The 1960s were a period of profound transformation. Across Europe, a post-war generation was questioning inherited structures, demanding greater freedom, and reimagining the role of art in society. Music...
Richard Bodin
Ronan O'Brien
Category - Essentials
Matt Lucey
A Night At the Opera
By QueenFifty years ago, Queen released A Night at the Opera — the record that transformed them from rising stars into one of the defining bands of the decade. It was, at the time, the most expensive album ever made, and the...
Modal Soul
By NujabesThis month marks 20 years since Japanese producer and DJ Nujabes released his second and final album in his short lifetime. Now considered to be a classic, Modal Soul has become an inspirational piece to many in the hip...
Highway 61 Revisited
By Bob DylanHighway 61 Revisited turned 60… and, as usual, this kind of big anniversary makes a good excuse to turn back to this kind of album and have another look at it. If not an original or fresher look, at least an honest and...
Aurélien Noyer
(What’s the Story) Morning Glory? (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)
By Oasis30 years ago saw the release of Oasis’ sophomore album. One of the best-selling albums of all time, it’s a defining feature of the Britpop era. This month, Oasis invite us to re-experience the genius that is...
Otis Blue
By Otis ReddingSixty years ago — in July 1965, under the sweltering Memphis heat — Otis Redding walked into Stax Studios and, in just twenty-four hours, recorded one of the defining albums of soul music. Otis Blue wasn’t simply made —...
A Tonic for the Troops
By The Boomtown RatsThe 1970’s were tumultuous times in Ireland; with civil rights issues, church-led domineering and political corruption rife. All of these socioeconomic issues had one hell of a soundtrack however, courtesy of Thin...
The Great Escape
By BlurSeptember marks the 30th anniversary of The Great Escape: Blur’s fourth studio album and in my opinion, their most underrated project. Blur From seeing Oasis a couple of weeks ago, it seemed unfair to forget their...
Wish You Were Here
By Pink FloydWhen they released Dark Side Of The Moon in 1973, Pink Floyd went from the status of an acclaimed rock band, to the status of Legend. They had just produced one of the most influential album of the era. Breaking all...
Rum, Sodomy & The Lash
By The PoguesForty years ago, an album by a band emerging from London’s rowdy punk scene shook the foundations of Irish traditional music. Rum, Sodomy & The Lash, the Pogues' second release, wasn’t just a record — it was a statement...
Iron Maiden
By Iron MaidenDiscovering Iron Maiden’s Debut Album – Raw, Rebellious, and Revolutionary Another Iron Maiden album I deeply appreciate is their self-titled debut, Iron Maiden, released in 1980. It marked the band’s first official...
David Moya
Somewhere in Time
By Iron MaidenA Timeless Masterpiece of Heavy Metal Somewhere in Time by Iron Maiden is widely regarded as one of the band’s most unique and forward-thinking albums. Released in 1986, this groundbreaking record marked a pivotal...
Closer
By Joy DivisionThis month marks the 45th anniversary of Joy Division’s second and final album, Closer. Released two months after the untimely passing of frontman Ian Curtis, the gloomy, dark sound unique to them is as powerful...
Illinois
By Sufjan StevensThe Great and loved, Sufjan Stevens Sufjan Stevens is one of the most prolific song writers of our time. Few people whom have any inclination towards indie or singer songwriter need an introduction into who he is, but...
Adam Kenny
Foo Fighters
By Foo FightersIt’s been thirty years since Dave Grohl emerged from the ashes of Nirvana and introduced Foo Fighters to the world. Heavy, grungy and a testament to the instrumental ingenuity of Grohl, this album is one of my...
Heaven or Las Vegas, Cocteau Twins
By Cocteau TwinsHeaven or Las Vegas? Heaven or Las Vegas. The title comes across as though the album is struggling to understand where it is. Is Las Vegas it’s idea of heaven? Or is heaven Las Vegas for everyone? It’s curious...
Aaagh!
By Republic of LooseThe Good Old Days 2006 was a hell of a year in Ireland. We had fat wallets, cracking weather and were living in blissful ignorance that the Celtic Tiger was dying. The airwaves were full of the likes of Cascada, Sandi...
