Che stesse bollendo qualcosa nell'underground irlandese era noto a tutti ma che deflagrasse in questa maniera pochi se lo aspettavano. Suoni grungy tematiche attuali, bello
Reportedly heavily inspired by the t.v. series 'Euphoria', this debut album by Galway band New Dad certainly does touch upon themes prevalent in that programme : the self loathing of 'Angel', the toxic relationships of 'Sickly Sweet', the angst ridden frustration of ' Let Go', and the self laceration of the title track ( 'Madra' is Irish for dog ), it's all here. Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Julie Dawson conveys herself brilliantly throughout 'Madra', albeit with a dreamy shoegaze vocal that rarely deviates. Firing their best shots early, New Dad set out their stall on opening tracks 'Angel' and 'Sickly Sweet' with Sean Monaghan's Banshees / Cocteaus indebted guitars ringing out while Cara Joshi's prominent post punk bass riffs provide a solid and indispensable framework from then on. Whether introspective, as on tracks like 'Where I Go' or sadly wistful on 'Dream Of Me', this is an album blessed with strong tunes assumedly nurtured from many a listen to the record collections of New Dad's elders. Drummer Fiachra Parslow's gated beats and Cara Joshi's skilful bass work add weight to the electronic groove of 'Nightmares', one of many stand out tracks on 'Madra'. And one of these is most certainly 'Nosebleed', an affecting piece that touches upon codependency: "I really couldn't care less" sings Dawson; oh but we do Julie, we do! The time honoured arpeggios of 'In My Head' and the forthright chords of 'Let It Go' should go some way to pleasing the "guitar music aint dead" fraternity, and rightly so too. The drummer less acoustic guitar picked 'White Ribbons' comes across as very personal - although I daresay many will relate - and will make sense of the album cover picture of a china doll's flawed features. With fellow Irish band The Sprints' exciting 'Letter To Self' album currently making waves, and Lime Garden's long awaited debut only days away, 2024 already looks like being a good year for new music and this tour de force from New Dad is at the forefront. Highly recommended...