Posted in Bootleg Theater on February 1st, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Today in Ireland is Brigid’s Day. The pagan festival Imbolc. Halfway between the winter solstice and the Spring equinox. A celebration of the coming renewal of life, and Brigid — a triple deity, which both sounds cool and is a real thing such as it is — being a goddess of creativity, healing, protecting, wisdom, feminine power and accomplishment, and so on, would seem to have earned the song. Premiered today, “I Mo Bholg” brings together vocalists Michelle Sionnánn and Aoise Tutty Jackson (also percussion), Seán Mulrooney (Tau and the Drones of Praise) on guitar and vocals, and George Quirke on yidaki — not a didgeridoo — as a gorgeously harmonized four-piece called Turas Imbolc.
You can feel the spirit coming through the material. It’s not long. It won’t take up too much of your busy day, but if you got five minutes, the melodies, the incantation, and that part at about 3:45 when all the voices come together — it’s the stuff of chills up the spine. Plus, there are horses — a rather hilarious moment when Quirke is playing the yidaki for them — and frolicking in a green field, and everybody’s hanging out and having fun and communing with the space around them and no one is telling anyone they don’t love them or being mean or mad about nothing. I don’t know. I feel like if that was the world, we’d probably be okay.
A simple view, maybe. Relationships, politics — the great, many “things” of existence — are rarely so compliant to get in line and sing a song, literally or figuratively. More reason to celebrate those moments when they do, then. How many times in your life are you going to get to play yidaki for a horse? Six if you’re lucky and you work hard at it? I’m glad this video was made. The occasion might be the first marking of Brigid’s Day as a full-on national holiday, but it’s clear the resonance of the goddess runs deeper here than just a day off work.
Also, quit your job.
Enjoy the clip:
Turas Imbolc, “I Mo Bholg” official video
NEW SONG CELEBRATING BRIGID’S DAY, NEW PUBLIC HOILIDAY
“Turas Imbolc – I Mo Bholg”
Releasing: Brigid’s Day, 1st February 2022
With the Government’s recent announcement that Brigid’s Day will become a public holiday from 2023 and preparations for St. Brigid’s 1500-year anniversary in 2024 underway, the significance of Brigid to the Irish people is palpable.
To celebrate this historic occasion, four musicians from Ireland are releasing a song dedicated to Brigid, and the season she presides over – Imbolc.
Singer and co-creator Michelle Shannon (Sionnánn) says “As we once again prepare to approach the threshold of Imbolc (‘i mo bholg, meaning in the belly), we present to you a song and video to honour and celebrate not only Brigid as triple Goddess and Matron Saint of Ireland but also to celebrate the rise of the feminine and equality in Irish culture, where a national holiday has been dedicated to a woman for the first time.”
The song features the powerful double vocal female invocation from Aoise Tutty Jackson (poet and singer) and song carrier, Sionnánn. Sean Mulrooney from Tau provides the production, vocals and instrumentation with George Quirke, who has studied with first nation Australian elders on Yidaki.
The song was written during Imbolc 2021 as the group of friends gathered around the fire on Sliabh an Iarann, Co. Leitrim. The video was shot by Cian Brennan at Brigid’s Well near Uisneach which is said to be the mythical 5th province and heart center of Ireland.
Brigid, Brigit, Bríd is a triple Goddess of pre-Christian Ireland who presides over healing and creativity. She was also one of Ireland’s most pre-eminent Saints when she walked these lands over 1,500 years ago. She is associated with the symbols of water, fire and earth, all of which are honoured in this song.
As we are all connected in this collective vision, our friend Laura Murphy expressed what many of us are feeling eloquently in her open letter to an Taoiseach on Brigid’s Day 2021…
“Let this be our commitment to shaping Ireland’s future, a new era guided by Brigid’s principles of light, inspiration, imagination, healing, truth, justice and love.”
Seán Mulrooney says “Our hope is that we can share this song with the world to amplify the message and remembrance of Brigid, Goddess symbol of compassion and love whose qualities are perhaps needed now more than ever.”
