The Murder Capital (Paul Lyme)
Dublin’s, The Murder Capital, were by far one of the best bands I saw when I was covering Truck Festival this year. So I was really looking forward to the release of their debut album, When I Have Fears.
The album was produced by Flood (PJ Harvey, New Order, Foals) and features all four singles from the band so far, Feeling Fades, Green & Blue, Don’t Cling To Life and More Is Less.You can stream HERE or, even better, as I think this will be a seminal debut, order HERE.
When we saw the band after their set we wanted a quote for the review. Their quote was “Pre-Order the album”. As it turns out this was very sound advice.
An exercise in both darkness and light, When I Have Fears only serves to highlight the early ambition in the band’s sound. From the post-rock build and breakdowns of the exquisite two-part Slowdance, to the tender, bruised confessional of On Twisted Ground and industrial pulse of closer Love, Love, Love, there’s a consistent intensity throughout that marks out The Murder Capital as a band arriving fully formed on their debut album.
This has so far been the release of the year for me, and 2019 has been a rich year so far. It was obvious from their limited set at Truck Festival that The Murder Capital were going to be big, but this album has far surpassed my expectations, which were already high. There are few debut albums that grab you instantly and make you listen to it over and over again.
The release also follows the recent live session for Steve Lamacq on 6 Music, where they have been B-listed for latest release Don’t Cling To Life, which was a song that they brutally dedicated to our Prime Minister at Truck!
The band have also recently released the first in a series of four live videos, starting with Green & Blue.
The Murder Capital have seen previous single releases, Feeling Fades and the 12″ of the aforementioned Green & Blue top the vinyl charts already this year.
The Murder Capital are James McGovern – vocals, Damien Tuit – guitars, Cathal Roper – guitars, Gabriel Paschal Blake – bass and Diarmuid Brennan – drums. When you see them live what strikes you most about the experience is not the heaviness, the bleakness or the rage you might expect, but witnessing a most extreme vision of tenderness.
The Murder Capital (Gavin Ovoca)
When I Have Fears is not black and white, it is a unique experience that becomes universal simply through listening, tethered together by an unbreakable tenderness. Not black and white, but three anonymous bodies, cloaked and embracing in a pallid, grey-beige. It is everything and it is nothing. Shared by everyone and no one.
Going to see The Murder Capital is an experience, both brutal and beautiful and I would highly recommend seeing them in the flesh. There are plenty of opportunities to see them both in the UK and across Europe, but be quick because word is spreading and several dates are already sold out
The Murder Capital (Paul Lyme)
Tour Dates are as follows.
August
23rd August – Cabaret Vert – Charleville Mezieres, France
25th August – Rock En Seine – Paris, France
30th August – Into The Great Wide Open – Vlieland, Netherlands
September
1st September – End of the Road – Salisbury, UK
7th September – Misty Fields Festival – Asten-Heusden, Netherlands
26th September – Death Disco – Athens, Greece
October
6th October – The Crescent – York, UK
7th October – The Exchange – Bristol, UK – SOLD OUT
8th October – Bodega Social Club – Nottingham, UK
10th October – Dome, Tuffnell Park – London, UK – SOLD OUT
11th October – Concorde 2 – Brighton, UK
12th October – Castle & Falcon – Birmingham, UK
14th October – Brudenell Social Club – Leeds, UK
15th October – The Mash House – Edinburgh, UK
16th October – King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut – Glasgow, UK
18th October – YES (The Pink Room) – Manchester, UK – SOLD OUT
19th October – Ritual Union – Oxford, UK
20th October – Swn Fest – Cardiff, UK
25th October – London Calling – Paradiso – Amsterdam, Netherlands
26th October – V11 – Rotterdam, Netherlands
28th October – Le Grand Mix – Tourcoing, France
29th October – Portobello – Caen, France
31st October – Le Rocher de Palmer – Bordeaux, France
November
1st November – La Rex – Toulouse, France
2nd November – La Paloma – Nimes, France
4th November – Joker’s Pub – Angers, France
6th November – Nouveau Casino – Paris, France
8th November – L’Autre Canal – Nancy, France
9th November – La Poudriere – Belfort, FR
10th November – Sonic City – Kortrijk, Belgium
12th November – Molotow Musikclub – Hamburg, Germany
13th November – Musik und Frieden – Berlin, Germany
14th November – Artheater – Cologne, Germany
16th November – Lausanne, Switzerland – Le Romandie
17th November – Bern, Switzerland – ISC Club