So Cow: Bisignis

Irish musician Brian Kelly recorded the songs for Bisignis, his new album by his one-man project So Cow in a shed in Glennafosha. By doing so he could be as loud as he wanted, filling track after track with different instruments. He wears the lo-fi tag with pride, taking cues from punk a la the Buzzcocks, Pixies-inspired surf noise and the catchy melodies of the Undertones and Billy Bragg.

Kelly's no-frills approach is endearing, with self-deprecating songs like Leave Group and Now That I Am 38. He is fully aware that he will never fit in, but he is quite content about that. As long as he can pick up an instrument and create something fresh out of thin air there is no reason to change at all. With a bit of luck he will make some money that can be turned into Drink Tokens. No one is telling him what to do, which gave him the chance to keep Not Quite Nostalgia going for nine minutes straight after he stumbled upon a groove that he particularly liked.

So Cow: Lisa Marie Airplane Tour

Irish musician Brian Kelly single–handedly played all the instruments on his new So Cow album Lisa Marie Airplane Tour. All the bum notes and mistakes are his, but that don't matter since he has a knack for coming up with off-kilter pop songs, that sound like a mix of the Buzzcocks, Half Japanese, and Jonathan Richman.

Kelly tells stories of the night, expecting that something good might happen only to be disappointed yet again. While most people might get mad or depressed because of this, he puts it to good use and it turns into a song with more in instantly hummable hook. The frenetic Wait It Out might even provoke some slam dancing. Kelly's melancholy combined with a sharp-witted sense of humour makes this album an essential purchase for fans of DIY lo-fi indie pop.