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 16th, 2021 by JJ Koczan
I guess we could go on and on about badass festival lineups — and in a way, it feels very, very good to even think that’s true — but you’ll pardon me if I sort of bow under the spectacle here and just say I’m glad Warhorse are getting another chance to go to Roadburn after 2020 falling apart, and that Tau and the Drones of Praise will play. The latter not the least because it gives me an excuse to revisit their set from earlier this year at Roadburn Redux in putting this post together. I hope they play right before the devastating LLNN, but either way, it’s great that along with the huger acts like Lingua Ignota, Emma Ruth Rundle, Russian Circles, and so on, Roadburn remains committed to forward-thinking artists of such various stripes. See also Oslo Tapes playing the Pelagic showcase with Årabrot headlining.
I don’t know if I’ll get to go to Roadburn next year. The fest would be well within its rights to nix the Weirdo Canyon Dispatch ‘zine after so long and adverse circumstances, and it’s not like they need my review or photos badly enough to warrant having me there, but whatever happens, I love this festival, support its growth and direction, and I always will for as long as it goes. No one knows at this point what April 2022 is going to look like. I’m happy to proceed into the fest’s last announcement of 2021 with some sense of optimism, even if I need to force that a bit.
From the PR wire:
New additions to Roadburn 2022 including second Artist In Residence and label showcase
Roadburn has today announced another 17 artists for the 2022 edition of the festival, which will take place between April 21-24 in Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Artistic Director, Walter Hoeijmakers, comments:
“With our last announcement before the end of 2021, we are super proud to have Pelagic involved again in Roadburn after their virtual Redux showcase earlier this year. And we know SLIFT will broaden our psychedelic horizons with three shows as artist-in-residence. Further, we offer this announcement in hope that 2022 will see a full return to international touring for festivals and club shows and we can all be together and celebrate in April. We wish you the happiest of seasons and hope you’re looking forward to Roadburn Festival 2022 as much as we are. Thank you for your continued support, faith and trust.”
French psych trio, SLIFT, have been announced as the second Artist in Residence for the 2022 edition (joining Full of Hell who were announced earlier this year). The band will perform three times over the course of the festival, including a collaborative performance with pioneering French musician, Etienne Jaumet (Zombie Zombie).
Pelagic Records will host a label showcase at the festival highlighting the diverse array of talent found on their roster. The showcase will climax with three interconnected performances courtesy of Lustmord, Lustmord and Karin Park performing cuts from their collaborative album, Alter, and finishing off with Årabrot. The showcase will also feature Year Of No Light, LLNN performing Unmaker, new signings Bruit≤, Oslo Tapes and a solo set from Karin Park.
Psych-heads rejoice – Die Wilde Jagd will perform at Roadburn, following two awe inspiring live performances at Roadburn Redux earlier this year. TAU & the Drones of Praise will also reprise their Redux appearance and make their way to Tilburg for an in-person performance.
Hangman’s Chair will complement their already-announced album set with a collaboration with Regarde Les Hommes Tomber. Originally commissioned by Red Bull and performed only once to date; the two bands have written additional material to extend the performance further into the reaches of their collective imaginations.
Originally scheduled to perform in 2020 Warhorse will finally perform at Roadburn 2022. Huntsmen will kick off their first trip to Europe with a special performance at Roadburn where they’ll play their 2018 album, American Scrap, in full.
London’s Five The Hierophant will make their Roadburn debut, as well as performing a collaborative piece with Wyatt E. and MC Slice titled Atonia.
These artists are added to a line up that already features Ulver, Lingua Ignota, Liturgy, Emma Ruth Rundle, Russian Circles, 40 Watt Sun, Backwash and many more. Click here to view the full line up and below to read more on these newly announced artists.
ÅRABROT ATONIA: A COLLABORATION BETWEEN WYATT E., FIVE THE HIEROPHANT & MC SLICE BRUIT ≤, DIE WILDE JAGD FIVE THE HIEROPHANT HANGMAN’S CHAIR X REGARDE LES HOMMES TOMBER HUNTSMEN KARIN PARK LLNN LUSTMORD OSLO TAPES SLIFT (ARTIST IN RESIDENCE) TAU & THE DRONES OF PRAISE URAL UMBO WARHORSE YEAR OF NO LIGHT ZETRA
Weekend tickets, and Friday and Saturday day tickets are sold out. Thursday and Sunday day tickets remain in limited numbers. Tickets and accommodation options are available to view viaticketmaster.nl
Life takes you to unexpected places, and if you’re alive, that’s probably something you already know. I’ve been to Sligo, Ireland, where singer-songwriter Rainbow Starlight is situated, and it vibes like a place where magic might actually happen. I don’t just mean that it’s beautiful, though it is, but with its worn hills and long-stretched landscape, it’s easy to get lost in the thought of it being a place of old knowledge. If you were going to tie a Gaelic version of the Hail Mary into the pagan roots of Christianity as an exploration of reformed organic folk, as Starlight does here in the company of Pól Brennan and Seán Mulrooney, it might be the kind of spot where that would happen.
