This blog makes a strong point of drawing attention to the strength of the singer/songwriter scene in Ireland at the moment, but it is just as important to take the time to draw attention to the number of outstanding young bands on the island that are starting to make their mark. Popular bands like The Academic, Delorentos, and The Coronas, among others, have shown younger bands that there is a definite appetite for interesting and innovative bands to cement themselves in the industry, and new bands like Arcwords, Emily 7, and Post-Party have spotted this as inspiration and motivation. Another one of these bands who are starting their journey is the Dublin three-piece, Plastic Cowboys.

The talented three piece initially came about as the project of guitarist and vocalist, Ciaran McGann, before Joe Monaghan (drums) and Darren McCarthy (bass) came on board to flesh out the sound of the music.

The band recently released their second single, Not As Cool, which comes after the release of the single 99 on a Saturday last year. The new single is accompanied by a stunning live video that was recorded in Station Studios of Balbriggan in Dublin.

The standout thing that grabs you as you listen to the song is the quality of the instrumentation on show. The song opens with an exquisite guitar riff played on electric guitar by McGann, which is complimented by an excellent bass run performed by McCarthy and intense drumming from Monaghan. This level of musicianship continues throughout as it is clear that the group know exactly what they are trying to do with the track.

The vocals on across the song, performed by Ciaran McGann, are aggressive and assertive throughout and they offer a level of genuineness on top of the instrumentation. The lyrics on the track recount the familiar story of trying to bring someone with a heightened sense of themselves down a peg or two, something that will be familiar to a lot of people who listen.

A triumphant release from a band who are only beginning their music journey.

MK