Rathmines Rules, by D.F.F.

Rathmines Rules

by D.F.F.

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1.	Relax 03:49	info	buy track
2.	U Luv Urself 2 Much 03:13	info	buy track
3.	The Hillwalk 03:36	info	buy track
4.	Memories 03:31	info	buy track
5.	I'll Take The Weight 06:02	info	buy track
6.	Harare 01:30	info	buy track
7.	Savannah 04:43	info	buy track
8.	Around You 02:50	info	buy track
9.	Funky Munchkin Samba 06:18	info	buy track
10.	Across The Sea 04:21	info	buy track

about

D.F.F. released their first album Pouric Songs to critical acclaim in 2014. Their new album Rathmines Rules is, in fact, their true debut album, because all the songs were recorded in the early-mid 2000's, languishing unreleased until rediscovered by band leader Dave Flynn during the pandemic lockdown period. Over the past two years the original tracks have been enhanced through additional recording, re-mixing and mastering to create D.F.F.s second album Rathmines Rules.

Whereas Pouric Songs focused on the lyrics of Pádraic Ó Béirn, Rathmines Rules is dedicated to lyrics and music Flynn composed in the mid-late 1990's and early 2000's, when he spent much of his time treading the boards of Dublin's legendary open mic singer-songwriter scene that spawned the likes of Damien Dempsey, Damien Rice, Mundy, Ann Scott, Gemma Hayes and Declan O'Rourke.

Though now best known for his orchestral collaborations with The Gloaming's Martin Hayes and orchestras like the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Irish Chamber Orchestra and his own Irish Memory Orchestra, Flynn was writing Indie pop songs long before he had orchestral ambitions.

In the early 2000's he assembled a band to record these songs in a studio in the Dublin suburb of Rathmines, where he lived. That band featured guitarist Ciarán Swift and percussionists Aidan Dunphy and Cion O'Callaghan alongside bassist Brian O'Toole. Swift, Dunphy and O'Callaghan rejoined Flynn to record Pouric Songs ten years later.

Though Rathmines Rules does not feature contributions from the other D.F.F. members who featured on Pouric Songs (Vyvienne Long, Niwel Tsumbu and Dan Bodwell) it contains a similar sense of uplifting vibrancy, brilliant musicianship and perfect pop hooks.

Rathmines Rules is mainly about Flynn's distinctive vision as a songwriter, vocalist and band leader. His songs verge from lyrically cheeky perfect pop (Relax, U Luv Urself 2 Much & The Hillwalk), to nostalgic summery sounds (Around You and Savannah), emotional dream pop (Memories, I'll Take the Weight), quirkily bizarre funk (Funky Munchkin Samba) and the epic album closer 'Across The Sea', a deliciously sarcastic waltz around the American Dream. The hypnotic instrumental Harare hints at the African-tinged sounds that would follow on Pouric Songs. Overall though Rathmines Rules is more Indie pop-rock than the world-music vibes that inhabited much of Pouric Songs.

Flynn's songwriting style is markedly different to his acoustic guitar-strumming friends of the 90's Dublin singer-songwriter scene. Flynn combines a wide palette of influences on Rathmines Rules; jangle pop, dream pop, funk, African music, the occasional nod to Pink Floyd and the sambatastic ending to the Talking Heads-influenced Funky Munchkin Samba, which contains a dual guitar solo blowout as joyous as The Beatles' The End.

The instrumentation remains a consistent 'classic rock' mix of electric and acoustic guitars, bass, drums and percussion with occasional diversions into synths and programming. Lyrically the album reveals Flynn to be a witty wordsmith who combines social commentary with biting satire, yet ultimately frames his worldview with the positivity of a cynical optimist.

Pouric Songs was acclaimed for its 'dazzling musicianship' (Hot Press) and the musicianship on Rathmines Rules is just as impressive, with Flynn and Swift's jangling guitars soaring majestically around the dynamic rhythm section of Dunphy, O'Callaghan and O'Toole.

It's new but it's old, old but it's new; D.F.F.'s Rathmines Rules is out on Frisbee Records on 6th January 2023.

credits

released January 6, 2023

Dave Flynn: lead vocals, guitars, bass, synths, programming, cimbalom
Ciaran Swift: guitars, backing vocals
Brian O'Toole: bass, backing vocals
Aidan Dunphy: drums and percussion
Cion O'Callaghan: drums and percussion

Lyrics and music by Dave Flynn except

'Harare' traditional Zimbabwean music, arr. Flynn
Lead guitar riff on 'Across the Sea' by Ciaran Swift
Guitar parts on 'Relax' and 'The Hillwalk' arranged by Dave Flynn and Brian Joyce
Bass arrangements by Brian O'Toole and Dave Flynn
Percussion and drum arrangements by Aidan Dunphy, Cion O'Callaghan and Dave Flynn

Produced by Dr. Dave
Mastered by Sam Proctor/Lismore Mastering
Album design by Frisbee Productions.
Photographs by William Murphy - Creative Commons License.

Recorded in Dublin and Galway between 2001-2006. Engineered by Dr. Dave and various studio engineers whose names are sadly long forgotten.

Copyright Frisbee Publications/IMRO 2022. All rights reserved.

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about

Frisbee Records

Frisbee Records is an independent Irish record label founded in 2006 with a mission to release innovative, genre-jumping music.

Our catalog features award-winning artists across several genres including indie, electronica, Irish folk and classical.

The label founder and main artist is composer/guitarist Dave Flynn. ... more

frisbrecords.com

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