So it goes that the title “Ón Mháthair” translates to English as “from the mother,” and the eight-minute unfurling of the track takes place indoors and out in the accompanying video. Mulrooney, also of Tau and the Drones of Praise, recently took part in the Roadburn Redux virtual fest, and had Brennan sit in with the band as a part of that. I don’t know when that was filmed in relation to this, but there’s plenty of Springtime mist and clouds as Starlight takes a deep breath, sees the world go from black and white to full color, and seems to try to bring the essence of the place — Knocknarea, as you can read below — into herself. If you want a magic vibe, there it is.
Patient natural drone, guitar, percussion, some flute for good measure, and everyone’s voices coming together around Rainbow Starlight‘s own, “Ón Mháthair” is a subtly varied but all the more lush for that stretch of melody and ambience. I’ll readily admit my connection here is Tau — who I hear have finished recording their next album, by the by — but the piece as a whole is beautiful and engrossing and if you’re up for giving it a chance, I think you’ll find much the same.
More info on the release follows, courtesy of the PR wire.
Please enjoy:
Rainbow Starlight, Pól Brennan and Seán Mulrooney, “Ón Mháthair” video premiere
Clannad’s Pól Brennan and Seán Mulrooney from Tau collaborate with singer-songwriter Rainbow Starlight to release a haunting new version of the ‘Hail Mary’ as Gaeilge.
Release Date: Summer Solstice, 21st June 2021
Inspired by the multi-faceted and complex spiritual traditions of Ireland, Sligo-based singer-songwriter, Rainbow Starlight has composed a powerful and ethereal melody for one of Ireland’s best loved ancient prayers, ‘Sé Do Bheatha a Mhuire’.
Starlight says “We have experienced many waves of imperial and religious conquest in Ireland and despite concerted efforts to remove the essence of the Feminine from the collective psyche, the spiritual connection of the Irish people to the nurturing energy of the Feminine has always endured. During pre-Christian times this was expressed as a deep appreciation for the cycles of nature and Irish Goddesses such as Brigit and Maebh. In our more recent history, it has manifested as a continued reverence for Mother Mary and St. Brigid.”
It is the enduring connection of the Irish people to the Feminine that Starlight wanted to represent with this song. Clannad’s Pól Brennan says “One of the reasons we have lost our way in the world today is because we have lost our connection to the Feminine.” Seán from Tau adds “Unless we restore our connection to nature and begin to truly honour the Feminine, our trail of destruction will continue to blaze.”
The trio were united by a shared wish for healing and harmony in the world, each bringing their unique musicality and essence to craft this stunning piece. Starlight says “This song calls to everyone on this island of Ireland and across the world to reclaim our essence as balanced humans, to stand strong and to walk together on this beautiful Earth with sovereignty of heart.”
‘Ón Mháithair’ (‘From the Mother’) was recorded live in the Chapel of Ease, Dublin in December 2020 and shot on the sacred mountain of Knocknarea, Co. Sligo, where Queen Maebh’s Tomb lies on the summit. The video and song work beautifully together to bring forth the golden thread of the Feminine that runs through Ireland’s ancient past and present alike.
Don’t tell anyone — or better yet, do! — but this show turned out pretty solid. I kind of put it together following a couple whims, things I’ve wanted to put in my own head, plus some of the recent Bandcamp Friday stuff — hello Spaceslug and Geezer — and things I’ve covered here recently in Tuna de Tierra and Worshipper and Carlton Melton, etc. Then I just wanted to hear the Shogun and LáGoon tracks for myself, and I’ve been meaning to cover that White Powder record more for weeks, and then I started thinking about songs that have “mountain” in the title and decided to do a whole block of those just for the hell of it, so that’s where we wound up. Mountain climbing.
But in addition to starting off with the maddeningly catchy “It’s Already Written” by Tau and the Drones of Praise — whose Roadburn Redux stream was posted here first thing this week — this one makes a few cool turns and flows and kind of breaks up nicely from one thing to the next, even as “Mountain” gets into “Mountain” into “Longing to Be the Mountain” and “Holy Mountain” and “I’m the Mountain.” This is the sort of thing I think is fun. That’s me. That’s who I am.
