Galway indie-rock quartet NewDad when they announced their next single ‘Say It’ released on 11th January, with sophomore EP ‘Banshee’ arriving on 9th February via Fair Youth Records.
Another debut album from an Irish band released in January, NewDad’s ‘Madra’ is best described as hypnotic. Lead singer Julie Dawson’s voice perfectly fits the shoegaze sound of the album. It is so easy to just lose yourself listening to the album, there is something so dreamy about it. You can hear how the likes of The Cure have inspired the band, it brings familiarity to the album but doesn’t overpower it, NewDad is still the signature sound of the album The lyrics are heavy, leaning into themes of self-loathing on the part of Dawson. It’s a harsh juxtaposition with the gentleness of her voice but it is so well executed. The two parts come together extremely well to create a whole album that is just so enjoyable to listen to. Another strong debut album released in 2024 that you should definitely listen to!
Julie Dawson fronts the rising band alongside Áindle O’Beirn, Sean O’Dowd, and Fiachra Parslow. NewDad formed while still at school in Galway and credit a random band name generator for their unusual moniker. Having initially felt isolated as a new Irish band, the success of friends and fellow countrymen Fontaines D.C. and The Murder Capital forged a path for the band. In early 2020, they recruited Sean O’Dowd on bass, having existed as a three piece prior to that point. Initially getting together because Julie “hates playing and singing on my own,” the band grew more serious about their sound and decided to move in together to write and record as much as possible when lockdown hit.
The first result of this was the band’s debut EP “Waves”, released in early 2021. Dark and stormy with undeniably beautiful moments amid the mammoth guitars, the EP acted as a perfect introduction to the world NewDad have created for themselves and picked up fans across the globe. There’s a heaviness to the music, which the band pin to a love of The Cure, Pixies, and Slowdive among others, that transcends local scenes or languages. Julie’s songwriting brings a subtlety to their sound, weaving personal relationships and influences from the worlds of literature and cinema to add depth.
She explores these themes more closely on the band’s new EP, which was mixed by legendary producer John Congleton. “When I was writing “Waves”, I was out of school but looking back at experiences from that time,” Julie says of an EP that delves into “family, relationships, and all of the mistakes you make at that age.”
‘Say It’ is “perfect pop, a brilliantly urgent single that highlights the extra experience and time the band have had in the studio,” according to a press release. “Julie’s vocals are amongst her best yet, and capture the emotion of the track, the rushing sensation you feel when in the midst of an affair.”
Referring to the origins of the single, the band write:
“‘Say It’ is about unrequited love, about when someone is with you but not really, it’s supposed to capture that frustration you feel when you’re giving someone your all and they’re giving you nothing in return. The fast pace of the song makes it feel like I’m venting which works considering the feelings of irritation and bitterness I’m talking about when you don’t want to like someone but you can’t help it’. “
“Banshee” is the band’s second EP. “Banshee” was recorded and co-produced in Belfast with frequent collaborator Chris W Ryan and was mixed by John Congleton (Lana Del Rey, Phoebe Bridgers).
“This EP is definitely bigger, having more time in the studio definitely meant we got to experiment more and layer more into each track so there’s an overall bigger sound!” NewDad said of their new EP. “The main themes of this EP are restlessness and anxiety, during lockdown that’s how myself and most people were feeling so that’s what inspired a lot of the writing.”
The new music is brighter, something Julie pins on the excitement of moving in together as a band.
“There’s a lightness to the songs and we’re moving in a more pop direction, too.” “Ladybird” was inspired by the Greta Gerwig movie of the same name while the bittersweet jangle of ‘Say It’ deals with the heartache of being more interested in someone than they are in you.
Other songs, including the epic and sprawling ‘Spring’, are more inward looking and tackle the waves of anxiety living in the modern world can make feel inescapable. “I’ve written a lot of songs about dreams, sleep and restlessness. This past year has added a whole heap of pressure onto us so I’ve been doing a lot of talking through what’s going on in my mind.”
These songs capture a moment in time for a band with big ambitions, and a bright future they’re eager to chase down as quickly as possible. Work has already begun on a debut album.
NewDad have also confirmed more live dates for next year following the incredible success of their first UK tour.
The Fat Angel Sings 