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News

Jul 27, 2022

George FitzGerald has shared a video for a new song, “Rainbows and Dreams,” which features SOAK (Northern Ireland singer/songwriter Bridie Monds-Watson). It is the latest release from FitzGerald’s forthcoming album, Stellar Drifting, which will be out on September 2 via Domino. FitzGerald has also announced a string of tour dates in support of the album. More

13 Best Songs of the Week: Angel Olsen, Kiwi Jr., Soccer Mommy, Horsegirl, and More

Plus Sinead O’Brien, Sun’s Signature, Cola, and a Wrap-up of the Week’s Other Notable New Tracks

May 20, 2022

Welcome to the 20th Songs of the Week of 2022. It was a mixed week for new tracks, but there were still some good ones worth crowing about and we settled on a Top 13. More

SOAK Share Lyric Video For New Song “swear jar” (Plus Live Acoustic Video)

If I Never Know You Like This Again Due Out This Friday via Rough Trade

May 16, 2022

SOAK (Northern Ireland singer/songwriter Bridie Monds-Watson) is releasing a new album, If I Never Know You Like This Again, this Friday via Rough Trade. Now Monds-Watson (who uses they/them pronouns) have shared the album’s third single, “swear jar,” via a video for it. They have also shared a live video of them performing the song acoustically in a parking garage. More

12 Best Songs of the Week: Father John Misty, Wet Leg, Sun’s Signature, The Smile, and More

Plus Melody’s Echo Chamber, Florist, Horsegirl, and a Wrap-up of the Week’s Other Notable New Tracks

Apr 08, 2022

Welcome to the fourteenth Songs of the Week of 2022. It was a fantastic new release day, with fresh albums by Wet Leg, Father John Misty, Jack White, Oceanator, Daniel Rossen, Orville Peck, Lucius, and others. Some of those artists end up on this week’s Songs of the Week, which is a Top 12 this week. More

SOAK Share Video For New Song “purgatory”

If I Never Know You Like This Again Due Out May 20 via Rough Trade

Apr 05, 2022

SOAK (Northern Ireland singer/songwriter Bridie Monds-Watson) is releasing a new album, If I Never Know You Like This Again, on May 20 via Rough Trade. Now Monds-Watson (who uses they/them pronouns) have shared the album’s second single, “purgatory,” via a video for it. More

SOAK Announce New Album, Share Video For New Song “last july”

If I Never Know You Like This Again Due Out May 20 via Rough Trade

Jan 25, 2022

SOAK (Northern Ireland singer/songwriter Bridie Monds-Watson, who uses they/them pronouns) have announced the release of a new album, If I Never Know You Like This Again, which will be out on May 20 via Rough Trade. They have also shared a video for a new track from the album, “last july.” More

SOAK Finds Peace in Quarantine With Collaborative Track and Short Film “I’m Alive”

Listen to the Quarantine-Written Poem by the Singer/Songwriter

Jul 27, 2020

“I’m alive and I can feel it,” says SOAK (aka Northern Ireland singer/songwriter Bridie Monds-Watson). It’s been about six months in quarantine with no end near in sight. But Monds-Watson wants to try to deliver the “antidote to anxiety” with a new collaborative track and film “I’m Alive.” More

SOAK Covers The National’s “Bloodbuzz Ohio”

Grim Town Out Now via Rough Trade

Nov 25, 2019

SOAK (Northern Ireland singer/songwriter Bridie Monds-Watson) released a new album, Grim Town, in April via Rough Trade. Now she has shared a cover of The National’s “Bloodbuzz Ohio” (originally found on the band’s 2010 album High Violet). Listen below.

Jul 08, 2019

SOAK (Northern Ireland singer/songwriter Bridie Monds-Watson) released a new album, Grim Town, in April via Rough Trade. Now she has shared a cover of Sleater-Kinney‘s “Modern Girl,” recorded for Amazon Music as an Amazon Original. More

Jun 26, 2019

SOAK (Northern Ireland singer/songwriter Bridie Monds-Watson) released a new album, Grim Town, in April via Rough Trade. Last night she stopped by Late Night with Seth Meyers to perform the album’s “Déjà Vu,” in her national TV debut. More

SOAK Shares New Song “Country Air”

From the Soundtrack to Children's TV Show Moominvalley

Apr 19, 2019

SOAK (Northern Ireland singer/songwriter Bridie Monds-Watson) is releasing a new album, Grim Town, on April 26 via Rough Trade. Now she has shared a new song, “Country Air,” but it’s not from her album. Instead it’s from the soundtrack to the Finish/British TV kids show Moominvalley. More

10 Best Songs of the Week: Wand, Idlewild, Barrie, Charly Bliss, SOAK, and More

Plus The Love Language, Foxygen, These New Puritans, and a Wrap-up of the Week's Other Notable New Tracks

