Tea and Cake with The Jimmys

October 29, 2007 at 8:04 pm (The Show) (Some Days Never End, The Indie Hour, The Jimmy Cake)

Well, okay, we just had tea. No cake.

My first introduction to The Jimmy Cake was kind of accidental. I went to a gig in Vicar Street – I think it was back in 2003, perhaps 2004 – which had the line-up of The Redneck Manifesto, Nina Hynes and some band called The Jimmy Cake. I don’t think I was familiar with The Jimmys at that time, but had heard their name and some favourable mumblings about there being loads of them and having no singer. They blew me away that night, and, in my opinion, stole the show from Nina Hynes. They also brought out Lisa Hannigan to sing a song with them – it’s the only time I’ve heard her sing live, and she was really, really incredible. I was happy to hear that she’d parted ways with Damien ‘good jehovah I’m frighteningly dull’ Rice, and am still waiting in anticipation for her debut album to come out.

Anyway, this concert prompted me to buy the wonderful Dublin Gone. Everybody Dead released in 2002, tracks of which I have played on the indie hour over the last three years. And so, I was delighted when four of the nine members came down on the show last week to talk about their new album and share a few tracks with us.

Vinnie, Paul, Mick and Dip came down last Thursday, with a CDR of the as yet untitled album, to be released early 2008. They told us about taking a break and having a kit-kat, about the line-up changes, their websites being hijacked by porn and eh, cake, about the delay in releasing this album, and they answered the inevitable Jimmy Cake question of how the hell they organise to even show up at a gig with nine people in tow.

The gentlemen were so kind as to let me hang on to the copy of the album, which I have been listening to on repeat since Thursday (taking breaks to eat, sleep and watch TV of course). When you really, really like a band, you always feel a bit nervous listening to new stuff, you so badly want it to be good. I don’t think there’s any need to worry that people will be disappointed with The Jimmy Cake’s new album – it’s a mellower affair than Dublin Gone, but it loses none of the energy and melodic loveliness created by the past incarnation of this Dublin band.

We played through three tracks from the new album: Jetta’s Palace, Red Tony and My Brass Buttons. The last track, as well as Hugs for Buddy, both from the new album, are up on their myspace, but the standout track for me on the album – purely for the sheer beauty of it – Day The Arms That Came Out of the Wall is not up yet, so you may have to tune in to the show next Thursday to have a listen ahead of the expected release of the album in February 2008.

We also spoke to Declan Forde from Some Days Never End festival, which started last Thursday night, and continues until this Thursday with concerts taking place in IMMA. Congratulations to our Frames ticket competition winner. We finished the show with Jose Gonzalez‘ stunning track Down The Line, as he was playing with Duke Special last Friday as part of the festival. I haven’t heard any reports about that concert yet – any good?

Also on this show, we heard Little Messy from Grand Pocket Orchestra, who supported Les Savvy Fav in Crawdaddy on Saturday night, and nialler9 recommended XXXchange’s remix of Thom Yorke’s Eraser, which featured on the October nialler9 podcast. This latest podcast is one of my favourites so far, with nialler9 dishing up some great tracks as always, so do download it and keep your iPod happy.

So here you have it – download away and turn your telly off. It’s bad for your skin.

MP3

The Jimmy Cake Thursday 25th of October 2007

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