The Thin Air Podcast

Philip Christie (The Bonk)

In this episode we talk to Philip Christie of The Bonk about their song Future 87. First released in May 2022 and featured on their excellent 2023 LP 'Greater Than Or Equal To The Bonk', we'll hear about how the song evolved from a jam committed to a 4-Track Tape in 2017, as well as looking at the limitations and creative decisions that shaped the recording.

You can support The Bonk's music here:

https://thebonk.bandcamp.com/

Tracklisting:

1. Future 87

2. Think (by James Brown)

3. Crazy He Calls Me (by Billie Holiday)

4. Thick Lines On Thin Film

5. I Am The Resurrection (by The Stone Roses)

6. Akula Owu Onyeara (The Funkees)

7. Telstar (by The Tornados)

8. Runaway (by Del Shannon)

9. Don Quixote (by O Emperor)

10. Sedalia (by O Emperor feat. RTE Concert Orchestra)

11. Future 87 in full

Episode Credits:

Presented and Produced by Danny Carroll

Graphic Design by Loreana Rushe

Cover Photo by Danny

Natalia Beylis

Today we’re meeting Natalia Beylis. Natalia was kind enough to welcome us into her home and music room in County Leitrim to talk about her album Mermaids. Released on Touch Sensitive Records in September 2023, Mermaids is an immersive collection of six ambient recordings. True to its title, the album often evokes a body of water - the calm that comes from being held on the surface of something so vast, deep and ever-evolving. Over the course of our conversation, we talk about the sound of Mermaids, the artwork, field recording and much more besides.

Support Natalia's music here:

https://nataliabeylis.bandcamp.com/

Tracklisting:

1. Mermaids

2. Spring Thaw (by Woven Skull)

3. The Garden Of Paradise (by Agathe Max and Natalia Beylis)

4. A Visit To Yasmin

5. The Lighthouse Trembles

6. Black Sea, 1967

Episode Credits:

Presented & Produced by Danny Carroll

Graphic Design by Loreana Rushe

Cover Photo by Danny

 

 

Martin Newell (The Cleaners From Venus)

Today we’re meeting the jangling man, Martin Newell, a songwriter, poet and author - sometimes referred to as "the godfather of lo-fi music". In the early 1980s, Martin began recording under the name The Cleaners From Venus. Releasing albums on tape cassette and spreading through fanzine culture, his early work was later reissued in the 2010s by US label Captured Tracks. Quintessentially English in subject matter and undeniably melodic in production, for many Martin Newell is a missing link in popular music - a vital outlier and a testament to doing it yourself.

You can support Martin's music here:

https://thecleanersfromvenus.bandcamp.com/

You purchase his book 'The Home Recording Handbook' here:

https://thecleanersfromvenus.bandcamp.com/merch/the-home-recording-handbook

Featured songs:

1. Corridor Of Dreams
2. Neo City (by Plod)
3. Hole In My Shoe (by Traffic)
4. Rockaliser Baby (by The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band)
5. Wivenhoe Bells ii
6. Skateboard Stars
7. Drowning Butterflies
8. Only A Shadow
9. Alone Again, Naturally (by Gilbert O'Sullivan)
10. Incident In A Greatcoat

Episode Credits:

Presented & Produced by Danny Carroll
Graphic Design by Loreana Rushe

Elaine Howley

After a brief, half-decade hiatus, The Thin Air podcast has returned for Season 3, focused on the creative practice of self-recording artists. In this episode, we meet Elaine Howley, a singer and producer from Tipperary, based in Co. Cork.

Danny went to see Elaine at her home in Dripsey, on a particularly sunny afternoon in the month of May, where they sat in the front garden discussing her debut solo album ‘The Distance Between Heart and Mouth’, as well as the new music she’s been working on.

We also touch upon Elaine's other projects, The Altered Hours with Cathal MacGabhann and Howlbux with Irene Buckley, looking at the people and places that have inspired her music, as well as the joy of pairing modern and vintage equipment to arrive at new conclusions.

