Cathal Coughlan: Search & Destroy

Another reason to feel queasy about U2, associating themselves with cooler support bands who all go on to have a miserable time, when they should have just gotten Del Amitri.

For every “Angel’s Delight,” there’s a “Mr Baby” or “You’re a Rose,” and I admire that Cathal really didn’t have “edgy” at the top of his mind. The albums work. He was ok sounding out of time, even kind of uncool.

Angels Delight’s feeling particularly meaningful to me lately; tbh.

Keep getting the urge to yell “burn the bailiff” lately. Something about life these days, yknow.

Details on the new Telefis, and a new song:

https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2022/0708/1309013-watch-cathal-coughlans-last-music-with-telefis/

It will be a wonderful final statement.

His cynicism used to get to me a little, but I’m finding listening to his voice quite emotional lately. I don’t think I’d truly realized what a magnificent voice this man had. I almost think it was too good for some of the music at times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0cY02mgzOw

A truly astonishing man.

https://www.roughtrade.com/gb/telefis/a-do

Telefís, the groundbreaking collaboration between two Irish iconoclasts, revered singer-songwriter Cathal Coughlan and world-renowned producer Garret "Jacknife" Lee, release their second album a Dó (number two). Following the release of a hAon (number one) in March 2022, Cathal and Jacknife continued to work on music and completed the record at the end of Spring. Then sadly Cathal Coughlan died on May 18th. Their debut album a hAon was widely acclaimed by the UK and Irish press and received national radio play on 6Music, Radio X, RTE, Newstalk, and dozens of other outlets. The album playfully dissected the early days of Irish society in the TV era through a prism of electronic dance music, drawing on what they saw as a 'corrosive nostalgia'. It also paid homage to their musical heroes of the punk and post-punk era. Kraftwerk fighting with The Human League for a parking spot on Capel Street. But amongst the muscular beats and distressed synth stabs there were also strange ballads, haunting melodies and somber reflections. a Dó continues to broaden these sonic horizons and opens up the band's output to outside collaborators. We have guest appearances from Cathal's longtime friend and Microdisney co-founder and High Llamas main man Sean O'Hagan on the first single "Space Is Us", Echo and The Bunnymen's Will Sergeant guests on two tracks, legendary Mancunians A Certain Ratio on another. The inimitable Jah Wobble also contributes bass smarts following his dub odyssey with the band on their single "Falun Gong Dancer" earlier this year. This album will stand testament to the ingenuity of Cathal Coughlan, one of Ireland's most revered singer-songwriters, lyricists, commentators and polymaths. RIP.

https://telefis.bandcamp.com/track/space-is-us-with-sean-o-hagan

Fun track

New album, "A Dó", is out, and it's every bit as wonderful as the first one. RIP Cathal, I'll miss your brilliant observations and powerful bile.

One of the greatest to ever do it, and he went out on such a high. I urge anyone passing by to revisit this man's awesome discography. It's better than you think/remember, and he stayed fresh, poignant to the end, while writing some immense hooks. A Do is a tremendous send-off.

New album, "A Dó", is out, and it's every bit as wonderful as the first one. RIP Cathal, I'll miss your brilliant observations and powerful bile.

While I enjoyed A Haon, A Do is even better. It's an instant classic, fully formed. The electronics and vocoders attempt to dull Cathal, but they can't. He's too powerful. He was a force of nature.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpMDxhvsaE0

this one got me to well up. :(

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kghIF5j2d

Such a consistent songwriter.

Can someone confirm how he pronounced his name? I've heard it many different ways but not from the man himself.

Blah Blah.

The guy pronounces it correctly at the start of this interview.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6coKZJYz-wM

Around the first anniversary of the death of Cork music legend Cathal Coughlan, his Microdisney bandmate Sean O'Hagan recalls the heady days of the Leeside music scene in the 1980s.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsandculture/arid-41136259.html