For Those I Love: Carving the Stone review – bracing anger at Irish social stasis

(September Recordings)The raw grief of David Balfe’s first album may have faded to a bruise, but his spoken-word fury is as strong as ever in these hyper-focused stories of poverty and exploitationOn his 2021 debut as For Those I Love, David Balfe closed the gap between performance poetry, moody 1980s synthpop and sample-stuffed electronica to craft an evocative eulogy for his friend Paul Curran, who died by suicide in 2018. The result was Kae Tempest meets New Order via the densely referential lyrics of Real Lies; a set of songs steeped in lump-in-the-throat nostalgia for more innocent times, and in the muted echoes of dancefloor euphoria.On this follow-up, the Dublin musician – now in his early 30s – adjusts his subject while clinging tightly to his fury and devastation. Aside from The Ox/The Afters, a tribute to a former hardman who dies from drink, there’s not much literal grief on Carving the Stone – but Balfe is still in mourning. His psychic wound is more abstract now, a slow-blooming bruise caused by the brutal Irish economy and the tech-addled meaninglessness of modernity. Over a boisterously ravey backdrop, No Scheme chronicles the lifestyles of Balfe’s erstwhile contemporaries (“life above their means / And driven mad by phone scams and everyday still spent on Facebook”), while Mirror rages against “cunting blackshirts” who promote nationalistic beliefs to the workers they exploit. Continue reading...

Comments

Culture

Horror film with ‘greatest twist of all time’ now available to stream

Metro

Comments

Culture

Horror film with ‘greatest twist of all time’ now available to stream

Bobby Whitlock death: Derek and the Dominos co-founder dies aged 77

Former RAF corporal, 96, becomes Countdown’s oldest ever contestant

00s actor was ‘on his deathbed’ after losing 50% of his blood

Director of horror hit Weapons says his Resident Evil film will not be a remake

Fans defend Line of Duty star’s new crime drama after it’s branded ‘snoozefest’

Rapper stops concert to scold mother for ‘irresponsible’ act with baby

In 'Blessings and Disasters,' Alexis Okeowo honors their home state of Alabama

Doctor Who star’s show dropped from UK streaming service confirms ITV launch

Tim Rice: I would ‘consider’ using AI to help write songs

Bard Music Festival: An Innovator in Exile

James Marsden opens up about reprising X-Men role in ‘gigantic’ new Avengers movie

Christopher Biggins claims he wants to ‘grab women’ in bizarre defence of Gregg Wallace

Hip-Hop legend takes wild 10-hour Uber ride to make concert: ‘Can’t make this up’

Weapons explained: What happened to the 17 missing children in hit horror movie?

Simon Rex claims Matt Damon started ‘laughing’ during doomed Good Will Hunting audition

Peter Andre left ‘feeling sick’ as daughter Princess, 18, reveals shocking messages from men

Maya Jama ‘offered millions to stay on Love Island as Netflix tries to poach her’

Amazon Prime’s ‘amazing’ new crime thriller jumps to top of streaming charts

Terry Reid, Rock Singer Known as ‘Superlungs,’ Dies at 75

Paul Hollywood’s brother ‘punched to the floor and kicked’ in horror attack

British TV legend Ray Brooks, best known as voice of Mr Benn, dies aged 86

Actor Ray Brooks, voice of Mr Benn, dies aged 86

Adidas designer sorry for shoes 'appropriated' from Mexico

Michelle Obama and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Draw Crowds on Martha’s Vineyard

Fran Lebowitz says she finds the idea of living with someone else ‘horrible’

Celebrity SAS star sobs after revealing Channel 4 series was ‘torture’

All 6 episodes of ‘spectacular’ British thriller shoot up Netflix top 10

Comedian reveals he ‘got cameraman sacked for filming up female colleague’s skirt’

From spooning Satan to ruling Canada – every time South Park mocked Trump

Virginia's Old Fiddler's Convention welcomes musicians and fans in its 89th year

'Chief of War' co-creator discusses telling stories about Native Hawaiians

Frank Skinner says he got a cameraman sacked for filming up a female colleague’s skirt

Ambika Mod compares her and Leo Woodall’s careers since One Day: ‘It’s not personal’

Liam Neeson doesn’t expect The Naked Gun to get a sequel: ‘I think it’s a one-off’

Can’t commit to vegetarianism but want animals to suffer less? You’ve got options.

Netflix fans ‘tear up’ as show watched 72,000,000 times confirms season 3 before second is out

A writer learns to embrace her imperfect recovery from an eating disorder

Ethel Cain’s Anti-Pop Stardom

Ex-Masterchef winners rally around show in crisis: ‘The programme wasn’t just the presenters’

Freddie Mercury’s closest friend Mary Austin throws doubt on ‘secret child’ claims as ‘B’ speaks out for first time

Couple featured in The Salt Path question ‘disappointing’ depiction in controversial book

Strictly in fresh scandal after staffer claims they were ‘offered cocaine by show star’

Book Review: ‘Friends Until the End,’ by James Grant

Book Review: ‘Sloppy,’ by Rax King

‘Bussin’ With the Boys’ Podcast Is Fueled by Locker Room Talk

Christopher Biggins admits to ‘grabbing women’ in defence of Gregg Wallace

Father of Diddy defense lawyer claims music mogul would support Trump if pardoned

Emma Thompson jokes she could’ve ‘changed American history’ by saying yes to Trump

Jamie Lee Curtis reacts to negative Freakier Friday reviews

Sci-fi fans can binge all 4 seasons of ‘mind-blowing’ series for free on ITVX

Liam Gallagher shows support for brother Paul by moving him into home ahead of court appearance

One to Watch: Harriet Slater from Outlander: Blood of my Blood

The best new crime and thriller books out in August 2025

Beloved WWE stars removed from roster and fans are absolutely furious

Inside Oasis’ ‘last great gathering’ at Knebworth that defined everything

The Black Keys on their music industry nightmare: ‘We were angry. We wanted vengeance’

What it means to be 'culturally' Irish in 2025 is complicated - as Ed Sheeran has shown

So bad they're good - why do we love terrible films?

A Brooklyn Renter’s Odyssey