NewDad are letting loose. On their second full-length release, Altar, the Galway band grapple with homesickness, sacrifice, and pain as they come to terms with their status as a band on the rise. Since their debut album Madra, they’ve been on a journey that most young musicians only dream of, touring the world with their heroes and finding critical acclaim across the board. But as they tell us on Altar, everything comes with a price.
The opening moments of Altar channel early Cure albums; the sparse guitar and thrumming bass of Heavyweight is reminiscent of Seventeen Seconds. The whispered quality of singer/guitarist Julie Dawson’s voice sits well with the bare instrumentation that gradually builds in complexity. Other Side is a beautiful gothic lullaby that follows in the footsteps of PJ Harvey.
