Sunday, February 1, 2009
Monday, December 29, 2008
Free Music = :D
So, the awesome and fantastico Kiernan McMullan sent me two acoustic versions of his songs and is encouraging the sharing of them:
"Grace and Love"
http://www.box.net/shared/niczlyhb06
and
"What Was I Thinking" (my preferred of the two, though I love them both)
http://www.box.net/shared/7l42n5z7jo
Have a listen and if you like, share with YOUR friends!
Still for a limited time $3.99 for the full CD at Amazon.com and iTunes. I think the promo price ends 12/31 so act fast to check him out!!
"Grace and Love"
http://www.box.net/shared/niczlyhb06
and
"What Was I Thinking" (my preferred of the two, though I love them both)
http://www.box.net/shared/7l42n5z7jo
Have a listen and if you like, share with YOUR friends!
Still for a limited time $3.99 for the full CD at Amazon.com and iTunes. I think the promo price ends 12/31 so act fast to check him out!!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Perfect People are Boring only $3.99 on iTunes!!
We heart Kiernan.
How could we not? Just LOOK at those fingers!!
Oh, and there's that whole "awesome sound coming out of those fingers" thing, too. Just imagine what would happen if he sang, too!
Oh, wait.
And, uh, he writes all that smart stuff coming out of his mouth, too.
*sigh*
Some people get all the talent.
Go buy a front-row seat. $3.99. Can't beat that.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
New Music Review: Kiernan McMullan - Perfect People Are Boring
Reposted from Paddy-Whacked Radio™
By Natalie Herman
http://pwradio.net/news/?p=63
“You have no idea how damn entertaining it is to be me.”
So sings Kiernan McMullan on “Stick it Out,” the opening track to his One Eleven Records debut, Perfect People Are Boring. After listening to the CD, one would have to agree.
For one of such a tender age – McMullan is days shy of his 22nd birthday - he manages to combine fun with intelligence, a feat that few artists can pull off. His extensive vocabulary and historical and pop culture references (Ghandi, The Beatles, and Johnny Quest are equally represented) combine with his self-deprecating sense of humour and unwillingness to take himself, his subject matter, or life in general too seriously. Even with his tongue-in-cheek approach, he still manages to pull off sage lyrics and astute observations.
“Cardboard Swords,” a sexy-sounding piece with great drums and captivating keyboards, is a fun-filled homage to the television series, “Venture Brothers.” Kiernan and company have compiled a fitting video from home-movie footage showing the band through everything from setting up and performing to life on the road and how they amuse themselves during downtime. This song, like many on the disc, just begs to be played on “repeat.”
All isn’t fun and games, however; McMullan shows his serious side, touching on issues such as homelessness, teenage parenthood, addiction, and domestic violence with songs such as “Pretend” and “Grace and Love.”
McMullan can lean toward stylistic similarity to Jason Mraz, especially on songs like “Fireworks” and “You’re Only Angry (When You’re Wrong).” Like Jason Mraz, though, it is obvious that McMullan is an individual whose songs mean a great deal to him.
Don’t let titles like that of the funky “Ballad of a Shallow Man” fool you – McMullan’s writings come from somewhere deep and honest. Luckily, he doesn’t let that honesty translate to self-importance, as evidenced by his directive, “If you’re going to go mad, go mad with intention.”
McMullan’s fingers seem to have been made for the strings, which he demonstrates particularly on “Little White Lie.” Anyone who has seen McMullan perform can attest that he has a fascinating way of handling his guitar. Happily, he has found himself surrounded by a group of musicians who seem equally equipped to bring the best from their instruments. The drums over the bridge of “Borderline” or the funky bass in “Do it Right” are perfect examples of what can happen when the right instrument falls in the right hands.
Recorded partially at the famous Grouse Lodge which has birthed albums from the likes of R.E.M. and Michael Jackson, this collection of songs successfully spans many genres while remaining a solid and cohesive album. One wonders if the disc perhaps has taken a bit of the magic of the studio with it.
Perfect People Are Boring, but this album is anything but!
Kiernan is currently on tour in the U.S. promoting his album. He is making his way through the eastern States before taking the stage at SXSW in Austin on March 18.
