The Big Album Show

John Spillane In Another Light

Sat, 17 Sep 2022 23:00:30 GMT

Renowned Irish songwriter, John Spillane, is set to release a brand new album entitled In Another Light, recorded live with Cork Opera House Concert Orchestra.

We talk to John about this album and how he writes such timeless songs.

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Fáilte Isteach by Imlé (Interview)

Sat, 25 Jun 2022 23:00:41 GMT

IMLÉ - an unconventional band with a unique sound all performed in the Irish Language - return with their second album entitled Fáilte Isteach.

The album is a follow-up to 2017's self-titled debut IMLÉ which was described as "a ray of hope for the future of newly-composed music in Irish" by Nós.ie.

Spearheaded by duo Pádraig 'MC Muipéad' Ó Conghaile (rapper, singer, lyricist, synths & producer) & Cian Mac Cárthaigh (guitar, bass, beats & producer), Fáilte Isteach sees Ó Conghaile & Mac Cárthaigh working with an eclectic group of musicians who make up the latest incarnation of the IMLÉ collective.

Regular contributors Karl Odlum (Producer & multi-instrumentalist), Fergal Moloney (singer-songwriter & producer) & David Hingerty (Drummer & percussionist) return and are joined by bi-lingual vocalist, composer & songwriter Ríona Sally Hartman and Conamara native Róisín Seoighe, who began life as a Sean Nós singer but who is now writes & sings her own newly composed material in Irish, as well as Ross Whyte a Scottish composer, sound artist and one half of Scottish Gael Electronica duo WHYTE.

Lyrically the album covers many different themes - from a call to action against intolerance, xenophobia & racism (Dúiseann Muid Suas) to the highly unrealistic environment of social media with imagery & profiles depicting perfection (ÉAD) but ultimately the message of the album is to celebrate the small beautiful things, the everyday and a shared life - as expressed on their first single from the album Do Chuid Jeans.

The melting pot of musical styles & perspectives creates a body of work that mixes Hip-Hop, Indie, RnB, Trip-Hop and Dance music amongst other genres but ultimately results in a sound that is unique to IMLÉ.

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Exile of Main Street by The Rolling Stones

Sat, 04 Jun 2022 23:00:46 GMT

Exile on Main St. is the 10th studio album by the rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 26 May 1972. It is the culmination of a five-year productive frenzy but also one of the darkest periods in the group's history. The album is stamped with Keith Richards' rock n' roll signature.

Paul Dillon and Dan O'Neill look back at this terrific album.

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Desperate Creatures by Sounds of System Breakdown

Sat, 21 May 2022 23:00:35 GMT

Sounds of System Breakdown is a live electronic music project led by London-based Dubliner Rob Costello. Ed Costello and Richie Kelly are the other members of the band.

The project mixes electronica with guitar, drums and bass in a way which adds a unique, live vibe to their sound.

On this episode, we discuss the group's 3rd album Desperate Creatures.

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Revolver (The Beatles) with Prof. Luke O'Neill

Sat, 30 Apr 2022 23:00:01 GMT

Luke O'Neill is a professor of biochemistry in the School of Biochemistry and Immunology at Trinity College Dublin.

In 2020 he won the An Post Irish Book of the Year Award for best popular non-fiction book for ‘Never Mind the B*ll*cks Here’s the Science’, published by Gill which was a best seller. He also won the Science Foundation Ireland Science Communicator of the Year Award, for his media work on COVID19.

In 2021 he published 'Keep Calm and Trust the Science- a remarkable year in the Life of an Immunologist' with Gill publishers, which is his diary covering the COVID19 pandemic.

In this episode he tells us why he love Revolver by The Beatles.

Revolver is the seventh studio album by the English rock band the Beatles. It was released on 5 August 1966, accompanied by the double A-side single "Eleanor Rigby" / "Yellow Submarine".