Anyway, thanks for listening and/or reading. As always, I hope you enjoy.
The Obelisk Show airs 5PM Eastern today on the Gimme app or at http://gimmemetal.com
Full playlist:
The Obelisk Show – 05.14.21
Tau and the Drones of Praise
It’s Already Written
Tau and the Drones of Praise
Carlton Melton
Waylay
Where This Leads
Spaceslug
The Event Horizon
The Event Horizon
VT
Worshipper
Pictures of Home
VA – Bow to Your Masters Vol. 2: Deep Purple
LáGoon
Hill Bomb
Skullactic Visions
White Powder
Rula Jabreal
Blue Dream
Shogun
Delta
Tetra
VT
Tuna de Tierra
Mountain
Tuna de Tierra
Colour Haze
Mountain
Colour Haze
King Buffalo
Longing to Be the Mountain
Longing to Be the Mountain
Sleep
Holy Mountain
Sleep’s Holy Mountain
Stoned Jesus
I’m the Mountain
Seven Thunders Roar
VT
Geezer
Solstice
Solstice
The Obelisk Show on Gimme Metal airs every Friday 5PM Eastern, with replays Sunday at 7PM Eastern. Next new episode is May 28 (subject to change). Thanks for listening if you do.
Originally aired last month as part of Roadburn Redux and ‘premiered’ via YouTube this past weekend, ‘Dream Awake’ brings an hour-plus live set from Tau and the Drones of Praise celebrating the band’s past, present and future. I was fortunate enough to interview guitarist/vocalist Seán Mulrooney for the Roadburn ‘zine, the Weirdo Canyon Dispatch, and the way he described it was, “It’s like the hero’s quest, the return home, and infinite possibilities. It’s a set of three parts. It’s the hero’s quest, the return home, the cosmos: infinite possibilities.”
Not wanting for scope, then, and fair enough given the sonic breadth — and breath, since this music is very much alive; the changes can be seen signaled between bandmates with sometimes urgent glances — that comes across in the 68-minute offering. And yet it is very much tied to the land and the spirit of the land that comes through in Irish folklore, from the inclusion of Pól Brennan of Clannad — who marked their 50th year in 2020 — to the paeans to ancestors and culture that are born in melodies and arrangement as well as lyrics and themes that perpetuate in the songs. It is a beautiful music, and by no means restricted to Irish influences, but every outward journey begins somewhere.
I was enthralled earlier this year when Tau and the Drones of Praise posted a live set from Dublin in support of their 2020 EP, Seanóirí Naofa (discussed here), and I knew going into Roadburn Redux that this was my gotta-see set of the entire affair. I am glad that as other exclusives have begun to trickle out to the greater public, this one has not been left to languish, because it deserves no less than to catch as many eyes and ears as possible with its transportive atmosphere and resonant emotional foundation, human and otherworldly at once.
Enjoy:
Tau and the Drones of Praise, ‘Dream Awake’
Full concert recorded exclusively for Roadburn Redux.
So glad you can be here now. Thanks so much Global community. Donate here to help us record 3rd album. paypal.me/taufornow
Listen to and purchase all music on BandCamp: https://tauofficial.bandcamp.com/ Tau and the Drones of Praise: Seán Mulrooney – guitar/vocals Ruarí Mac Néill Aodha – guitar Bob “Wildman” Glynn – percussion/vocals Iain Faulkner – bass/vocals Ken “Moon” Mooney – drums/percussion
Tau and the Drones of Praise, Seanóirí Naofa (2020)
Posted in Whathaveyou on April 1st, 2021 by JJ Koczan
What, you thought because Roadburn was going virtual this year it wouldn’t find a way to be completely overwhelming? Behold 55 new additions to Roadburn Redux, set for just over two weeks from now — shit I need to get on WCD copy — and staggering in its scope as Roadburn consistently manages to be. Find me checking out Steve Von Till, Body Void, Astrosoniq, Doctors of Space, Nadja, Year of No Light, SÂVER and a ton of others, and yeah, fucking a. You know it’s Roadburn when all you can really do is throw your hands up and give in to it.
The full announcement follows here. I don’t even know what to say anymore.
From the PR wire:
ROADBURN REDUX: Steve Von Till, Aaron Turner and 53 more names confirmed
Redefining heaviness with exclusive performances and premieres – wherever you are in the world.