Natalie Herman provides content for Paddy-Whacked Radio™ News
Copyright © 2008 Natalie Herman and Paddy-Whacked Radio™
By Natalie Herman
http://pwradio.net/news/?p=63
“You have no idea how damn entertaining it is to be me.”
So sings Kiernan McMullan on “Stick it Out,” the opening track to his One Eleven Records debut, Perfect People Are Boring. After listening to the CD, one would have to agree.
For one of such a tender age – McMullan is days shy of his 22nd birthday - he manages to combine fun with intelligence, a feat that few artists can pull off. His extensive vocabulary and historical and pop culture references (Ghandi, The Beatles, and Johnny Quest are equally represented) combine with his self-deprecating sense of humour and unwillingness to take himself, his subject matter, or life in general too seriously. Even with his tongue-in-cheek approach, he still manages to pull off sage lyrics and astute observations.
“Cardboard Swords,” a sexy-sounding piece with great drums and captivating keyboards, is a fun-filled homage to the television series, “Venture Brothers.” Kiernan and company have compiled a fitting video from home-movie footage showing the band through everything from setting up and performing to life on the road and how they amuse themselves during downtime. This song, like many on the disc, just begs to be played on “repeat.”
All isn’t fun and games, however; McMullan shows his serious side, touching on issues such as homelessness, teenage parenthood, addiction, and domestic violence with songs such as “Pretend” and “Grace and Love.”
McMullan can lean toward stylistic similarity to Jason Mraz, especially on songs like “Fireworks” and “You’re Only Angry (When You’re Wrong).” Like Jason Mraz, though, it is obvious that McMullan is an individual whose songs mean a great deal to him.
Don’t let titles like that of the funky “Ballad of a Shallow Man” fool you – McMullan’s writings come from somewhere deep and honest. Luckily, he doesn’t let that honesty translate to self-importance, as evidenced by his directive, “If you’re going to go mad, go mad with intention.”
McMullan’s fingers seem to have been made for the strings, which he demonstrates particularly on “Little White Lie.” Anyone who has seen McMullan perform can attest that he has a fascinating way of handling his guitar. Happily, he has found himself surrounded by a group of musicians who seem equally equipped to bring the best from their instruments. The drums over the bridge of “Borderline” or the funky bass in “Do it Right” are perfect examples of what can happen when the right instrument falls in the right hands.
Recorded partially at the famous Grouse Lodge which has birthed albums from the likes of R.E.M. and Michael Jackson, this collection of songs successfully spans many genres while remaining a solid and cohesive album. One wonders if the disc perhaps has taken a bit of the magic of the studio with it.
Perfect People Are Boring, but this album is anything but!
Kiernan is currently on tour in the U.S. promoting his album. He is making his way through the eastern States before taking the stage at SXSW in Austin on March 18.
Natalie Herman provides content for Paddy-Whacked Radio™ News
Copyright © 2008 Natalie Herman and Paddy-Whacked Radio™
Friday, November 21, 2008
"I hate your face but I love your body"
Okay, so perhaps you have read the PWR review of Kiernan McMullan’s debut CD (and then RUSHED out and downloaded it LEGALLY from iTunes / Amazon / Napster / Rhapsody for your listening pleasure, right??) and wondered what my favorite song off it was?
Well, someone did ask me what my favorite song from this addictive disc was and I was unable to provide an answer. For this reason, I bring you:
The Screeching Fangirl Breakdown of Perfect People Are Boring :D
Stick is Out is fast fun furious
Cardboard Swords is dreamy and campy and fun
That Afternoon - never better dialogue in a song since Bell X1’s “Rocky Took a Lover.” Beautiful harmony vocals
Ballad of a Shallow Man - that is a damn sexy song. I love the “oh-oh-ohhhs” and the incredibly sexy caesurae.
Borderline – hearing this song on the disc was kinda great cos I knew it so well already, but the polishing changes are great and the drums over the bridge - Dec Clarke is really in great form
Grace and Love - heart wrenching and honest and his voice just matches the mood so well
Worst Enemy – Funky all around and wall-tumbling, ass-kicking drums. This song rocks so hard.
Pretend - are you SURE this is a 21-year-old writing this stuff??? Tragic, touching, inspired. Background vocals for the win!
