Tunes for [Wednes]days: Luck o' the Irish

... Or, luck of the reader, whomever gets to this post first.

And a Happy St. Patrick's Day to the Blogoverse. I've been scrolling through a number of Irish-themed posts this morning and I'm excited to add my voice to the hoarse chorus. I imagine folks are gearing up for a night of potatoes, green suds, and Guinness -- even if it is a Wednesday. Should be a treat to read the repentant blogs tomorrow afternoon.

As I missed the Tunes for Tuesdays post last night, I thought I would make amends with it now. What better form of celebration is there than music videos filled with spirited, talented Irish lasses? I hit the Internet with that mission in mind and stumbled across some excellent singer-songwriters/performers for you. Better to celebrate a pre-drink with some great new gems sprinkled into the soundtrack.

I tried to veer from obvious choices: I LOVE the likes of The Cranberries and Sinéad O'Connor. I will even admit to reasonable affections for The Corrs. However, these ladies have attained the elusive international fan base and are veritable household names, so I thought I'd share the spotlight with some equally-talented, albeit lesser known, Irish artists for the moment.

Shall we?:

Wallis Bird

"To My Bones," New Boots (2009)

An instant shot of optimism -- that is Wallis Bird for you. She blends traditional folk elements with the occasional blues and funk edge to craft energetic, ear-popping rock albums. She has released two albums to date including Spoons (2007) and New Boots (2009). And I just discovered she toured with Billy Bragg, so, um, I love her.

Cathy Davey

"Reuben," Tales of Silversleeve (2007)

It's safe to name Cathy Davey as the gem of Ireland's current music scene. I discovered she's known as "Ireland's Björk," at least from a musical standpoint. I don't know that her fashion sense follows Björk's.... uh... flavour, per se. Davey is a platinum-selling artist with two albums under her belt including Something Ilk (2004) and Tales of Silversleeve (2007). She's garnered an impressive amount of critical claim in Britain thus far which means she's poised to make the leap across the pond in the near future. Keep your eyes on this one, ladies.

Lisa Hannigan

"I Don't Know," Sea Saw (2008)

I am in love with Lisa Hannigan. I am more than thrilled with my research as it led me to the music of Lisa Hannigan. All it took was the little laugh and the first two lines of this clip to leave me smitten. And, turns out I have a good ear, too. Hannigan started her career with Damien Rice and was featured on his breakthrough debut album, O (2002), and on an additional album, 9 (2006). The two ended their work together on a rough note (he announced to the press she was out of his band before SHE was made aware of it) -- however, I am thankful she was given the space to produce her first solo album, Sea Saw (2008). She describes her sound as "plinky plonk rock" -- I describe it as my new favourite obsession.

Gemma Hayes

"Let A Good Thing Go," Night On My Side (2003)

I found it difficult to pick which Gemma Hayes track I wanted to showcase for this segment -- she's got three albums' worth of compelling music and I'm drawn to it all. She's got a quiet edge to her. Her voice is deceptive in its sweetness as her tracks are loaded with unfulfilled desire and a nostalgic undercurrent. Hayes has found increasing success with each of her albums including Night On My Side (2003), The Roads Don't Love You (2005), and The Hollow of Morning (2008). She's a heavily-awarded musician in the UK and she's started making the jump to the North American scene via television soundtracks. Geeze, I'm four artists in and I think there's going to be an Irish music invasion in the near future.

Laura Izibor

"Shine," Let The Truth Be Told (2009)

Laura Izibor: Talented, radiant, and a time traveller. If it hadn't been caught in her video, I bet you never would have suspected she could jump through time like The Doctor. In all seriousness, Izibor is carving a name for herself in Europe and in North America... and she's just one album into her career. She won the RTÉ 2fm song contest while still in high school and, at seventeen, she followed her mentor, Steve Lunt, to N.Y.C.'s Atlantic Records to launch her career. Izibor's music was featured in movies from The Nanny Diaries to Seven Pounds and she's been included on countless television soundtracks in the U.S. And heck, she's even opened for Aretha Franklin. 'Nuff said.

Imelda May

"Johnny's Got a Boom Boom," Love Tattoo (2008)

Rockabilly revival takes on a distinct Irish flavour with Imelda May. Again, we've got another Irish woman who has dominated the charts and reached across the Atlantic to find success with a single of album. Love Tattoo (2008) is full of spunk and is prime music for all those swing kids out there. And, I hope you caught the 2010 Grammy Awards this year -- that's right, Imelda May performed in the Les Paul tribute with the rest of her band. "Impressive" would be an understatement.

Róisín Murphy

"Ruby Blue," Ruby Blue (2005)

She's the queen of quirk and she now owns the dance floor with a sleek new set of tracks. Róisín Murphy is innovative with whatever project she touches and she's earned respect for her willingness to push and break genre boundaries. I first encountered her music via So, You Think You Can Dance when Wade Robson used her iconic "Ramalama Bang Bang" for a show opener in season two. Since then, she's just about owned U.S. television with the inventive, rock-infused dance tracks from her debut solo, Ruby Blue (2005). With the band Moloko (1994-2003), she dominated European airwaves, but her solo efforts have pushed her ever further into the public eye. If you're partial to disco-influenced fare, I would suggest checking out her latest project, Overpowered (2007). You won't be disappointed.

***

Right, ladies -- I leave you to the evening at hand. Press those green clothes, nurse a beer or two, and make sure to take these Irish lasses with you for a fine soundtrack tonight.