Last Friday, Culture Night in Dublin, the Tola Vintage shop in Temple Bar's annual block party was shut down by the Gardaí, and three people were arrested. The police actions were met with criticism for the use of excessive force and suggestions of an underlying racial motivation. The Gardaí's statement about the matter cited "public safety concerns" but that doesn't explain how an innocuous gathering of people inside and outside a vintage shop escalated into baton-charging, threats of pepper-sp...
Sep 25, 2024•44 min•Season 4Ep. 262
From now on, the Best of the Month episode is Patreon-only . Public subscribers get the first 25 minutes or so. Patreon members get to hear the whole episode on their member feeds or on Patreon direct. It’s the Nialler9 Podcast’s monthly episode where Niall and Andrea recommend albums and songs of recent weeks. Episode 261 of the Nialler9 Podcast features albums from MJ Lenderman and Sabrina Carpenter, along with songs from Moin, Adore, RÓIS, and a song discovery from Another Love Story festival...
Sep 13, 2024•23 min•Season 4Ep. 261
Episode #260 of the Nialler9 Podcast is a long overdue Andrea deep dive into the life and times and music of Josh Tillman aka Father John Misty - Andrea's Cool Big Guy. Over nearly TWO HOURS, Andrea takes us through the highlights of his albums: Fear Fun, I Love You, Honeybear; Pure Comedy, God's Favourite Customer and Chloë and the Next 20th Century, his run of albums from 2012 to 2022. Our chat takes in topics of masculinity, lyrical explorations, cynicism, playing with character and performer...
Sep 05, 2024•1 hr 57 min•Season 4Ep. 260
Niall is joined by journalist and arts writer Aoife Barry to review the fourth album from the Fontaines - new chapter, new label, new look, new sound for the band? Romance signifies some change from the Fontaines, their first on new label XL Recordings, they have graduated from the indie producer du jour Dan Carey with James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Blur, Depeche Mode, Florence and the Machine, Gorillaz ) at the controls, a producer used to big music stage sounds. Romance brings a mix of guitar roc...
Aug 29, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 4Ep. 259
From now on, the Best of the Month episode is going Patreon-only . Public subscribers get the first 20 minutes or so. Patreon members get to hear the whole episode on their member feeds or on Patreon direct. It’s the Nialler9 Podcast’s monthly episode where Niall and Andrea recommend albums and songs of recent weeks. Episode 258 of the Nialler9 Podcast features Niall and Andrea discussing the Olympics, a brief review of All Together Now, Optimo at Hang Dai and more. Up for discussion on the musi...
Aug 08, 2024•28 min•Season 4Ep. 258
Siobhan McClean aka shiv is an Irish-Zimbabwean producer, singer-songwriter of neo-soul, RnB and lo-fi hip-hop who has shared two songs from the forthcoming debut album the defiance of a sadgirl this September, 'Limerence' and 'Cherry Pie' , the latter featuring Kojaque, and produced by Gaptoof. I spoke to Shiv about the nature of collaborating and connecting with different artists and producers for this episode of the Nialler9 podcast, ahead of Shiv’s set at All Together Now Festival this Augus...
Jul 26, 2024•43 min•Season 4Ep. 257
Exploring a subset of electronic music made in France from the years 1996 to 2004. It's the latest episode in the Niall explains a dance music genre to Andrea series. What is French Touch? For some it means house music of French origin of the '90s and 2000s. For me, it's more defined. French Touch is more of a subgenre almost exclusively made by French producers - French dance music rooted in samples of old disco records where strings, bass and vocals were rerouted through a Chicago house music ...
Jul 18, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Season 4Ep. 256
From this episode going forward, the Best of the Month episode is going Patreon-only. Public subscribers get the first 20 minutes or so for free but to hear the whole episode you'll have to sign up to Patreon to hear all 70 minutes of the podcast. It’s the Nialler9 Podcast’s monthly episode where Niall and Andrea recommend albums and songs of recent weeks. Episode 255 of the Nialler9 Podcast features Niall and Andrea discussing the latter's trip to see Taylor Swift in Dublin ( Andrea's review is...
