Inhaler’s Open Wide: Has the wait been long enough?
Upon their lead single’s ‘Your House’ release, Bella Wright reflects on Inhaler’s sophomore album and what the band’s new music may have in store for fans.
“Who’s going to your house tonight?”. A text I received from an unknown number on a quiet Thursday evening, early in October. A bit forward coming from a stranger you might think, or even just plain weird. No, please don’t worry; I don’t have an online stalker. I had, however, forgotten to turn off messaging in my marketing preferences for Inhaler’s mailing list. Panic over, I’ll sleep safe tonight.
Within the context of their new single release, ‘Your House’, this situation makes a whole lot more sense. An eclectically lit orchid stands loud and proud on the cover art, teasing their growing fan following with the promise of a new era that will likely send the indie-rock four-piece, hailing from Dublin, into global acclaim.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I am a big fan of Inhaler’s music. A framed version of the single art from ‘These Are The Days’, the first release from their sophomore album Cuts and Bruises (2023), is balanced precariously on a light fixture in my living room, opposite a vinyl from none other than the legend Dolly Parton herself. But this upcoming album cycle had me worried. The curse of the second album has been talked about by many artists, with Tom Ogden from Blossoms recently admitting on BBC Manchester that Cool Like You (2018), their second release, was his least favourite to date. Like many bands, he found that the pressure of being in the spotlight had meant that they’d promptly rushed the making of the album to meet demand from record labels and fans alike. This commerciality, the constant need for more and more fast, is ruining the art and joy of songwriting for artists as they try to break away and grow from the experience of releasing their debut albums.
I think you can hear this rush and panic in Cuts and Bruises (2023). The sound, whilst still brilliantly, inherently Inhaler, had lost the youthfulness and undeniable passion of their early single releases ‘We Have To Move On’ and ‘Ice Cream Sundae’, followed later by their debut album, It Won’t Always Be Like This (2021). Elijah Hewson, the band’s lead singer, frequently described in interviews how it felt as though the songs on IWABLT had grown with the band as they’d grown up as people, and this sentiment can be heard throughout through the driving riffs of ‘Cheer Up Baby’ and hauntingly beautiful vocals of ‘Strange Time To Be Alive’. Cuts and Bruises hadn’t necessarily fallen short in any sense. It quickly peaked at the top of the Irish Albums charts and followed suit in second position in the UK. More importantly, ‘Perfect Storm’ was number one on my Spotify Wrapped last year. But as an entity, as an album, it was just missing something. Something that I can’t quite put my finger on, a feeling, but absent all the same.
I shouldn’t have worried though. Debuted on Jack Saunders’ New Music Show on Radio 1, ‘Your House’ is a carefully crafted anthemic mix with progressive production that creates an enhanced new sound, much more confident than their sophomore release. It feels hopeful and bright. Level-headed yet lively. Optimistic but well thought through. The addition of a choir intensifies yet complements the vocal track to foster a sense of community, whilst the synths and bass drum drive the rhythm home to the heart. Without a doubt, these guys are great musicians. Inhaler knew what they wanted, and they went and did it. The vision itself is clear.
Creatively, you can tell they’ve had new influences. Produced by Kid Harpoon, who’s famously worked on hit songs for Maggie Rogers and Harry Styles, the much-needed refresh highlights the importance of collaboration with multiple producers across one’s music career, preventing a band’s sound from becoming stale and repetitive. Even the concept art has moved away from the cliqued group shot and generic typography. Keen photography nerds like myself will quickly recognise the work of Neil Krug, most notable for curating the album art for Tame Impala’s The Slow Rush (2020) and Lana Del Rey’s Ultraviolence (2014). Moreover, the accompanying music video is fun and a little eccentric. If you fancy watching Eli being thrown around in a briefcase whilst Robert, Josh and Ryan almost run him over, I recommend giving it a watch. The concept, the art, and the idea have been cherished, cared for and given the time it needed to develop to become eminent.
Time. That’s what is so important. The time for ideas to breathe and for skills to grow. Time for new partnerships with new creatives to nurture and for new influences to make the desired impact. Creating a piece of art cannot and should not be rushed. I hate that consumerism puts pressure on musicians to dive into things head-first as soon as they’ve had a little success. This pattern has been seen time and time again and is highly unlikely to ever stop, with the modern need and desire to constantly stay relevant to avoid slipping through the cracks.
But success is inevitable for those who push through, who are open to paving the way through the mess of the music industry whilst staying true to themselves. For Inhaler, success is inevitable. Open Wide, their third album, is coming in February. Let’s hope that the wait has been long enough, as I don’t know about you, but I will be eagerly awaiting its release.
Words by Bella Wright