Revolver expanded the boundaries of pop music, revolutionised standard practices in studio recording, advanced principles espoused by the 1960s counterculture, and inspired the development of psychedelic rock, electronica, progressive rock and world music.

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Pop - U2's most underrated album

Sat, 09 Apr 2022 23:00:18 GMT

Pop is the ninth studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Flood, Howie B, and Steve Osborne, and was released on 3 March 1997 on Island Records. The album was a continuation of the band's 1990s musical reinvention, as they incorporated alternative rock, techno, dance, and electronica influences into their sound. Pop employed a variety of production techniques that were relatively new to U2, including sampling, loops, programmed drum machines, and sequencing.

Recording sessions began in 1995 with various record producers, including Nellee Hooper, Flood, Howie B, and Osborne, who were introducing the band to various electronica influences. At the time, drummer Larry Mullen Jr. was inactive due to a back injury, prompting the other band members to take different approaches to songwriting. Upon Mullen's return, the band began re-working much of their material but ultimately struggled to complete songs. After the band allowed manager Paul McGuinness to book their upcoming 1997 PopMart Tour before the record was completed, they felt rushed into delivering it.

We delve into U2's less talked about album.

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The Joshua Tree by U2

Sun, 20 Mar 2022 00:12:53 GMT

The Joshua Tree is the fifth studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, and was released on 9 March 1987 on Island Records.

Inspired by American experiences, literature, and politics, U2 chose America as a theme for the album. Recording began in January 1986 in Ireland, and to foster a relaxed, creative atmosphere, the group primarily recorded in two houses.

We discuss the big album.

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Sowing Acorns with Emma Langford

Sun, 06 Mar 2022 00:00:07 GMT

Emma Langford is an Irish singer-songwriter from Limerick City.

She released her debut album, Quiet Giant, in 2017 – for which she received the Best Emerging Artist award at the inaugural RTE Radio 1 Folk Awards.

Emma released her second album, Sowing Acorns, in 2020.

Emma also curates the Limerick Lady Festival, an initiative which aims to promote female musicians to tackle the issue of gender imbalance in the music industry.

In October 2021, it was announced that Langford has been included on the longlist for the 64th Annual Grammy Awards in two categories; Album of the Year and Song of the Year.

Paul Dillon and Dan O'Neill talk with Emma about Sowing Acorns.

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Karmarama by Picturehouse: Interview with Dave Browne

Sun, 13 Feb 2022 09:19:21 GMT

Picturehouse are a band from Dublin, Ireland. The band are most famous for their song "Sunburst" from the album Karmarama in Ireland.

In this episode Paula and Dan talk to Dave Browne from the group about the album and dive into their favourite tracks.

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Blur by Blur with John Harris

Sun, 30 Jan 2022 00:00:37 GMT

John Harris is a British journalist, writer and critic. He is the author of The Last Party: Britpop, Blair and the Demise of English Rock (2003); So Now Who Do We Vote For?, which examined the 2005 UK general election; a 2006 behind-the-scenes look at the production of Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon; and Hail! Hail! Rock'n'Roll (2009). His articles have appeared in Select, Q, Mojo, Shindig!, Rolling Stone, Classic Rock, The Independent, the New Statesman, The Times and The Guardian.

In 1991, Harris joined Melody Maker. Between 1993 and the summer of 1995, he wrote for the NME. In 1995, he was named editor of Select magazine after a brief stint with Q.

In 1995, Harris resumed his career as a freelance writer, writing about pop music, politics and a variety of other subjects. His articles have appeared in Q, Mojo, Rolling Stone, The Independent, the New Statesman, The Times and The Guardian.

On this episode, we talk to John about Blur by Blur; their 1997 album.