Do It Right - funky, fun, naughty, sexy
What Was I Thinking - so honest and self-reflecting but not preachy or arrogant, just one man recognizing the futility of his ideals - but you still get the idea that he will hang on to them anyway
Fireworks - I love it when Kiernan does that scat thing. Few people can pull that off well, and his voice is all sultry and there is something about the audible fingers on strings that gives me chills. I wrote earlier that he reminds of Mraz on this tune, but upon further listen, I can hear a bit of Sting in his voice, too. Very nice.
You're Only Angry (When You're Wrong) - that is SUCH a brilliant take on relationships and despite it being brutally honest about a crappy situation, it is fun and hopeful, not all emo and self-pitying
Little White Lie - the guitar on this just BLEW ME AWAY. If for nothing other than the guitar fingering, this song is brilliant
Force Me Into the Light – acoustically breaks away from the rest of the CD while maintaining the same intent and grain of the disc. An eye-opening song about having your eyes opened – as you are kinda dragged kicking and screaming into it. Even so, there is no bitterness or anger, just the peace that comes when you finally let go of the things that are holding you down. The light, airy instrumentation echos the release
Talk to me after another 30 listens, I might have more stuff to say.
>.>
<.<
Well, someone did ask me what my favorite song from this addictive disc was and I was unable to provide an answer. For this reason, I bring you:
The Screeching Fangirl Breakdown of Perfect People Are Boring :D
Stick is Out is fast fun furious
Cardboard Swords is dreamy and campy and fun
That Afternoon - never better dialogue in a song since Bell X1’s “Rocky Took a Lover.” Beautiful harmony vocals
Ballad of a Shallow Man - that is a damn sexy song. I love the “oh-oh-ohhhs” and the incredibly sexy caesurae.
Borderline – hearing this song on the disc was kinda great cos I knew it so well already, but the polishing changes are great and the drums over the bridge - Dec Clarke is really in great form
Grace and Love - heart wrenching and honest and his voice just matches the mood so well
Worst Enemy – Funky all around and wall-tumbling, ass-kicking drums. This song rocks so hard.
Pretend - are you SURE this is a 21-year-old writing this stuff??? Tragic, touching, inspired. Background vocals for the win!
Do It Right - funky, fun, naughty, sexy
What Was I Thinking - so honest and self-reflecting but not preachy or arrogant, just one man recognizing the futility of his ideals - but you still get the idea that he will hang on to them anyway
Fireworks - I love it when Kiernan does that scat thing. Few people can pull that off well, and his voice is all sultry and there is something about the audible fingers on strings that gives me chills. I wrote earlier that he reminds of Mraz on this tune, but upon further listen, I can hear a bit of Sting in his voice, too. Very nice.
You're Only Angry (When You're Wrong) - that is SUCH a brilliant take on relationships and despite it being brutally honest about a crappy situation, it is fun and hopeful, not all emo and self-pitying
Little White Lie - the guitar on this just BLEW ME AWAY. If for nothing other than the guitar fingering, this song is brilliant
Force Me Into the Light – acoustically breaks away from the rest of the CD while maintaining the same intent and grain of the disc. An eye-opening song about having your eyes opened – as you are kinda dragged kicking and screaming into it. Even so, there is no bitterness or anger, just the peace that comes when you finally let go of the things that are holding you down. The light, airy instrumentation echos the release
Talk to me after another 30 listens, I might have more stuff to say.
>.>
<.<
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Paddy Casey in Yahoo’s User’s Choice ... and he needs your help
Yahoo! Music fans get to vote on which featured new artist is their favorite and the winner becomes the featured Who’s Next? artist and goes on to fame, glory, and major Yahoo! Music feature placement! The program features an array of developing rock talent, featuring everything from AAA troubadours to UK darlings to R&B singers & divas…from straight-up rock to hard-edged metal…from commercial alt-rock to really cool indie-rock. You name it! Who’s Next?: Users’ Choice will allow the Yahoo! Music audience the opportunity to pick who they feel has the greatest chance for future success. And this month Paddy Casey is in the mix, but he needs your help to move on. If he wins, you’ll be treated to a very special in-studio performance at the Yahoo Studios next month. So be sure to vote. http://music.yahoo.com/promo-29644410
(reposted from Paddy's Myspace)
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