Roadburn Redux has confirmed an enormous 55 new names that will be participating in the online event taking place between April 16-18. They will be joining the already-announced line up that includes Hexvessel, Die Wilde Jagd, Inter Arma, Mizmor, Primitive Man, Wolvennest and many, many more.
Artistic Director Walter Hoeijmakers comments: “Roadburn has always been a gathering of kindred spirits; shining a light on varying creative corners of our beloved underground and beyond. This year is no different. We’re beyond elated to announce that a vast number of inspiring bands and artists – from Roadburn luminaries such as Steve Von Till and Aaron Turner to young, to upcoming hopefuls like Knoll – have been added to our final, virtual lineup. We’re honoured to provide a platform in these trying times, whether they will bring you exclusive sets or present their debut albums. Together they will give us hope, inspiration, and most of all, the opportunity to reconnect with each other and keep our thriving community going for bands and fans alike. Despite the fact that Jo Quail and several musicians working with her on ‘The Cartographer’ can’t make it to Tilburg due to the travel restrictions – she’ll still be a part of the festival this year, whilst the commissioned performance will take place in 2022. Such is the communal vibe of Roadburn, and we can’t wait to welcome you to Roadburn Redux – wherever you are in the world.”
Roadburn Redux will take place online between April 16-18. Roadburnredux.com for more information.
New Additions
STEVE VON TILL presents A Remote Wilderness Steve Von Till has performed at Roadburn as part of Neurosis, as a curator, as a solo artist, and a guest musician – and now he will be performing for us within a digital realm as part of Roadburn Redux.
Filmed and recorded live at the legendary Robert Lang Studios in Seattle, we’re delighted to be able to present to you a Steve Von Till performance titled A Remote Wilderness. Joined by a dynamic group of Seattle based musicians Von Till will perform his latest album, No Wilderness Deep Enough, in its entirety – with a few older songs woven throughout.
PERFORMANCES As well as Steve Von Till’s amazing contribution to Roadburn Redux, we’re thrilled to bring a huge swathe of exclusive, specially recorded performances to Roadburn audiences, including a special solo set from Aaron Turner, a short set from Jo Quail to tide us over until The Cartographer performance next year, the unveiling of two new Dawn Ray’d songs via an exclusive performance video, a very special improv set from Blanck Mass, a psychedelic freakout courtesy of Doctors of Space and much more. Click the artist names below to find out more about each of their performances.
Aaron Turner Amulets Svart Sessions: Doodswens Blanck Mass Body Void Dawn Ray’d Doctors of Space Drowse Jo Quail Jonathan Hulten Knoll Nadja Nero Di Marte Sula Bassana Wesenwille
COMMISSIONED: Also performing for us will be two further artists commissioned specifically by Roadburn for the occasion.
BADA BADA was created in 2019 by Anna Von Hausswolff and fellow Gothenburg musicians David Sabel, Gianluca Grasselli, Filip Leyman and Hannes Nilsson – some of whom also perform as part of Von Hausswolff’s solo project. Through cinematic drone, tribal rhythms, heavy distortions and a shared desire to “reunite the essential bonds between music and physical worlds”, BADA is a captivating and constantly evolving force of creativity that demands to be witnessed.
TAU PRESENTS DREAM AWAKE Tau are bringing their transcendental visions to Roadburn Redux, with an exclusive two-part set entitled Dream Awake, that will include a special guest appearance from Clannad’s Pól Brennan. Led by Dubliner Seán Mulrooney, Tau’s hypnotic neo-folk transports listeners on a meditative voyage, taking in shamanic chants, psychedelic flourishes and traditional folk elements, from Irish to Mongolian.
PELAGIC PRESENTS We’ve joined forces with Germany’s Pelagic Records to showcase artists on the label’s roster under the banner ‘Pelagic Presents’. With no indication of slowing down, this positively prolific label is churning out stellar release after stellar release, even during the last twelve challenging months. Join us as we team up to bring you an exciting collection of premiers, exclusive performances and we’ll even be unveiling some brand new signings to the label over the Redux weekend.
