 1)
Broken Records - A darkness rises up (playing Hoxton Bar & Kitchen, London, Sept 28)
Grinderman - Heathen child (playing Barrowlands, Glasgow, Sept 28)
Thread Pulls - Sink and swim (playing The Triskel at ESB Substation, Cork, Oct 9)
Conrad Schnitzler - Auf dem schwarzen canal
Hunter-Gatherer - Under lock and quay (playing Whelan's, Oct 7, w/ Meljoann & Ilex)
Adrian Crowley - These icy waters (playing secret gig as part of Cork Culture Night, Sept 24, enquiries to [email protected])
Polar Bear with Jyager - Enterprize (playing Band on the Wall, Manchester, Oct 1)
Sparrow and the Workshop - Into the wild (playing Old Oak, Cork, Sept 22)
Lee Hazlewood - It was a very good year
Brendan Benson - A whole lot better (playing Cyprus Avenue, Cork, Sept 28, solo show)



*next week's show features music from Peter Broderick, Liam Singer, Future Islands and Secret Cities among others

e-mail the show on [email protected]
or text +353 (0)86-7839800
please mark messages “uoh”

Conor O'Toole,
c/o Cork Campus Radio,
Áras na Mac Léinn,
Student Centre,
University College Cork,
Cork,
Ireland.

 

[underground]

Just a quick reminder of this week's show coming up tomorrow morning:

The Underground of Happiness
Tuesday Sept 28th 2010
11.00am-12.00pm GMT
Cork Campus Radio 98.3FM
*listen live on the web at
www.ucc.ie/ccr

*this week's show features music from Twin Shadow, Future Islands, Peter Broderick and House of Cosy Cushions, among others, and there are special edition CD copies of the new Grinderman album to give away

www.myspace.com/theundergroundofhappiness
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100000831467458

 

[underground]

The Underground of Happiness
uplifting pop music of every creed

www.myspace.com/theundergroundofhappiness

Playlist 145
Tues Sept 28th 2010
11.00am-12.00pm
Cork Campus Radio, 98.3FM
listen live on the web at www.ucc.ie/ccr
*listen back to this show at
http://rapidshare.com/files/421925308/UOH_Podcast_Sept_28_2010.mp3

Playlist
Ennio Morricone - Main titles (from the soundtrack of the film Life is tough, eh Providence?)
Motel Motel - Helena MT
Peter Broderick - When I'm out (playing The Pavilion, Cork, Oct 20)
*d'load Peter Broderick interview here from May 2009
http://rapidshare.com/files/301048860/Peter_Broderick_UOH_Interview_Podcast.mp3

Botany - Feeling today
Chancery Blame & the Gadjo Club - Where is my mind
The Notes - Awake
Grinderman Interview Part I (John Hillcoat)
Grinderman Interview Part II (Roman gladiators)
Grinderman - Palaces of Montezuma (playing Hammersmith Apollo, London, Oct 1)
Future Islands - Tin man (playing Workman's Club, Dublin, Oct 20)
House of Cosy Cushions - Naked pain (playing The Crane Lane Theatre, Cork, Nov 27)
Twin Shadow - Slow (playing Hoxton Bar & Kitchen, London, Oct 28)
Liam Singer feat. Wendy Allen - Leave the world to those who care
Dollboy meets Sone Institute - Play for today
Toby Kaar - One for the broken hearted
City of Satellites - BMX

*next week's show features music from Hauschka, The O'Jays, Warpaint, Thread Pulls and Patrick Kelleher, among others, as well as an interview with brothers David and Peter Brewis of Field Music

e-mail the show on [email protected]
or text +353 (0)86-7839800
please mark messages “uoh”

Conor O'Toole,
c/o Cork Campus Radio,
Áras na Mac Léinn,
Student Centre,
University College Cork,
Cork,
Ireland.

 

[underground]

Another entirely subjective month of music from the UOH hut. Chamber pop seems to favour autumn, there's a lot of it around this month - I'm not complaining. All albums, unless otherwise noted.

