Photo Credit: Jim Fuller
Somebody’s Child have released their second album When Youth Fades Away via Frenchkiss Records. The new record follows their self-titled debut in 2023, which contained outstanding tracks in We Could Start A War and Jungle, helping bandleader Cian Godfrey find a pathway in the indie rock scene after coming from a classically trained background. We were excited to see Somebody’s Child perform at TRNSMT Festival last year and they gave everything during the half-hour performance.
The Kid is an unforgettable opener on the LP, you can feel the different layers of music beginning with some light guitar and bass, before building into a crescendo of noise that really wouldn’t sound out of place on a The War On Drugs record. During the first listen we felt that it set the scene really cleverly for what was to come, it’s a five-and-a-half-minute epic that gives you goosebumps… well it did for us anyway.
As the title When Youth Fades Away suggests, this is an album that reminisces about the past, growing up, being grown up and the reality of getting older, Last Night I Held Your Hand was one of the early releases and shines through as a standout on the album, while Porcelain (Losing All My Patience) took us on a personal journey to the past. If Somebody’s Child can make that kind of impact on you then they must be doing something right. The title track does exactly the same, with the mix of melodic guitars, vocals and synth. New Orleans is a more laid back track, played almost acoustically with some added piano – producer Peter Katis has produced a work of art here.
The vocals of Godfrey pull you in and Wall Street is another example of this, while My Mind Is On Fire has some philosophical lyrics such as “I’m holding on to nothing, but nothing is a lie.” If we get a tour on the back of the album these new songs are going to sound amazing live. The Waterside has a memorable guitar solo from Shea Tohill and penultimate track Life Will Go On seems to offer optimism for the future.
The eleven-track release ends with what we think is the best on the record in Time Of My Life, as Godfrey takes us on a journey through time. When Youth Fades Away lives up to Somebody’s Child‘s 2023 debut and we will be watching closely to see how they progress from here.
There is so much great music coming out of Ireland right now with fellow Dubliners Fontaines D.C. and Inhaler leading the way. The big question is: can Somebody’s Child live up to the reputation and continue this tradition? Having shared stages with the likes of Kings Of Leon, The War On Drugs and Bloc Party, there is massive potential for them to continue on an upwards trajectory.
9/10
Standout Tracks: The Kid, Porcelain (Losing All My Patience), Time Of My Life
For Fans Of: The War On Drugs, Kings Of Leon, Circa Waves
Written by: Alan Brown
