Inhaler’s ‘Open Wide’ takes them in a new direction

Dublin four-piece Inhaler arrived on the music scene in 2018, and since the release of their debut album, It Won’t Always Be Like This, in 2021, they have cemented themselves as one of the most promising rising stars in guitar music.

Garnering a dedicated fanbase since the beginning, the Irish band have opened for some of the biggest names, including Harry Styles and Arctic Monkeys. Although, their biggest wave of support is back home in Dublin, with the band having recently played a sold-out show at the Dublin 3Arena.

Evidently, the success of their first two albums has allowed more creative space for the band to experiment with the tracklist on Open Wide

After the success of their debut and second record, Cuts & Bruises, in 2023, fans have been eagerly awaiting the release of their third LP. The announcement of their album on Instagram with the caption ‘Third time’s the charm’ has left fans excited about what the band has to offer. Evidently, the success of their first two albums has allowed more creative space for the band to experiment with the tracklist on Open Wide.

The album bursts wide open with ‘Eddie in the Darkness’, delving immediately into a strong guitar-driven medley with lead singer Elijah Hewson’s recognisable vocals layering over the top.

While the opening track suggests that the Dublin four-piece would continue with the alternative-rock sound that permeates their previous two albums, ‘Billy (yeah, yeah, yeah)’ introduces the pop-rock infusion that has been teased through the release of singles, ‘Your House’ and ‘A Question of You’. This infusion, however, has created one of their catchiest songs to date, with the chorus, “If I come a little too close/ Should I back away?” bound to be swirling around your head days after the first listen.

Talking of catchy songs, Inhaler’s third album’s lead song deserves a mention. ‘Your House’ signals a change in Inhaler’s sound and a development in their creativity. In a recent interview with NME, bassist Robert Keating addresses how they had the lead single in their back pocket for a while. However, it wasn’t until they reworked the introduction with the keyboard and gospel backing vocals that they felt ready to showcase it to the world.

In a similar vein, ‘A Question of You’ continues the pop-rock sound with a fun, guitar-driven melody while Hewson sings, “It’s a question I’ll ask/ it’s a question of you”. The layering of Hewson’s vocals over keyboard accompaniment segues nicely from the sound crafted on ‘Your House’.

The introduction of this pop-rock sound in the album is no surprise, though, considering that the band worked with Kid Harpoon (most notable for his work on Harry’s House). His influence on the band’s music is clear, particularly with the opening songs of the album.

This pop-rock infusion doesn’t last the entire album as mid-way through the album ‘All I Got Is You’ sees the band swiftly return to their guitar roots for a song that is more sonically similar to the pieces on their debut or second album. Speaking of similarities, ‘Concrete’ is recognisable as a more down-tempo ‘Love Will Get You There’, with a familiar keyboard rhythm taking over during the chorus.

‘Still Young’ sees a strong Sam Fender-style guitar melody take centre stage, with quite possibly their strongest lyricism to date

Likewise, ‘Still Young’ sees a strong Sam Fender-style guitar melody take centre stage, with quite possibly their strongest lyricism to date. ‘Still Young’ not only showcases Hewson’s vocals, but Josh Jenkin’s guitar riffs shine through, backed by Keating’s bass and a crashing drum line from Ryan McMahon. The ninth track solidifies that the band aren’t quite ready to move away from their rock roots just yet.

In terms of lyricism, however, ‘The Charms’ falls short. “I want to fall into your arms/ I watch him fall for your charms,” sings Hewson. Although the song features a catchy guitar-led interlude, when it comes to love songs, ‘If You’re Gonna Break My Heart’ is very much still the staple of the band’s discography.

The eponymous ‘Open Wide’ is one of the band’s most creative songs, however, with the bass guitar build-up, I was surprised to see the title track in the middle of the album list rather than at the beginning. That being said, ‘Open Wide’ is a mixture of everything that Inhaler does well: solid lyricism and a smooth blending of instrumentation.

The album comes back into its own during the thirteenth track, opening with feedback from amps before the guitars breakthrough. ‘Little Things’ brings a grungier feel to the album, adding a further musical texture to the thirteen-track run.

Inhaler’s third album sees them take a risk in beginning to move away from their signature sound. However, it’s a risk that pays off as we see the introduction of some of their catchiest, and most creative, tunes to date.

Recommended Listening: ‘Your House’, ‘Still Young’, ‘All I Got Is You’