Jul 12, 2024•21 min•Season 4Ep. 255
It's our annual look at the contenders for the song of the summer. There's no formula for writing a song of the summer, the same way that you can't guarantee a Christmas classic, but there are some ground rules that seem to apply for most of the songs in contention every year. As noted by Mark Savage's The secrets of a hit summer song piece, some key things a song has to be simple (like Whigfield's 'Saturday Night'), It should make you feel like you're on holiday ('Pon De Replay' / 'Club Tropica...
Jun 21, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Season 4Ep. 254
It’s a new album special as we take a deep dive into Charli XCX’s sixth album brat. On Episode 253 we are joined by Kelly Doherty (of The Vinyl Factory, Satellite Towns and formerly Nialler9) to discuss all things brat from the clubby rollout to the surprising vulnerability and insecurities on Charli’s latest record. We put in context of her career, it girls, relationships, motherhood and how big of an artist Charli XCX really is now. Plus, Kelly shares her favourite Charli songs including three...
Jun 14, 2024•1 hr 21 min•Season 4Ep. 253
It’s the Nialler9 Podcast’s monthly episode where Niall and Andrea recommend albums and songs of recent weeks. Episode 252 of the Nialler9 Podcast and we are excited and enthusing about music of May. There are songs from Kynsy, His Father's Voice, PinkPantheress, Clairo, Kawaii Hoe and Charli XCX. And albums this month from Papa Romeo, Billie Eilish, Carlos Danger, Niamh Regan and yes, the Challengers score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, pla...
Jun 07, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 4Ep. 252
On Episode 251, Niall gets the chance to talk about one of his favourite all-time records from his favourite band. "Don’t try this at home on your dad’s stereo — only under strict hip-hop supervision.."] Join Niall and Andrea to hear why Beastie Boys' fourth album from 1994 Ill Communication is one of the best around - with chat about how the band recorded and made it, where the put the Beasties in the context of their discography and their career, the artwork, B-sides, Adam Yauch's spiritual en...
May 17, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Season 4Ep. 251
It’s the Nialler9 Podcast’s monthly episode where Niall and Andrea talk about the albums and songs they loved this month. It's episode 250 (!) of the Nialler9 Podcast and we are sharing our enthusiasm for albums from Curtisy, Rachel Chinouriri, Jessica Pratt, Bálordabreen and tracks from Chappell Roan, Jamie xx, Baby Rose / BadBadNotGood, Sloucho, Taylor, CMAT , Charli XCX and a tribute to Steve Albini. Along with the What’s Consuming You corner with chat about Ripley and Jonathan Strange & ...
May 10, 2024•1 hr 21 min•Season 4Ep. 250
Episode 249 of the Nialler9 Podcast and we have a grab bag free-range episode with Niall and Andrea discussing: Hozier is the first Irish artist in 34 years to get a US #1 The Kendrick, Drake, J. Cole rap beef The reaction to Taylor Swift's Tortured Poets Department The Electric Picnic lineup Lankum, CMAT and Jazzy nominated for Ivor Novello Awards Early club nights are a thing Song of the summer contender: Espresso Cindy Lee - Diamond Jubilee - the power of one review and relative release obscu...
May 03, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 249
The West Kerry DJ and radio presenter Cian Ó Cíobháin marks 25 years of An Taobh Tuathail, his alternative new music show which has been running for five nights a week on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta since 1999. Cian joins us to pick 6 tracks to represent his radio show over the years, and to discuss his process, DJing and how he has managed to present a world-renowned radio show for so long in a fickle media industry. Tracks selected come from To Rococo Rot, St. Germain, Dead Can Dance, Fairmont, L...
