The Angel Pier

THE ANGEL PIER ARE AN IRISH BAND WHO HAVE TRANSFORMED THEMSELVES IN THE LAST YEAR TO BECOME ONE OF THE MOST HOTLY-TIPPED ACTS AROUND. THE FOUR-PIECE, BASED IN GOREY, CO WEXFORD, RELEASED THE STUNNING DOUBLE A-SIDE SINGLE ALIGN THE SEAS AND BELONG ON FRIDAY AND IT LOOKS SET TO CHANGE THEIR FORTUNES.

SINCE GETTING TOGETHER IN 2006 DARRAGH NOLAN, VINNY REDMOND, LUKE PALUCH AND MARK COLBERT RELEASED TWO EPS BUT NEITHER MADE THE SPLASH THEY'D HOPED FOR WHEN THEY STARTED OUT. THEIR PREVIOUS SOUND, ACCORDING TO NME, WAS 'CLASSIC INDIE POP', AND THE BAND SEEMED TO HAVE NO PROBLEM WEARING THEIR INFLUENCES - RADIOHEAD, THE CURE, INTERPOL, BAND OF HORSES AND BRENDAN BENSON - ON THEIR SLEEVES. BUT AFTER NUMEROUS GIGS IN IRELAND THE ANGEL PIER DECIDED TO TRY THEIR LUCK ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ATLANTIC AND LAST YEAR THEY DID TWO TOURS OF CANADA.

FRONTMAN DARRAGH SAID: "WE WENT OVER IN MARCH FOR EIGHT DATES AND IT WENT SO WELL THAT WE WENT BACK AGAIN IN JUNE". "THEY WERE REALLY FRIENDLY AND THE PEOPLE WERE VERY RECEPTIVE TO WHAT WE WERE DOING. TO BE HONEST WE WERE GETTING A LITTLE TIRED OF DOING THE SAME THING BUT THE CANADIAN AUDIENCES' REACTION GAVE US THE IMPETUS TO CARRY ON". AND IT WAS DURING THAT TOUR THAT THEIR APPROACH STARTED TO CHANGE. DARRAGH SAID: "FROM THE START WE SAID WE DON'T WANT TO BE DOING WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING - BUT THERE WERE INFLUENCES THAT WE COULDN'T HELP AND IT TOOK A WHILE FOR THAT STUFF TO WASH AWAY. "I SUPPOSE WE EXPERIENCED A NEW KIND OF FREEDOM IN CANADA AND WE WERE ABLE TO DEVELOP OUR SOUND".

SINCE THEIR RETURN HOME THE BAND HAVE BEEN WORKING ON PLENTY OF BRAND NEW MATERIAL, THEY'VE DONE A JOINT HEADLINE TOUR WITH THE KINETIKS AND LANDED A HIGHLY COVETED SPOT AT OXEGEN TWO WEEKS AGO.

FOR THE NEW SINGLE THEY HOOKED UP WITH LEADING IRISH PRODUCER JIMMY EADIE, WHO HAS WORKED WITH JAPE, DAVID KITT AND VALERIE FRANCIS. DARRAGH SAID: "JIMMY IS ABOUT VIBE MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. "WE'RE STILL PLAYING THE SAME KIND OF MUSIC BUT WE'VE MANAGED TO PUT A MORE ORIGINAL SLANT ON THINGS AND WE'RE VERY HAPPY. WE'RE GOING TO DO AN ALBUM WITH HIM AND IT'LL BE OUT NEXT YEAR". - News Of The World

THE ANGEL PIER
ALIGN THE SEAS (DELPHI)

THE FRESH-FACED FOURSOME (THREE PARTS IRISH TO ONE PART CANADIAN) ARE DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB RIGHT NOW OF SOUNDING LIKE BAND OF HORSES. THIS IS A BIT TOO LISTLESS FOR MY LIKING BUT THE OCCASIONAL FLASHES OF BEAUTIFUL POP-DRIVEN MELANCHOLY ARE ENOUGH TO HAVE US LOOKING FORWARD TO THE LEO PEARSON PRODUCED SACRIFICE EP, DUE FOR RELEASE IN THE AUTUMN. - Hot Press

HAVING RECEIVED HIGH PRAISE OVER IN NORTH AMERICA ANGEL PIER ARE SURELY DESTINED TO GLOW OVER HERE AS WELL.

THEIR NEW SINGLE 'EMILY' IS A FANTASTIC MIX OF GRUNGE, POP AND INDIE FLAVOURS. THIS TRACK IS AN ADDICTIVE LISTEN WITH LAYERS THAT OVERLAP INTO A FUSION OF PURE FASCINATION. EVERY NOTE SUCKS YOU IN DEEPER TO THE MELODIES, WITH THE VOCAL LEFT TO GRAB YOUR ATTENTION WITH THE AMAZEMENT AND MYSTERY OF IT'S SEDUCTIVE WAYS.

'MAKE' SWAYS ALONG THE SAME STYLE, THE MELODY IS STILL HITTING ALL THE RIGHT SPOTS AND THE CRAZE FOR MORE OF THIS BAND TAKES OVER.

ANGEL PIER ARE AN AMAZING BAND TAKING THINGS AWAY FROM THE NORMAL INDIE / ROCK WE HEAR ON THE RADIO. THEIR STYLE IS A COMPLICATED SET OF LAYERS WITH EACH ONE OOZING TIGHTNESS AND TALENT. THIS BAND IS A SHOW STOPPER AND AN ABSOLUTE MUST LISTEN. - The Mag

A MUSICAL MOVEMENT IS UNDERWAY AND GAINING MOMENTUM IN IRELAND AND IT GOES BY THE NAME: ANGEL PIER. IN THE PAST, WE HAVE BEEN KIND OF SWEET ON THIS BAND BUT THEIR SOUND IS GETTING BETTER BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS THESE DAYS. ("REALLY GUYS, GOOD SHOW!") AND, WE ARE HAPPY TO RELAY THAT OTHERS (FINALLY!) BEGINNING TO NOTICE OF THEIR TALENT!

WITH THE RELEASE OF THE BAND'S SENSATIONAL SACRIFICE EP, WE ARE FALLING HEAD OVER HEELS YET AGAIN FOR ANGEL PIER'S UNIQUE BRAND OF POP-POWERED INDIE ROCK ACROBATICS. AND WITH GOOD REASON, THIS EP IS ONE OF THE BEST RELEASES OF THE YEAR! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! - Ryans Smashing Life