Every Thursday John Meagher, Irish Independent Music Critic, joins Chris and Ivan in Newstalk Towers to discuss all things happening in the music world.
TALKING POINT
On her fifth album, 1989, Taylor Swift has dispensed with the brand of country-lite that she made her name with and morphed into a fully fledged pop star. Released in the US last week, it's already one of the biggest selling albums of the year. But what's especially interesting about the Taylor Swift story is her refusal to play ball with Spotify. She argues that artists simply don't make enough royalties from the streaming service and insists that music should be paid for. Several acts have come out against Spotify's business in recent months including Roseanne Cash, who described the streaming service as "dressed up piracy". She said she was paid just $104 in royalties for 600,000 plays on Spotify.
ALBUM OF THE WEEK
The solo debut from Ash frontman Tim Wheeler.
A highly intimate collection of songs, Lost Domain chronicles the singer's late father's battles with Alzeihmer's Disease. Although there's plenty of melancholy present, many of the songs celebrate all that's good in life, including father-son relationships. For 20 years now, the Downpatrick musician has confounded expectations. And his razor-sharp melodic gifts remain as impressive as ever.
GIG OF THE WEEK
Kylie in the 3Arena on Saturday night
She may be 46 years old and something of a veteran of the pop scene, but Melbourne's favorite daughter more than holds her own in a world of Pinks and Katy Perrys. She excelled when she played this venue a couple of years ago, and with a new album (Kiss Me Once) to promote, there's no reason to suspect that Kylie won't be able to deliver the goods once more.
TIP OF THE WEEK
A new album from the former Choice Music Prize winner Adrian Crowley. Some Blue Morning is the sixth album from the Galway singer and one in which is lovely baritone vocals truly shine. It's being released on the hip Chemikal Underground label and is attracting some positive reviews in the UK.
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