ANGEL PIER

“This Irish quartet channels early, lighter Radiohead without evoking wimpy Coldplay” - CMJ

Dublin's Angel Pier released a really great EP titled "Bullet Holes & Broken Sectors." I lost my copy for a long time but recently found it amidst some junk in a drawer. It was like a miner finding a small bit of gold. – http://ryanssmashinglife.blogspot.com/2007/07/keep-off-grass-blog-radio-27-midnight.html - Ryan

I’m not one for blathering on about the same band. Perhaps it’s just my ADD-like tendency when it comes to listening to music of late. From time to time though a band strikes a chord (!) and I’m sold. Loney, Dear are fast becoming my favourite for 2007 along with Dublin band Angel Pier whose ‘Bullet Holes & Broken Sectors’ EP is giving my last.fm account some tough arithmetic workouts. Seeing as they are Stone Roses fans it comes as a bit of surprise to see Angel Pier pulling off some tricks more closely aligned to the sounds appearing from other side of the Atlantic (and our own Brilliant Trees from time to time). Their EP is a remarkably rounded effort for a band who are barely a year old with tunes such as ‘My Best New Friend’ dishing out bulging melodies, frenetic playing and Darragh Nolan’s ebullient vocal swagger. ‘Sprites’ has already been mentioned here in glowing terms but ‘Brothers & Sisters’ and ‘Pray’ are also delightfully fetching. On this evidence these particular angels could be playing with a lot of hearts in the near future. KD - K. Hugger.

{angel pier come from dublin [one of the few new irish bands that sound fresh and interesting] and i noticed them when i read a review somewhere on the internet, stating that they sound like the stone roses [even though i loved the roses' first lp, i could never understand how in so many lists, it's considered to be the greatest lp of all time. The truth is that in the early 90s, they inspired many bands, not so much with their sound but with their attitude. However, although i can see the musical influence of bands like the smiths, radiohead or nirvana in the last 20 years, i can't remember hearing a new band and saying "oh, they sound just like the stone roses"].
So being very intrigued, i downloaded angel pier's songs. From their debut EP, the song 'pray' and mainly 'sprites' may remind you of their heroes, but only on a more careful second listen. Even though their guitarist is from Canada, they have the opportunity to put Ireland back on the music map, as long as their debut album is on the same quality standard as their EP}
winteracademy.blogspot.com?(translated from greek) - Winter Academy

If this was 2005 there would be no such thing as Angel Pier, they’ve only been around for the shortest time you see. Their conception occurred in Whelans, one of the last bastions of indiedom in Dublin. A chance encounter sowed the seeds for what is rapidly becoming the cities most feted purveyors of jangle pop. They've already played HWCH’s and ‘Sprites’ was their contribution to the mp3 roll call over at that site. ‘Sprites’ will be officially released as part of the ‘Bullet Holes & Broken Sectors’ EP in the near future and rival’s Director’s ‘Reconnect’ as the most spine tingling Irish release of the year. Luke Paluch’s guitar shimmers endlessly and when the storming chorus shudders through Darragh Nolan’s voice becomes a beacon of cool. Heavenly. KD

Angel Pier - Sprites

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy The EP soon: Bullet Holes & Broken Sectors
Year: 2006 - Mp3Hugger

Hot Press magazine, Hard Working Class Heroes special.

THE AWARDS:
Best New Discovery: ANGEL PIER

...before we end up desperately trying not to inflict the next-big-thing curse on them. That's if ANGEL PIER don't get there first. They clearly aren't in the business of trying too hard - but boy did their easily digestible alt-pop sound draw you in. Top class stuff. - Hot Press Magazine

Angel Pier, four lads with a natural talent for melody & lyricism, with some interesting, controlled yet expansive arrangements. Even from our lowly viewpoint, they have a ‘look at us’ presence that spills invitingly over the balcony, while their songs use playful choruses to conceal devious hearts of darkness - In Dublin

Angel Pier

By Jason Golden
13/01/2007

Bullet Holes & Broken Sectors EP Review

Mooted comparisons with fellow Dubliners Director are at once accurate and wide of the mark with Angel Piers debut EP Bullet Holes & Broken Sectors. One thing is for sure; both bands have a big role to play in the current thriving Irish scene. Angel Pier deal in perfectly crafted guitar pop in which singer Darragh Nolan laments lost love amid catchy hooks and intelligent lyrics and they have delivered handsomely on this debut. Formed last year in Dublin the band is made up of Nolan on vocals/guitar, Luke Paluch guitar, Paul Slevin bass and Mark Colbert drums.

First track “Pray” is full of Strokes-y guitar lines buoyed by an impassioned vocal performance from Nolan. The track is low key, slightly melancholy, and likely to wash over the listener on first play, but after a couple of spins it proves utterly addictive. The chorus sticks in your head until you realise how good it is.

Second track “Sprites” is probably the strongest track on the EP. This is 30 years of new-wave guitar pop; excited, refined and amplified. Take the sullen glint of Director wired up to the tight mechanics of The Smiths and rough it all up with a scabbler and you get the sound. “Sprites” could be the breakthrough song for Angel Pier but it seems slightly hampered by too polite production. There is slightly sinister undertone to the bands sound which could be increased to give the songs a stronger feel and at times the vocals need more of an edge. Don’t get me wrong though, Angel Pier are good and they ooze the potential that they could be great.

Potential tumbles from every pore of ‘My New Best Friend”, that sense of the future, giving the impression of years ahead amassing a weight of musical maturity and emotional complexity. This track is the most upbeat on the EP and sounds akin to the harmonic melodies of Voxtrot being sliced to bits by razor sharp Delorentos hooks.

The EP ends with “Brothers and Sisters” which see the band embrace their '60s pop influences, blended nicely with their own lo-fi soundings. The track is a sweet ending to what is basically a collection of quality edgy/raw pop songs. Angel Pier have produced a fine debut EP and are sure to be a band to watch this year.

www.angelpier.com

www.myspace.com/angelpier - Drop-D E-Zine

John Walshe and Neil Brennan gaze into their crystal balls and predict the Irish acts set to cause a stir in 2007.

Angel Pier

Angel Pier began life thanks to a chance meeting in Whelan’s of Wexford Street, Dublin, in January 2006, when Darragh (vocals, guitar), Paul (bass) and Mark (drums) were introduced by a mutual friend.

The trio began working on their sound, taking their blueprint from The Stone Roses and The Cure, and soon added Canadian guitarist Luke, whose classic blues-rock axework complemented the solid foundations, adding some discordant guitar noise to complement Darragh’s soaring, testicle-shrivelling falsetto.

Angel Pier’s first proper studio foray was with Kieran Lynch, whose previous credits include U2, Hal and Elvis Costello, and who ensured that the resulting Bullet Holes And Broken Sectors EP captured their sound effectively.

Hear them: The Bullet Holes And Broken Sectors EP is released on January 11, and is available through Tower Records, Road Records, Plug’d Records and online at myspace.com/angelpier.

See them: Angel Pier play the Ballroom of Romance on February 28, in the Lower Deck in Portobello. - Hot Press Magazine

Angel Pier

"Indie four-piece Angel Pier follow up their fantastic newly released "Bullet Holes & Broken Sectors" EP with a gig at the Ballroom Of Romance in Dublin on Februaray 23rd, 2007. All uplifting vocals underpinned by classic indie pop, here is a band pitched between Coldplay, My Morning Jacket and The Killers"

Januray 28, 2007 Issue - NME