Sarah Curristan

[Editor's note: Cover images of albums previously reviewed on the DV have been linked to the review.]Flicking through my iPod the other day, the landslide of tracks titled with a name caught my attention. Trying to piece these together for a mixtape, however, left me obstacled with an obvious gender imbalance. Save for a handful of tracks, the majority of songs were about some girl or other, and were sung by a male artist. So what causes the gaping divide? It’s really hard to put into words without sounding tyrannically feminist or, oddly enough in my case, misogynistic. Even looking…

[Editor's note: Cover images of albums previously reviewed on the DV have been linked to the review.]The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” is a shining example of the art of the stalker song with its ambiguous lyrics that make you think twice about whether you’re listening to something sweet or sinister. The late ‘70s saw Cheap Trick’s “I Want You To Want Me” and Blondie’s “One Way Or Another” prove that anything catchy and up-tempo could be instantly forgiven for having a bedrock of macabre.  The stalker track aims to leave its listener somewhere in the region of sympathy, but…

[Editor's note: Cover images of albums previously reviewed on the DV have been linked to the review.]In light of the oncoming train of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations headed our way, here is my contribution: something to fix your head the morning after, remove the whiskey burn from the back of your throat and get you back smiling once again. Take up your annual break once again from traditional barrage of Pogues and Dubliners that rest assured will be seething from every Irish Rover, O’Shea’s and Doyle’s pub that has managed to pervade wherever it is you live. Hopefully you’ll stop…