Feb 08, 2019

This week’s Songs of the Week was almost just a Top 8. However two fun, but seriously inessential, songs from the Lego Movie 2 soundtrack skated in at the bottom of the list. Veteran Scottish rockers Idlewild surprised us with an interesting new song, even though we admittedly haven’t paid much attention to their last few albums. More

SOAK Shares Lyric Video for New Song “Valentine Shmalentine”

Grim Town Due Out April 26 via Rough Trade

Feb 07, 2019

SOAK (Northern Ireland singer/songwriter Bridie Monds-Watson) is releasing a new album, Grim Town, on April 26 via Rough Trade. Now she has shared another song from the album, “Valentine Shmalentine,” via a lyric video for the song. More

10 Best Songs of the Week: Fat White Family, Lizzo, Sharon Van Etten, Cherry Glazerr, and More

Plus SOAK, SASAMI, POND, Beirut, Priests, Steve Gunn, and a Wrap-up of the Week's Other Notable New Tracks

Jan 11, 2019

Welcome to the first Songs of the Week of 2019. We took an extended break in December, as there aren’t too many notable new songs released at the end of the year (beyond endless Christmas covers), but the past week has been filled with exciting new album announcements, most accompanied by new singles worthy of consideration for this list. More

Jan 10, 2019

SOAK (Northern Ireland singer/songwriter Bridie Monds-Watson) has announced a new album, Grim Town, and shared a video for its new single, “Knock Me Off My Feet.” More

Dec 20, 2018

SOAK (Northern Ireland singer/songwriter Bridie Monds-Watson) recently returned with a new song, “Everybody Loves You,” on Rough Trade (it was one of our Songs of the Week), along with a video for the song. Now she has shared a cover of Chris Rea’s “Driving Home for Christmas,” via a video of her performing the song. More

Oct 16, 2018

SOAK (Northern Ireland singer/songwriter Bridie Monds-Watson) recently returned with a new song, “Everybody Loves You,” on Rough Trade (it was one of our Songs of the Week). Now she has shared a strange video for the song. More

10 Best Songs of the Week: Courtney Barnett, Phosphorescent, Julia Jacklin, and More

Plus Moonface, Thom Yorke, Sharon Van Etten, Kurt Vile, and a Wrap-up of the Week's Other Notable New Tracks

Oct 05, 2018

This week Sharon Van Etten and Moonface announced new albums and their lead singles both made this week’s Songs of the Week list. Joining them are new standalone singles from Julia Jacklin, Jessie Ware, and SOAK, as well as some singles from upcoming albums, and an eight-minute album track. But our #1 this week is a bonus track that probably shouldn’t have been cut from an album released earlier this year. More

SOAK Shares New Song “Everybody Loves You”

First New Song in Three Years

Oct 03, 2018

SOAK (Northern Ireland singer/songwriter Bridie Monds-Watson) has returned with a new song, “Everybody Loves You,” on Rough Trade. It’s her first song in three years, since her acclaimed debut album, 2015’s Before We Forgot How to Dream. More

Sasquatch! 2016 Line-up: The Cure, M83, Florence and the Machine, Sufjan Stevens, and More

Grimes, Wolf Alice, Julia Holter, and others on Memorial Day Weekend (May 27 - 30) in Quincy, Washington

Jan 12, 2016

The Sasquatch! Music Festival has revealed the lineup for their 2016 festival, their 15th year. Once again it will be going down Memorial Day Weekend (May 27 - 30) at the Gorge Amphitheater in Quincy, Washington. It’s a stacked lineup, including The Cure, M83, Sufjan Stevens, Grimes, Florence and the Machine, Wolf Alice, Julia Holter, Jamie xx, Caribou, Yeasayer, Savages, Kurt Vile, Mac DeMarco, and others.

Watch: SOAK - “Reckless Behavior” Video

Before We Forgot How to Dream Out Now via Rough Trade

Dec 02, 2015

SOAK (aka the 19-year-old singer/songwriter from Northern Ireland named Bridie Monds-Watson) has released a new video for “Reckless Behavior,” a song found on her debut album, Before We Forgot How to Dream, which is out now via Rough Trade. Bob Gallagher directed the touching clip, which centers on a suicidal teen girl who forms an unlikely friendship with a crafty elderly woman. More

Oct 16, 2015

Since 1992 the Mercury Prize has been awarded to the best British album of the year, meaning an album created by a citizen of the U.K. and Ireland. It’s become one of the biggest honors a British musician can receive and can also boost an album’s sales in the U.K., especially if it wins. Now this year’s nominees have been announced. More

Listen: SOAK Covers St. Vincent’s “Digital Witness”

