Newdad - MADRA

The highly subjective and vague question of who the next best indie band will be is often met with simultaneous confusion. I don’t think it’s fair to say a band is the “next best thing” as then it implies they’ll have to live up to a certain standard. Still, Newdad is excitingly good. 

Newdad’s full-length debut is a strong feat in modern indie/alternative music. It feels like they have tapped into something that fills a void in today’s music. With so much indie music out there, it’s really hard to find something this memorable and exciting as Newdad have created on MADRA. They have all you want in a band: great riffs, production, feels, and even lyrics. Their sound feels like a fuzzed out blanket at times, and like pure rock at others. 

Here, Newdad jumps between flowing and dreamy blissfulness (“Nosebleed”) and cathartic indie rock (“Sickly Sweet”). Rarely do I encounter a record this instantly exciting and satisfying. Paired perfectly with great guitar riffs from Sean O'Dowd, basslines from Cara Joshi, and drumming from Fiachra Parslow, there’s no mistaking the unique and distinguishable vocal style of Julie Dawson. The album’s production gives it all an accessibility and sharpness while still sounding authentic. Undeniable album standout “In My Head” already feels like an essential song for indie music. The album as a whole feels the same way. 

Irish rock bands have been in full bloom the past few years, one example being the incredible Fontaines D.C. The presence of Newdad is no exception to Ireland’s modern rock explosion. They come at you like something different, in an age where plenty of new music sounds unoriginal. Despite shoegaze comparisons, MADRA still feels like a rock record, complete with an intoxicating and eerily comforting soundscape. Whatever way you want to describe it, this record is undeniably unique in its blend of sounds and possible influences.