Raglans – Raglans (Independent Records Ltd)
They already have their own loyal followers drooling at their every move and it’s no wonder as they don’t half knock out a good tune or three.
The band are named after the famous Raglan Road in Dublin and since forming in 2010, the four-piece have seen something of an elevated rapid rise of their fame blow them off their feet since performing during their humble beginnings at Whelan’s (in Dublin).
‘Raglans’ contains all of jingly jangly high energy pop rock of The Kooks with some anthemic choruses, Bastille style thrown in for good measure. It is a crowd pleasing debut, that’s for sure, that has their-own blustery raw edged brashness about it to make it sound extremely fresh and very original. Think of The View and The Libertines confident swagger and poise mixed in with a bit of Brit pop nonchalance.
The exquisite 'Down', was the first track that they ever recorded and it gets a fresh reworking here, not that it was needed. I haven’t heard a mandolin being plucked this well since R.E.M’s ‘Out Of Time’ album.
Kelly’s dreamy beautiful sand gravelly voice on ‘High Road’ has a real honesty about it, while 'The Man From Glasgow' is a crazy tale about a mad legendary and notoriously bad Glaswegian music promoter from the seventies!
They are soon to set off on an already sold tour with The Strypes and judging by this excellent debut I am sure that they will have many more fans at the end of the year triumphantly bawling out this batch of songs. They already have their own loyal followers drooling at their every move and it’s no wonder as they don’t half knock out a good tune or three.
It’s a cracking debut that’s jam packed full of well written tunes that well and truly suck you in and stick in your mind. Surely it won’t be too long before they are headlining a major tour of their own?
8/10 Steve Plunkett
Fresh from touring with Haim and The Courteeners, Irish indie folk rockers Raglans release this their self-titled debut album on April the 7th. Its release coincides with the new single 'Lady Roll Back The Years' also being released.
It’s a song about lead singer Stephen Kelly’s risqué close encounter with an older woman that had mad passionate eye’s for him in becoming her latest toy boy trophy (Mrs Robinson style), a deluded tale crammed full of wild fantasy dreamy aspirations!
The quite excellent and previously well received singles 'Digging Holes' and ‘Natives’ are also featured here.
It has been produced by acclaimed Ivor Novello nominee Jay Reynolds, who has previously worked with Sir Elton John, Pulp and The Verve.
The band are named after the famous Raglan Road in Dublin and since forming in 2010, the four-piece have seen something of an elevated rapid rise of their fame blow them off their feet since performing during their humble beginnings at Whelan’s (in Dublin).
‘Raglans’ contains all of jingly jangly high energy pop rock of The Kooks with some anthemic choruses, Bastille style thrown in for good measure. It is a crowd pleasing debut, that’s for sure, that has their-own blustery raw edged brashness about it to make it sound extremely fresh and very original. Think of The View and The Libertines confident swagger and poise mixed in with a bit of Brit pop nonchalance.
The exquisite 'Down', was the first track that they ever recorded and it gets a fresh reworking here, not that it was needed. I haven’t heard a mandolin being plucked this well since R.E.M’s ‘Out Of Time’ album.
Kelly’s dreamy beautiful sand gravelly voice on ‘High Road’ has a real honesty about it, while 'The Man From Glasgow' is a crazy tale about a mad legendary and notoriously bad Glaswegian music promoter from the seventies!
They are soon to set off on an already sold tour with The Strypes and judging by this excellent debut I am sure that they will have many more fans at the end of the year triumphantly bawling out this batch of songs.
They already have their own loyal followers drooling at their every move and it’s no wonder as they don’t half knock out a good tune or three.
It’s a cracking debut that’s jam packed full of well written tunes that well and truly suck you in and stick in your mind.
Surely it won’t be too long before they are headlining a major tour of their own?
Check out you tube for some of their truly amazing videos.
Steve Plunkett
