This is the second album by this Irish band, and it reminds me of pre-Brit Pop era post-punk/new-wave, yet with a modern sheen. Dynamic songs that open up into cathartic bridges or climaxes.
The songs on this album certainly sound more upbeat that their first album, The Seed, The Vessel, The Roots And All. Not to say that they’re happier, there’s just a liveliness that imparts more energy. Not as bleak sounding, even though this material was written during the COVID lockdown.
A lot of the reviews call this band “punk” or “indie-punk,” and I don’t know where they get that from. It’s not my idea of what punk sounds like, but maybe within the context of the current musical landscape, it’s punk as fuck next to your Olivia Rodrigoes, 1975’s, and Måneskins.
If you’re looking for something new that has a familiar patina to it, then this should hit the spot.
-bcp