Photo credit: Jim Fuller
“Last Night I Held Your Hand was the first song that came out in the writing process for this album. We wrote it during an autumn-turned-winter trip to Western Wales, and it marked the beginning of a sound that would ultimately define the album. It carries a sense of innocence from earlier releases, yet breathes new life into the direction this album has taken.”
“made for arenas” – BBC Radio 1, Clara Amfo
“truly something special” – CLASH
“pretty much hits the sweetest of spots throughout” – DORK
New album ‘When Youth Fades Away’ set for release 28th March ’25
Following the breakout success of their self-titled debut album in 2023, Dublin’s Somebody’s Child – the project led by Cian Godfrey – return with a bold new chapter in their musical journey. Since the release of their first record, the band have taken their powerful live performances to new heights, opening for The War on Drugs, Bloc Party and Kings of Leon at BST Hyde Park, following on with a sold-out night at London’s Heaven to celebrate the debut album release. Appearances in their native Ireland have included the bucket list moments, headlining the 3Olympia Theatre in Dublin and playing on the Main Stage at the country’s biggest festival, Electric Picnic.
Having recently announced their highly anticipated sophomore album When Youth Fades Away, set for release on March 28th , they now kick off 2025 with its second single Last Night I Held Your Hand which dropped on 16th Jan via Frenchkiss Records .
Recorded in the US with by Grammy Award-winner Peter Katis (The National, Interpol, Frightened Rabbit), When Youth Fades Away showcases a leap in maturity, both musically and thematically, for the band. Frontman Cian Godfrey describes the album as a reflection on the inevitable process of ageing and the shifting perspectives that come with it. “If our first album was about running away, this one is about staying put and reflecting,” says Godfrey. “It’s about letting people in and letting ourselves out.”
When Youth Fades Away explores a new range of emotional and sonic territory, from the synth-driven experimentation of the title track, to the introspective, stripped-back vulnerability of “Irish Goodbye.” Drawing influences from early electronic pioneers Kraftwerk (whose use of technology became a north star for the band) and the personal lyricism of Leonard Cohen, the album is indicative of the band pushing beyond indie rock conventions into new creative ground. The record features additional keyboard instrumentation by The Gloaming member Thomas Bartlett (Doveman).
Godfrey likens the album’s narrative themes to seeing something old with fresh eyes. “It’s like going back to your parents’ house and noticing something you haven’t seen in years, and having a completely different perspective on it now that you’re older,” he says. “Perhaps you’ve reached the age they were upon purchasing it. Whatever it is, it formed a part of your parents life and had significance in their past. You may not have been there for its use, but like the yellowing of a book, it becomes highlighted by time. By recognising this, we are giving value to it.”
After a monumental few years that saw Somebody’s Child perform alongside some of the biggest names in music and headline major venues, When Youth Fades Away promises to be a defining moment in Somebody’s Child’s journey, setting the stage for the band to carve their place on modern rock music.
Somebody’s Child start their live assault on 2025 with a tour of Germany in April with lots more announcements on the way soon.
Live dates:
8th April – Yuca – Cologne, DE
9th April – Im Wizemann – Stuttgart, DE
10th April – Kranhalle – Munich, DE
12th April – Gleis 22 – Münster, DE
13th April – Mephisto – Hannover, DE
14th April – Nachtleben – Frankfurt, DE
16th April – Speicher – Husum, DE
17th April – Molotow – Hamburg, DE