Liam Singer - Dislocatia (Hidden Shoal)
Regular readers will know that if it's chamber pop, I'm there. Even for the converted though, this is thrillingly beautiful music, from the Brooklyn-based composer. In recent terms, it reminds me a little of Andrew Morgan and Sufjan Stevens in places, but ultimately shows the conviction of individuality. The 16 tracks include one mini-symphony after another, most of which average around 2 minutes. Despite this, they never feel rushed, yet still manage to leave a complex aftertaste. Piano provides the core of the instrumentation (often treated, but usually with a measured, classical feel), with various other keyboards and orchestrated strings in support. Notably, the album also features the lovely, airy, folk singing of Wendy Allen from labelmates Boxharp (her partner in Boxharp, Scott Solter, also produces), which proves a perfect counterpoint to Singer's own vibrato. As the album title suggests, the atmospheres are never totally reassuring, although they still manage to remain hopeful. The massed vocal and pulsing piano ending to Leave the world to those who care has a medieval feel, and also calls to mind Steve Reich, with its slightly disconcerting off-rhythm running under a wholly engaging melody. A certain avant-garde tendency is confirmed by the title Morton Feldman holding notes for eternity, which features a pair of parallel, out-of-sync vocal lines with a sort of math-rock piano backing. Spellbinding opening instrumental On Earth a wandering stranger was I born begins like Chopin, then adds a fittingly spectral, otherworldly atmosphere, created by the interplay of female soprano, organ and glockenspiel; Words make the master has something in common with Sufjan Stevens' celestial folk music; the elegaic Erat hora's deep rumbling beginning gives way to a melancholy air on theremin, before a swooping, wordless female vocal arrives over stoic piano chords; another tremendous instrumental, the cinematic Mold me torn fan,manages to evoke a thick air of suspense from nothing more than a simple repeating piano pattern, sparse recorder notes, something that sounds like vibes and a few background squeaks. Allied to the album's experimental leanings, though, is a beating pop heart. In the words of a certain pop song, it's all too beautiful.

Nils Frahm - Unter / Uber (Erased Tapes, single)
Miniature pair of sublime piano tunes (with unusual and intriguing close miking on the pedals) from the Berlin-based improv artist.

Dean & Britta - Incandescent innocent (Double Feature, from the album 13 Most Beautiful: Songs for Andy Warhol's Screen Tests)
Brooding instrumental, with trademark Dean Wareham guitar work, made all the more poignant by the accompanying sleevenote describing Freddy Herko's last dance, naked, through the open upstairs window of a friend's apartment, to the street below, while a Mozart Mass played on the stereo.

Various Artists - Deutsche Elektronische Musiche (Soul Jazz Records)
Much-loved London label comes up with the goods again on this compilation of the German "underground" from 1972-1983. Featuring seminal material from Neu!, Can, Cluster and Tangerine Dream, as well as some hidden treasures in the shape of La Dusseldorf, Kollectiv and Michael Bundt. Further proof, if it were needed, of the depth and reach of influence of this remarkable period in German musical history. Essential listening.
Note: I picked up my copy at the recently-reopened Plugd Records in Cork, now under the same roof as Triskel Arts Centre at the ESB Substation Building on Caroline St. Welcome back to Jim and Albert.

Twin Sister - I want a house (Double Six, from the EP Vampires with dreaming kids)
Woozy layers of female vocals, an itchy guitar pattern, wind chimes, shakers, and a bending bassline gradually colaesce into a lovely laid-back jam. Gorgeous, in an enigmatic way.

Future Islands - In evening air (Thrill Jockey)
Credit to Grand Snr for mentioning this in dispatches some months back. You could call it electro-pop. Of the highest order. Bracing synth patterns, pounding basslines and insinuating vocals from Sam Herring (who bears an unexpected and uncanny resemblance to early Tom Waits in places). For example, the innovative steel drum sample on Tin man. Repetitive in the best possible way, like all great dance music. Infectious and impossible not to love.
Incidentally, their new EP Undressed is an acoustic affair featuring piano at the core and, with added cello, is equally compelling.

