Photo Credit: Alice Backham
Towards the end of 2023 many media outlets made their predictions of which bands would break through in 2024, and NewDad seemed to be on every one of them. Big things are expected of the Galway four-piece this year, starting with the release of their debut album MADRA, their first on Fair Youth/Atlantic Records. NewDad’s genre can be described as dreamy pop, indie or shoegaze, and sometimes there are elements of all three within the eleven track album.
The Irish music scene is producing some quality bands, including CMAT, Fontaines D.C. and Just Mustard to name just a few. NewDad can now be added to that list. Album opener and first single Angel immediately punches you in the face, with Cara Joshi’s standout basslines. The Wolf Alice influences shine through in just about every song on MADRA (which translates as Gaelic for dog) and is very prominent during Sickly Sweet, which has a very catchy chorus sang delightfully by vocalist Julie Dawson: “Your sickly sweet/your sweetly sick/a shiny thing/I want to pick.” Nosebleed is a standout track bursting with energy but it also gives you an overall feeling of being chilled, a theme which runs throughout the album. MADRA probably wouldn’t be the record to play before a night out on the town, instead it is a more reflective and solitary experience as albums go. The previously released Let Go definitely falls into that category, with the repetitive “I can let go” running throughout the song, while Dream Of Me is one of the more upbeat tracks, played at a much higher intensity. The recently released Nightmares allows Fiachra Parslow to take centre stage and express his drumming abilities, with haunting lyrics from Dawson and prominent bass riffs from Joshi.
Closing track MADRA leaves you craving more new music from NewDad. The shoegaze influenced guitar work from Sean O’Dowd is outstanding and a nod to Slowdive, who seem to be recreating a resurgence of interest in the genre. So what’s next for NewDad after their debut album release? The quartet will embark on a UK tour in February and March ahead of a busy summer, with appearances at the likes of TRNSMT, Kendal Calling and Y Not Festival. Definitely ones to watch in 2024 then!
9/10
For Fans Of: Wolf Alice, Just Mustard, Bleach Lab
Standout Tracks: Sickly Sweet, Nosebleed, Let Go
Written by: Alan Brown
