‘Brand New Start’, follows hot on the heels of the spiky electric bristle of ‘We Want the World’ and the Dublin indie outfit have changed tack for their follow-up, delivering a sparse, more acoustically-driven melody. Its delicate verses are disarmingly bare at times, hanging on the drone of a hypnotic guitar line, but they soon swell towards a chorus that delivers a refrain heavy with bruised hope.
“These hands we hold out are praying for some kind of healing, to lift what we’re feeling in our hearts. We carried this guilt, the heaviest weight on our shoulders. Please let us start over, with a brand new start.”
Songwriter Donnchadh Egan says of the song: “I wrote the lyrics in the summer following the repeal of the 8th Amendment. For the first time in years I felt real positivity amongst friends and peers, a sense that something in Ireland was fundamentally changing for the better. The song and the video that accompanies it are an effort to acknowledge the hurt of the past while also being strong enough to be positive for the future. Essentially it’s a song that says ‘We’re turning the page, and bollocks to the guilt of old Ireland.’”
A thundering middle-eight shakes the established foundations of “Brand New Start” as the vocal shouts “no prayers of salvation” and “no threats of damnation” being needed anymore. As the drums thump towards a crescendo and back into an extra-long refrain, the song soars towards its conclusion with an air of confidence not present during its timid opening.
The River Liffey is shown as “Brand New Start” closes with a beautifully bare cello and acoustic guitar arrangement which lilts on in such a delightful way that you could get lost in it. The words “No. More. Guilt.” are then boldly displayed, a final moment of bittersweet juxtaposition.
The Dublin five piece started with Donnchadh Egan and his beautifully crafted collection of songs. Having release a number of EPs since 2017 the band have been a set feature across Irelands festival circuit and have received extensive national airplay. In support of their debut release a number of summer dates are being finalised with appearances with For Those I Love and Kíla already secured.
