NO ENCORE

It's the goddamn weekend and NO ENCORE is here to tap you on the shoulder in a socially-distant fashion and ask if you want to talk about music. You do? Awesome, let's go! This week, Dave and Craig review the brand new album from pop titans The 1975, make the case for pop songs they think should have been number one the world over, and rejoice at Spotify's newest addition...ACT ONE: High drama and a shocking announcement.ACT TWO [8:46]: It's the news as a classic song turns 30, Lana Del Rey pisses just about everyone off, Eddie Vedder and Dennis Rodman go to a gig, Lorde sends us all a gushing email and Roger Waters has some Internet issues.ACT THREE [28:26]: 80 minutes, 22 tracks and Notes on a Conditional Form - The 1975 are back. In response, the boys spend half an hour dissecting one of the more major album releases of the year. ACT FOUR [57:37]: Our Top 5 main event steals in as pop bangers that deserve a great deal more love go dance beneath a glittering spotlight. Support NO ENCORE on Patreon: patreon.com/noencore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another week of lockdown crawls to an end as the NO ENCORE boys signal the weekend. Rejoice.This week, Dave and Craig scrape the bottom of the written word barrel as they line up their shouts for worst lyrics in the latest top five face-off. There's a busy news section, too, not to mention a legitimately unique album review.Support NO ENCORE on Patreon: patreon.com/noencore ACT ONE [3:13]: Little Richard RIP, further major festivals down, Dave Grohl hails the live music experience (as NO ENCORE Dave questions it), Irish legends clash and Bono gets lucky on his 60th. ACT TWO [28:36]: Opposing shouts for the album review leads the boys to meet in the middle and explore what the kids are supposedly listening to these days.ACT THREE [41:11]: TOP 5 WORST LYRICS~! Horrific yet cathartic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Full disclosure: annoyingly, the headline ‘Brian May Hospitalised After Tearing Buttock Muscles While Gardening’ broke after we recorded. Who’s to say whether we would have mentioned it, right?Fuller disclosure: we temporarily drop a show section… but pick up a beloved special guest!Fullest disclosure: Craig’s cheery prediction that “maybe this episode will come in at about 45 minutes” proved extremely incorrect…ACT ONE: You could probably guess a meaty ep was in store from the preamble, which includes detours into boomer shopping etiquette, Craig’s cat leading a double life and some ferocious David Crosby support for our long-running Doors-based vitriol.ACT TWO: To far sadder matters, as we lose two giants of music this week. We look back at the diverging but equally towering legacies of Afrobeat legend Tony Allen and Kraftwerk co-founder Florian Schneider. Elsewhere, life finds a way. We congratulate Grimes and Elon Musk on the arrival of X Æ A-12 (really isn’t meant to read sarcastically). Then use it as a jumping-off point for a ‘Guess The Musician’s Kid’s Name’ game. Shout out to Jermajesty Jackson, as always.There’s also talk of drive-in gigs, the live music situation in general, the possibility of a Bohemian Rhapsody sequel and plenty more.ACT THREE: Our duelling Top 5s: Best Album Openers. Another one where the choices were plentiful and the shortlists not so short. Lots of mutual rhapsodising over excellent sounds this week – although it does kick off with one particular Dave choice being hugely (if inadvertently) undermined by his co-host from the get-go.Finally, our glorious patrons will know this already, but if you’re at all able to show some support over at patreon.com/noencore, we’re now posting full Top 5 write-ups each week. Hopefully just the start of extra bits and bobs for patrons’ eyes/ears only! Much love, stay safe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

IT'S THE SUMMER~! Get in! Seriously, stay in. NO ENCORE returns with a week of mostly no coronavirus-related news items, Car Seat Headrest's vague attempt to leap to the mainstream and a string of summer songs that should - mostly - lift the spirits.ACT ONE: General chatter. ACT TWO [5:55]: News! We've got a high-profile TV firing, talk of a major pop reunion, awkward mix-ups and the future of Daft Punk to discuss.ACT THREE [30:48]: Car Seat Headrest return with new album Making a Door Less Open. Dave dives in relatively blind while long-term kinda-fan Craig ponders deeply.ACT FOUR [45:51]: We may not have an idyllic few months ahead but we've got tunes. It's duelling rundown time as the boys select their favourite solar-powered numbers. Support NO ENCORE on Patreon: patreon.com/noencore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oh, brother. It's a big one as the NO POPCORN team of Hanratty, Higgins and Howard re-convene to shine a light on the genuinely incredible BROS: AFTER THE SCREAMING STOPS.A documentary on par with Metallica: Some Kind of Monster and This Is Spinal Tap sees two