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Little Green Cars

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Little Green Cars
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded2008 in Dublin, Ireland
Defunct21 March 2019
Headquarters
Dublin
,
Ireland
ProductsMusic albums, singles, EPs

Little Green Cars was an indie rock ensemble originating from Dublin, Ireland, established in 2008. The group declared their official breakup on 21 March 2019.[1] Following the split, four of the members went on to create the band Soda Blonde, while Steve Appleby embarked on a solo artistic journey.[2][3][4]

History

2008-2012: Origins and initial phase

Established in Dublin in 2008 by childhood companions Stevie Appleby (vocals, guitar) and Adam O’Regan (guitar, vocals), Little Green Cars soon grew into a five-member group with the addition of Faye O’Rourke (vocals, guitar), Donagh Seaver O’Leary (bass, vocals), and Dylan Lynch (drums, vocals). Their early rehearsals took place in Appleby's garden shed, during which they independently released two EPs titled Volume I and Volume II, attracting interest from record labels in the UK. Their debut UK release was a 7" single named "The John Wayne," issued by Young and Lost Club.

By January 2012, they had secured a contract with New York-based Glassnote Records and embarked on extensive tours across both the United States and United Kingdom. Their growing recognition included a performance of "Harper Lee" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and participation in prominent festivals such as SXSW, Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Osheaga.

2013-2015: Release of Absolute Zero

The album Absolute Zero, launched in March 2013, represented their breakthrough on an international scale. It was produced by Markus Dravs, renowned for his collaborations with Arcade Fire and Mumford & Sons, and recorded at Angelic Studios in England. Dravs enhanced the band's complex arrangements by emphasizing their vocal harmonies alongside candid emotional lyricism.

Key tracks from the album included "The John Wayne," which propelled the band onto the global stage with its stirring crescendo and poetic storytelling.[5] Another highlight was "My Love Took Me Down to the River to Silence Me," featuring Faye O’Rourke's commanding vocals that complemented Appleby's introspective delivery.[6] The album also incorporated electronic influences on songs like "Red and Blue."[7]

Upon release, Absolute Zero debuted at number one on the Irish Albums Chart[8] and reached position 94 on the UK Albums Chart.[9] It earned widespread critical praise for its sophisticated songwriting, refined production quality, and vocal interplay.

Following this success, the band engaged in international tours and appeared at major festivals as well as television shows.

2016-2018: The era of Ephemera

Work on their sophomore album began in November 2014 in Dublin. Released through Glassnote Records in March 2016,[10] Ephemera (Little Green Cars album) explored themes of love, grief, and change, drawing inspiration from personal experiences such as the passing of guitarist Adam O'Regan's father.[11][12]

"The Song They Play Every Night" served as the album’s lead single.[11] During this period, Adam O'Regan also took on directing duties for several music videos.

Critical reception was varied; while The Irish Times lauded its vocal harmonies,[13] some reviewers criticized it for lacking dynamism.[14] Commercially, it did not match the achievements of Absolute Zero.

2019-present: Band dissolution and new ventures

On 21 March 2019, Little Green Cars publicly announced their decision to disband, attributing it to mutual personal and creative reasons.[15][16] The members clarified that no interpersonal conflicts or betrayals influenced this choice.[17] Divergent artistic visions led them to explore separate creative paths.[18]

In 2019, four members—Faye O'Rourke, Adam O'Regan, Donagh Seaver O'Leary, and Dylan Lynch—formed a new group called Soda Blonde,[19] which made its live debut in Dublin that May. They released two EPs within the same year and followed with their debut album Small Talk in July 2021 via Velveteen Records. This album earned them a nomination for the Choice Music Prize in 2022.[20] Their sophomore album Dream Big (2023) received top rankings from Irish music critics.[19]

After a two-year break from music,[21] Stevie Appleby pursued a solo career releasing his single "Mother Of Pearl" in 2021 along with an EP that included tracks such as "Hand Me Down".[22][23] He has also expanded his presence within the visual arts community through exhibitions held across Dublin and the United Kingdom.[24][25]

The influence of Little Green Cars endures through Soda Blonde's ongoing artistic development as well as Appleby's individual fusion of music and visual art.[26]

Studio albums

Release Year Album Information Highest Chart Rankings
US Heatseekers IRL UK
2013 Absolute Zero
  • Launch Date: 22 March 2013
  • Record Label: Glassnote
  • Available Formats: CD, digital download, vinyl
 19 1 94
2016 Ephemera
  • Launch Date: 11 March 2016
  • Record Label: Glassnote
  • Available Formats: CD, digital download, vinyl
 — 2 —
"—" indicates the album did not enter the charts.

EPs

Year EP Details
2008 Volume I
  • Launch Year: 2008
  • Record Label: Little Green Records
Volume II
  • Launch Year: 2008
  • Record Label: Little Green Records
2013 Harper Lee

Singles

Year Released Single Title Peak Chart Positions Associated Album
IRL UK
2012 "The John Wayne" — — Absolute Zero
2013 "Harper Lee" — —
"My Love Took Me Down To The River To Silence Me" — —
"Big Red Dragon" — —
2016 "The Song They Play Every Night" — — Ephemera
"Easier Day" — —
"Clair De Lune" — —
"—" signifies singles that did not chart.
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  8. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  9. ↑ https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/27989/little-green-cars/
  10. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Discogs
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named IrishTimesProgress
  12. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  13. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  14. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  15. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  16. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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  18. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named SodaBlondeWiki
  20. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  21. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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  23. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  24. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  25. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  26. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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