NewDad

Irish rock band

NewDad

Origin| Galway, Ireland
Genres|

* Indie rock
* pop
* shoegaze
* lo-fi[1][2]

Years active| 2018 (2018)–present
Labels|

* Fair Youth
* Atlantic Records

Members|

* Julie Dawson
* Fiachra Parslow
* Sean O'Dowd

Past members|

* Áindle O'Beirn
* Cara Joshi

Website| newdad.live

NewDad are an Irish indie rock band from Galway, formed in 2018.[3] Their music has been compared to The Cure, Beabadoobee, and Just Mustard by NME magazine.[2] Atwood Magazine wrote of the group: "The band oozes personality with cynical but honest lyrics, colorful visual components, and poignant messages about coping with the, albeit painful, formative experiences."[4] The group have appeared at the Green Man Festival in Wales,[5] the Pitchfork Music Festival in Paris,[6] and on the Irish television program Other Voices.[7]

## Career

[edit]

### Formation and early career

[edit]

Julie Dawson, Áindle O'Beirn and Fiachra Parslow started the band while in secondary school at Coláiste Iognáid as a way of avoiding solo performances for their Leaving Certificate practical music exam.[2] Sean O'Dowd, who was studying music technology in Limerick, began recording the band, before eventually becoming a full member.[8] An early feature in local paper the Connacht Tribune wrote "Belying their relative inexperience, Galway band New Dad are fast becoming one of the city's most inventive and enthralling acts."[9] The band released five singles in 2020; "How," "Swimming," "Cry," "Blue" and "I Don't Recognise You," which accrued over two million streams on Spotify.[10][11] On 5 November 2020, the group recorded a live session for Steve Lamacq's show on BBC 6 Music.[12]

### Waves EP

[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
GoldenPlec| [13]
DIY| [14]
Dork| [15]

Their debut EP Waves was released in March 2021. Recorded with engineer Chris Ryan in Belfast, the EP features the previously released singles "I Don't Recognise You" and "Blue." God Is in the TV wrote of the EP "Each song juxtaposes fuzzy guitar waves, dexterous basslines, subtle percussive beds, woven with Julie's half spoken half sung vocals that are intimate, evocative and heart puncturing."[16] In a 4-star review DIY magazine wrote of the tracks, "Together they offer a palpable melancholy, one driven by vocalist Julie Dawson's intricate balance of despondency and bite, not least on the subtle spite on the closing title track."[14] The Journal of Music opined: "NewDad posit themselves as both the lovelorn hero and the cut-throat antagonist, switching sides with ease."[17] In a positive review, Far Out magazine wrote, "Their debut EP is a well-rounded effort that shows a band who are rightly-confident in their abilities."[18]

### Banshee EP

[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
GoldenPlec| [19]
DIY| [20]
Dork| [21]
Gigwise| [22]

In October 2021, the group released the single "Ladybird" and announced their second EP, Banshee. The EP was recorded with Chris Ryan in Belfast and mixed by John Congleton.[23][24] In January 2022, BBC 6 Music premiered "Say It," the second single from the EP.[25][26] So Young Magazine wrote of the single; "'Say It' has NewDad sounding more confident and more ambitious."[27] Banshee was released on 7 February 2022.[28] Gigwise, giving it a score of nine out of ten stars, wrote; "NewDad look primed to set the world alight."[29] GoldenPlec wrote; "the themes of 'Banshee' thoughtfully unfold through a dreamscape of helplessness, uncertainty, depression and neurosis."[30] Dork magazine wrote of the EP; "Sonically expansive and colourful, it's a brighter step up from last year's 'Waves EP'." and awarded it four stars out of five.[31]

After the success of Banshee, the band relocated to London. The move also saw O'Beirn being replaced by London-raised bassist Cara Joshi.[32]

### Madra

[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
DIY| [33]
NME| [34]
Record Collector| [35]
Uncut| 8/10[36]

On 14 September 2023, the band announced their debut album, Madra (which translates as 'dog' from Irish), scheduled for release on 26 January 2024.[37] The announcement was marked by the release of the single "Angel". The album was produced by Chris W Ryan, mixed by Alan Moulder, and recorded at Rockfield Studios.[38]

### Solo projects

[edit]

In August 2024, NewDad singer/songwriter Julie Dawson announced the release of her debut solo album, Bottom of the Pool, scheduled for 13 September 2024.[39]

### Life Is Strange: Double Exposure

[edit]

NewDad composed a new song, titled "Under My Skin", for Life is Strange: Double Exposure, an episodic adventure game published by Square Enix.[40]

## Personnel

[edit]

* Julie Dawson (vocalist and rhythm guitarist)
* Sean O'Dowd (lead guitar)
* Fiachra Parslow (drums)[41]

## Discography

[edit]

Albums

* Madra (26 January 2024)

EPs

* Waves EP (26 March 2021)
* Banshee EP (9 February 2022)

