Having released a handful of singles this year, Galway’s NewDad are rounding it off with their most mature effort yet: “I Don’t Recognise You”. On the new song, they say:
“The song is about watching someone you love lose their way. Sometimes, you can’t recognise them as the same person they were before.”
On “I Don’t Recognise You” NewDad deftly capture the internal agony and confusion of watching a beloved person change, slowly but certainly, in front of their eyes, gliding through the tangled emotions of not wanting to upset them but simultaneously not wanting to lose them. Julie Dawson’s introspective words couple with the dreampop guitars to create a late-night bedroom feeling, like a much-needed ‘real talk’ between best friends. Her hushed voice is full of tenderness, which is matched by the blankets of guitars – but they leap in unison into a more direct chorus, where she flatly states her concerns about how their mind is being messed up and she no longer recognises them, as the rest of the band backs her with anthemic chords that still maintain a warmth amidst the worry.
“I Don’t Recognise You” is a delightful 90s alt-rock throwback, and the video for it, which features the quartet playing outside a scenically-placed caravan, also feels like it could come straight out of an old episode of 120 Minutes (which is great). Take a look below.
“I Don’t Recognise You” is released today via Fair Youth. You can follow the band on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Bandcamp.
