Have you ever wondered why there are no alt-pop bangers about the Irish recession of 2008? Of course you have, who hasn't? But fear not; CMAT’s third album has you covered, encompassing heavy topics from the lingering effects of Ireland’s housing crisis on young people to the constant scrutiny of women’s bodies. And – somehow – the 29-year-old Dubliner who's stealing the show at every summer festival she graces manages to have a fun time doing it.
Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson's follow-up to 2023's Crazymad, for Me opens with the enigmatically titled Billy Byrne from Ballybrack, Leader of the Pigeon Convoy, a minute-long instrumental of ocean sounds and muffled voices that transitions seamlessly into the Gaeilge opening of EURO-COUNTRY, with CMAT the latest in a line of artists championing the Irish language’s appearance in mainstream music, from Hozier’s gentle lyrics to Kneecap’s incendiary rap.