Hauschka - Children (Fat Cat, from the album Foreign landscapes)
Driving cello, honking brass, skipping strings, chiming clarinets, all wrapped around a fantastic tune, pleasingly reminiscient of Michael Nyman's Peter Greenaway soundtracks. A bit of a departure for Mr Bertelmann, and a tantalising sampler from his upcoming new album. Chamber pop, don't you just love it.

Twin Shadow - Slow (4AD, from the album Forget)
The Blue Nile as re-imagined through Ariel Pink's psychedelic world-view. Which is to say, wonderful stuff.

City of Satellites - BMX (Hidden Shoal, single)
I like to think of this tune as an exercise in the sublime, with its gorgeous shoegazey shimmer (if all exercise was like this, obesity would be a forgotten dream in the pre-formed brain of an unborn child.) From the Australian duo's engrossing album of last year, Machine is my animal, which is equally deserving of your attention.

J. Tillman - A seat at the table (Western Vinyl, from the album Singing ax)
Plaintiff and haunting are the words that spring readily to mind to describe this, the last track on Tillman's upcoming album, produced by Steve Albini. Mellotron and cymbal swells are the only adornments to spare, picked acoustic guitar and a mournful vocal.

Secret Cities - On holiday (Western Vinyl, single)
More beautiful psych-pop from the Fargo trio, with a knockout B-side cover of Ellie Greenwich's You don't know, swimming in reverb and complete with clattering rimshots.

Botany - Feeling today (Western Vinyl, from the EP Feeling today)
A triple whammy for the Texas label this month. This is the work of one Spencer Stephenson, a 22-year old from Weatherford in the Lone Star State. The phrase "shimmering psychedelia" has been used and I wouldn't argue, but somehow it doesn't do justice to how gorgeous this piece of music actually is. Elements of sound design and tape manipulation here, combined with handclaps, ringing bells, a soaring female vocal and a beautiful arcing melody in a shoegaze swirl. Chillwave fans, you'll find plenty to like here - as for pop music fans, just rejoice. Possesses that uncanny knack of forcing you to hit play again as soon as it finishes. Get it as soon as you can.

Various Artists - Long Division with Remainders / Dollboy meets Sone Institute - The sum and the difference (Front & Follow)
Continuing the fantastic furrow they've been ploughing for a while now, the Manchester-based label release two collaborative projects. LDWR features the work of 14 different artists from around the world (including Isnaj Dui, Ken Peel, Leyland Kirby), who were each sent some basic sound files to mould in their own direction. The resulting 14 EP's have now been compiled into one box set, which would fall into the "worthy" category if it wasn't so fascinating and ambitious musically. The sum and the difference combines the talents of Oliver Cherer and Roman Bezdyk, swapping and re-working each other's material, to create a hazy, drifting 15-odd minutes of pure loveliness. It acts as an interesting companion piece to Mr Bezdyk's (Sone Institute's) brilliant Curious memories album from earlier in the year. As usual with F&F, the artwork by Damian O'Hara provides another compelling reason to invest your money. Highly recommended.

Toby Kaar - A reason to stay (self-released, www.myspace.com/tobykaar)
Five-track release from the Cork producer, throwing samples, beats and glitches together into a rounded, melodic whole. Impressive and well worth checking out.

Seeland - Black dot, white spider (LoAF Recordings, single)
Another great taster from the Birmingham band's new album, bringing Neu! grooves into contact with British psych-pop. Comes with four remixes (Kelpe, Ghostape, Tom Furse of The Horrors and Cerceuil), each one as charmingly adventurous as the next (ok, if pushed, my favourite is the loops-meets-tribal rhythm of the Ghostape contribution).

Darren Hayman & the Secondary Modern feat Emma-Lee Moss - Calling out your name again (Fortuna Pop, single)
Irresistible folk-rock swing from the ex-Hefner man, duetting with the artist also known as Emmy the Great, another sweet love letter to English suburbia. From the upcoming album Essex Arms.

Peter Broderick - How they are (Bella Union)
7-track follow-up to the wonderful Home album. More sombre, reflective in tone this, and largely based around piano. Affinities with friend and collaborator Nils Frahm evident (the last track is actually called Hello to Nils) in its classical modes. In a word, beautiful. See his wonderful live performance around Europe later in October (including The Pavilion in Cork, Oct 20th).