The following artists will be participating in the Pelagic Presents showcase:
Blessings Briqueville Crown Johan G. Winther LLNN Lustmord & Karin Park Oslo Tapes Psychonaut Sâver SOM The Ocean performing Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic | Cenozoic Year of No Light
ALBUM PREMIERES In addition to already announced full album premieres, we’re delighted to confirm three more – including Spill Gold performing their album Highway Hypnosis, broadcast live from the 013 venue. Might performing Might Spill Gold performing Highway Hypnosis Trialogos performing Stroh Zu Gold
THE SONGS OF TOWNES VAN ZANDT The installment of The Songs of Townes Van Zandt is on the horizon during Roadburn Redux the artists involved with the latest album will be unveiled. With previous participants including John Baizley, Scott Kelly and Mike Scheidt, the pedigree of the artists is in no doubt. To find out more click here – and tune in April 16-18 for the big reveal. Click here for more info.
AUDIO/VIDEO PREMIERES: Roadburn Redux will also be the proud host of a number of audio and visual premieres over the festival weekend. Ranging from previously recordings from previous editions of the festival through to brand new a material from upcoming albums, there’s a feast for both the eyes and ears planned this April courtesy of the following artists:
Acid Rooster Algiers Alora Crucible An Autumn For Crippled Children Astrosoniq Blodet Emma Ruth Rundle & Thou Hand Model Hante Kayo Dot Midwife Noctule Obsidian Kingdom Of Wolves Sunrot Talea Jacta Meets Electric Moon Tesa Thy Catafalque Witch Mountain Wolf King Wolves In The Condo
VIRTUAL PIT STOP We are partnering up with a brand new as yet un-released to public virtual social gathering platform called Bramble to bring you a daily place to hang out with fellow Roadburners virtually – just like the real life Pit Stop in Tilburg.
Anyone who has ever played video games will feel right at home in Bramble, where conversations happen inside of a psychedelic venue. Guests walk around a trippy world as an avatar – connecting with your long lost community. As you move your avatar around, the people you see and hear change depending on who you’re close to, like moving around a physical space. There will be four separate spaces – The Grass Company, 8.6 Bar, The Weirdo Canyon, and The Skate Hall – open from 5pm CET til 3am CET each day of Roadburn Redux.
Bramble was invented by Artery, a global community for intimate culture and social infrastructure. Its unique gathering platform has been used for everything from open-mics to an album listening party celebration, as well as birthday parties, family gatherings and dozens of companies establishing virtual spaces for their remote workforce.
TICKETS & INFO Roadburn Redux will be available to access between April 16-18 with a full programme of content online for free (or pay what you like).
Already announced is commissioned projects from Mizmor, Primitive Man Die Wilde Jagd, Dirk Serries, GOLD, Jo Quail, Neptunian Maximalism, Of Blood And Mercury, Radar Men From The Moon, Solar Temple, TDC Inc, and The Nest, plus album premieres from Autarkh, Die Wilde Jagd, Emptiness, Plague Organ and Wolvennest, and a series of sets recorded under the banner of The Svart Sessions – highlighting the best of the Finnish label’s roster.
Roadburn Redux has been made possible due to the support from Brabant C, Gemeente Tilburg, Fonds Podiumkunsten, Provincie Noord-Brabant, Bavaria 8.6, Ticket to Tilburg.
Posted in Bootleg Theater on February 8th, 2021 by JJ Koczan
Filmed in December, the following audience-less livestream from Tau and the Drones of Praise was shot in Dublin and premiered this past weekend. I have no idea if the video is going to remain public or if it will be taken down at some point, but while you can see it, you should.
I’ll readily admit to being a late convert to Tau, not really digging in until I heard 2020’s Seanóirí Naofa EP (discussed here), which was preceded by a 2019 self-titled full-length from Tau and the Drones of Praise that’s no less righteous in its definitively-Irish-in-its-nationlessness, heathen-without-being-masked-white-supremacist psychedelic folk, taking elements from traditions Asian, American and European and fusing them together in this a fashion at once inevitably of the earth and ready to depart from it. Flutes were had, y’all.
The stream took some from the album — “It’s Already Written,” “Craw” — and some from 2016’s Tau Tau Tau — “Mother,” Spanish-language closer “Espiral” — one from 2015’s Wirikuta EP — “Huey Tonantzin” — and three of the four from Seanóirí Naofa — the title-track, the cello-laced “Speak Your Truth” and “Mongolia.” All of this, plus the song of the land, “Éist Le Ceol An Chré,” and the stream makes a surprisingly effective sampling of Tau and the Drones of Praise past and present while filtered through a singular performance.
