On August 8 , 2025, Irish musician For Those I Love released his
second studio album, “Carving the Stone.” For Those I Love is the musical project of
Andrew Balfe, formerly of The Blind and Mothers & Fathers.
The album talks about the Great Recession. Although it focuses on an Irish perspective of what happened during that time, people all over the world, especially those who lived during that time, can relate. Even those living during financial difficulties today will connect to the lyrics of these songs.
Although there is a specific period of time mentioned, the
album can relate to several things throughout Ireland’s history. From
emigration to famine and war, this album hits on aspects of Irish history that
seem to repeat.
There are things throughout the album that will leave
listeners shocked and emotional. These will come as a surprise, especially on
the final song. This added to the emotion of the album, and listeners may be
drawn to tears.
The album tells a whole story, from the beginning of a
recession to coming home. Each song has its own sound, feel, and vibe, but they
all contribute beautifully to the overall story of the album. Listeners are
drawn into the emotions of the album and are held until the powerful end.
While there are no genres listed on Spotify or YouTube for
this album, it could easily be classified as spoken word. Each song sounds like
poetry in how it is performed and the musicality of the lyrics.
The mixing of the album is well done. It can be difficult to
find the balance between the vocals and instrumentals, especially on an album
where the lyrics are spoken, but the vocals are easy to understand. The
instruments do not overpower the lyrics at all, even when the speaker is a bit
quiet.
Overall, this album is perfect for those who love music that
has a powerful message behind it. The songs on this album will connect with people
across political and geographical borders. A few of the songs are listed as
explicit, but the language on the album only furthers the message of the songs
and the album.
-Album Review: "Love Me Too Well, I’ll Retire” by Katie Greson-MacLeod: https://kiltedowl.blogspot.com/2026/02/album-review-love-me-too-well-ill-retire.html
-Album Review: "For The People" by Dropkick Murphys: https://kiltedowl.blogspot.com/2026/02/album-review-for-people-by-dropkick-murphys.html