This article recommends five Irish musicians to listen to for St. Patrick's Day week. It discusses Villagers, an indie folk band from Dublin with two Mercury Prize nominated albums. It also recommends Youth Mass, a band from Meath with catchy melodies and vocals. Delorentos, an alternative rock band from Dublin, is praised for consistently putting out acclaimed albums over ten years. Young Wonder, an electronic pop duo from Cork, creates catchy anthems with Irish instruments and electronic music. Finally, it recommends Rejjie Snow, a rapper from Dublin with dark, catchy musings about identity and youth.

1. Five IrishMusicianstoListentoThis Week
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day week everybody! Celebrating such an important event in Irish culture,
College LifestylesTM takes this week to give you five Irish musicians to check out! Most if not all
of these artists can be found on streaming services and YouTube.
Villagers – This band, settling out from Dublin, is an indie folk lover’s dream. Founded by
artist Conor O’Brien, for the past six years Villagers have been delivering great album after
album. Releasing two Mercury Prize nominated albums back-to-back and having just released
their newest album, this band doesn’t seem like they’re slowing down anytime soon. For any
fans of Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes and other indie folk sensations, Villagers is the next big band for
you, with Pitchfork’s Pat Healy claiming that their newest work is full of “delicate harmonies,
brushed drums and double bass arrangements.”
Recommended tracks: “The Waves,” “Memoir,” “Twenty Seven Strangers.”
Youth Mass – Coming from Meath, this band has only had one major release, but it’s just so
good that I couldn’t help but talk about them with you guys. Their album “Morning Run,
Evening Sun” came out a little bit around two years ago, but the catchy melodies and soaring
vocals are out of this world. An alternative rock band with all of the talent and style needed to
make it to the big leagues, this band is one that will definitely be stuck on repeat in the car,
especially as the weather gets warmer. Check out the band’s first album that Golden Plec’s
Fionnuala Jones describes as the band finally sounding “comfortable and confident in their
sound. Their dedication to the craft has paid off.”
Recommended tracks: “Dream On,” “Morning Run, Evening Sun.”

2. Delorentos – They say that somethings age better over time. That is not the case for Dublin
based band Delorentos, who have been delivering acclaimed album after album for the past 10
years. An alternative rock/post-punk band, Delorentos has been one of the premier recent bands
in Irish music, consistently nominated at the Choice Music awards for album of the year,
winning the award for their album “Little Sparks.” A band that truly has shown growth and
change with every album, they’re not something to miss!
Recommended tracks: “Waited For You So Long,” “Witness in the Dark,” “Basis of
Everything.”
Young Wonder – Hailing from Cork, Ireland, this electronic pop duo are sweeping the hearts of
listeners everywhere with their catchy anthems and bombastic pop influences that will have you
dancing and singing along with ease. A mixture of Irish instruments and electronic music, they
truly create something spectacular and mysterious that will have you begging for more. Check
out their debut album “Birth” which The Line of Best Fit’s Charlotte Krol says contains
“musings on loss and war to the magpie-like borrowing of world music samples that has so
enriched their sound.”
Recommended tracks: “Flesh,” “Orange,” “Time.”
Rejjie Snow – This rapper is bringing something dark, catchy and edgy to the game. Coming
from Dublin, this artist is a breath of fresh air in the rap game, with melancholic musings about
identity and youth. Rejjie covers a variety of topics with such ease that it has you think he’s been
doing this all his life. A great artist with plenty to offer, he’s a rapper that will leave you
thinking, and have you moving at the same time.
Recommended tracks: “Lost in Empathy,” “All Around the World.”
Hopefully you find someone new and exciting to listen to, and I wish all of you a Happy St.
Patrick’s Day.
Top image courtesy of SalvatoreVuano/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

3. Bottom middle image courtesy of wearevillagers.com.
Bottom top left image courtesy of thisisyouthmass/Facebook.com.
Bottom lower left image courtesy of Delorentos/Facebook.com.
Bottom right image courtesy of rejjiesnow.com
Categories: CL Exclusive, James Madison University, Music, Campus,
Tags: Malcolm Lenore, James Madison University, Five Irish Musicians to Listen to This Week,
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