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Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette

Sun, 16 Jan 2022 00:00:38 GMT

Jagged Little Pill is the third studio album by Canadian singer Alanis Morissette, released on June 13, 1995. Jagged Little Pill was a commercial success, topping the charts in thirteen countries. With sales of over 33 million copies worldwide, it is one of the best-selling albums of all time. Jagged Little Pill was nominated for nine Grammy Awards, winning five, including Album of the Year, making the 21-year-old Morissette, at the time, the youngest artist to win the top honour (until Taylor Swift won it at 20). Rolling Stone ranked Jagged Little Pill at No. 69 on its 2020 list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". In this video, Paul Dillon and Dan O'Neill look back at the iconic record .

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Achtung Baby with Prof. Luke O'Neill

Sun, 19 Dec 2021 00:00:31 GMT

Prof. Luke O'Neill is professor of biochemistry in the School of Biochemistry and Immunology at Trinity College Dublin. He's also a big music fan and the lead singer of The Metabolics. In this episode of the Big Album Show he discusses the seventh studio album by Irish rock band U2 with Paul Dillon and Dan O'Neill.

Achtung Baby was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, and was released on 18 November 1991 on Island Records. After criticism of their 1988 release Rattle and Hum, U2 shifted their direction to incorporate influences from alternative rock, industrial music, and electronic dance music into their sound.

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OK Computer by Radiohead

Sun, 05 Dec 2021 00:05:38 GMT

OK Computer is the third studio album by English rock band Radiohead, released on 21 May 1997 on EMI subsidiaries Parlophone and Capitol Records. The album depicts a world fraught with rampant consumerism, social alienation, emotional isolation and political malaise; in this capacity, OK Computer has been said to have prescient insight into the mood of 21st-century life. We discuss the brilliant album.

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Standing on the Shoulder of Giants by Oasis

Sun, 14 Nov 2021 00:00:22 GMT

We talk about about Oasis's difficult 4th album Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, released on 28 February 2000.

It's easy to forget what a cultural phenomenon Oasis were.

Perhaps Metallica Drummer Lars Ulrich put it best when speaking about the oasis zeitgeist.

He said,

"In the mid-90s, wherever or whoever you were when it was going down, you felt it … in the streets, in the pubs, the music press, on the radio, in the gossip rags, the concert halls, and affecting everything from the way people dressed, the way they cut their hair, what football team they supported, the way people communicated, one’s accent … the list goes on and on.

The Oasis phenomenon cut across all shapes, sizes, boundaries and classes. Everybody knew Oasis, and in some way were impacted by them. And if they didn’t love them, it was often the polarising opposite. But most importantly, nobody didn’t care. Everyone had an opinion. Everybody had a thought. Nobody ignored them. No one."

We think it's fair to say that this album certainly polarises opinion.

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The Exorcist Soundtrack

Sat, 30 Oct 2021 23:00:08 GMT

Much of the music in The Exorcist is used as sound effects for psychological impact. It’s not traditionally scored in any true sense. In this episode, we look back at the soundtrack to the iconic film, including Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield. We also discuss the film itself.

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Songs for the Tempted by The 4 of Us: Interview with Brendan Murphy

Sat, 02 Oct 2021 23:00:30 GMT

The 4 of Us are a band hailing from Newry, Co Down. They released their first album, Songs for the Tempted on CBS Records in 1989, with the single "Mary", becoming one of the most played songs ever on Irish radio. the album went double platinum in Ireland and won Best Album of the Year at the Irish Music Awards. It's consistently on people's lists of Irish albums you must hear.

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Stories from the Surface by Ham Sandwich: Interview with Niamh and Podge

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 23:00:03 GMT

On the latest pod, we are talking about Stories from the Surface by the amazing, dazzling Irish band Ham Sandwich.

Originally formed on a good Friday in noughties, they have rightly built up a reputation as one of very best live acts.

Their lives show and their 2010 White Fox built them up a supportive and loyal fanbase and Stories from the Surface rocketed right to the top of the charts when it was released in April 2015.

Over the course of ten tracks, they bring you their unique house blend of indie folk rock, with infusions of disco and funk. There's tremendous fun and joy, perhaps best captured by the lead single Illuminate.

