On September 19, 2025, Irish indie band NewDad released
their latest album, “Altar.” The album consists of 12 songs and is the band’s
second album. NewDad is from Galway, Ireland, and is led by vocalist and
songwriter Julie Dawson.
Each song has the band’s unique voice, but is different from
the others on the album. The band has a distinct indie sound, which fans of
indie music will love and appreciate. They cite influences ranging from The
Cure, Pixies, R.E.M., and My Bloody Valentine to Big Thief and Beabadoobee.
These influences meld together in a sound that is all NewDad’s own.
This album has a brighter sound than their previous album. According
to their website, the band says it is a love letter to their home, Ireland, and
they hope people get to listen to it on a drive through Ireland’s west coast. While
it does not have a traditional Irish or Celtic sound to it, the album does have
a sense of home and comfort. Like traditional Irish music, each song conveys a
story that gives a glimpse into the band’s life.
The vocals of the tracks are a bit quiet against the
background instruments, which makes it difficult to understand the lyrics.
However, this also makes listeners actually focus on the album in order to get
the message behind the lyrics.
The chorus of “Entertainer” melodically reminds me a bit of “Unholy”
by Sam Smith, but that is the extent of the similarities between the songs. This
song references vampires, which seems to symbolize that audiences take and take
from entertainers of all kinds, expecting them to do so much. While this song
may be about literal entertainers, it may also be about a relationship where
one person is doing all of the work and the other is just taking it all in for
themselves.
Overall, the album is a great album for fans of indie rock music.
The music has a profound message, accomplishing the band’s goal of confronting
the bad things going on in the world. If that continues to be their mission,
they will be making music for quite some time, which is a good thing.
Track List:
1. Other Side
2. Heavyweight
3. Pretty
4. Roobosh
5. Misery
6. Sinking Kind Of Feeling
7. Puzzle
8. Entertainer
9. Everything I Wanted
10. Mr Cold Embrace
11. Vertigo
12. Something’s Broken
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