NO ENCORE

Having successfully reached the 300-episode milestone, Craig has flounced off to sunnier climes, leaving Dave to recruit the one, the only,  Zara Hedderman . On the agenda; a terrifying Top 5, a debate on Self Esteem and a round-up of the most eyebrow-raising happenings in music this week... ACT ONE (4:47):  IDLES lament, Adele expense and Maroon 5 clarity – it's the news. ACT TWO (...

The last Monday of the month means a new Before The ENCORE , taking you deeper into the behind-the-scenes world of the music industry with Sonic Architect Adam guiding you along the way. This episode sees Adam speak with Niall McMonagle ; sound engineer and studio manager for the famous Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin city, which has played host to artists such as U2, R.E.M., The Cranberries, Phil...

Madness? This is #300, baby! That's how that quote goes, right?  On a suitably Spartan episode; Dave Hanratty and Craig Fitzpatrick celebrate a  NO ENCORE  milestone by welcoming OG co-host Colm O'Regan back into the fold. We laughed. We cried. We spoke about wings. You just flew. Thanks for your company across this ocean of time. On this particular edition...  ACT ONE (1:...

It's episode #299 and we're feelin' fine.  NO ENCORE  returns as Dave Hanratty and Craig Fitzpatrick elevate the humble B-side to A-tier status. Does that make sense? Does anything? Are you even reading these words or are they reading you? Think about it. And please do think about supporting the show if you like or even  love  what we do –  patreon.com/noencore  for b...

Don't hate, appreciate.  Unless we're talking about this week's Top 5 – though hopefully you'll appreciate that, too.  A new album from James Blake prompts Dave Hanratty and Craig Fitzpatrick to bash their heads together and consider some of the more spiky songs out there. Ire works, as a great band once said, but how will James fare in his own review? NO ENCORE  is on Patreon and y...

NO ENCORE 's 'movies x music' spin-off returns as Hanratty, Howard and Higgins combine to take on the Sparks-driven rock opera  Annette . An avant-garde arthouse film if ever there was an avant-garde arthouse film;  Annette  tells the story of celebrity couple Henry McHenry (Adam Driver) and Ann Defrasnoux (Marion Cotillard) and their subsequent strange travails. Is it too weird for...

Do you expect me to talk? No, Mr Bond, I expect you to... Listen to this suitably suspenseful episode, as Dave and Craig re-enter the Broccoli Cinematic Universe to celebrate No Time To Die and create our own alternative musical universe in the process. But before the Top 5, you’ll find Dave’s Big Film Review and Craig’s Big Ramble About Electroclash And Being Crushed To Death By A Pair Of Thighs....

Is it that time already? Yep, Before The ENCORE is back with the latest edition of industry and technical chats for all of you to sink your teeth into. The third edition of the periodical sees Sonic Architect Adam chat with Sivv , lo-fi beat-maker of the rap group NUXSENSE . We talk about his South African roots, movie inspiration, sampling and a whole kaleidoscope of other musical musings. NO ENC...

Throw on your best Stetson –  NO ENCORE  is finally going country. Is it in honour of the 'Garth Brooks is coming back to Ireland' rumours? Is it a nod to Lil Nas X and our album review this week? Or do Dave Hanratty and Craig Fitzpatrick just want to raise an undetermined bottle of beer high in the direction of the compelling best – and the dirt worst – of country and western music? Sad...

Oh yes indeed, it's time for another TRACK X TRACK special on NO ENCORE . This time around, Dave Hanratty is joined by Paul Noonan and Daithí O'Dronaí, collectively known as HousePlants . The guys have just released debut album Dry Goods and so we figured it wouldn't be the worst idea in the world to gather round a very large table and go through every song on the record, obtaining the stories beh...

It's the weekend, oh baby. Oh baby, it's the weekend. Rejoice. Dave Hanratty and Craig Fitzpatrick reunite in the digital space for another round of music news, focused album dissection and, but of course, a Top 5 countdown. Samples are on the menu this time out, so too is a different list that dominated the week's pop culture agenda. Or maybe it just came and went. Who knows? NO ENCORE is on Patr...

Might  prove a controversial one, this particular Top 5. Remember – it's totally fine to love what you love and disagree with us passionately, we're merely expressing  our  bafflement with the selections contained within this episode. A broad church is what we're saying. Elsewhere on  NO ENCORE  this week; plenty of news and the new, exciting, essential Drake album under r...