The album's incredibly catchy melodies are paired with lyrics which are often equally rememberable.

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Those Were The Days by The Blades: Interview with Jake Reilly

Sat, 04 Sep 2021 23:00:00 GMT

Paul Dillon and Dan O'Neill interview Jake Reilly, drummer from The Blades. The band formed in the late 1970s in Ringsend (known by locals as Raytown): An urband area in Dublin's docklands. The original line-up released two seven inch singles: "Hot For You" and "Ghost of a Chance", before a reshuffle in 1981 which saw Jake join the band. That would be the line up which would release the brilliant album Last Man in Europe which includes classic tunes such as Down Market, Got Soul and Pride. It’s a record every music lover needs to put on their turntable.

The Blades have since gone on to reform, playing a number of gigs and releasing a studio album in 2016 called Modernised as well as an EP and a live album. They’ve also been inducted into the Irish Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. A snare drum belonging to Jake sits in the museum in Temple Bar. The drum has been, and I quote ‘to every corner of the country – Battered, beaten and bruised from Ballybunnion to Ballyshannon.” On this episode we look back at The Blade’s boxset Those Were the Day, released in 2000 - It features the tracks from Raytown Revisited and Last Man in Europe plus a few bonus tracks.

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Back to Black by Amy Winehouse

Sat, 21 Aug 2021 23:00:39 GMT

On this episode of The Big Album Show, Paul Dillon and Dan O'Neill delve into Amy Winehouse's album Back to Black.

The Big Album Show is an independent podcast recorded in Ireland.

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Heartworm by Whipping Boy: Interview with Paul Page

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 23:00:33 GMT

It was the year that Soccer hooligans rioted in Lansdowne Road, Jack Charlton retired, and Ireland voted to allow divorce. 1995 was also the year Whipping Boy released their stunning second album Heartworm.

Recorded between September and November 1994 in Windmill Lane Studios, it included tracks such as Twinkle, When We Were Young and We Don't Need Nobody Else. It's an album that is highly respected by many music fans. It's emotional; it's powerful; it's timeless. And it’s about to be reissued on double vinyl and cd, featuring a number of b-sides and demos.

Whipping Boy consisted of Ferghal McKee on Lead Vocals, Paul Page on Guitar, Myles McDonnell on Bass and Colm Hassett on Drums. Formed in Dublin in 1988, they initially went by the name of Lolita and the Whipping Boy before shortening their name when their female guitarist left the band. Throughout their career, the band released three albums on three different record labels. But it is Heartworm, released on Columbia records, that has cast the longest legacy.

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1977 by Ash: Interview with Rick McMurray

Sat, 31 Jul 2021 23:00:43 GMT

We interview Rick McMurray, drummer of Northern Irish rock band Ash about their stunning album 1977. It was released on 6 May 1996 by Infectious Records, with whom the band had signed following the release of several demo tapes. Ash released the mini-album Trailer in 1994, and followed it with three singles "Kung Fu", "Girl from Mars", and "Angel Interceptor", all of which would reappear on 1977. 1977 drew comparisons to the Buzzcocks, Dinosaur Jr., and Sonic Youth.

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Short Trailer

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 20:17:37 GMT

We immerse ourselves in some of the biggest albums celebrating significant birthdays. The albums that mean so much to so many.

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Nevermind by Nirvana

Sat, 10 Jul 2021 23:00:29 GMT

Nevermind is the second studio album by American rock band Nirvana, released on September 24, 1991 by DGC Records. Produced by Butch Vig. Paul Dillon and Dan O'Neill look back at this epic album.

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Leisure by Blur

Sat, 26 Jun 2021 23:35:55 GMT

Leisure is the debut studio album by the English rock band Blur, released in August 1991. It often gets a hard time, with one journalist describing it as being like the unsavoury uncle of Blur albums that no one talks about. In this podcast, Dan and Paul discuss the album's merits.

