One of my new favorite bands, Inhaler, has been breaking into the music scene lately. Hailing from Dublin, Ireland, the band is currently touring the U.S. with their newest album Cuts and Bruises. The band is composed of four members: drummer Ryan McMahon, bassist Robert Keating, guitarist Josh Jenkinson, and lead singer and nepo baby (son of Bono from U2) Elijah Hewson. The band has an alt-rock sound with influences of bands like Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes, geared towards a younger audience.
Their first album It Won’t Always Be Like This was released in July of 2021, a stunning first impression on the music industry. With stellar songwriting and energetic instrumentals, it is not hard to find that the album holds its own with its catchiness. It is especially impressive given that the album, written over quarantine, was almost completely created by the band members separately. Standouts on the album include “When It Breaks,” “Cheer Up Baby,” and “My King Will Be Kind.”
Their second album, just released in February of 2023, Cuts & Bruises, not only matched their first but blew it out of the water. Often artists suffer from the sophomore slump in their second album, but Inhaler in turn not only backed up their abilities, but crafted an even stronger collection. It is clear that the band grew even more into their own, unique sound. In an interview with billboard, they also mention influences of artists such as Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen in the album. It is hard to pick just a few favorite songs from this record, but “Just To Keep You Satisfied,” “So Far So Good,” “If You’re Gonna Break My Heart,” and “Perfect Storm” are my main standouts at the moment.
If you have not heard of this band or given them a chance yet, I suggest giving them a try ASAP.