Stupid Son
Ever since releasing their debut single 'Bread' in January 2019 to warm reception, Stupid Son have been jittering around the kitchen sink and honing in on their unique blend of melodic art punk. Rooted in a DIY ethos, Stupid Son self-produced their 'Selected Demos' cassette in Summer 2020, and handle all of their artwork and music videos themselves. Their music, introspective, dark, and angular, draws from a wide range of influences, including 60’s pop, midwest emo and 90’s post-hardcore.
They've gigged voraciously in some of Dublin's best music venues, including a coveted main stage slot in Whelan's Ones to Watch, and performing at the Button Factory for John Barker's TILT series.
Following a pandemic-induced hiatus, Stupid Son returned in Autumn 2023. Their debut EP, Comedy, recorded with Darragh Hansard in Orc's Lair Studio in June 2023, is set for release in early 2024. Comedy is a concept EP detailing one sleepless night.
The EP's first single, Dylan's Brain, released on October 7th. Dylan's Brain is a paranoid chapter of intrusive thoughts, split personalities and insomnia. Family Dog, single two of three, came out on November 11th. It portrays the death of a family pet and the beginnings of an existential dread. The final single from the EP, Black Mould, releases on December 15th. Black Mould is a song about mould, and feeling like it.
Kantina - Unwound
Choosing any one mid-90s US alternative act to cite as a definitive influence on me is like asking me to choose my favourite organ, but today my skin is telling me to choose Unwound. Not only do they employ insane dynamics, beautiful chord work, intricate rhythms et al., but they have a sound that evolved continually throughout all of their studio albums. None of the evolutions are exactly Kid-A style pivots – even though some might argue that Leaves Turn Inside You does – but from album to album, you can finger-trace the evolution of their sound and their intention. This tune from their first album, I think, is almost premonitory in how it gives you an early taste of their evolving styles, encompassed in one song.
Paradise Girls - Deerhoof
Deerhoof are stupid good. They’re as close to a genre-agnostic band you’ll find in the alternative/math grid – even though all of their albums share a fondness for uncouth melodies and off-kilter percussion, each album has its own distinct flavour. I picked this tune, the first one from 2014’s La Isla Bonita because it’s dancey, which, if you’re into Deerhoof, is pretty weird.
All I Wanna Do - Beach Boys
Quite possibly the greatest song ever written in my opinion. Everything from the production to the lyrics makes me feel like I am wrapped in a warm blanket. The Beach Boys entire discography holds a very special place in my heart. Rob and Andrew went to see Brian Wilson in Vicar street a while back and it was, reportedly, “one of the best gigs/experiences of my life”.
Composite - Palm
This song blew my mind when I first heard it. The heavenly Beach Boys type vocals mixed with drums and bass grooves that creep into every corner gives the track such great momentum. This whole album is such an inspiration to listen to, so many interesting melodies and you can zone into any of the instruments and see where it takes you
Kangaroo - This Mortal Coil
Bury me to this song. I am not kidding if I die and this isn’t playing as the casket gets lowered I am gonna be pissed. Probably the most beautiful song ever written, shout out to the original Big Star song but this is the one for me.
Suspect Device - Stiff Little Fingers
As a child, my music taste was shaped mostly by the Tony Hawk video game franchise, particularly Tony Hawks Underground. I used to go into the settings and have Suspect Device repeat while I was trying to do a McTwist over a helicopter in Hawaii. I think the song perfectly encapsulates the feeling of being betrayed by your best friend in the hopes of furthering his skateboarding career. It’s almost as though Jake Burns knew this great betrayal was coming before recording the song. I can see no other reason for the sheer hurt and anger heard in Burns’s voice. Great tune. Fuck Eric Sparrow
The Butcher - Exit Group
Not much is known about Exit Group other than it was a project fronted by Seth Sutton (Useless Eaters) and they existed very briefly in Berlin in 2018. They released one album on Castleface Records and disbanded. The Butcher sounds like it was written in an abandoned oil refinery at night. The guitar work is cutting and frantic like it’s fighting with the rhythm section to be released. If the drum and bass grooves weren’t as airtight as they were it sounds like it would descend into nuclear meltdown. Don’t really know what Seth is singing over most of the track but it sounds deadly so it’s a ten from me.
Vincent Come on Down - Brainiac
Brainiacs final full length album is a masterpiece (or at the very least an 8/10). It's a swirling, writhing mess of dissonant guitar lines, uncanny synth-y production and danceable grooves. They’re a band with such a well defined style, I have yet to see another band do anything similar. This track really shows off the excellent songwriting chops and instrumentation that the band dole out without restraint. This is one of those songs I would have loved to have written.
Eyesore - Women
Another member of the ‘songs I wish I had written’ club, Eyesore is brittle, angular and at points, even tender. It’s one of Women’s more poppy tracks and is laced with beautiful symbiotic guitars, propped up by a stellar rhythm section that know when to be modest, and when to let it all hang loose. It’s one of the best album closers of all time. It even uses a fade-out (something that I normally resent) incredibly tastefully. Some of the best guitar work in the business. RIP Chris Reimer
In the Mouth a Desert - Pavement
I couldn’t resist including another mid-90s US alternative act. While Steven Malkmus’s lyrics are almost indecipherably cryptic, this song seems more confessional. To me, it’s like a Pavement song about Pavement. It’s a lot more melancholy than your standard indie slacker tune. It’s also catchy and the chorus absolutely rips. I love a song that I can “Oooh” along to.
