By all accounts it has been a reasonably quiet year for Brand New Friend. Aside from a handful of shows, the band have been hard at work in the studio working on new music. Their last release ‘Grandstand’ was met with critical acclaim and recently made the shortlist for Album of the Year at the NI Music Prize.
To celebrate this achievement and thank their fans for their support, the North Coast band are set to headline the Belfast Empire, this Thursday 28 November.
Ahead of the hugely anticipated show, we tasked Taylor & Lauren of Brand New Friend to put together their ultimate pre-gig playlist. Who knows you might even hear a few of them if you get down early…
Taylor’s Picks
Beach Boys – Don’t Worry Baby
The song I’d want to play as I drift on down the river at the end of my life – it’s all going to be alright!
Joshua Burnside – Woven
One of the greatest songwriters I’ve ever heard – this song reduces me to tears every time, which is deeply embarrassing to admit. “I wanna pull you out of this well, so damn dark and deep and wrap you in a tinfoil sheet with a coffee and the paper, calm to warm your heavy bones as they cave in, tell them I’m okay, I’m coming home today”.
Joshua Burnside – Late Afternoon In The Meadow 1887
I know it’s cheating, but I’ll take two Josh tracks, if that’s alright.
Anderson Nightmare – Sleep
Incredible indie-pop! I am in awe of Owen as a songwriter. That chorus is sublime.
PARKER – Eleanor
PARKER hit that supernova level on this song, it’s just brilliant. Fantastic production on it as well.
Lauren Ann – When The Party Ends
So up my street! Lauren Ann is a phenomenal singer and fellow Lloyd Cole fan – you can hear his lyrical nous in her lyrics.
Caolan Austin feat. Our Krypton Son – Walking Into The Furnace
Blows me away every time I hear it – Caolan is a genius.
The Pogues – Dark Streets of London
“And all of this really means nothing to me…”. I’ll never quite get over Shane McGowan’s death. We are so lucky to have had him on this planet for a while.
Lauren’s Picks
Paramore – Figure 8
I can’t put together a playlist without including at least one Paramore song. They are forever my first musical love, and Hayley Williams is the blueprint for my approach to writing. People often comment on her powerhouse vocal range, but I am obsessed with her staccato melodies and the way she plays with syllables. This track showcases the fiery side of older Paramore, and the jaunty, rhythmic, Talking Heads influence of their later work. Chef’s kiss.
Disorder – Pretty, Pretty, Pretty
If you like big indie anthems, you will love Disorder. These guys are continually getting better, and Dave is a truly underrated vocalist in the Northern Ireland music scene.
Ciaran Lavery – The World Will Put Its Arms Around You
Ciaran Lavery is an unparalleled artist. His new record Light Entertainment is a cinematic work and he wows me every time with his razor-sharp, self-referential lyrics. This song is a dizzying fever dream. He is also a friend of the band whose support means a lot.
The National – Quiet Light
The National will always be special for BNF as they are the first band that captivated all five of us equally. I was introduced to them on tour, during a late night drive across England, with Luke Harris on aux duties. The whole band took a trip to Brighton to watch them tour this record, and this is my favourite song. It’s a pop song at its core, with a heart-wrenching outro that sounds like an orchestra falling off a cliff.
The Playlist
Catch Brand New Friend Live
On Thursday 28th November Brand New Friend headline the Belfast Empire, alongside Anderson Nightmare, Parker and Lauren Ann.
Tickets are available here – GIFTED: Brand New Friend | Anderson Nightmare | Parker | Lauren Ann.
