Over the last few years, the Dublin, Ireland-based Inhaler has been touring the world, opening for some heavy hitters like Harry Styles, Arctic Monkeys, Pearl Jam, and Kings of Leon. Now, with their third album, Wide Open, the band seems to have taken successful aspects of all of those acts and filtered them into their arena-ready, pop-rock sound, crafting their strongest record yet.
The group, Eli Hewson, Robert Keating, Ryan McMahon, and Josh Jenkinson, recorded in London with GRAMMY-winning Kid Harpoon, taking more artistic control of their sound than they had on their first two records. The crisp, clean, modern production rings out of speakers as Wide Open was designed with the purpose of being played in large rooms by the band.
That shooting-for-the-arena-rafters tone is set with the opener, “Eddie In The Darkness,” which starts with catchy hip-swinging pop before swirling sounds and crunching guitars propel the effort into the heavens. That catchy, huge sound is everywhere, “The Charms” is musically joyous (if lyrically cliche), the dance-ready piano lead on “Concrete” gets feet moving, while the lightly funky “Again” uses a monster chorus which is custom-made to ring out at summer festivals.
Three of the best efforts show off the different strengths of the group. The marching “Your House” focuses on strong singing, which gets support from gorgeous backing vocals while closer “Little Things” begins with feedback and odd sounds before slamming guitars and low end pumps up the jam with urgency. Perhaps the most interesting tune is “A Question For You,” which takes Talking Heads-influenced dance rock, piano, banging drums, and sweet singing to deliver an album highlight.
Not everything works perfectly as the pulsing “Billy (yeah yeah yeah)” never ignites, and “X-Ray” shifts between moody/ominous verses and joyous choruses, feeling forced and a touch clunky. The group is also incredibly comfortable leaning into electro-dance tunes, some more successful than others. The dramatic title track goes over the top using swelling sounds and a thudding beat with mixed results, “Even Though” taps synths with a brightly colored 80’s influence, nailing the vibe and style, while “All I Got Is You” brings in ringing guitars and touches of The Smiths and The Cure.
While those bands are minor influences for Inhaler, it is impossible not to hear Hewson’s father’s band, U2, everywhere on the record. “Still Young” feels directly out of Bono’s wistful memory as French horns, yearning/echoing vocals, and climatic choruses are dramatically drafted. While those high-profile connections can’t be ignored, neither can Inhaler’s strong sense of catchy pop-rock flowing throughout Open Wide.
