Watercress were a band from Belfast. Genre? I suppose “playful indie-folk-jazz-punk” is probably the most concise label I can put on their stuff. Belfast-accented harmonies and assorted vocal noises by guitarist Brian Acton and mandolinist/didgeridooist Dan Donnelly, backed up by Bruce Cabbyge on the double bass and either Rabb Bennett orPhil Duffy on drums.

I was introduced to them by singer-songwriter Susan Enan while she was living in Belfast in the late 1990s, and I was able to pick up most of their CDs (one album, “Bummer”, and a string of EPs) but unfortunately never managed to see them live before they split up in 2000. You can buy “Bummer” from iTunes, CDbaby or Amazon.co.uk, and I’d seriously recommend it.

But if you want to sample them first, here’s some YouTube links. Not as many as there should be, and some of my favourites aren’t yet available. I’ll have to see what can be done about that.

Dan is now a solo singer-songwriter with an intesting line in live overdubs using an echo pedal (he’s also recorded under the same “Sonovagun”).  Brian and Bruce play jazz in the Brian Acton Quartet.

Live performances:

• Alarm Bells
• Your Ring
• Boneyman
• Photograph

Promo videos

• Candlemaker
• Tripped Up

Fan videos

• Spacegirl
• Skyrocket

Recordings

• Bruce’s “Tunes” page has a recording of “Invisible” – scroll down to the bottom

Dan Donnelly performs Watercress songs

• Cruelty
• Candlemaker

Dan Donnelly solo stuff

• I’ll Do Your F***in’ Car
• Diamonds in the Road
• Cigarette
• You Know Who
• Lonely Still
• Friends Like You
• Shine
• Emergency Brake
• Running
• Spare Change
• This Song
• Falling
• Love Will Save the Day
• An episode of local TV show “Kick Out The Jams” on Dan – performs Brooklyn Song, Cigarette, Lonely Still, Diamonds in the Road, You Know Who

Brian Acton Quartet

• All the Things You Are