5 Awesome Irish Bands That Aren't U2

5. Croupier

Croupier have been honing there special brand of tropical power pop since their inception in 2009. They've come a long way from their earlier Radiohead and Foals inspired days. Back then they were bright young things, talented but blatantly capable of more, but now they've etched out a powerful, unique, genre drifting sound that somehow remains anchored to the bands particular ethos. Now you could compare them with bands like Everything Everything and Bombay Bicycle Club because they're also able to make clever, intricate but accessible pop music. Punchy bass lines and slippery guitar rifts synch up with keyboard walls of sound to make enjoyably immersive experiences. Vocally singer Oisin Murphy can utilise his voice to thrilling effect, restrained and then wrought, he's not afraid to relinquish control to his emotions. It's a technique that had to be refined but now it works seamlessly. Take a look through the Croupier back catalogue and there's plenty of treats but this is a band that seem to progress with every new piece of output and nearly every other live show. This favourable curve has culminated in the excellent The Visor EP which came out late last year. Of the five tracks every one sounds like a single. While it might be horrifically out of season I couldn't write about this band without recommending the mind blowing cover they do of Carol of the Bells. It's honestly excellent.