brothers warring with each other and their own colossal, bruised egos as a race against time ticks down in the background. Truly jaw-dropping stuff. ACT ONE: What We've Been Watching including early Coen Brothers, recent arthouse fare and a ringing endorsement for the deeply compelling Sunderland 'Til I Die.ACT TWO [20:00]: The main event comes screaming into focus as Matt and Luke Goss take centre stage. Were/are Bros any good? Do you wind up rooting for them here? Have they been stitched up by the filmmakers? Can we possibly pick just one quote to highlight? And the most important question of all; Team Matt or Team Luke? Support NO ENCORE on Patreon: patreon.com/noencore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Back at it for another week as Dave and Craig indulge in some highly cathartic critical takedowns of critical gushing. That's right, this week's top five is all about slaying some sacred cows. Figuratively speaking, of course. There's also the small - perhaps related? - matter of the new Fiona Apple to consider...ACT ONE: Your faithful 'Hey, it's barely a preamble anymore!' preamble.ACT TWO [5.01]: A barren enough news section this week sees mass gatherings take a major hit, an Irish legend disgraced AGAIN and Brandon Flowers' feelings on Steven Patrick Morrissey. ACT THREE [17:13]: Fiona Apple returns with Fetch The Bolt Cutters. The world reckons it's a literally perfect album. What do the NO ENCORE boys make of it?ACT FOUR [41:26]: Most. Overrated. Albums. It's time. Will a decade-long friendship be the same afterwards? Support NO ENCORE on Patreon: patreon.com/noencore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your NO ENCORE listening experience returns following a nice long weekend in which we holidayed to other rooms of the house. Exotic stuff. This week, Craig tries to rein himself in while discussing The Strokes, Dave visits Sweden via the magic of video calling, and there's a top five deep dive with brevity at the forefront...ACT ONE [5:45]: News, featuring various hot takes on Covid-19, further cancellations and 10 years of "pure mothafuckin' magic".ACT TWO [25:34] Dave chats with arts and culture journalist Derek Robertson, who managed to go to actual real-life gigs in recent days. ACT THREE [36:49]: The Strokes return to usher in The New Abnormal.ACT FOUR [54:48]: The boys run down their favourite songs that get their business done inside two minutes. Lively, this one.Support NO ENCORE at patreon.com/noencore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The episode in which Dave was like, come on into the realms of studio-quality audio, dear co-host, the high fidelity’s lovely. Yes – Craigy’s got a brand new mic (thanks Patreon peeps!) and he’s back to his velvety best after previous eps chatting into his phone through a pop shield made of old tights.With your dynamic duo still social distancing but sounding like they’re back in the one room together, there is much to discuss:Irish music journalist Jim Carroll is onboard for a frank analysis of whether the Electric Picnic music festival could (or even should) realistically go ahead this year, the lads run the rule over the latest Yves Tumor release, and we’ve a Top 5 face-off where the music just gets worse and worse (and then properly appalling).ACT ONE: Soak up that sonic loveliness as the boys catch-up on another surreal week that also saw a huge number of you supporting the show through our new Patreon. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. ACT TWO [4.12]: The news is once again tinged with sadness as the pandemic claims John Prine and we also lose the legendary Bill Withers. We discuss their unimpeachable twin legacies. As for artists thankfully very much still with us… U2 did a very nice thing for Ireland, but did it involve Bono and the boys breaking out the Elevation Jet for some international piracy?! And as Drake begs TikTok to help his new song go viral, he also opens up his audacious abode (“The Embassy”) to Architectural Digest. We take a virtual tour of the trumped-up shopping mall, mouths agape.ACT THREE [19.34]: Dave gets Jim Carroll (RTÉ, Irish Times) on the line to take apart the official Electric Picnic line that organisers are “optimistic” the Stradbally music festival can still go ahead. Carroll reckons that the words of Festival Republic’s Melvin Benn will come back to haunt him…ACT FOUR [39.43]: The boundary-pushing, enigmatic Yves Tumor takes another big step in from the experimental cold with their second Warp album, Heaven To A Tortured Mind. Having lashed praise on 2018’s Safe In The Hands Of Love, Craig and Dave dissect a follow-up already getting more mainstream attention. But is that a good thing?ACT FIVE [54.08]: Turning listeners on to great music is all well and good but… it sure is hella entertaining to drag some utter rubbish over the coals. With that in mind, it's time for our Top 5 Worst Cover Songs Of All Time.From crabcore talk to white English pop aristocrats taking on hip-hop, settle in for two lists teeming with “what were they thinking?” awfulness – but will our hosts see eye-to-eye on every selection? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NO ENCORE's cinematic engagement project returns as Dave Hanratty, David Higgins and Norma Howard get their best battle rap faces on for Eminem's semi-autobiographical adventure 8 Mile.Is Eminem any good? What's with Brittany Murphy's character? Why did Curtis Hanson direct this? And what's Michael Shannon doing here? All this and more discussed in-depth...Support NO ENCORE on Patreon: patreon.com/noencore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey, it's a rare NO ENCORE mini-sode in honour of us finally setting up a Patreon page. You can access that page at patreon.com/noencore if you would like to consider supporting the show. For more on that, here's Dave with a passionate speech. Thanks to everyone who has signed up so far! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NO ENCORE returns with further social distant music podcasting as Dave Hanratty and Craig Fitzpatrick deliver their top five late-career highlights in what turns out to be a very good list if we do say so ourselves. There's also space for the new Pearl Jam album, a news section that finally includes some non-coronavirus updates and word of the NO ENCORE Patreon, which you can access at patreon.com/noencore if you're so inclined. Thank you for your support.ACT ONE: A preamble packed with personal proclamations and Patreon pronouncements.ACT TWO: This week's news brings a sad passing from the music world, a repaired friendship, and contrasting styles in the celebrity fatherhood stakes.ACT THREE: Seattle grunge icons Pearl Jam return with Gigaton, their 11th studio album. Dave used to worship these lads. How do he and Craig feel about them in 2020?ACT FOUR: Another duelling Top 5 battle sees the boys tackle late-career gems. This was a tough one. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Physical distancing podcast vibes continue as NO ENCORE swings back into gear. This week, Craig and Dave do their best to work through the news, dive into the dark and moody return of The Weeknd, and run down some songs they enjoy by artists they otherwise wouldn't usually bother with...ACT ONE: General catching up as the world continues to turn all kinds of strange.ACT TWO [5:49]: Britney Spears and her pivot to communism, the resurgence of radio and the latest from that man Kanye West.ACT THREE [28:23]: The Weeknd unleashes After Hours, splitting the podcast in two in the process.ACT FOUR [45:15]: Pop bangers. Schmaltzy acoustic numbers. Scared cows. This week's top five(s) has 'em all. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NO ENCORE embraces social distancing as Dave and Craig connect from afar via the method of Skype. Determined to keep things upbeat, the boys cast their eyes over a grim news section, the debut album from Jay Electronica and their top five songs that brought the curtain down on a film that they also maybe enjoyed...ACT ONE: General getting used to the world we live in now.ACT TWO: Unsurprisingly, the coronavirus pandemic dominates the news section. Cancellations, isolation and impromptu songs are all on the agenda.ACT THREE: Jay Electronica finally unleashes his debut album A Written Testimony. Interesting week for it, to say the least. How does it hold up?ACT FOUR: The magic of the movies meets the majesty of music as Dave and Craig run down their favourite, most impactful ways to end a film. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the Covid-19 coronavirus continues to impact the world, Daithí checks in with a quite incredible story, having flown to Vietnam to play a St. Patrick's Day show. By the time the plane landed, it was already falling apart.Along the way, he became a reluctant local influencer. From futuristic temperature gun checks outside every shop and establishment to airport tension to one hell of a closing punchline, NO ENCORE's favourite son takes us through a most bizarre adventure. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NO ENCORE's movies x music showcase returns as Dave Hanratty and David Higgins get lost in the 1986 dark fantasy that is LABYRINTH. Luckily, they have the great Zara Hedderman for company.You know this one, right? David Bowie milling around in a fight wig and skin-tight pants? Jennifer Connolly trying to rescue her brother from a weird maze? Songs that might not actually be all that great? Let's talk about it... