Inhaler head in a new direction on third album ‘Open Wide’
Sleek and evolved guitar anthems make for another absolute smash.
★★★★½
Photo: Lewis Evans
With energetic riffs and arena-ready choruses, Inhaler have always had a taste for spirited guitar anthems. Their 2021 debut album It Won’t Always Be Like This saw the Dublin quartet channel these six words of youthful defiance into a euphoric, groove-inflected guitar sound, before they then took a bold step forward into alt-pop territory on 2023 album Cuts & Bruises. Refusing to stay static and stuck in the rhythm of what they know works; Inhaler are continuing to take their sound in audacious new directions on their latest record Open Wide.
Having already released a string of singles, including the pulsating Your House and the stomping A Question of You, it’s been clear from the get-go that the four-piece were never going to let their third album be the one where they play it safe. The result? A joyful collection of fully formed tracks that showcase a band finally coming into their own.
From the driving beat of album opener, Eddie in the Darkness, to the groove-ridden Concrete, Open Wide is a noticeably slick record that’s more than easy to get into. If you’re not bopping your head after the first song, then the swift follow-up of the expansive Billy (Yeah Yeah Yeah) is sure to get you there.
Each track feels elevated thanks to its squeaky-clean production and what feels like pure enjoyment in the record-creation process. But that’s not to say the band have strayed too far from their previous releases. Tracks like the bass-driven party-starter Even Though bring the dynamism of Cuts & Bruises, while the jubilant Still Young is sure to make a great addition to their staple first album singalongs, which have become a highlight of their live shows.
No matter how far they go, it’s safe to say Inhaler always manage to stay rooted in their own brand of indie soft rock, bringing moments of bliss, comfort and catharsis to their ever-growing fanbase. It should really be no surprise then that Open Wide is yet another infectious record that can be played again and again.
Open Wide is out now via Polydor Records.