The Irish quartet more than fulfil expectations on their debut album; get ready to hear your soundtrack to the summer

★★★★☆

Hailing from Dublin, indie darlings Inhaler first caught the attention of the music world in 2017 with the release of their debut single, I Want You. Arguably though, it was in 2019 when the band had their real ‘breakthrough’, releasing three more tracks, supporting the likes of heavyweights Noel Gallagher and Blossoms, and rounding off their year nicely by bagging a spot on the BBC’s Sound of 2020 list. 

Everyone in the band is just 21 years old, with Elijah Hewson on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Robert Keating on bass, Josh Jenkinson on lead guitar, and Ryan McMahon on drums.

There is, of course, the unavoidable fact that Hewson is the son of U2’s Bono, which the band have been careful not to let define them. I mean, having Bono as the frontman’s dad might mean that Inhaler have had a few doors opened for them slightly quicker than their peers, but this isn’t said to discredit them; at the end of the day, It Won’t Always Be Like This proves that they’ve definitely earnt their success off their own back, and are here to stay on pure merit alone. 

The album opens with the title track; a different version, however, to the original single released in 2019. Written about a break-up, the song has seemed to take on a new meaning throughout the last year or so, during the Covid-19 pandemic; the hope that however bad things feel, it won’t be forever.

The album version of the track definitely has a slight edge over the original, with the overall sound fitting in better with the band’s newer music. I always felt the single lacked something in the production as if it didn’t sound ‘big’ enough but this new version definitely seems to address those issues, allowing It Won’t Always Be Like This to sound as full and powerful as it deserves to be.

The second track, My Honest Face, was also released as a single in 2019, and the same version appears on the album. Something in this tune is definitely reminiscent of early Sundara Karma, with Keating’s bassline driving the song, accompanied by Hewson’s soaring vocals, creating four-and-a-half minutes of shimmering, anthemic indie.

This sound is continued onto the next track, Slide Out The Window, which is the first previously-unheard song on the album. With a slight reduction of pace from the last song, this tune is still fueled with calming, reverb-y guitars and soft, melodic vocals. The band said on Apple Music that the song is about “just daydreaming and wishing that we were somewhere else”, something which a lot of people can probably relate to after being trapped inside during the lockdowns of the last 18 months.

The fourth track is the joyful and uplifting sound of Cheer Up Baby. In an interview with NME, Hewson described the song as “a love letter to all our fans who are feeling isolated”, which resonates particularly strongly given the circumstances of the last 12 months; it’s evident that the pandemic has had quite an influence on Inhaler’s songwriting.

Already a live favourite, the song does feel like it was written to be performed to a crowd; the perfectly sing-along-friendly chorus is just waiting to be belted out by fans at a sunny festival. The last show I went to before the first lockdown was an Inhaler gig, so I can confirm they’re a great live band. 

The next song, A Night On The Floor, is another previously unreleased song. With a slightly more melancholy tone than the previous tracks, the lyrics hint at the horrors we’ve seen on the news over the last year or so, particularly in the US.

The following track, My King Will Be Kind, also continues this slightly darker sound; the driving bass and steady beat mixed with the chorus-y acoustic guitar makes the song feel a little bit like Interpol meets DMA’s.

These tunes definitely show another layer of depth to Inhaler, with the topical lyrics and moodier vibe showcasing the band’s ability to vary their sound, which keeps the album feeling fresh, and leaves you wondering what’s in store on the next track.     

The seventh song, When It Breaks, brings us back to the high energy seen at the start of the album, and continues the theme of isolation and uncertainty caused by Covid-19 that we’ve seen on much of the album so far; it covers the feeling we all had when we were suddenly being locked-down into our homes, not being able to see people, and having to suspend normal life.

The track has an urgent feel to it and sums up the frustration most of us have with the world at the moment and the craving for things to be back to normal. 

Who’s Your Money On? (Plastic House) continues to convey the feelings of uncertainty that have come with the pandemic but in a more personal way, referring to the unpredictability of the music industry in particular, and Inhaler’s future as a band.

With the government trying to encourage people in creative industries to retrain for more “secure” jobs (we’ve all seen that ridiculous poster telling a ballet dancer to retrain for a career in cyber), many musicians have felt abandoned and have struggled to carry on; however, Inhaler makes their statement of intent here, deciding that the risk of continuing with music is worth the potential rewards.

Inhaler really embraces their pop side on Totally, with the chilled-out beat and anthemic chorus transporting you to the crowd of a festival, with people on each other’s shoulders singing along while the sun goes down. This might be one of my favourites on the album; it somehow feels warm and nostalgic — makes me incredibly excited for when life gets back to normal and we can all be singing along at gigs together. 

The album then moves to Strange Time To Be Alive, which, at just one minute and four seconds long, is more of an interlude, with echoey synths and vocals repeating the phrase “life, what a strange time to be alive”.

Then, we are suddenly jolted back into the final track, In My Sleep, which rounds off the album perfectly, carrying a heavier sound than we’ve heard on much of the record. Again, this song sounds like it will be immense live, and really solidifies the fact that Inhaler are cementing their place in the music world; and it’s well deserved. 

It Won’t Always Be Like This is a solid debut album from Inhaler, which they should be incredibly proud of. With relatable songs about the struggles we’ve all faced over the last 18 months, paired with anthemic, energetic tunes which will make you very excited for the return of live music, this record is definitely a contender to be the soundtrack of Summer this year. Believe the hype – Inhaler are definitely going places.