The Dirty 9's

THE DIRTY 9s came onstage after a very nice introduction from the MC. These guys got a great welcome from the audience and I have to say I loved them even before hearing them after reading their blog on My Space; Ringleader Feargal Moloney, Troublemaker Cian McCarthy, Local Hooligan Stephen Dunne, Inside Man ? Paul Rice.
With a sense of humour like this who couldn’t like them!

However once I heard the sweet guitar riffs, magic chord combinations and an extremely competent and winning vocalist in Feargal Moloney, as he portrays the well written lyrics and gorgeous music of such a high calibre created by this band, charm certainly wasn’t all they won me over with!

With a catchy Indie/pop sound they began with LOOK TO THE LEFT, a thumping, choppy number in a staccato style. It was just perfect with little stops and starts which got the juices flowing and a cheerful atmosphere into this event!
Harmonies were sweet, guitar riffs and IN YOUR FACE chords were belted out as this song had all the ingredients to create a refreshing wake-up kick. There was a lovely big build up to the finish comprising a DEAD STOP!

ECHOES continued the set. Although quite a slow number, its certainly loaded with lots of energy. A bashing Anthemic style intro is followed by the dramatic verse. Then before the chorus a sweet but unshy arpeggio-style bit on Keyboards gave that little extra bit of class to things.

Then the chorus! This is just so memorable and sweet and with cute little riffs so sharp and lively it was popular with the listeners, especially me. I loved it! At this point I couldn?t help sympathising with the judges having to pick a winner from such a mine of talent.

Finally, WEEKNIGHT LOVERS was definitely the best song for the Dirty 9s to end on. Kick-ass bass, fast moving drumbeats and all framing the full and delicious lead guitar riffs and sweet melody. This band exudes class as they each have such a high level of expertise with their solos and Fergal’s unforgettable and winning voice! I was riveted to the spot by those sexy riffs, sweet melody lines and gutsy beats, plus of course the unignorable fact that these lads are lovely and I know for sure that from the reaction of the crowd they are going to be big even if they didn?t walk away with a prize on the night!

- www.irishunsigned.com

Winning a high-profile television competition is a pretty big accolade to land slap bang in the middle of the search for Ireland’s most talented student band. Scoffing at baby-faced boys singing about real life is easy but there’s no doubting the 9s have their act down pat with a handle on pleasant melodies set to upbeat, poppy tempos with enough variation to catch you on the shy. Songs for radio. Songs for van drivers to serenade to. There’s no swaggering bravado but they do wheel and smile. You get the sense that they see a spotlight as a source of illumination rather than a chance of exposure. They seem a solid, grounded young band who’ll stick around for some time to come. The maturation of their musical ethos will be a pleasant one to witness. - Hotpress, by Naomi from nsma.hotpress.com

"Theres an urgency too about The Dirty 9s whose guitar driven indie-pop was made for these times. To 'Secrets' vocalist Fergal Moloney brings a gritty individuality and theres atouch of early Beatles about Cian MacCarthy's guitar licking. 'The Tease' is a gently smooth pop track, a la Crowded House, with a cute melody and rhythm drizzled with smooth riffs and pointed chords. 'Charolastras' ups the tempo spmewhat and delivers a Monkees style gem with a light country-rock sensibility. The Dirty 9s are a band craftily playing well within their capabilities.

Hotpress: May 17th 2006

words: Jackie Hayden - Hotpress Magazine

"The Dirty 9's are 4 fellows from Dublin who formed a band, before they really knew each other. Sounds a bit risky i know, but as they started writing, business began to pick up. With songs and confidence from playing live. The Dirty 9's took there songs and recorded them, you can hear the finished product below. The main ingredient in their songs is the guitar, it drives their songs forward and the man plucking the said instrument; Cian McCarthy does his best to keep the melody flowing perfectly.On track The Tease it reminisces of the now defunct The Stands. A folky number which can come alive at any minute. On Fall From Grace it show's a moody yet darker side which The Dirty Nine's had not shown before, I think i like this side because it includes the breathless vocals by singer Fergal Moloney. With one gig scheduled for the middle of the month at The Legal Eagle in Dublin, The Dirty 9's will be relishing more live oppurtunities in the coming months."

http://unearthedtreasures.blogspot.com/ - Unearthed Treasures

I received a demo from The Dirty 9's a few days ago, and have being giving it due listen. While the sound is predominantly clean indie-guitar pop, they do have other facets about them which give them a distinctive sound. Most notable is the presence of an irresistible California veering bluesy guitar melody in their lead track 'The Tease', a track which has a positively upbeat vibe to it, and fuses really well into what is a great little summertime indie pop song of nonchalant rejection.

The other tracks on the demo aren't that bad either, which includes the indie-rock of 'The Weeknight Lovers' and also a dark ballad in 'Fall From Grace', and there is no doubting a strong radio-friendly appeal of The Dirty 9's. I suspect a lot more will be heard of them, in particular due to a likeable vocal style which is somewhat breathy, emotionally open and rather distinctive.

All in all, I'd like to hear The Dirty 9's experiment more with their use of those bluesy guitar melodies into that indie-pop sound however, as it gives them a distinctive attribute, and plays to the strengths of their song writing partnership. Regardless, it is no surprise that the popular Hot Press magazine, often a cheerleader for radio-friendly indie pop music, has recently praised the merits of these guys as "guitar driven indie-pop made for these times", and they will undoubtedly receive a lot more praise from similar quarters in the coming months. These guys could well be on a winner.

The Dirty 9's have been together as a band just since the start of last year, and having gigged some of Dublin’s smaller venues, a high-point came about in March of this year, when they won a battle of the bands competition at Maynooth College, consequently supported The Republic of Loose at a sold-out college event, and later recorded their first demo. The songs from their demo can also be streamed from their myspace

http://www.frequency-
ireland.blogspot.com/

Words by: Tom Kennedy

- Frequency Ireland

"The Dirty 9s are back with a new demo recorded with a bloke called Tristan who was recommended by the Blizzards. Specialising in light indie-pop, they've cleverly reworked 'The Tease' and 'Fall from Grace', proving they can listen to feedback and use it to move forward. The new track 'Weeknight Lovers' has some of the directness of the Undertones. The re-worked 'Fall from Grace' suggests a band moving adventurously into new territiories, and it sits oddly by the tracks. Maybe this Tristian bloke is worth cultivating, and its time The Dirty 9's unleashed something for the masses"

Hotpress July 27th issue

Words by: Jackie Hayden - Hotpress