Before We Forgot How to Dream Out June 2 via Rough Trade

Apr 30, 2015

When SOAK (aka the 18-year-old singer/songwriter from Northern Ireland named Bridie Monds-Watson) played Under the Radar‘s day party at SXSW this year, the audience was in rapt attention, despite the fact that she was performing solo acoustic, just her voice and her guitar. More

Watch: SOAK - “Blud” Video

Before We Forgot How to Dream Will Be Released June 2

Apr 15, 2015

SOAK, the alter ego of 18-year old Bridie Monds-Watson, has just released the music video for her song, “Blud,” off of her forthcoming debut album, Before We Forget How To Dream. More

Under the Radar Announces April/May Issue with Tame Impala on the Cover

Issue 53 Also Includes Interviews with Death Cab for Cutie, Mew, My Morning Jacket, The Jesus and Mary Chain on Psychocandy, Father John Misty, Charlie Cox of Marvel's: Daredevil, Domhnall Gleeson, Courtney Barnett, and More

Apr 10, 2015

Under the Radar is excited to announce the full details of the April/May 2015 issue, which is about to hit newsstands. It features Tame Impala on the cover. Actor Charlie Cox talks about his starring role in the new Netflix series, Marvel’s Daredevil. We interview The Jesus and Mary Chain‘s Jim Reid and Creation Records’ founder Alan McGee about the 30th anniversary of the Scottish band’s iconic debut album, 1985’s Psychocandy. The issue also includes interviews with Death Cab For Cutie, Mew, My Morning Jacket, Father John Misty, Domhnall Gleeson of Ex Machina, Courtney Barnett, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Laura Marling, Django Django, Will Butler, Purity Ring, San Fermin, TORRES, Twin Shadow, Matthew E. White, Amason, Jacco Gardner, Tobias Jesso Jr., Petite Noir, Natalie Prass, SOAK, and more. More

Check Out Photos from the Under the Radar SXSW 2015 Day Party of Montreal and Mew

Plus Shots of East India Youth, Jacco Gardner, SOAK, Matthew E. White, and Pompeii

Mar 29, 2015

Under the Radar‘s own Wendy Lynch Redfern and Laura Studarus were down in Austin for SXSW last week. Here’s a selection of their live photos from the Under the Radar Daytime event at The Flamingo Cantina on Thursday, March 19, 2015. More

Under the Radar’s SXSW 2015 Events to Feature of Montreal, Mew, Torres, San Fermin, and Many More

Thursday Day Party and Saturday Official Nighttime Showcase; Lineups Also Include East India Youth, Matthew E. White, Boxed In, Jacco Gardner, and Others

Mar 06, 2015

Under the Radar magazine is excited to reveal the full lineups, poster, and set times for our two SXSW 2015 events. This year we are having a day party at the Flamingo Cantina on Thursday, March 19, and an official nighttime showcase at Central Presbyterian Church on Saturday, March 21. Our events are set to feature performances from of Montreal, Mew, Torres, San Fermin, East India Youth, Matthew E. White, Jacco Gardner, Boxed In, SOAK, Amason, Springtime Carnivore, Pompeii, Talk in Tongues, and Dinner. More

Nov 27, 2014

For the first time in its eighteen year history, Oslo festival by:Larm will welcome non-Nordic acts. More



Interviews

The End: SOAK

Jokes Then Death

May 20, 2022

To end the week, we ask SOAK (aka Northern Ireland singer/songwriter Bridie Monds-Watson) some questions about endings and death. More

My Firsts: SOAK

Wild Rumpus Begins

May 02, 2019

My Firsts is our email interview series where we ask musicians to tell us about their first life experiences, be it early childhood ones (first word, first concert, etc.) or their first tastes of being a musician (first band, first tour, etc.). More

SOAK

Truth or Dare

Jun 03, 2015

For every overnight success story, there is an over-365-nights success story: When it comes to Derry, Northern Ireland-born Bridie Monds-Watson’s moniker SOAK, we’re talking about something a good seven years in the making. More


Reviews

Apr 25, 2019

At some point, youth cracks. That sense of perpetual invincibility, the world firmly clenched in your fist, the euphoria that rushes through your blood as you contemplate your ever-expanding horizoneverything starts to crumble. More

Jun 01, 2015

There’s nothing the Brits like more than hyping one of their own. It’s a trait that explains why so few U.K. bands make it past album number two-by the time they’ve delivered a follow up, fickle tastemakers have already moved on to the latest hot piece of stuff. And then nobody listens. More

Mar 30, 2015

“We played a show at 7’oclock this morning, which is entirely too early to be playing a rock ‘n’ roll concert,” said Matthew E. White. The Richmond, VA-based singer/songwriter/guitarist was up on stage at the Flamingo Cantina, for a second-on-the-bill 12:45 PM set at Under the Radar‘s SXSW day party. More