Music News

I can’t figure out why Dublin folk pop duo Hudson Taylor named themselves after a 19th century British missionary. Where’s the connection? Are they also evangelical Christians? Is it some kind of faux-victoriana? Maybe they like his hipster beard? I guess I’ll never know. One thing is for sure, however, brothers Harry and Alfie Hudson-taylor know a thing or two about making satisfying, Americana-flecked pop that nods as much to Laurel Canyon as it does to Nashville. Current single

Golden is a case in point. It’s a gloriously melancholic celebration of those early flushes of romance, filled with Major7 chords so beloved of The Thrills and Noah & The Whale – and guided no doubt, or at least inspired, by songwriting and production pal Iain Archer (the Co Down genius). Anyway, Hudson Taylor play the Limelight next Friday night, June 10... in the meantime if anyone cracks the riddle of their name, get in touch...

Weekends are going to sound a lot different for me and mine over the summer – thanks to the Sundays on The Maritime Mile. It’s part of a year of celebrations taking place down by Belfast’s waterfront in the Titanic Quarter and features free shows by local musicians of all disciplines from folk to rock, jazz to trad, indie to electronic (and all that falls between). This Sunday sees a bit of a Chordblossom special – with the help of their pals at Snow Water – at the Soundyard, a cool outdoor venue near the Titanic Museum. The show is between 2pm and 5pm and features Ciara O’neill, Sarah Toner, Rosborough and Charlie Hanlon, pictured... sounds like a plan. Thom Southern makes a pleasing racket, lovely, chugging fuzzy guitars, warm acoustic sounds and little psychrock flourishes that set him apart from his singer-songwriter peers. His latest single She’s So Precious has all of those things and much more. There’s an affecting melody and a hook that will keep you hanging on the melancholic (that word again!) subject matter of being taken for granted in a relationship but ultimately finding resolution. It’s great, really great in fact, which makes it all the more surprising Thom, formerly of the lost and lamented Mmode (the group he was in with his sister Lucy Gaffney) has yet to host a headline show. That’s soon to be rectified, however, as the Belfast man yesterday announced his first at the Deer’s Head in Belfast on October 21 – with support from Lauren Ann and the awesome Heartshaped. A while away but get the tickets while you can...

I’m excited over the new Sex Pistols biopic Pistol – streaming now on Disney+. John Lydon says he was never consulted about the series, based on guitarist Steve Jones’ book Lonely Boy: Tales from a Sex Pistol, and was never shown a script and claims that makes the whole enterprise a little bit suss. It wouldn’t be the Sex Pistols without a load of controversy – and surely it’s doomed to end in chaos...