That performance, by the way, is gorgeous. There’s a bird. That might be Nibbles, I don’t know. The bird introduces the band, and the band unfurls 50 minutes of casual brilliance, filmed like it’s a BBC special from the year 1QX6, varying instruments and personnel here and there along the way, but keeping a steady core with Seán Mulrooney‘s guitar and vocals running throughout.
I know you’re way cooler than I am and way down with all this stuff already, but this is the kind of set that, even if you don’t know all the material, you’re going to put on and be stuck there for the duration. Between the engaging delivery itself and the ethereal spirit that surrounds the songs, there’s little to be done except appreciate, sing, maybe dance. If there’s any justice in this wretched universe, it’ll be a live album by the next Bandcamp Friday.
Have at it and enjoy:
Tau and the Drones of Praise, Live From Dublin
Thanks so much Fuinneamh for presenting our online gig tonight.
The premier airs tonight. The great gig in the sky, the great and freaky unknown. We haven’t a clue what to expect but it’s exciting.
We are playing Fuinneamh festival this September. Everything they do they do with love and energy. Fuinneamh means energy in Irish.
Setlist: Huey Tonantzin Mother It’s Already Written Mongolia Speak Your Truth Craw Seanóirí Naofa Éist Le Ceol An Chré Espiral
Tau and the Drones of Praise: Seán Mulrooney – guitar/vocals Ruarí Mac Néill Aodha – guitar Bob “Wildman” Glynn – percussion/vocals Iain Faulkner – bass/vocals Ken “Moon” Mooney – drums/percussion Gabriele Dikciute – cello
Tau and the Drones of Praise, Seanóirí Naofa (2020)
I’m not gonna claim to be any kind of expert on the work of Tau or any of the various incarnations the Irish-rooted frontman Shaun Mulrooney has of it. I saw something so I’m saying something while I bother to investigate further. Tau and the Drones of Praise issued the four-song Seanóirí Naofa EP last month, and they would’ve been at Roadburn this year, but blah blah blah I’m tired of talking about the pandemic. The EP’s tracks vary somewhat in personality, but with the title-cut, there’s a particularly deep dive into Celtic folk and nature-worshiping psychedelia. And antlers. Lots of antlers. I don’t even mean just in the video. The song itself has antlers. How did they even do that?
Well, that’s the magic I guess, and that’s why I’m posting the video, because it’s easy to get swept up in it, and while this may not be the kind of heavy fare one expects around here all the time, consider the weight of Ireland’s history and consider the breadth of atmosphere being conveyed here and maybe that’ll give you some sense of where I’m coming from. Or maybe it won’t and it doesn’t really matter either way. If you dig it, dig it. If you don’t, well, I post five times a day most days and there are at least a hundred thousand other shitheel blogs out there, so do the math and you’re bound to find something that meets your stringent standards sooner or later.
Sorry. That one kind of took a turn.
Anyway, expand your horizons a little and get into it:
Tau & the Drones of Praise, “Seanóirí Naofa” official video
Title track Seanóirí Naofa (Sacred Ancestors) from the EP, Seanóirí Naofa out now.
Video is a collage and homage to the beauty of Ireland and our Sacred sites. Additional shots on tour in France and at La Briche Audio
Edited by Kyle McFerguson Filmed by Haile MArie & Leo Lee
Seanóirí Naofa is the lead single from an EP of the same title by Tau & And The Drones of Praise.
This is the follow up to their second album released in February 2019, which garnered widespread acclaim.
In a flash of Imbas (inspiration) Seanóirí Naofa was written and recorded by the Berlin/Ireland based ensemble in just a few hours which gives the track its raw/ archaic immediacy. Opened stringed tunings and old instruments like the hurdy gurdy contains that signature Tau drone while maintaining a confident and contemporary, folky feel.
The mountain on the cover is Queen Maeve’s Cairn at Knocknarea, Co Sligo. The photograph was taken on Spring Equinox 2020, just as the world went into lockdown. The fiery warrior spirit and sovereignty which Goddess Queen Méabh represents so inspires the band, and is a reminder of our own inner fire and our own sovereignty.
Here, frontman Shaun Mulrooney retraces his ancestors’ footsteps, as his surname originates in County Sligo which is a stone’s throw from where he currently resides. Rory Nelson Mckee’s traditional guitar playing being at the helm on Seanóirí Naofa gives this work Tau’s most Irish sounding feel to date.
Tau and the Drones of Praise, Seanóirí Naofa (2020)