Apr 19, 2024•1 hr 25 min•Season 4Ep. 248
Episode 247 is a deep dive into a seminal '90s debut album from Fiona Apple. Fiona Apple – Tidal (1996) The debut album from the then 18 year-old American singer-songwriter established the artist’s unique raw songcraft that blends pop, rock, and jazz. Featuring the songs ‘Criminal’, ‘Shadowboxer’, ‘Sleep to Dream’, and ‘The First Taste’, Tidal is a fully-formed classic of the mid-90s written from the hardened perspective of a young woman surviving the world. We discuss the album, how Fiona Apple...
Apr 12, 2024•1 hr 21 min•Season 4Ep. 247
Niall and Andrea are talking about the A B, and Cs of Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé’s eighth studio album on Episode 246. A for America B For Beyonce C for Country (and D for Discourse) This 80 minutes and 27 track album, serving as Act 2 in the Renaissance trilogy, was purported to be Beyoncé's country album. That's not what has bolted from the stables. Cowboy Carter is not a country album, but it does feature a lot of country music sounds, references and personnel. it’s Beyonce kicking through the sa...
Apr 05, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Season 4Ep. 246
It’s the Nialler9 Podcast’s monthly episode where Niall and Andrea talk about the albums and songs they loved this month. Episode 245 is a ping-pong new disco recommends, with music discussed from Waxahatchee, Adrianne Lenker, New Jackson, Tatyana, Travis & Elzzz, Glass Beams, Charli XCX, Havvk, Group Listening, Two Shell / FKA Twigs and Mildlife (I guess)... Along with the What’s Consuming You corner with a sci-fi TV show we both loved this month. * Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event di...
Mar 29, 2024•1 hr 21 min•Season 4Ep. 245
This month's deep dive Listen Closely album is: Portishead - Dummy (1994) The debut album from the Bristol trio of Geoff Barrow, Beth Gibbons, and Adrian Utley was released during the summer of Blur’s Parklife and Oasis’s Definitely Maybe. Dummy was a darker, stranger record that would become a trip-hop classic that paired hip-hop, jazz, and electronic textures with Beth Gibbons spine-tingling voice and twangy tremolo guitars that belong in spy movies. The winner of the 1995 Mercury Music Prize,...
Mar 22, 2024•45 min•Season 4Ep. 244
Today's episode is a bit of a grab bag of news items, but musicians speaking truth to power is a common theme. Niall and Andrea discuss: Lankum winning the Choice Music Prize and their speech that encouraged the boycott of Israel Kneecap's show of Solidarity with Palestine on the Late Late Show & their US TV debut All the Irish bands including Kneecap who then cancelled their SXSW Festival shows this week in protest at US Military involvement Leo Varadkar wants nothing to do with bringing in...
Mar 14, 2024•50 min•Season 4Ep. 243
It’s the Nialler9 Podcast’s monthly episode where Niall and Andrea talk about the albums and songs they loved in the last four weeks. Episode 242 is a return to the music recommends corner, featuring new album picks from Fynch, Thee U.F.O, Declan McKenna, Mohammad Syfkhan and new songs from Adrianne Lenker, Brittany Howard, Niamh Regan, Jessica Pratt, The Decemberists and Beck. Along with the What’s Consuming You corner with TV, books and films we are vibing with lately. * Support Nialler9 on Pa...
Mar 08, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 242
On this near-annual episode, Niall and Andrea are joined by writer and journalist Sophia McDonald to discuss the 10 nominated albums in this year’s Choice Music Prize Irish album of the year 2023 category, as chosen by 11 judges. The albums are: Grian Chatten – Chaos For The Fly (Partisan Records) The debut album from the Fontaines DC frontman. CMAT – Crazymad, For Me (CMATBABY/AWAL) The second album from Ireland’s global country pop superstar. John Francis Flynn – Look Over The Wall, See The Sk...
