envelope.

Envelope are a low-key three-piece from Dublin who, hard to believe, have been together just over a year. Their atmospheric sound has seen them compared to the likes of Sigur Ros and Whipping Boy, but their songs are way more accessible than that. Think an eerie Coldplay without the blandness or Chris Martin's bleating tones. ?What's more, there's genuine exploration and experimentation here….it definitely points to an interest in playing around with time signatures and vocals. There are harmonies and layers of voices that call to mind some more recent Radiohead, but there are also American influences in the shape of Death Cab For Cutie's intense and concentrated lyrics and trembling guitars - Bandwagon

".. with this act there’s so much substance it is hard to know where to start. The vocals are well placed and the melodies both haunting and comforting as the tone changes throughout the set. Bassist Daryl Chaney holds the honour of being the only bassist I’ve ever seen to change guitars mid-set, and he exhibits some extraordinary touches as he takes a bow to his bass for some of their tracks. The drums chop and slice their way into the humming bass lines as guitarist/lead singer Phil Boughton mixes punching, driving sounds with sweet vocal melodies and intricate licks. " - Drop-D

envelope: A Sealed Deal

With guitars so loud they'd make Mogwai dash for earplugs, Dublin trio Envelope (www.myspace.com/envelopemusic) cut it up with some furious instrumenation all, enveloped (sorry, we had to) in lo-fi schizoid melodies. Worth heading to early if your heading to catch the equally ace Foals (uk) on their forthcoming tour. - NME Ireland

Saturday Highlights : envelope.

Thrilling three-piece envelope then fill Meeting House Square with their loud, fuzzy and hugely satisfying wall of guitar noise. - In Dublin

Tonight they follow their mighty performance at this year's Hard Working Class Heroes Festival with a brilliantly sharp and contained set that showcases how much wider their scope actually is. Opener Cost of Living's jerking, shuddering stop/start intro gives way to an epic, frantic and full-on finale - only for the marvellously short and sweet Subplots to cool it all down with a deliciously melodic twist. Singer and guitarist Phil Boughton approaches all this fuzzy guitar madness with a voice so sweet and tender, it often seems to get punched black and blue around the room - yet it always remains standing, romantic and dfiant to the end. Poltis is a heart-wrenching example of his vocal freedom: the chiming guitar and bass barely hold the string to Boughton's soaring voice as it finds its way into myriad dark places... Their newer material, such as their fashionably Untitled closer, shows that Envelope are not an archetypal 'two-hit-wonder' singles band but one with sufficient guts, gravitas and innovation to easily produce a masterful album. The sooner the better, too - In Dublin

With a musical agenda like the one on display at Club PANDAmonium tonight, you'd have to be made of weaker stuff to be daunted by the November chill in the air. Shit weather, huge queues and delays aren't going to deter the mob of kids eager to devour cableattack!!'s finest. Rapidly becoming the label of choice for disenfranchised indie kids, the local imprint is tonight showcasing two of it's acts. Step up, then, Envelope. Galvanisers of senses, the trio amble-onstage and sweep into the desolate post-rock that they magnificently proffer. Scruffy-yet-charming singer Phil Boughton maintains a nonchalant demeanour throughout their eight-song-set, yet it's all-too-obvious that the fuzzy intensity of "Cost of Living", the warped lullaby air of "Rats", or the jerky glumness of "Poltis" require nothing but devotion - and even when one disgruntled onlooker calls for some "real music", Bouthon's response is to wig-out and end the set on his arse. Radiohead, Elbow, Low and even Sigur Rós are the lazy routes to defining Envelope's sound- yet while elements of all these are palpable, there's something quite exciting and possibly groundbreaking lurking somewhere within. - NME Ireland

The Dublin guitar Trio envelope are masters at taking songs from extremes of noise to quiet, subtle passages, especially on the brilliant 'Store In A Dark Place' which tootles around as if it means no harm and then explodes all over you like a suicide bomber, all squall-y guitars and stuff. 'Gather Pace' has a more sinister feel to it, with fine vocals from Phil Boughton and a soundtrack you mightn'd want to meet on a dark night. 'Ocean Song' is slow and moody too, but some tasty drums from Simon Rand and sparse guitar stabs from, er, somebody. Envelope's work balances thoughtful and delicate melodies with dollops of layered soundscapes that embrace influences from Sifur Ros, Elbow and Mogwai to full effect. So they're welcome around here anytime. - Hotpress

With their blend on melodic twists and electronic turns, Dublin trio Envelope have been gaining a strong reputation on the underground Irish scene. People have been quick to liken them to the bands that have influenced them - namely Sigur Ros, Elbow and Radiohead - but they do maintain a sense of individuality on songs such as Store In A Dark Place and the ever-stirring Ocean Song. There are no records out yet but the lads are currently working on their debut EP for release early next year through their own label, cableattack!!.

Just like Manchester outfit Elbow, the band effortlessly merges lo-fi instrumentation with arresting lyrics. Their sound is a mixed palette of Radiohead eclecticism, Elbow lustre and a personal element of surprise. Envelope put a lot of work into their songs, so much that they spent almost three years writing and rehearsing before ever thinking of a headline gig.

So what's in store for this evening at the Sugar Club? 'It will be a proper look at who we are,' says lead vocalist/guitarist Phil Boughton. 'We've played a lot of support gigs, but this will be the first time we get to play the set we want to play.' Expect an array of finely tuned songs played at a delectable pace. - Metro

Later, envelope bravely endure some harsh sound problems in the stuffy basement of eamonn Dorans. Not exactly famous for its wonderful acoustics, Dorans still pulled in a crowd who warmly greeted the dark blend of alternative rock on offer. soaring and receding guitar distortion effectively combined with the dynamic, Jeff Buckley-like voice of the singer created a contemplative mood with the songs seeming to blend together like chapters of a dream. - Underrated Magazine (NY)

The most welcome of bolts from the blue. Envelope's debut is the most gloriously delightful opener to come from an Irish group this year. A feast of pleasures, State and Nature shifts from the seductively visceral to deep and responsive melancholia. At its best, specifically on the staggering second track 'Cost of Living', the Dublin trio eloquently spit contempt for the speakers, whilst locking their rage behind Phil Boughton's warm vocals to make for an uncomfortable hybrid of sound. It's like Coldplay's 'Politik', as executed by a crossbreed of Whipping Boy and Radiohead. The epic and the extraordinary continue to dominate on 'Poltis' and 'Store in a Dark Place', with the sounds of Elbow, Doves and their closest Irish contemporaries God is an Astronaut resonating throughout. An absolute gem of a debut. - Hotpress