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The world is on fire. NO ENCORE arrives a day earlier to hopefully lift some spirits. Craig and Dave are in a surprisingly buoyant collective mood as they run down the Electric Picnic 2020 line-up, reflect briefly on the Choice Music Prize, consider the impact of Covid-19 on the entertainment industry and reveal a cluster of Irish songs that they feel deserve more love and affection.ACT ONE: Choice Prize in very brief hazy review.ACT TWO [6:46]: A busy news brief takes in Electric Picnic, troubling times in the music world, KoRn's profitability and Nick Cave's attitude towards problematic lyricism.ACT THREE [38:51]: U.S. Girls aka the experimental pop project of Meghan Remy returns with a brand new record in the form of Heavy Light. Dave and Craig do the review thing.ACT FOUR [50:30]: The duelling Top 5 bonanza continues apace as the boys count down their shouts for most underrated Irish songs. Honestly, this could have been an entire season of the show but here we are.EXIT MUSIC: Returns for a change, but you'll have to wait and hear what it is... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A busy NO ENCORE this week as Dave and Craig go from predicting the Choice Music Prize result at the last minute to a phantom live - and loud and a bit messy, let's be honest - update from the show itself and then back to the regular episode. It's like Inception. Kind of.Also this week - the boys run down their favourite life-affirming motivational songs, review the new album from Soccer Mommy, ponder the likelihood of Fontaines D.C. being some kind of psy-op conspiracy and generally just try and get through this whole strange 'life' thing...ACT ONE [1:59]: News~!ACT TWO [6:43]: That weird past/present/future tense Choice Music Prize bit. Shouts to the great Eoin Murray, Claire Beck and Daithí O'Dronaí for putting up with Dave shoving a phone in their faces as security were desperately trying to clear out the venue.ACT THREE [31:51]: Soccer Mommy returns with further bedroom pop adventures in the form of Color Theory. Any use?ACT FOUR [43:51]: Time to feel 10 feet tall as the guys detail the songs that give them life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, the RTÉ Choice Music Prize will be decided, crowning the best Irish album of 2019.Dave reckons that Lankum are going to win, but for the traditional Irish/folk-punk outfit, the idea of music being pitted against itself makes little sense.That's just one of the conversational points hit on in this episode as Radie Peat and Daragh Lynch open up on the band's surge in popularity, their fantastic latest album The Livelong Day, why there's room for a clever heckle at a gig, awkward airport encounters and a recent example of how musicians have plenty to say beyond their work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

200 episodes? When did that happen?! Dave Hanratty and Craig Fitzpatrick celebrate with a bang in the form of Dave going viral by blasting the pair's former place of employment. Aside from that, there's the very worst in celebrity music crossovers, the new and possibly polarising Grimes album, and a week full of news to wade through.ACT ONE: A brief return to the preamble for legitimately important reasons, honest.ACT TWO [9:30]: The week's big news stories in review including the brave re-emergence of Duffy, another victory for Justin Bieber, potential visa headaches for artists and RZA's move into mindfulness.ACT THREE [32:35]: Grimes has a new album. The boys do the review thing.ACT FOUR [48:55]: Footballers. Politicians. Reality TV sensations. Professional wrestlers. Movie stars. They've all had a go at the music thing. Dave and Craig unveil their personal top five most horrible... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's so deadly, my dear. Dave Hanratty and Craig Fitzpatrick return with daring espionage exploits in the form of their top five James Bond themes in honour of the new Billie Eilish one. There's a review of the latest Justin Bieber album and all the week's news to boot, so let's do it to it before it does it to us...ACT ONE [1:39]: All the big winners and happenings from this year's BRIT Awards, a strange mix of Bono, rugby and taxi drivers, and a couple of sad passings in the music world.ACT TWO [30:56]: Justin Bieber returns with Changes, his first album in five years. Much has indeed changed in his life since then, so too for the music industry. The boys ponder how Biebs might - or might not - fit in nowadays. ACT THREE [48:48]: BOND THEME SZN. Dave and Craig run down their personal top five favourite songs from the simultaneously entertaining and problematic cinematic institution that is 007. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NO ENCORE is back, baby! Season Five is here. Dave and Craig are hyped. And it's Valentine's Day, so the boys are running down their top five anti-love songs. Tis the season. There's also the brand new Tame Impala record to discuss in addition to the return of The Strokes, Slowthai's ill behaviour and The 1975's commitment to a better festival-based world for everyone...ACT ONE: The grand return and some important changes.ACT TWO: All the music news from the week that we could find and assemble and offer some decent insight on in time.ACT THREE: Kevin Parker aka Tame Impala returns with fourth studio album The Slow Rush. Did something get lost in the five-year period between this one and Currents? Let's find out. ACT FOUR: Our brand new segment in which Dave and Craig each list a top five on a given subject. This week; anti-love songs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With just hours to go until NO ENCORE makes its Valentine's Day return, Dave, Higgs and Norma choreograph majestically about the studio as song-and-dance dramedy LA LA LAND comes into focus.There's some post-Oscars talk, too, not to mention La La Land's own controversial Academy Awards fiasco. All that and more, so let's get to it... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dave Hanratty and David Higgins are back-back-back with another deep dive into a movie that boasts a musical connection. In this case, that's ARTIFACT; a little-seen propaganda exercise for Jared Leto-fronted alt-rock sensations 30 Seconds to Mars as they battle the eeeeeeeevil music industry. It's as wild as it sounds, to be honest. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yep, it's unlucky 13 for Dave Hanratty and David Higgins as the boys accept their fate and venture towards certain doom in the form of box office and critical bomb CATS.They get by with a little help from their friends, with both social media funnyman Michael Fry and ace music hack Andrea Cleary leaping aboard the express elevator to hell... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dave Hanratty and David Higgins convene once again for the film thing, this time casting a critical eye over the good and the bad that hit cinema screens in 2019.Two men. 15 categories. A lengthy preamble. Happy Christmas, one and all. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the end, my friend. The end of 2019. Time to sit down for about two-and-a-half hours and break down the very best albums of the year.Dave, Craig and Daithí do just that as they pull the shutters down on NO ENCORE following a busy 12 months. Thanks to all of our listeners for giving us your ears. Much love. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oh yes, Listmas is officially here.First - a huge thank you to everyone who listened to us this year. The show is taking a break, but don't let that stop you telling your friends about how much you love it. We do appreciate it. Much love.Second - this episode didn't quite turn out as we had planned but we sincerely hope it's to your liking in spite of that. Stay tuned for an epic albums countdown, but first, presenting the NO ENCORE Top 20 Songs of 2019... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dave, David and the returning Norma Howard take on gloomy iconic animation The Nightmare Before Christmas as the festive season kicks in.ACT ONE: A bumper 'what we've been watching' round-up including both fair and nefarious adventures and why the biggest twist in Knives Out is that it sucks.ACT TWO: The Nightmare Before Christmas.ACT THREE: What's this? A quiz! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boom, boom, boom - Dave and Daithí convene in Daithí HQ where things wound up sounding a wee bit big like when you select that beloved "concert" EQ on your favourite music-listening device. So yeah, enjoy that.Also enjoy an interview with Maija Sofia, a round-up of gig reviews, thoughts on the new Coldplay album and an important show-related announcement...ACT ONE: Dave went to Sigrid, Daithí went to Girl Band and Tandem Felix. ACT TWO: The problematic music industry strikes again, Billie Eilish does the Vanity Fair thing, The Chainsmokers are terrible and oh cool, they're making a Michael Jackson movie. It's the news.ACT THREE: Coldplay just want to give us all a hug. How does their Everyday Life measure up?ACT FOUR: It's been a terrific year for Irish music and Bath Time, the debut album from Maija Sofia, is one of the reasons why. She chats to Dave and Craig on how it all came together.ACT FIVE: Songs of the Week with The Weeknd, Cornershop and JFDR.EXIT MUSIC: MuRli - 'Naufrage' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a very special impromptu episode, Dave and Daithí celebrate completing the most divisive video game experience of the year - Death Stranding.Please enjoy 70 minutes of spoiler-filled discussion on Hideo Kojima's artful approach to the exciting world of post-apocalyptic package delivery... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the perfect winter movie as David Hanratty, David Higgins and David Tapley of Tandem Felix fame come together to discuss sharp folk fable Inside Llewyn Davis.The boys break down the Coen Brothers adventure, talking Oscar Isaac's folky credentials, the good and bad of Marcus Mumford's tonal influence and whether or not this is an accurate depiction of the era... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NO ENCORE returns as Dave and Craig just accept that Daithí is never coming back and get on with their lives. On the music bill this week; news, songs and a lengthy chat with Richie Egan aka Jape. Enjoy...ACT ONE: A brief preamble in which Craig recaps his visit to the Mountain Goats.ACT TWO: News with Motley Crüe's reformation, Coldplay's environmental concerns and further Kanye trolling.ACT THREE: Jape just released an album by the name of Sentinel. It's great. He and Dave have a nice fireside chat about it and lots of other things, too. ACT FOUR: Songs of the Week with Modest Mouse, Grimes and Lewis Capaldi. EXIT MUSIC: Delush ft. Tolü Makay - 'The Greatest Gift' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Daithí out, Craig in. It's the podcast.This week, the guys review the new FKA Twigs album, marvel over majestic model railways, cancel a tenor and learn about stag party etiquette.ACT ONE: Dave gets to grips with Death Stranding as Craig engages in some good old-fashioned debauchery.ACT TWO: News featuring proud Rod Stewart, shamed Drake, questionable Andrea Bocelli and more.ACT THREE: Songs of the Week with Billie Eilish, Pet Shop Boys and the union of Glass Animals and Denzel Curry.ACT FOUR: FKA Twigs returns with her first album in five years. It's emotional.EXIT MUSIC: Villagers - 'Did You Know?' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Craig out, Daithí in, and a terrific guest interview to boot - it's NO ENCORE #191~!Mango X MathMan talk their new album which is out RIGHT NOW, Dave indulges himself with a post Danny-From-The-Script breakdown, Daithí recalls his recent gig run, and the boys review the brand new Jape record...ACT ONE: Daithí went to Other Voices in Wales, Dave stayed home and chatted to an extremely divisive pop star who just wants to save the world.ACT TWO: News! ACT THREE: Songs of the Week featuring Miguel, Dua Lipa, and the long-awaited return of La Roux.ACT FOUR: Mango X MathMan have finally unleashed Casual Work. They take us behind the album.ACT FIVE: Jape's sixth record Sentinel is a highly personal dreamscape of a thing. But is it any good, yeah? EXIT MUSIC: Æ MAK - 'Intro; Release Yourself' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's astounding... that David Higgins has never before seen The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Alongside Dave Hanratty and returning guest Norma Howard, he looks to make sense of the bonkers cult musical classic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yep, we just can't wait any longer. It's time to review the latest Kanye West missive - Jesus Is King. ACT ONE: Dave did the impossible - he dragged Craig to the cinema.ACT TWO: Kanye West. Jesus Is King. A review longer than the album itself.ACT THREE: News in relatively bite-sized fashion.ACT FOUR: Songs of the Week featuring Leonard Cohen, Dan Deacon, and Tame Impala.EXIT MUSIC: Elaine Mai - 'Heartbeat' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The truth is we don't know, folks. Certainly not at time of writing, anyway. But let's forget all that for now and welcome back Sarah Corcoran of Pillow Queens fame, now officially a WOMAN OF THE YEAR.A deserved honour. She joins two of the usual crew as they discuss the new Foals record, gigs from Chromatics and a quiet unassuming Clare man by the name of Daithí, and why 899 Craig fans can't be wrong.ACT ONE: Gigs and Kanye chatter.ACT TWO: A fairly grim news section if we're honest, but at least we got Craig's social media strategy out of it.ACT THREE: Songs of the Week featuring Frank Ocean, Selena Gomez and Destroyer.ACT FOUR: Foals have another album. Let's review.EXIT MUSIC: HAPPYALONE. - 'L U C I F E R' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At long last, NO ENCORE's 'music and movies' sidebar returns.Apologies for delay, life is very busy. Anyways, it's time for Dave Hanratty and David Higgins to delve into the bizarre Fred Durst-helmed, John Travolta-fronted, problematic nightmare that is.... THE FANATIC.ACT ONE: Dave and Dave recount all of the films they have seen since they last convened, so that's about half of the episode covered.ACT TWO: The Fanatic is destined to be remembered by the few who saw it, for all the wrong reasons. John Travolta gives it his all as an obsessed fan, but should this thing even have been made? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Congratulations to our resident Captain Fiddle on the release of his superb new album, which is out now so go and listen to it!As such, he's not here this week. Filling in is the wonderful Brendan Canty, a man who knows a thing or two about music videos and Big Thief, which is helpful as that's our big album review this week...ACT ONE: Go listen to Daithí's album!ACT TWO: One of the most red-hot news sections in some time takes in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations, Pharrell suddenly listening to 'Blurred Lines' for seemingly the first time, that Joker song inclusion, and Elton John's Lion King remorse.ACT THREE: Songs of the Week featuring Pusha T, Harry Styles, and William Doyle.ACT FOUR: Big Thief return with Two Hands, their second album this calendar year. Very much the lo-fi critical darlings of the moment, is the hype justified?EXIT MUSIC: BATS - 'Ergot' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Salutations. Craig and Dave draft singer-songwriter man Carlo Magliocco in to assist in reviewing the new, typically ambitious and otherworldly Nick Cave record.Before all that, there's a sit-down with Tandem Felix hero David A. Tapley as debut album Rom-Com finally emerges, and plenty of list-based musings to consider...ACT ONE: Lists, lists, and more lists. ACT TWO: A scattering of news.ACT THREE: Tapley takes a stroll to Daithí's home studio where the boys have a conversation.ACT FOUR: Songs of the Week with Michael Stipe, The Who, and Caribou.ACT FIVE: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' Ghosteen under review.EXIT MUSIC: Tandem Felix - 'Tapley Takes a Stroll' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NO ENCORE returns with special guest Philly Taggart of BBC Radio 1 and writing a great book - Phil Taggart's Slacker Guide to the Music Industry - as the boys put the music world to rights once more.Dermot Kennedy's debut album. Kanye West's no-show. Robert De Niro's profanity. Dave's Joker remorse. It's all up for debate...ACT ONE: Introducing our guest and why you should part with your hard-earned for his book.ACT TWO: IT'S THE NEWS.ACT THREE: Songs of the Week with Floating Points, CHVRCHES, Dodie, and Chromatics.ACT FOUR: Dermot Kennedy is finally Without Fear but will the official NO ENCORE verdict on his long-awaited debut put the frighteners on him?EXIT MUSIC: Autre Monde - 'On The Record' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NO ENCORE returns, as does Irish Times crime man Dean Ruxton, in order to run the rule over one of the year's most anticipated records; Girl Band's The Talkies. Elsewhere, it's your usual hot take music shop. Lengthier show notes unavailable due to Dave being ill whilst typing these very words. Dive in... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The boys Tebi Rex take over the studio in celebratory fashion as Dave and Craig do their best to maintain decorum. Do check out their debut album (Tebi Rex, not Dave and Craig) The Young Will Eat The Old when you can. But first, the podcast...ACT ONE: Welcome back, Matt and Max.ACT TWO: The Guardian did a big list and the guys dive in accordingly. Elsewhere, do we owe Tom DeLonge an apology?ACT THREE: Songs of the Week with an experimental twist.ACT FOUR: Charli XCX is back with Charli, her long-awaited, feature-heavy third album. Can it live up to the hype?EXIT MUSIC: Tebi Rex - 'I Never Got Off The Bus' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sickness strikes and the result is a two-man power trip as Dave and Craig strap in for another wild week in the world of music.On the cards; the dominance of Post Malone, Kurt Cobain's crumbling legacy, and tributes to the late, great Daniel Johnston.ACT ONE: Overheard in Castleknock and brief film-related discussion.ACT TWO: News, with the passing of Daniel Johnston, Kurt Cobain advertising concerns, festival recognition software, and a big SUPER-SHOW that we'll likely be avoiding.ACT THREE: New tunes from the likes of M83, Danny Brown, and a team-up between Slowthai and Denzel Curry.ACT FOUR: Post Malone is your new streaming overlord, but is he a worthy avatar for today's generation? The boys dive into Hollywood's Bleeding. EXIT MUSIC: Orla Gartland - 'Did It To Myself' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your core NO ENCORE threesome do an episode exclusively together from start to finish for the first time in a little bit.Tool, Electric Picnic, Burning Man, Lana Del Rey and plenty more are on the agenda, so let's do it to it...ACT ONE: Dave, ready to re-enter festival hiatus yet again, details the highs and lows of Electric Picnic 2019.ACT TWO: A scattering of news.ACT THREE: Songs of the Week featuring Grimes, Francis and the Lights, and Twin Shadow.ACT FOUR: Stoner-friendly prog-rock titans Tool return with Fear Inoculum, their first record in 13 years. The boys go deep on an 87-minute epic.EXIT MUSIC: Inhaler - 'Ice Cream Sundae' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your core trio are back together as Dave, Craig and Daithí finally convene again.On the agenda; Slipknot in conversation, Taylor Swift's latest long-player, and a brief dive into James Bond territory...ACT ONE: Craig and Dave discuss their respective late summer jaunts.ACT TWO: News, featuring the Harry Styles press push, the VMAs, and Craig patting himself on the back.ACT THREE: Dave chats to Clown from Slipknot about life, love, and the band's superb new album.ACT FOUR: Songs of the Week with Pusha T, Ms. Lauryn Hill, The 1975, and A.G. Cook.ACT FIVE: Taylor Swift returns with Lover. Alice Kiernan pops in to help the boys make sense of it