After a short-lived, gentle, low-key start, Start A Flood morphs into an absolute snarling alt-rock beast of a song. Channeling classic acts like Pixies, Ash, and early Radiohead, this Dublin five-piece is a force to be reckoned with.
On Start A Flood, Colm Keenan’s drums pound, Ronan Parker’s bass bounces, and the guitars – courtesy of brothers Shane and Oisin O’Neill – gloriously interweave, but the star of the show is the song’s lyrical content and message.
A touching tribute to someone gone way too soon, the inspiration for the song came from a highly publicised murder. As the band explains: “The song was written in the wake of the shocking death of 23-year-old Ashling Murphy. The lyrics directly address the fact that women, people of colour, of different religions, and gender expressions must always go about the world in a constant state of vigilance. The song is an attempt to not just point out this imbalance and societal inadequacy, but to memorialise a young woman who was passionate about Irish culture, music, and her community and whose tragic passing rightfully stopped the heart of her nation”.
Frontwoman Louise O’Hanlon’s vocals are not only powerful but also poignant as she delivers line after line about social safety nets that so many shouldn’t have to, yet regularly employ.
“If you’re in a dark room, wear bright colours / when you walk alone, keep your keys between your fingers /when you go out, always keep your drinks covered” – It’s an extremely sorry state of affairs, but. Unfortunately, it’s the world we live in, and this song deftly and eloquently shines a light on the subject, and it is so much uglier when illuminated.
Many people who don’t have to take such alarming precautions go about their lives without thinking about them. It’s good to be reminded.
Written by Kinda Grizzly
