The nights are drawing in, we’re deep into festival season and the kids are bored of being at home already – yes we’ve just passed the half way mark of the year and so it’s time to poll the State writing team as to what albums have floated their respective boats in the first six […]

The summer solstice has come and gone, meaning that we’ve reached the half way point of 2015. As is custom, our writing team have looked back over the year so far and nominated their favourite album releases to date. Some will be there when we round up the full year in December, some won’t but […]

With the live season for 2014 pretty much done, our writers look back at their gig highlights of the year – shows large and small, inside and out and featuring acts from all over the world… Arcade Fire – Marlay Park Supported by an on-form Ham Sandwich and an iffy Pixies (the sound and energy […]

We began the year with Stephen Malkmus’ marvellous Wig Out At Jag Bags and ended it yesterday with the equally engaging Pinkprint from Nicki Minaj, along the way reviewing all the major (and many not so major) album releases of 2014. It’s time for the State writing team to offer their top fifty records of […]

Continuing our review of the year, the State team have nominated their favourite fifty tracks of the past twelve months. From pop to hardcore, Ireland to Australia – it’s as mixed a bunch as we’ve come to expect. Dive into to our three and a half hour playlist, presented in no particular order, and revel […]

For those who discuss film, it seems that conversations are slowly shifting from what you saw to what you will see, sometimes months or years down the line. The fanfare around unheard of comic-book titles being adapted and released when you’ll be very old, and hype of existing franchises getting a new title has become a […]

In celebration of our birthday we asked the State team to nominate their favourite homegrown releases of the past five years. Here’s what they came up with… 30. Heathers – Kingdom McNamara sisters dig the pop mine and strike gold. 29. Super Extra Bonus Party – Night Horses Kildare collective leave us too soon but […]

All year our photographers have been capturing beautiful moments in the life of music. Here are some of our favourites from the last 365 days. [nggallery id=351 template=carousel]

Much of 2010’s music came in EP form, wide and varied there was way too much to build a cumulative list. Instead State has compiled and A to Z. While not in anyway definitive think of our choices as a foundation of must-haves – be sure to let us know what we left out. A […]

Four days, 75 albums and now we arrive at our pick of the ten best albums of 2010. Two homegrown albums – very different in content – make the final list, alongside some of the year’s big international hitters. Thanks to our writers and photographers for contributing, we hope you’ve discovered something new along the […]

And so we’re nearly at the business end of our countdown of State’s favourite albums of 2010. The top ten will be with you this time tomorrow but first here are the albums that came so close. There’s a heavy American presence certainly but we’re also delighted to see the Irish cause being supported by […]

We’re midway through our countdown of the year’s best albums (in our humble opinion of course) and the competition is hotting up. Today’s selection features yet more of this country’s finest alongside acts from the US, UK and – in one splendid case – Sweden. Don’t end up dancing on your own, leave a comment […]

Day two of our round-up (voted for by our wonderful team of writers and photographers) and it’s the usual eclectic mix. Encouragingly, there are a lot of new names on show plus a couple of old standbys and the sound of two young Americans losing the plot…. Albums of 2010: 75-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 […]

Down to the serious business then and our first selection of ten features a returning legend of black music, a healthy dose of electronic art and four Irish acts to name but a few. Let us know your thoughts below as we kick off with…. Albums of 2010: 75-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 […]