all.EXIT MUSIC: Neverwait - 'Blind' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dave brings good tidings from Toronto, Daithí is a Love Sensation, and telly addict Zara Hedderman makes a dramatic return.Up for debate; the debut album from The Murder Capital, celebrity waxwork etiquette, and the demise of another homegrown outfit...ACT ONE: Zara's summer of TV, Dave's enjoyable escape and Daithi's latest festival engagement.ACT TWO: Otherkin RIP, Taylor Swift takes control, Billie Eilish conquers all, Cheryl Cole has relevancy issues, and Slayer upset the delicate sensibilities of NASCAR.ACT THREE: Songs of the Week with Kojaque x Luka Palm, Kim Gordon, and Bat For Lashes.ACT FOUR: The Murder Capital unleash their debut album amidst a tidal wave of hype. Your NE trio duly dive in.EXIT MUSIC: Wallis Bird - 'Brutal Honesty' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The NO ENCORE studio becomes People’s Republic territory, as show OG Colm O’Regan hops back on the mic to cover for our brother in The 6ix. Craig and Daithi complete a familiar trio – do line-ups get any better than that? Why yes, they do, as we also have a new interview with The Country’s Best Band™, Girl Band.ACT ONEThe return of O’Regan comes at a busy time, as Daithi arrives fresh from The Fleadh (a boyhood dream, we learn) with new music in tow and Craig reveals he’s off on a last-minute jaunt to New York. Will he secure Broadway tickets to see Jeff Daniels’ poignant turn as Atticus Finch? Find out in a fortnight. But before that…ACT TWOOur news starts with a cruise, as Belle & Sebastian’s Stuart Murdoch declares “It's like the geeks won – the geeks made it to heaven for a long weekend!” We take a look at B&S’s “Boaty Weekender” around the Med (it’s no “Motörboat”). Elsewhere, A$AP Rocky is found guilty but he’ll be grand, BTS go on a break and make Gavin James a star in Korea, and Jay Z gets into bed with the NFL.ACT THREEAhead of the September 27 release of The Talkies, Girl Band are in conversation with our own Dave Hanratty.ACT FOUR Songs Of The Week time. Big Thief get prolific, Kendrick supports a Top Dawg mate and Whitney give us wistful end-of-summer vibes.ACT FIVEHow do you follow a puzzling masterpiece like 22, A Million? We find out, taking a deep dive into Bon Iver’s i,i. Oh, and there’s a drive-by Slipknot review, natch.EXIT MUSICDaithi – ‘Nobody New Around You’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NO ENCORE returns with another deep dive into the world of cinema as powered by a musical theme.Dave Hanratty and David Higgins are joined by Norma Howard, who knows a thing or three about all things film, as they do an Irish movie for once by focusing on 1980s kitchen sink drama but also colourful fantasy musical Sing Street…Is Sing Street a strong depiction of recession-era Dublin? Are the songs any use? How about the casting? And Jack Reynor’s accent, for that matter? What the hell is with that ending? And just how smoothly did director John Carney handle the press tour for this one? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s one thing you should know about Nadine O’Regan: never interrupt her when she’s halfway deep into a new 10-minute sonic odyssey from Tool.With Dave bound for Toronto, the beloved broadcaster and journalist joins NO ENCORE to unpack a busy August week in music. Aside from chatting to Craig and Daithi, you can also catch her chatting to the infinitely less interesting likes (ahem) of Jon Ronson, Graham Norton, Tracey Thorn and Kevin Barry on her own podcast, My Roots Are Showing.But before that, let’s get musical… ACT ONE:Craig might have been at home watching Daniel O’Donnell’s bizarro Eurovision knock-off “Mary From Dungloe”, but Daithi and Nadine actually went to a festival. They discuss the good, the bad and the traffic of All Together Now. ACT TWO:We pay tribute to David Berman, one of the finest writers of songs and words you are likely to hear. The former Silver Jews frontman passed away less than a month after his glorious return to music with Purple Mountains.From there, we analyse Chance The Rapper’s reaction to The Big Day criticism, with Nadine delivering an impassioned defence of the album (she likes at least two of the 22 songs).Lightening the mood further, A$AP Rocky is a free man, Tyler can play New Zealand, Noel Gallagher’s still a quote machine and Nic Cage reveals all about that ‘Purple Rain’ karaoke.ACT THREE:Noel Gallagher also has a song out, so there’s that... Elsewhere in Songs Of The Week, Tool’s first release in 13ish years and Drake gives Jai Paul a massive payday. We knew he was good for something.ACT FOUR:If you caught our recent ‘Sounds Of The Hot Boy Summer’ episode, you’ll know how much we adore Clairo’s ‘Bags’. Does the rest of her Rostam-produced debut album live up to that greatness? Immunity is our Album Of The Week.EXIT MUSIC:Felted Fruit & Laurie Shaw – ‘Mum & Dad’s’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.