NO ENCORE

Sri Lanka’s loss is podcasting’s gain as Daithi makes his glorious return. Elsewhere in a week of shake-ups, Dave gets his hosting privileges revoked. But who is this mysterious “Michael Encore” getting Craig’s name wrong? We’ll never know. In completely unrelated news, Michael Fry also offers up his hottest musical takes.ACT ONEWould you rather be stuck on a flight with Azealia Banks or a bunch of Irish trad musicians? What will be cooking in the “Larry’s Kitchen” section of the U2 visitor centre? Who are you muting on Spotify? Unsatisfactorily answering all of these questions – it’s the news!ACT TWOVampire Weekend are back, back, BACK! Ariana Grande, Sigrid, Foals and Hozier are the other artists having the GALL to release new material at the same time in our Songs Of The Week.ACT THREEAn open debate on the myriad merits of James Blake’s fourth album. The artist has already slated Pitchfork’s review of Assume Form (their low score couldn’t have anything to do with him calling them out “for their toxic masculinity”, could it?). What will he make of the NE crew’s take? More importantly, what will YOU? EXIT MUSIC DENISE CHALIA - ‘COPPER BULLET’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are the gods of hellfire and we bring you… Fyre (the review)! Dave’s seen the festival disaster doc that everyone’s talking about, while Craig wants to know just how ground-breaking THAT treadmill was at The 1975 gig last week. And that’s just scratching the surface of a bumper two-man pow wow…ACT ONEHow many records does it take to top the Billboard chart in 2019? How can Toto bless the rains if they’re playing in a desert? Has Gary Barlow fallen out of love with the art of autographing? All these questions and more answered as we peruse the news.ACT TWOThe Killers activate ‘protest mode’, The Cranberries tug at our heartstrings and Gesaffelstein gets that Big Abel co-sign as The Weeknd’s latest carnal lyrics spark outrage. It’s Songs Of The Week.ACT THREEWith our Corkonian emeritus Colm no longer on the show, the boys are safe to dissect the sophomore offering from Lost Under Heaven. After a debut packed with anthems to prepare you for the end of the world, the duo still have cataclysms on their minds. Did Love Hates What You Become have us in raptures or are Ellery and Ebony edging towards end times?EXIT MUSIC UPPBEAT - ‘PURPLE LIGHTS’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

And then there were two… Plus two more! With Dave and Craig mourning a very-much-alive Colm and missing a very-much-in-Sri-Lanka Daithí, the esteemed and ever-entertaining Andrea Cleary and Fionnuala Jones endeavour to make NO ENCORE great again. And how.A jam-packed episode to kickstart the year, let’s goooooo…..ACT ONE: News in 2019: R. Kelly is officially a monster, Axl Rose is officially a cartoon, Jonny Greenwood is Marty Funkhouser and Kate Bush is still cool. She’s always been cool. Plus, who’s gonna win the Choice Music Prize?ACT TWO: It’s the return of Westlife – with a little help from Ed Sheeran. Shakespeare comparisons ensue. Can Sharon Van Etten, D’Angelo, Dermot Kennedy and Noname restore Craig’s sanity in Songs Of The Week?ACT THREE: Her music famously made Pharrell get all misty-eyed on camera, but can Maggie Rogers deliver on the promise with her major label debut? We run the rule over Heard It In A Past Life.EXIT MUSIC:  KILNAMANA – ‘Kill The Kool’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The end of a busy 2018 and an era as the gang bid a fond farewell to more than just the year in music as the very best long-players come into focus.If you've heard the Songs of the Year episode you'll know what we're doing with the format. If not, listen on to the NO ENCORE tribute to MTV's 120 Minutes and rejoice in our debate.Once again we would like to say a huge thank you to all of our listeners this year.We're a fiercely independent punk band of a show and your support is invaluable. Please spread the good word and we'll be back in your ear canals in January! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Colm and Daithí welcome Totally Irish host John Barker to the presenter’s chair this week, as both Dave and Craig get a head start on the Christmas shopping. They miss a cracker, too; Paul Noonan drops by for a chat, the long-awaited LP of Earl Sweatshirt gets the once over, and there’s a big old bundle of news and views to sort through.ACT ONE: The venerable J. Barker Esq. takes the reins as conversation swings from Daithí’s mystical Dingle experience, Colm’s 1975 past and the Longitude line-up to how Katy Perry is putting that annual (i.e. June-to-June) paypack to use.ACT TWO: The wonderful Paul Noonan drops by to discuss 20 years of Bell X1, solo projects, and Marxism at the mixing desk.ACT THREE: Earl Sweatshirt has returned – but he’s not hanging around. A 25 minute sprint of melancholic hip-hop, Some Rap Songs is up for discussion – shit we like, or not worth leaving the house for?ACT FOUR: Dance-country, electro-emo and R’n’Funk – yeah, it’s a wild one for Songs Of The Week.EXIT MUSIC: Squarehead – ‘Always On’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