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Is This It by The Strokes

Sat, 12 Jun 2021 23:00:25 GMT

The Strokes are an American rock band from New York City. Formed in 1998, the band is composed of singer Julian Casablancas, guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr., bassist Nikolai Fraiture, and drummer Fabrizio Moretti.

On this episode, we give the debut record from the Strokes The Big Album Show treatment.

Is This It was released in 2001 – 20 years ago.

It was recorded in New York City with producer Gordon Raphael in March and April 2001. The band strived to capture a raw, garage rock style sound that was not characteristic of music at that particular time.

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Blue by Joni Mitchell

Sat, 29 May 2021 23:00:55 GMT

Blue is the fourth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, released on June 22, 1971, by Reprise Records. Written and produced entirely by Mitchell, it is generally regarded by music critics as one of the greatest albums of all time, The way Mitchell's songwriting, compositions and voice all work together are frequent areas of praise. Paul and Dan discuss the big album.

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So Much For The City by The Thrills

Sat, 15 May 2021 23:00:40 GMT

So Much for the City is the debut album of the Irish indie/pop band The Thrills. It was released in May 2003 and quickly became the number one in Ireland where it spent 61 weeks in the top 75, and also won 'Album of the Year' at the national music awards. It was also very successful in the UK, debuting at #3, remaining in the charts for 25 weeks. Paul Dillon and Dan O'Neill delve into this big album.

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What's Going On by Marvin Gaye

Sat, 01 May 2021 23:00:09 GMT

What's Going On is the eleventh studio album by American soul singer, songwriter, and producer Marvin Gaye. We explore the album from the Prince of Motown, discussing its importance on the landscape of musical history.

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Everything Must Go by The Manic Street Preachers

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 23:00:54 GMT

Everything Must Go is the fourth studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was released on 20 May 1996, through Epic Records, and was the first record released by the band following the disappearance of lyricist and rhythm guitarist Richey Edwards.

Everything Must Go is frequently featured and voted highly in lists for one of the best albums of all time by many music publications.

Paul Dillon and Dan O'Neill look back at the big album.

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To the Faithful Departed by The Cranberries

Sat, 03 Apr 2021 23:00:20 GMT

To the Faithful Departed is the third studio album by Irish alternative rock band The Cranberries, released on 30 April 1996. We look back at the big album.

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The Score by Fugees

Sat, 20 Mar 2021 00:00:16 GMT

The Score is the second and final studio album by the Fugees. It was released on February 13, 1996, on Columbia Records. It was a massive hit here in Ireland, with one of its big singles (Ready or Not) topping the charts for 8 solid weeks.

With 22 million copies sold worldwide, the album has become one of the best-selling albums of all time.

It did however cause somewhat of a moral panic in the Ireland of 1996 with critics pointing to the bad language contained on the album, rumours about the bands supposedly controversial views and the group being banned from the Point Depot.

Dan O'Neill and Paul Dillon discuss the big album.

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Free All Angels by Ash

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 00:00:46 GMT

Free All Angels is the third studio album to be recorded by the band Ash. It was released on 23 April 2001 through Infectious Records. Paul Dillon and Dan O'Neill look back at the album and discuss their favourite tracks.

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I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got by Sinéad O'Connor

Sun, 21 Feb 2021 00:00:35 GMT

I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got is the second album by Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor, released in March 1990 on Ensign/Chrysalis Records. It contains O'Connor's version of the Prince song "Nothing Compares 2 U", which was released as a single and reached number one in multiple countries. Dan O'Neill and Paul Dillon revisit the album, looking at some of the tracks on the record, and talk about the context in which it was released.

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Out of Time by R.E.M.

Sat, 06 Feb 2021 09:38:00 GMT

Out of Time is the seventh studio album by American rock band R.E.M., released on March 12, 1991. Your hosts Dan O'Neill and Paul Dillon look back at the big album.

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