5/5
Inhaler shocks the rock world with the release of their brand-new track, showing that they have so much more excellence to share with their fans.
“Your House” is the lead single for Open Wide, Irish rock band Inhaler’s third album which is set to release in February. The track, which was released on Oct. 29, is the start of a new era for the band, whose sound seems to have matured with their newest song.
Ryan McMahon, Inhaler’s drummer, told NME, “we’ve never released a song that sounds anything like [“Your House”]… Both sonically and musically, it covers a lot of different territories that we were exploring on the album while we were writing and recording it.”
The band partly attributes this change to their new producer Tom Hull, known for producing Harry Styles’ award-winning album Harry’s House.
“Working with [Hull] made us realize that we had to bring our ‘A’ game,” said bass player Robert Keating. Eli Hewson, the band’s lead singer, agreed with Keating, adding that Hull was “from outside the circle and was a fresh listener of the band; he didn’t know us.”
Furthermore, Inhaler also found that the relaxed atmosphere they experienced during their break from touring helped their writing process.
“We had eight months off, and we were just free to write as a four-piece in our rehearsal room,” said McMahon. “That shines through in the songs. There’s a sense of optimism in the tracks and just this free-flowing thing that we were all feeling.”
The combination of these factors resulted in a stellar piece of music.
Lush and opulent, “Your House” is a 70s rock-inspired masterpiece. A pulsing drum beat and droning synths support Hewson’s rich vocals which are beautifully complemented by the inclusion of the larger-than-life sound of the House Gospel Choir. Keyboard flourishes and subtle, ear-catching guitar riffs set “Your House” apart from the band’s prior work, making it clear that Inhaler is moulting and shedding their skin.
Shiny and new, the sonic atmosphere that grows during the track’s ascension clearly highlights that the band is ready to leave behind the juvenile noise of their youth as they search for a more developed and sophisticated sound.
Lyrically, Hewson describes “Your House” as being about “chasing some sort of destructive force in your own life, essentially just wanting something that’s not good for you.” During the track’s larger-than-life chorus, Hewson punctuates this message when he sings, “Oh love / There ain’t a sharp enough knife / To cut me out of your life / I’m going to your house tonight.”
“We’ve finally gotten to a point on this album where we actually sound like the band we want to sound like,” McMahon mused. “What happens after this one, I’m not sure what we’ll sound like next, but there’s a strong sense of arrival for us.”
Vast and bold, if “Your House” is any indication of what is to come for Inhaler, Open Wide will be the band’s best album yet.