 

[underground]

Just a quick reminder of this week's show coming up tomorrow morning:

The Underground of Happiness
Tuesday Oct 5th 2010
11.00am-12.00pm GMT
Cork Campus Radio 98.3FM
*listen live on the web at
www.ucc.ie/ccr

*this week's show features music from The O'Jays, Les Sins, Patrick Kelleher, Thread Pulls and Hauschka, among others, plus there's an interview with brothers David & Peter Brewis from Sunderland's Field Music

www.myspace.com/theundergroundofhappiness

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100000831467458

 

[underground]

The Underground of Happiness
uplifting pop music of every creed

www.myspace.com/theundergroundofhappiness
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000831467458

Playlist 146
Tues Oct 5th 2010
11.00am-12.00pm
Cork Campus Radio, 98.3FM
listen live on the web at www.ucc.ie/ccr
*listen back to this show at
http://rapidshare.com/files/423259273/UOH_Podcast_Oct_5_2010.mp3

Playlist
The O'Jays - I love music (Munster Soul [Northern Soul night], Cyprus Ave, Cork, Oct 9)
Les Sins - Lina
Charles Douglas - Gonopathee
Ted Barnes & Emily Barker - As time goes by (Arctic Circle Explorer's Club, www.jointhecircle.net)
Patrick Kelleher - Coat to wear
Thread Pulls - Weight (Thread Pulls/Patrick Kelleher/Thulebasen playing Triskel @ ESB Substation, Cork, Oct 9)
Field Music - Something familiar
Field Music Interview
*d'load full interview here
http://rapidshare.com/files/422325139/UOH_Field_Music_Interview_Podcast.mp3

Field Music - Them that do nothing (playing Koko Theatre, London, Nov 22, w/ Dutch Uncles)
Hauschka - Children (playing Duke of York's Picturehouse, Brighton, Nov 11)
Warpaint - Elephants (playing Crawdaddy, Dublin, Oct 21)
2000FastWomen - Letters from Vienna
The Cast of Cheers - Goose (playing Cyprus Avenue, Cork, Oct 6)

*next week's show features music from Frankie Rose and the Outs, Peter Broderick, Laetitia Sadier and Susumu Yokota, among others, and there will also be tickets to win to see the wonderful Future Islands

e-mail the show on [email protected]
or text +353 (0)86-7839800
please mark messages “uoh”

Conor O'Toole,
c/o Cork Campus Radio,
Áras na Mac Léinn,
Student Centre,
University College Cork,
Cork,
Ireland.

 

[underground]

Just a quick reminder of this week's show coming up tomorrow morning:

The Underground of Happiness
Tuesday Oct 12th 2010
11.00am-12.00pm GMT
Cork Campus Radio 98.3FM
*listen live on the web at
www.ucc.ie/ccr

*this week's show features music from Thread Pulls, Laetitia Sadier, NLF3, Peter Broderick, Frankie Rose and the Outs, Susumu Yokota and Secret Cities, among others, and tickets to give away to see Future Islands

www.myspace.com/theundergroundofhappiness

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100000831467458

 

[underground]

The Underground of Happiness
uplifting pop music of every creed

www.myspace.com/theundergroundofhappiness

Playlist 147
Tues Oct 12th 2010
11.00am-12.00pm
Cork Campus Radio, 98.3FM
listen live on the web at www.ucc.ie/ccr
*listen back to this show at
http://rapidshare.com/files/424611889/UOH_Podcast_Oct_12_2010.mp3



