Warning: Shameless Plug
Have you heard of Mumblin' Deaf Ro? Probably not, you uncultured oafs. That is about to change. K and I have enjoyed a (cough) mild obsession with this Dublin musician's music for nigh on three years now, and having been reminded of just how great he is at a gig on Saturday night in the Wellington, I felt it was time for y'all to taste his genius.
Ro writes songs that are pure poetry. Humorous, smart, touching (not the inappropriate variety), memorable. I have been humming the tracks from his first album, Senor, My Friend (which you can buy here for a ridiculous €7 including shipping), since I laid hands on it many moons ago. There is a unique quality to Ro's music that I find genuinely moving. We liked him so much that we asked him to play at our wedding and, despite not knowing what kind of off-centre plums we might be, he dutifully obliged, and even offered to do it free. Talented and nice. I HATE that guy!
Go here to listen to three classic examples of Ro's superb songwriting. Here is what other Important PeopleTM have got to say about him.
"An idiosyncratic gem . . . cherish it. **** - The Irish Times
"This must be one of the least heralded Irish albums to come along in a while. But it abounds with so much wit, invention and humility that it is also one of the most likeable. Rarely has frustration been so sympathetically articulated." - The Slate
"One of the lost classics of Irish indie pop" - Mongrel Magazine
"Mumblin Deaf Ro spins yarns about obnoxious graduates, failed lovers and blindly optimistic boxers which manage to combine insights sweet, sad and (occasionally) sharp." - The Event Guide
"Filled with hilariously skewed and witty lyrics." - The Sunday Trubune
"It's refreshing to come across a songwriter who isn't afraid to throw a few amusing lyrics into the mix, and yet at the same time can melt your heart with the intensity and honesty of his words. Senor, My Friend is definitely something not to miss out on." - Eclectic Honey
"For me, even at this foetal stage, this record is destined to be one of the year's finest Irish releases. Mumblin' Deaf Ro's music is of remarkable feeling, imagination and honesty. It gushes pure talent." - Cluas.com
"A diamond in the in-tray" - Village Magazine
"A valuable lesson to us all." - RTE entertainment.ie
Ro's next gig is in Bewley's on Grafton Street on August 24th at 8pm. K and I had tickets for Radiohead that night but we've actually decided to see Ro instead. Why? Because Radiohead are just boring now. If anyone wants to buy some Radiohead tickets from me, by the way, pop me a mail. I am sure we can come up with an extortionate deal where I make a lot of money and you get to go see a completely un-tired, fresh and non-dull band.
So go to Bewley's. Seriously. What have you got to lose? It's not like you've got to mandatorily strip on entry and yodel for your supper. No. Really. You probably won't have to do that.
/end plug (temporarily)
neuro-praxis -- Honestly, I Am Not Ro
Posted by neuro-praxis on August 2, 2006 05:00 PM, in the category Limb Infections