Label: Fair Youth / Atlantic
Released: 26th January 2024
‘Madra’ is a soul laid bare. Vocalist Julie Dawson’s openness regarding the few ups and many downs of her youth is certainly a daring approach to songwriting, but it’s one that pays off ten times over. Her ability to acknowledge the love of those closest to her while also feeling like a burden in opening track ‘Angel’ sets you up for an album full of nuance, soul, and vulnerability. She manages to find beauty in brokenness with the heart-shattering ‘White Ribbons’, but equally finds the strength to look to the future, most notably in ‘Nosebleed’. Emulating their lifelong inspirations The Cure, NewDad create moments on this album that transcend lyricism and enter the realm of poetry, with title track and closer ‘Madra’ acting as an eloquent synopsis for what is an emotionally complex LP.
As if that wasn’t enough, ‘Madra’ is also a masterclass in shoegaze. For a debut album, it’s remarkably self-assured. Where some bands come out kicking and screaming, making as much noise as possible, NewDad have made a stand with relative quiet. Dawson’s effortless, almost nonchalant vocal, gives the impression that the band know they’re onto a winner, making a statement without making a racket. The guitars are undoubtedly the stars of the show, with layers of muddy, muffled melodies taking centre stage across the album. The rhythm section stands their ground too, though, with bassist Cara and drummer Fiachra providing accomplished performances that keep toes tapping and ‘Madra’ ticking.
The quartet may have found their name through an online generator, but there’s nothing algorithmic about this body of work. It’s throwback, sure, but they nonetheless stand tall as their own magnificent entity.