Playlist
Thread Pulls - Weight
J. Tillmann - A seat at the table

Future Islands - An apology (playing The Workman's Club, Dublin, Oct 20, w/ Patrick Kelleher & his Cold Dead Hands)
NLF3 - Shadows my friends
Peter Broderick - Discovery (from the soundtrack of the dance piece Congregation/Music for Contemporary Dance; playing The Pavilion, Cork, Oct 20)
Dollboy meets Sone Institute - Sunshine
Oh No Ono - Swim (playing Iceland Airwaves Festival, Reykjavik, Oct 15)
Darren Hayman & the Secondary Modern - Cocoa butter
Frankie Rose and the Outs - Hollow life (playing The Luminaire, London, Dec 14)
Susumu Yokota - Sprouting symphony
Pascal Pinon - I wrote a song
Laetitia Sadier - Another monster (playing Grand Social, Dublin, Dec 2)
Stereolab - Sun demon
Secret Cities - On holiday
Seeland - Black dot, white spider





*next week's show features music from Twin Shadow, Gotan Project, Wildbirds & Peacedrums and Our Broken Garden, among others

e-mail the show on [email protected]
or text +353 (0)86-7839800
please mark messages “uoh”

Conor O'Toole,
c/o Cork Campus Radio,
Áras na Mac Léinn,
Student Centre,
University College Cork,
Cork,
Ireland.

 

[underground]

Field Music Interview
The interview with David and Peter Brewis of Field Music is available to download now (38mins approx.) here:
http://rapidshare.com/files/422325139/UOH_Field_Music_Interview_Podcast.mp3
featuring...
...Stratocasters vs Gibson SG's, a village in County Durham called Noplace, Sunderland's shipbuilding past, The Beatles' Happiness is a warm gun, the predictability of pop song structures, Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds, teenage pub gigs, singing like Joe Cocker, and more...
I was auditioning for the role of "boozy hack", with full pint in hand as the brothers arrived from upstairs (in fairness, I'd been waiting in the Old Oak Bar for about 15 minutes for the band to finish soundchecking, successfully resisting the urge to fill the time with a pint, but there's only so many scrolling tv ads you can stare at...).
It was a pleasure to meet a band so relaxed and willing to chat in leisurely fashion without an eye on the clock (the result, maybe, of having spent a spare day in Cork, a few days after their Electric Picnic Festival appearance). After the interview, I accompanied the brothers, with bass player Ian, around the corner to Fast Al's for superior pizza slices, eaten al fresco on Winthrop St (where several passers-by on their way into the gig approached to say hello to the band), whereupon the conversation turned to the Ireland and England football teams' European Championship qualification hopes, the merits (many) of the Hi-B Bar and the ubiquitous presence of pre-programmed radio.
As for the gig, this is the tightest band I've heard in a long time. But they were still loose, if you know what I mean, playing off each other, as the stop-start arrangements demand, and locking down (I think the term is) some wonderful grooves. It's the first time I've ever seen a guitarist and drummer swapping duties (the musical equivalent of the brothers finishing each others' sentences?), but they didn't miss a beat in the process. It was interesting to think back to Peter talking in the interview about his desire to play more guitar on this album (Measure); I thought that very appealing air of unpretentious northern Englishness was most evident when he was at the piano. The tunes (of which there are many great ones on the current album alone - Measure, Them that do nothing, Something familiar etc.) shone through in all their whimsical, bittersweet glory. They also rocked the joint sideways.

The Underground of Happiness
uplifting pop music of every creed

www.myspace.com/theundergroundofhappiness

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100000831467458

Tuesdays 11.00am-12.00pm GMT
Cork Campus Radio, 98.3FM
*listen live on the web at www.ucc.ie/ccr

 

[underground]

Just a quick reminder of this week's show coming up tomorrow morning:

The Underground of Happiness
Tuesday Oct 19th 2010
11.00am-12.00pm GMT
Cork Campus Radio 98.3FM
*listen live on the web at
www.ucc.ie/ccr

*this week's show features music from Peter Broderick, Kurt Wagner & Cortney Tidwell, Twin Shadow, Our Broken Garden, Rachel Grimes and Gotan Project, among others

www.myspace.com/theundergroundofhappiness

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100000831467458

 

[underground]

The Underground of Happiness
uplifting pop music of every creed

www.myspace.com/theundergroundofhappiness

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100000831467458

Playlist 148
Tues Oct 19th 2010
11.00am-12.00pm
Cork Campus Radio, 98.3FM
listen live on the web at www.ucc.ie/ccr
*listen back to this show at
http://rapidshare.com/files/425969000/UOH_Podcast_Oct_19_2010.mp3