Well. It happened. After all this time. And there's really no getting around it – Kanye West did rather spoil the Donda party ahead of time. But maybe, just maybe, there are still valid reasons to attend. Dave Hanratty  and  Craig Fitzpatrick mull over an almost impossible review as celebration turns to deep rumination. The traditional Top 5 is dispensed with for the first instance since...

Hey hey, it's time for another round of our 'music x movies' discussion corner aka NO POPCORN~! And this time, dear listener, we're deep-diving into the world of hot sexy EDM music and the related drama thereof. The film in question is We Are Your Friends . The plot is... strange? Zac Efron attempts to upgrade his life by becoming a superstar DJ while hanging out with people just as beautiful as h...

Before The ENCORE returns for its sophomore episode with Sonic Architect Adam back at the helm. Theodora Byrne is a vastly accomplished session & touring musician, musical director, choir arranger and BIMM music theory lecturer. You may know her from appearing on stage with James Vincent McMorrow, Sorcha Richardson or her work with the Theodora Byrne Ensemble. She has played alongside a pletho...

Let's make some noise. Dave Hanratty and Craig Fitzpatrick are reunited and ready to take on another week of music news, a new album and a killer Top 5. The very best in drumming takes centre stage on this episode; a topic so broad that Dave feels the need to throw in a lengthy disclaimer for good measure. Before that, the boys pay tribute to departed Rolling Stones sticksman Charlie Watts, review...

On a special interview episode, Dave Hanratty sits down with the fantastic Orla Gartland during release week for her long-awaited debut album Woman on the Internet . On the agenda – finally releasing that debut long-player, Orla's status as an independent artist, her relationship with a very committed fan base, her thoughts on gender disparity on Irish radio, performing live again, horror movies a...

***DISCLAIMER: There was a bit of a snafu with Zara's audio this week, thus the difference in fidelity between herself and Dave. Proof that backing up a Zoom call is always worth it. Please forgive us this one week, won't you listener? -Sonic Architect Adam *** Home is where the podcast is. Dave Hanratty is joined by returning guest co-host Zara Hedderman – whose link game continues to astound – a...

Another week, another broken promise from Kanye Omari West.  Dave Hanratty  and  Craig Fitzpatrick  keep the faith, however, by shining a thorough light on unreleased musical efforts of yore and the frustrations, strange magic and eventual realisations associated with each individual selection, one of which is especially timely... Before that, all the news that's fit to podcast...

Global superstar music journalists Dave Hanratty and Craig Fitzpatrick recover from their second doses with a dose of THE TRUTH. In other words, another rambunctious episode of the best damn music podcast in town~! NO ENCORE  is on Patreon with a new episode of  NO AUX CORD  landing on Monday. Hit up  patreon.com/noencore  for bonus content if you'd like to suppo...

***Re-upload due to some distribution errors*** The heatwave is over but the temperature can only rise as Dave Hanratty, David Higgins and Norma Howard convene for a discussion on vibrant summer musical sensation – and, er, box office flop –  In The Heights ! Are the songs good enough to sustain a two-and-a-half hour musical? Is it  really  that long? Are there any future stars in t...

Bit of a mouthful, that top five. And yet, in practice? Gold. Pure gold.  It's  NO ENCORE , everybody~! Dave Hanratty and Craig Fitzpatrick are back with the week's music news, a new album review and, but of course, that top five... ACT ONE (3:50): Joey Jordison 1975 – 2021, Pete Davidson's Ramones fear, P!nk's show of solidarity, the end of The X Factor and a very important Craig on Kan...

Sonic Architect Adam Shanahan brings you the debut episode of Before The ENCORE Joe Hertz is a London-based producer and songwriter working with artists like Pip Millet, Sam Wills and Barney Artist to name a few of many. He is one of the pioneers of the neo-soul/electronica sound that has become a lot more prevalent in the last number of years which now influences so many current popular artists a...

A new addition to the NO ENCORE family arrives this Monday 26th July! Before The ENCORE dives into the studio world and beyond as Sonic Architect Adam Shanahan speaks to producers, engineers, and other industry professionals to lift the secretive veil that shrouds the studio process and all of the goings-on that occur before the songs you hear reach your ears. This periodical will commence on 26th...

Man, it's a hot one. Seriously, we're melting down. Don't worry, Dave Hanratty and Craig Fitzpatrick manage to keep their cool all the way through a brand new episode. The music, however, is a whole different story. On the agenda this week – Clairo's sophomore album in review, a scorcher of a Top 5, all the news that's fit to podcast about and an exciting show kick-off... ACT ONE:  A special...