Cathal Coughlan: Search & Destroy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6YL06Za4rc

It's been a while since I've played his solo records but "Foburg" and especially "Rancho Tetrahedron" really deliver. I recall the earlier records were a bit tame for me at the time but I still love his voice.

His voice has stayed quite nice.

This Friday March 12th. Pre-order or pre-save at: https://t.co/cfkdZCL7EZ pic.twitter.com/Hw5uf0Ihfv

— Cathal Coughlan/Co-Aklan (@realcathalc) March 10, 2021

Looking forward to the full thing. I'm glad he was finally able to reconnect with Sean.

Ah, here we go. Another song -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPr9f0l96pA

This is really promising. Agreed that Cathal's voice and delivery still sounds fantastic.

Now streaming in full:

There’s an exclusive album stream going on over at Cork-based @overblownzine ahead of Friday's release. Thanks! CC https://t.co/mqiWr4YUmw @8RadioIreland @keeleytheband @irishmusicparty @theirishjam @Live95Limerick @UCC983FM @dublincityfm @RTERadio1 @TowerDublin @IrishAltMusic

— Cathal Coughlan/Co-Aklan (@realcathalc) March 24, 2021

Had my first listen. Incredible. His best.

I’m freaking out here over how good it is. Immediately dropped $50 on the LP after my first listen. There’s so many good songs on here.

Mark your calendars, next Monday April 5th at 8pm. @Tim_Burgess will be hosting a @LlSTENlNG_PARTY for my new album 'Song of Co-Aklan'. Hope to see you there! https://t.co/2ZBycjdNvu @DimpleDiscs @ShellshockLtd @Konkurrent_nl @Amped_Dist @ShamelessPR_ @_schubertmusic_ pic.twitter.com/7wxSTYmQ2m

— Cathal Coughlan/Co-Aklan (@realcathalc) March 29, 2021

'St Wellbeing Axe' kicked my ass all over the place this weekend. There's these lines at the very end of the song that are so good, where Cathal talks about the narrator's secret gymnast body. I adore this record.

Well, I'll keep talking to myself and share something interesting from this excellent Quietus feature -

https://thequietus.com/articles/29780-cathal-coughlan-interview

And then there’s the imminent first release from Telefís, a collaboration with Irish superstar producer Jacknife Lee. The latter’s credits include R.E.M., One Direction and Taylor Swift – and Coughlan seems rather tickled by the suggestion that he could now be considered a ‘topliner’. It will surprise some, but close observers will have long suspected that he had this kind of weirdly catchy electronic pop project in him too.

I do need to catch up with this new one.

I've just heard it, need to spin it again to absorb it. I want to know the stories behind some of these lyrics, especially "My child is alive" and the line about someone torching mosques and synagogues.

I want to know more about the "narrator's secret gymnast body," alluded to at the end of "St Wellbeing Axe," one of the hardest rocking songs of the year.

Cathal gives really good interviews, I've found -

https://www.15questions.net/interview/fifteen-questions-interview-cathal-coughlan-microdisney/page-1/

Few musicians give me so much.

Today's #timstwitterlisteningparty albums are Cathal Coughlan's 'Song Of Co-Aklan' at 3 PM ET, and Dry Cleaning's 'New Long Leg' at 5 PM ET https://t.co/cdkPgcDoSJ pic.twitter.com/TJzXxIOIx1

— BrooklynVegan (@brooklynvegan) April 5, 2021

Tim's Listening Party tonight if you're into those kinds of things.

Some of you have been asking about the Fatima Mansions catalogue, not a straight-forward process, but I'm delighted to announce the first of hopefully several streaming re-issues. Many thanks to Keith Armstrong and Kitchenware for their role in this. https://t.co/xtMjsuB0Bk

— Cathal Coughlan/Co-Aklan (@realcathalc) May 1, 2021

Available for the first time on digital services (with many thanks to Kitchenware Records) is my album 'Grand Necropolitan', all the way from 1996. Listen on your service of choice: https://t.co/aWnDawNuRS

— Cathal Coughlan/Co-Aklan (@realcathalc) April 29, 2021

I was never keen on CC's solo stuff, always felt a bit overwrought but I'm loving his new album

He was overwrought in Fatima Mansions too tbf.