Playlist
Peter Broderick - Sideline (playing The Pavilion, Cork, Oct 20)
Rachel Grimes - Every morning (playing Iceland River Lee Hotel, Cork, Nov 13)
Our Broken Garden - The departure
Callers - Life of love
Blonde Redhead - Not getting there
Liz Janes - I don't believe
Gotan Project - Rayuela
Radical Face - Doorways
Krystle Warren & the Faculty - To the middle (playing Stables Theatre, Milton Keynes, Oct 25, w/ Katell Keineg)
Shugo Tokumaru - Rum hee
This is the Kit - Moon (playing Windmill In, Brixton, Nov 16)
Twin Shadow - Slow (playing Hoxton Bar & Kitchen, London, Oct 28)
Kurt Wagner & Cortney Tidwell - Incredibly lonely
Wilder - Skyful of rainbows
Wildbirds & Peacedrums - Under land and over sea (playing Union Chapel, London, Nov 27, onstage w/ Roundhouse Experimental Choir)

*next week's show features music from Darwin Deez, Small Black and Delorean, among others, aswell as an interview with German ambient artist Markus Mehr
e-mail the show on [email protected]
or text +353 (0)86-7839800
please mark messages “uoh”

Conor O'Toole,
c/o Cork Campus Radio,
Áras na Mac Léinn,
Student Centre,
University College Cork,
Cork,
Ireland.

 

[underground]

Just a quick reminder of this week's show coming up tomorrow morning:

The Underground of Happiness
Tuesday Oct 26th 2010
11.00am-12.00pm GMT
Cork Campus Radio 98.3FM
*listen live on the web at
www.ucc.ie/ccr

*this week's show features music from Kurt Wagner & Cortney Tidwell, Our Broken Garden, Gruff Rhys, Warpaint and Frankie Rose & the Outs, among others, as well as an interview with German ambient artist Markus Mehr

www.myspace.com/theundergroundofhappiness

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100000831467458

 

[underground]

The Underground of Happiness
uplifting pop music of every creed

www.myspace.com/theundergroundofhappiness

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100000831467458

Playlist 149
Tues Oct 26th 2010
11.00am-12.00pm
(repeated on Tuesdays 8.30pm)
Cork Campus Radio, 98.3FM
listen live on the web at www.ucc.ie/ccr
*listen back to this show at
http://rapidshare.com/files/427244082/UOH_Podcast_Oct_26_2010.mp3

Playlist
Darwin Deez - Up in the clouds (playing Cyprus Avenue, Cork, Nov 8)
Frankie Rose & the Outs - Candy (playing The Luminaire, London, Dec 14)
Stornoway - I saw you blink (playing Academy 2, Liverpool, Nov 9)
Halves - Darling you'll meet your maker (playing The Workman's Club, Dublin, Oct 30)
papercutz - Encantamento
Warpaint - Undertow (playing The Barfly, Camden, London, Nov 15)
Markus Mehr Interview
Markus Mehr - Hubble
*d'load the full interview here
http://rapidshare.com/files/427249818/Markus_Mehr_Interview_Podcast.mp3

Kurt Wagner & Cortney Todwell - A special day
Our Broken Garden - In the lowlands (playing St Giles in the Field, London, Nov 17)
Gruff Rhys - Shark-ridden waters (playing Sugar Club, Dublin, Nov 15)
Vessels feat. Stuart Warwick - Meatman, piano tuner, prostitute (playing Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, Nov 12)
Magic Kids - Superball

*next week's show is a special one to mark the 150th Underground of Happiness, and will be Part I of a two-part focus on Dream Pop, featuring music from My Bloody Valentine, Angelo Badalamenti, Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin, Free Design, Stereolab and Beach House, among others
**Part II of the Dream Pop special follows on Nov 9th

e-mail the show on [email protected]
or text +353 (0)86-7839800
please mark messages “uoh”

Conor O'Toole,
c/o Cork Campus Radio,
Áras na Mac Léinn,
Student Centre,
University College Cork,
Cork,
Ireland.