She's back! Zara Hedderman on that co-host beat for what turns out to be quite a charged episode.NO ENCORE also welcomes 3/5 of SPIES as they celebrate the long-awaited release of debut album Constancy, which is great so do go check it out. And then there's the new 1975 record...ACT ONE: Zara discovers the Rocky franchise.ACT TWO: A heavy enough news section.ACT THREE: The 1975' A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships has been called "the millennial answer to OK Computer" but perhaps there's something more sinister at play. It gets heated as the team examine what is sure to go down as one of the year's most divisive releases.ACT FOUR: Them SPIES boys in the house.ACT FIVE: Songs of the Week with Grimes, Jeff Tweedy, Kelly Rowland, Versatile and the mysterious yet familiar Los Unidades.EXIT MUSIC: Delorentos - 'Be Here Christmas Time' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's a Bailey Rae kinda day as the full NO ENCORE complement are reunited for the first time in who-knows-how-long. The new album from Anderson .Paak is up for discussion, as is the wisdom of sharing stage times before gigs. Throw in Snoop getting a well-deserved honour, Dan Brown getting a long-overdue mention, and Colm's primer on German post-war schmaltz pop, and you've got one helluva fun time.ACT ONE: Dave is right. There's conversation about the M.I.A. documentary, online defense of The Strypes and #aGoodNightsSleep, but 'Dave is right' is basically what it comes down to.ACT TWO: The news of the week includes a Dogg on a Walk, posh banjo-pluckers overshooting the mark, and U2 making bank. Also, Forbes revamp the Gregorian calendar, and there's a slightly premature Christmas gift guide. Tis (almost) the season, after all...ACT THREE: Anderson .Paak is one of music's hottest properties – and the last in his beach trilogy, Oxnard, is in the line of fire this week. Will it be warmly received, or has the sun set on Dre’s new favourite son's day in the sun?ACT FOUR: Irish hip-hop. Canadian blandness. A superstar collaboration. Bloody Dido. There’s quite the grab bag lined up for Songs Of The Week. And that’s without even mentioning Papa Roach.EXIT MUSIC: Talos, ‘See Me’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Man, it's a hot one as NO ENCORE turns up the heat in the studio to run the rule over the new Muse album, the demise of The Strypes and Steve McQueen's lauded heist thriller Widows.Elsewhere, the boys welcome Proper Micro NV as he launches debut album Dormant Boy.ACT ONE: A brief quiz update and an important interview to check out.ACT TWO: The Strypes RIP and Dave digs yet another grave for himself, the incredible story of the little metal band that apparently couldn't, Lorde causing bother and plenty of other news.ACT THREE: Limerick experimentalist Proper Micro NV in conversation.ACT FOUR: Muse return with Simulation Theory but it is worth the deep dive?ACT FIVE: Songs of the Week with Sade, Anderson .Paak, Earl Sweatshirt, Hozier and Kendrick Lamar. Plus, Dave & Daithí Film Review Corner.EXIT MUSIC: Proper Micro NV - 'Call Me What You Want' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Legitimate rock royalty makes an appearance this week, as Dave pulls up a pew alongside the inimitable Julian Casablancas. There's also a surprise album, a song to redefine the break-up anthem, and Daithí's deep dive into the world of semi-cyborg internet pop sensations. Yeah, it's been quite the seven days...ACT ONE: Colm is afforded the welcome deserved by a man turning up for one show a month, and the rock'n'roll extravaganza that is U2 at 3Arena gets the critical once-over.ACT TWO: You know him from The Strokes, The Voidz, and now, as Dave Hanratty's mate. Complete with fancy production values, it's an interview with Julian Casablancas.ACT THREE: Spice Girls. Scuzz. Sprockets. And The Riptide Movement cleaning coastal regions. Seriously, what a time to be alive. It's the news!ACT FOUR: He's one of raps brightest stars - and this week shared one of the year's least expected albums. Vince Staples caught us off guard with FM, but are the lads tuned into the same frequency?ACT FIVE: Ariana Grande made all manner of headlines this weekend. David Gray did not. They both make the Song of the Week cut though, complete with experimental post-rock, android pop, and a posthumous release - don't ever say the lads are predictable...EXIT MUSIC: Subplots, ‘To A Fault’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Because Daithí sometimes makes chill house music and he got spooked by a new horror film.The best gags are the ones you have to explain, right? Another packed NO ENCORE sees ace photographer Ruth Medjber stop by for a chat ahead of her new exhibition. Meanwhile, the guys reflect on elections, gigs and scary movies...ACT ONE: The real reason why Michael D. Higgins retained the Presidency and reviews of The Voidz and Metropolis. Plus, details of the NO ENCORE Quiz of the Year~!ACT TWO: The news takes in the passing of John Reynolds, a vicious burial of Post Malone, why Pharrell isn't 'Happy' and a couple of other items, too.ACT THREE: Ruth Medjber has been down the front at gigs for the past 10 years, capturing some of the strongest imagery in a demanding and competitive field.Ahead of her forthcoming exhibition at the Fumbally Exchange in Dublin, she tells the guys all about touring with Arcade Fire, only getting 30 seconds to shoot Beyoncé and what inspired her to get into this fascinating game.ACT FOUR: A special double review as the boys take on Thom Yorke's soundtrack to the Suspiria remake while also running the rule over the film itself.ACT FIVE: Songs of the Week with the return of Slipknot and four other songs that Dave couldn't possibly care as much about.EXIT MUSIC: Maria Somerville - 'Eyes Don't Say It' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.