Hey, get these dead bodies off my racetrack!

Love This Building, the 8+ minute opener on Grand Necropolitan. Wish he'd upload the album to Bandcamp since I have only a low bitrate of that one.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CO0RSp1HnUk/?igshid=1rq9wan4ka71r

Getting kind of excited for the Telefis thing he’s doing with Jacknife Lee. Seems like all the focus is already going toward the next project.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WY3tuOZsGc

The first output from Telefis, excellent! Apparently the album is called "hAon" but I can't find a release date.

I had the great privilege of directing the first video for Telefís - Cathal Coughlan & Jacknife Lee’s amazing new project- with help from ⁦@etienneshrdlu⁩, and edited by ⁦@eoinmcdon⁩.
WE NEED the experienced people. https://t.co/yJkhxZyrQG

— Paul Duane (@paulduanefilm) June 4, 2021

Somewords.

https://telefis.bandcamp.com/

have to say, this is a pairing i never expected, but actually makes sense.
JKL needs someone to kick him out of his celeb excess groove, and cathal is totally that person.

Liking it too. Looks like the album's out in Feb.

https://www.normanrecords.com/records/189993-telefis-a-haon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eih5Pcin5_4

Telefís, (the Irish Gaelic word for Television, pronounced Tele-feesh) is a collaboration between two acclaimed Irish iconoclasts, composer/mixer/producer Garret "Jacknife" Lee (U2, REM, Modest Mouse and many others) and singer/lyricist/composer Cathal Coughlan (Microdisney, Fatima Mansions and many acclaimed solo works). With Jacknife now based in Los Angeles and Cathal based in London, the two spent 2020 trading ideas and musical files during lockdown, hatching plans for a satirical, mischievous examination of Irish history and the pop culture of their lifetimes, what the two have labelled .."a corrosive nostalgia". The result is a highly unique album containing thirteen tracks entitled 'a hAon' (Number One), which will be released by Dimple Discs in February 2022.

On the new collaboration Cathal observes..."Collaborating in this way, with a dynamic and consummate artist, who has access to a wide range of skills which I don't have, but with whom I share many common interests and cultural/historical reference points, has been one of the highlights of my creative life. It's made me so glad that I've been able to remain active for long enough to see something like this happen. Easily as spontaneous and full of surprises as any in-person collaboration, it’s shaken loose many weird and hopefully wonderful things in my verbal workshop. And nobody has heard me use my voice in some of these ways before now, either."

Jacknife Lee adds: "I'd just finished mangling a Luke Haines and Peter Buck record. Luke knows Cathal and re-introduced us. On the first or second correspondence we thought we should make some music together. Music is probably the only way I can properly communicate with someone. I sent Cathal the backing track that would become "We Need" and he sent me back the vocal and we went back and forth from there. Lockdowns and travel restrictions forced us to work remotely, and I think helped us get to where we got so quickly. Cathal is without doubt one of the finest lyricists of our time and writes like no one else. Some of the vocals he sent over made me burst out laughing with giddiness and delight at the novelty of them. Mischievous, dark, arcane, crispy fresh, and always unexpected. Every song with a backstory that could be a novel. This is easily the most enjoyable and rewarding music that I've been involved with.”

Part celebration, part satire, Telefís is an exploration of nostalgia as experienced in the present day, by natives of what was formerly a culturally sealed-off small country on the very fringes of Europe. It also points a critical finger at today’s global hierarchies, an inspiration for the strange characters and caricatures that spring from Coughlan's fertile imagination. Stark forms of imagery, bizarre to the modern eye and ear but treated as routine in the pre-globalization world, are pushed at the listener and viewer. On the musical side, Jacknife Lee uses his extensive sonic palette to create an irresistible mix of cinematic instrumentals and electro-funk backdrops full of melodic, squelchy synths and thunderous bass-lines, often with a cheeky nod to electro-pop history.