Feb 26, 2024•1 hr 40 min•Season 4Ep. 241
The hosts of the Nialler9 Podcast (Niall Byrne and Andrea Cleary) in conjunction with The Big Romance present the Listen Closely series of listening parties, a night featuring a focus album from an artist we love on the last Wednesday of the month. To accompany the monthly listening party on Wednesday February 28th – 7.30pm @ The Big Romance , we present a Nialler9 Podcast episode all about this month's chosen album.... This month: Laurie Anderson – Big Science (1982) “This is the time/and this ...
Feb 16, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Season 4Ep. 240
On this week's pod, it's a deep dive into an album from one of our perennial favourites, as it celebrates 20 years. It's the turn of the MF DOOM and Madlib's classic 2004 album Madvillainy by Madvillain, a dense, psychedelic, colourful rap album that quickly cemented itself as one of the best rap albums of all time when it came out on Stones Throw that year. Why is Madvillain so important? It's the sound of two masters of their craft - Madlib deep crate-digging wizz of flipped samples which avoi...
Feb 09, 2024•53 min•Season 4Ep. 239
The Nialler9 Podcast returns for another season and new year. After taking January off, Niall and Andrea are back discussing what has been happening in music since we closed off the year with the Best of 2023 episodes including Pitchfork's downsizing, the state of music journalism and the Enshittification of online music discovery and discourse, and online life in general? The Choice Music Prize Irish albums of the year nominees The Eurovision Song Contest and the growing call for the Boycott of...
Feb 02, 2024•1 hr 21 min•Season 4Ep. 238
Our final podcast of the year is the fun rapid-fire Podcast Awards! In a year where AI, touring became more difficult for musicians, and Spotify squeezed the emerging artists, We give out awards for things like: Best live gig Best live performance Villain of the year Thing we'd like to go away Best opening song lyric Best bagpipes solo The Alan Maguire Award horny for photoshoots award Best rap guest verse(s) aka The Andre 3000 award Rap beat of the year Best new bands Surprising sample of the y...
Dec 22, 2023•1 hr 37 min•Season 3Ep. 237
It's the second of our end of year podcasts as Nialler and Andrea Cleary talk 12 albums they loved this year. Featuring albums from Lankum, Boygenius, Noname, Andre 3000, Olivia Rodrigo, Rachael Lavelle, Lana, Kara Jackson, Mitski and more. Next episode: The Nialler9 Podcast Awards 2023. Special thanks to Georgia Hallion for editing this podcast episode. * Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Discord community Listen to the episode below or s...
Dec 15, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 3Ep. 236
Episode 235 features Nialler and Andrea Cleary highlighting some of their favourite songs of the year. We are talking tracks we loved from Lankum, Lana, Big Thief, Troye Sivan, CMAT, The Hives, Sofia Kourtesis, Mustafa, Olivia Rodrigo, Rachel Lavelle, Overmono, boygenius and more. All killer no filler. Next episode: Albums of 2023. Special thanks to Georgia Hallion for editing this podcast episode. * Support Nialler9 on Patreon, get event discounts, playlists, ad-free episodes and join our Disco...
Dec 01, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Season 3Ep. 235
Episode 234 is the latest in the occasional series of the podcast - Andrea's favourite weird little guy. Nialler and Andrea Cleary take a big overview of the main discography of one of our favourite songwriters. Sufjan Stevens is a Detroit Michigan artist, songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist who has a deep catalogue of studio albums drawing on orchestral conceptual releases about US States, electronic hymnals, secular-friendly Christian music, Christmas albums, ambitious cosmic electr...
Nov 24, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Season 3Ep. 234
On this week’s podcast, episode 233, we are talking about what we learned from fairly shocking Britney Spears’ new autobiography The Woman In Me. Nialler and Andrea Cleary are joined by pop culture writer and DJ Louise Bruton to discuss the chilling details that Britney Spears reveals about her career and private life. That includes her treatment by the media, fame-hungry exes Justin Timblerake and Kevin Federline, the conservatorship, and the ultra-overbearing toxic role that her parents held o...
Nov 16, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Season 3Ep. 233