Singles

* "How" (2 March 2020)
* "Swimming" (25 March 2020)
* "Cry" (12 June 2020)
* "Blue" (4 September 2020)
* "Blue (Happa Remix)" (20 November 2020)
* "I Don't Recognise You" (27 November 2020)
* "Ladybird" (26 October 2021)
* "Say It" (11 January 2022)
* "ILY2" (30 September 2022)
* "In My Head" (10 May 2023)
* "Break In" (14 June 2023)
* "Angel" (13 September 2023)
* "Let Go" (20 October 2023)
* "Nightmares" (13 November 2023)
* "White Ribbons" (11 January 2024)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "NewDad-Waves". allmusic.com.
2. ^ a b c Rogers, Becky (9 March 2021). "New Dad, Community Inspired Lo-Fi Dream-Pop From Galway". nme.com. NME.
3. ^ Doherty, Chilpra Gantara (11 September 2021). "NewDad on finally returning to the stage". thetimes.co.uk. The Times.
4. ^ Herb, Jesse (15 April 2021). "INTERVIEW: DIVE HEADFIRST INTO IRISH DREAM POP BAND NEWDAD'S DEBUT EP 'WAVES'". Atwood Magazine.
5. ^ "Green Man 2021 Line-up". greenman.net. Green Man Festival. 2021.
6. ^ "NewDad at the Pitchfork Music Festival". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 12 August 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
7. ^ "NewDad on Other Voices". www.othervoices.ie.
8. ^ Brayden, Kate (16 March 2021). "NewDad - I Wrote Songs About My Last Years In Secondary School But The Words Can Still Be Very Personal". hotpress.com. Hot Press.
9. ^ O'Connell, Cian (5 March 2020). "New Dad just basking in glow of debut delivery!". connaughttribune.ie. Connacht Tribune.
10. ^ Andrews, Kernan (29 March 2021). "NewDad Debut EP Roisin Dubh Show". Galway Advertiser.
11. ^ "Behind The Music-NewDad". RTÉ.ie. 30 March 2021.
12. ^ "Steve Lamacq on BBC 6 Music". bbc.co.uk. BBC.
13. ^ Hurley, Jake (1 April 2021). "GoldenPlec Album Review". GoldenPlec.
14. ^ a b "NEWDAD - WAVES". diymag.com. DIY. 25 March 2021.
15. ^ Singh, Jay (24 March 2021). "Dork Album Review". Dork.
16. ^ Cummings, Bill (16 March 2021). "INTRODUCING: NewDad". God is in the TV.
17. ^ Doherty, Kelly (14 April 2021). "The Small Details of Break-ups". The Journal of Music.
18. ^ Taysom, Joe (11 March 2021). "Why you need to start listening to NewDad". Far Out Magazine.
19. ^ McDaid, Justin (1 February 2022). "GoldenPlec Album Review". GoldenPlec.
20. ^ Grice, Alisdair (9 February 2022). "DIY Banshee Review". diymag.com. DIY.
21. ^ Dhindsa, Jasleen (9 February 2022). "Dork Banshee EP Review". Dork.
22. ^ Blakesley, Karl (7 February 2022). "Gigwise Banshee EP Review". gigwise.com. gigwise.
23. ^ Coffey, Cailean (26 October 2021). "NewDad pull from cinematic nostalgia on mesmerising new single "Ladybird"". The Line of Best Fit.
24. ^ Byrne, Stephen (26 October 2021). "NEWDAD SHARE NEW SINGLE LADYBIRD AND ANNOUNCE WHELAN'S SHOW". goldenplec.com. GoldenPlec.
25. ^ Taylor, Sam (11 January 2022). "NewDad have shared 'Say It' from their new EP 'Banshee'". Dork.
26. ^ Brayden, Kate (11 January 2022). "NewDad Unveil New Single Say It On BBC Radio 6". hotpress.com.
27. ^ Brown, Charlie (11 January 2022). "NewDad Share New Single 'Say It'". soyoungmagazine.com.
28. ^ Brayden, Kate (9 February 2022). "Galway indie outfit NewDad release dreamy sophomore EP Banshee". hotpress.com. Hot Press. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
29. ^ Blakesley, Karl (7 February 2022). "EP Review: NewDad - Banshee". gigwise.com. Gigwise.
30. ^ McDaid, Justin (1 February 2022). "NEWDAD BANSHEE". goldenplec.com. GoldenPlec. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
31. ^ Dhindsa, Jasleen (9 February 2022). "NewDad – Banshee EP". readdork.com. Dork. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
32. ^ Muir, Ellie (25 February 2024). "Irish alt-rock band NewDad on their debut album, falling out, and curses: 'It's no wonder bands don't always last'". The Independent. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
33. ^ Swann, Emma. "NewDad – Madra review". DIY. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
34. ^ Baines, Huw (24 January 2024). "NewDad – Madra review: review: sublime songs from Ireland's next great guitar band". NME. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
35. ^ Earls, John (31 December 2023). "Madra | NewDad". Record Collector. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
36. ^ "NewDad – Madra". Uncut. January 2024. p. 34.
37. ^ Murray, Robin (14 September 2023). "NewDad Launch Debut Album 'Madra'". Clash Music. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
38. ^ Renshaw, David (14 September 2023). "Irish indie band NewDad share "Angel," a song inspired by Euphoria". The Fader. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
39. ^ "NewDad's Julie Dawson announces solo album Bottom Of The Pool". hotpress.com. Hot Press. 29 August 2024.
40. ^ "DODIE, CHLOE MORIONDO AND OTHER ICONIC ARTISTS HEADLINE ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK FOR LIFE IS STRANGE: DOUBLE EXPOSURE". Square Enix. 24 September 2024. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
41. ^ Homewood, Ben (28 October 2020). "Making Waves: NewDad". musicweek.com. Music Week.

## External links

[edit]

* NewDad on Bandcamp