The chaos and mental health struggles following a painful break-up serve as the main source of inspiration for Irish band Good Strangers‘ emotionally immersive, musically explosive new EP Adult Teenage Novels. The six songs here are masterful compositions, awash in unexpected rhythms, rousing arrangements and thrilling harmonies, all of which serve to empower main songwriter Conor Quinn’s vulnerable, at times devastating lyrics.
When listening to opening track “Saint Christopher”, it’s hard not to hear echoes of Frightened Rabbits, in Quinn’s storytelling (“Remember when we thought we killed someone and Jonny jumped out of a moving car?”) combined with heartbreaking mea culpas (“never meant to break your heart any more than I have”). The additional vocals and harmonies from Niamh Kirby bring extra textures to the songs, giving the track chamber folk vibes. But as the full band comes in and the arrangements swell, groups like The Waterboys came to mind.
Those similarities make an even stronger impression on the powerful “War in My Head”, an enthralling folk rock number. It’s here where I truly began to appreciate the excellent work of the rest of the band; drummer Des Brodie and bassist Luke Butts make an incredible team throughout, never settling for typical beats or rhythms. There’s a brisk, puckishness to their work across the EP, giving every song a unique beat. And guitarist Kevin Farrell’s work embraces the elements Celtic music, often creating guitar lines that spark with whimsy yet remain entrenched in the worlds of folk and rock.
All of the work perfectly in service to Quinn’s songwriting, as he digs deeply into uncomfortable areas. On “Private Hell”, he self-eviscerates (“I was a twisted, scary freak show, but I hid it very well”, and on “Reno” admits “I’m a narcissist at best”, but eventually softens on himself in this nostalgic song, singing to his ex “You’re a good woman, and I’m not a bad man”. On mid-tempo rocker “Egyptian Summer”, he takes himself to task (“I played the victim long before you arrived”) while reminiscing about a time with his ex “underneath a marble sky, never seen you so happy in all your life.”
This mix of epiphanies and fond memories will connect with anyone who has ever suffered a break-up, while the compositions elevate each of these poetic moments into moving and often thrilling works. Even the somber, meditative closer “The Garden” sways from serene beauty into anthemic opus, and I can picture future crowds singing along “I will break down these walls with my bare hands” enraptured as the band lifts a room off its feet.
This is an incredible debut EP from Good Strangers that will hopefully bring them much acclaim. Listen to the full EP on November 10th, and preview it with their most recent single here.
The Indy Review 
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