You can support Elaine's music on her Bandcamp page:

https://elainehowley.bandcamp.com/

Tracklisting:

1. To The Test

2. Buried Way Out

3. Song For Mary Black

4. CD's

5. Person Count

6. Silent Talk

7. Live As I Saw It

8. I Imagine You'd Say That

9. Thistle (by The Altered Hours)

10. Nightfall Over (by Howlbux)

11. Hold Me In A New Way

Episode Credits:

Presented & Produced by Danny Carroll

Additional Audio Mix by Stevie Lennox

Mastered by Jamie Hyland

Graphic Design by Loreana Rushe

Cover Photo by Danny Carroll

 

SOAK (Everybody Loves You: Song Dissection)

In our final episode of season 2, Danny Carroll meets Bridie Monds-Watson (SOAK), to talk about her song Everybody Loves You.  The first single to be released from her second album Grim Town (Rough Trade 2019), Everybody Loves You sees Bridie's songwriting and recording process significantly shifting gears.  Here, she breaks down the elements that went into the dream-pop ballad - be it a warm string section or "soggy cardboard" guitars.

Just Mustard (Pigs: Song Dissection)

This week's installment of the Thin Air podcast features Dundalk band Just Mustard and their track Pigs.  A hypnotic highlight from their debut album 'Wednesday', guitarist/producer David Noonan, singer KT Ball and drummer Shane Maguire talk about the song's writing and recording process with Danny Carroll.  Serving as a blueprint for the band, we found out how 'Pigs' informed the band's development and gave them a new way of approaching their songwriting.

Gilla Band (Shoulderblades: Song Dissection)

This week on the Thin Air podcast, Danny Carroll meets one of Ireland's most beloved group's Gilla Band, to talk about their recent single Shoulderblades.  The first song the band released in four years, Shoulderblades served as an intense, exhilarating teaser for second album 'The Talkies'.

Gilla Band's singer/lyricist Dara Kiely and bassist/producer Daniel Fox speak about how the song developed and reflect on it's varied influences - be they 19th century freaks, low-cost imported lager, or Leonard Cohen's howling anguish.

 

Tracklisting:

1. Gilla Band - Shoulderblades

2. Jon Hopkins - Open Eye Signal (Happa Remix)

3. The Beatles - Baby You're A Rich Man

4. Leonard Cohen - Memories

5. Leonard Cohen - Don't Go Home With Your Hard On

Careerist (Negative One: Song Dissection)

This week we speak to Belfast band Careerist about the track Negative One.  A highlight of their excellent debut album Weird Hill (released on Pizza Pizza Records in November), singer/guitarist Carl Eccles and bassist Nathan Rodgers talk to Danny Carroll about the influences that inspired the song, and the recording process.  We also get insights from producer Chris Ryan (Robocobra Quartet) about how the song developed in the studio.

TPM (Fuck RTÉ: Song Dissection)

In episode two, we're delighted to feature the Dundalk rap duo "making unemployment sexy again" - TPM. Since 2015, brothers Charles and Andrew Hendy been making funny, insightful, very Irish hip hop together, influenced by anxiety, depression and life on the dole. Last year they released the explicitly excellent single FUCK RTE and Danny Carroll visited the brothers in their Louth abode to learn more about the song. The episode also features some insights from their producer David Noonan (Just Mustard/Larry) credited here as DJ Chronic Lower Back Pain, with Charles and Andrew talking about how the song evolved, what it means to them and why, above all else, they hate Joe Duffy.

Songs featured:

1. Fuck RTÉ

2. Strictly For My Jeeps (Instrumental) - Action Bronson

3. Cash In The Claw

4. All The Boys On The Dole

5. Eat That Curry

6. Nuthin' But A G Thang - Dr. Dre

Junior Brother (The Back Of Her: Song Dissection)

The premiere episode of the Thin Air Podcast Season 2 features Kerry's finest singer-songwriter Junior Brother.  With his debut album Pull The Right Rope recently named the Thin Air 2019 album of the year, Ronan Kealy speaks to Danny Carroll about the song's origin and recording process.  We also hear from the song's producer Chris Barry (Ailfionn Studios), as well as cellist Claire Kinsella (Lemoncello).

Music Featured:

1. The Back Of Her (2018)

2. Hungover At Mass (2017)

3. You Make A Fine Picture (2016)

4. The Back Of Her Demo (2016)

5. Parasite - Nick Drake (1972)

6. Solid Air (live) - John Martyn (1978)

7. Sprout And The Bean - Joanna Newsom (2004)

 

Presented & Produced by Danny Carroll