Stoat is a 3-piece oddball indie-pop band from Leinster, comprising Cormac Parle on bass, piano and vocals, Stephen Whelan on drums and John Hearne on guitar and vocals. Veterans of the Dublin underground scene, the band’s two songwriters have been writing together for 18 years and have evolved a highly distinctive sound incorporating nursery rhymes, angular post-punk, Russian folk music and classic pop melodies, with lyrics reminiscent of Myles Na Gopaleen. They have a reputation for hugely entertaining live shows, involving audience participation, theatrical mayhem, high jinks, and of course great songs. The band’s long-awaited debut album was recorded in Westland Studios in Dublin and mixed in Crystal Sound, Helsinki. It contains 12 tracks from throughout the band’s existence – sea shanties jostling for elbow room with dark-chocolate pop songs and weirdcore punk rock, all filtered through Stoat’s unique musical sensibilities. It is due for release on August 5th 2005. EP: The Saltee Tango (2005) “a work of genius” - Mongrel magazine “weird and absolutely wonderful” - Hot Press Live “original melodies ... ingenious changes ... the people beside me sang along with almost every song, grinning from ear to ear” - ThingsYou’reMissing zine “full of originality” - Hot Press “there isn’t really anyone like them” - ballroomofromance.com