'a hAon' will be available on CD and Vinyl, both with two-sided lyric sheet, and on all digital platforms.

I'm finding the two pre-release tracks really addictive.

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/0026410181_10.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LVm82bka8E

That one's killer. Can't wait for the full LP!

https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2022/0302/1283951-do-not-adjust-your-set-listen-to-the-new-telefis-album/

Currently streaming the full LP, which releases tomorrow.

Great upon first listen, will only get better on repeat.

If Fatima Mansions were still around, I think they would’ve released this album. This is great and it’s good to hear Cathal have some fun.

Yeah this is up there in his ouvre. Brilliant collab.

“Ouevre”

Cathal would not be amused

FUCK

BREAKING: The death has been announced of Cathal Coughlan, the Cork music legend who fronted such acts as Microdisney and Fatima Mansions... more to follow pic.twitter.com/ktq2Udl36x

— Irish Examiner Arts & Culture (@IEArtsCulture) May 23, 2022

This is such a colossal fucking bummer

Are you fucking kidding me? Just when he was having a creative resurgence??!!! Goddamn it!

'long illness...'

Looking back at some of those Telefis promo shots, he does look pretty drawn :(

Ah that sucks. That Telefis album was good stuff. Viva Dead Ponies forever.

Grim news. Didn't realise he was ill. Sad I never saw him live - I nearly did once but my potential companion wasn't into the idea of going. That great interview upthread is no longer online but there's the archive.org version of it here:

https://web.archive.org/web/20210331161410/https://www.15questions.net/interview/fifteen-questions-interview-cathal-coughlan-microdisney/page-1/

I always meant to his explore his work beyond my much-listened CD single of The Loyaliser (apparently not one of his most admired songs, but I think it's fun?)

Really sad. He’d had a great year and it’s well worth checking out now.

never really got deeply into him but was very fond of Only Losers Take The Bus at the time. Probably should listen to Black River Falls again. Anyways RIP.

RIP - Been bumming about this today. Loved Fatima Mansions output, and really enjoyed 'Song of Co-Aklan' last year and the follow-up EP. He had such a unique voice.

Recall being absolutely transfixed by / petrified of ranting bug-eyed Cathal as a callow teen at an (amazing) fatima mansions show in the mists of early 90s. The Astoria perhaps. Then, years later, being blown away by a Microdisney mixtape donated by a friend and feeling ridiculous for not having traced the thread back. The Co-Aklan stuff really does sound great. A wonderfully rich voice and what presence.

Been listening to this over and over today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO-bptqk4Dk

The new Telefis album is my favorite new release this year, it's a wonderful electro funk post punk melange.

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

This track feels particularly special today.

Song of Co-Aklan is a great album, front to back. I wonder what “St Well-being Axe” (fantastic track) is about, now that I’m paying closer attention to the lyrics today.

Cathal's lyrics are always near inscrutable but in an appealing way.

Man, Microdisney and Fatima Mansions were some incredible bands. I’ve been obsessively listening to Cathal since his passing. Treasure after treasure.

I listened to the entire Fatima catalog after he died, such an incredible vision. The last album is still my favorite.

Such a combination of hooks and vitriol.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQHUH3cgw-4

I was trying to describe Microdisney to somebody yesterday and I said "it's like OMD if the lead singer wanted to beat you up"

I was late (five years ago?) to discovering Cathal and co.'s music but I adore it

Fatima’s are where I underestimated him. I long thought they were just a super-edgy practical joke essentially. Their albums are incredible, mostly. Lots of rough stuff, sure. I think they could’ve caught on. I don’t know what they didn’t.

I recall they landed an opening slot for U2 in Rome around '92 and Cathal antagonized the crowd by miming the use of a Pope John Paul II figurine as a butt plug, or something like that. God bless him! But a good indication they were never headed toward mass acceptance.

I bought all the Fatima Mansions records, and saw them live at least once, but they somehow never really clicked with me. I don't think I've listened to them since last century! I missed the world weary melancholy and subtlety of Microdisney - although that had pretty much gone by the last album - and I always felt like he trying a bit too hard.

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