WORLD 
It is a common music-lover reflex to search for artists who sound like the ones you listened to in your formative years. For younger listeners, they may very well be in their formative years even now. Whatever your age, wherever you may be here’s betting that you’ll love the new album from Irish underground music icons David Long and Shane O’Neill. This is especially recommended for fans of Echo and The Bunnymen, the Go-Betweens, PIL, early New Order and The Sound. I could go on an on, but I’m sure you get the point and hey, why not just listen?
As well achieved as they both are, having fronted 80s postpunk / indie rock bands Into Paradise and Blue In Heaven, ‘Moll & Zeis’ is actually their debut album as a duo. This LP includes 11 gorgeous offerings from these legacy artists – genuinely invigorating new music.
Over the past few months, the duo have built up anticipation for the release internationally by releasing two stunning EPs – ‘Dreams Come’ and ‘Far From Home’, both of which have garnered the duo excellent reviews and radio play in dozens of countries. Now they also present videos
The ‘Moll & Zeis’ album was recorded remotely during the lockdown with varied themes, including It has a song based on Hermann Hesse’s book ‘The Painter’, one about a refugee who prefers to walk the roads alone, some existential musings on life, several instrumentals, and another about the death of an American airman in Afghanistan.
“We wanted to make an album that could and should be listened to all the way through. It was an equal collaboration, Shane and myself have known each other so long that there was never a problem editing each other if something didn’t fit with the song. We had no time restrictions, or release dates to go by, so we took our time with this album and thought about every aspect of it,” says David Long.
David Long was the face of 1980s band Into Paradise, who released two albums and several EP’s on legendary British independent label Setanta Records and also one major – Ensign. Their most successful album was their major record label debut, the Adrian Borland-produced ‘Churchtown’.
Shane O’Neill fronted Blue In Heaven, who released several singles and demos (including one produced by U2′s The Edge) before signing to Island Records in 1985. Their debut album ‘All The Gods Men’ was produced by Martin Hannett (Joy Division, Magazine, New Order, OMD, Happy Mondays). 1986 brought the ‘Explicit Material’ LP, produced by Island Records head Chris Blackwell and Eric Thorngren. Their popularity grew as they did the live circuit with U2, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Damned and New Order. The band later reformed in 1990 as The Blue Angels.
Growing up in Dublin, Long and O’Neill have known each other since they were 6 or 7, when they knocked over Shane’s TV set, fighting over which channel to watch. Their first band was a trio called amuse with David on bass and vocals, Shane on guitar, and Dave Clarke (Warren Zevon, now Hothouse Flowers) on drums. After splitting and doing their separate thing, around 1996 they recorded an album as Supernaut.
As of September 10, the ‘Moll & Zeis’ EP will be available across online platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcampat https://davidlong4.bandcamp.com/album/moll-zeis – their two recently-released EPs can also be found here.
CREDITS
Written, recorded, produced & performed by David Long & Shane O’Neill
Additional singing on Albert The Painter by Bee Bee
Album Cover Art by Noel Farrell
Country Pylon Recordings 2021
Follow, support and fan out over David Long and Shane O’Neill
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