Judging by the huge, stadium ready alt-rock sound of Irish act Greywind, you’d never guess it was the product of just two people. Siblings Paul and Steph O’Sullivan produce a powerful debut album with ‘Afterthoughts’ that oozes mainstream appeal and will no doubt gain them a loyal fanbase.
The strong driving tempos and chords of ‘Afterthoughts’ and ‘Forest Ablaze’ kick the record off well, introducing a solid backbone of alt-rock that, while not producing anything groundbreaking, provides enough strength to hold each track together. As the album progresses, the consistent tempos and similar song structures become repetitive, signalling that ‘Afterthoughts’ is less about instrumentation and more about the vocal performance, and it’s here that each song is won or lost.
Fortunately, Steph’s vocals are up to the challenge and her vast range and warming tone deliver the quality that the record relies on. The sombre tempo of ‘Circle’ emphasises her heartfelt vocal delivery thanks to the reduced pace, contrasting well with the more upbeat ‘Car Spin’, which sees her experimenting with the full extent of her range.
With such reliance on the vocals, it’s inevitable that some moments are less successful and when the melodies aren’t as interesting, some songs fall flat. ‘Safe Haven’ and ‘In Autumn’ maintain a languid pace throughout and the choruses aren’t memorable enough to rescue them. Although ‘Stitch On My Wings’ follows the same, sluggish tempo, this has the opposite effect, as Steph’s emotionally charged delivery adds passion and meaning to the lyrics, elevating the song and making all the difference.
‘Afterthoughts’ is a collection of well-executed, singalong anthems that will sound huge in an arena and will no doubt put Greywind on the map. The songwriting is solid, the instrumentation is well produced, and the vocals are executed brilliantly. For a debut album it ticks all the right boxes and its appeal to the mainstream will no doubt amass them a huge following.
MARK JOHNSON