"when your face / it turns to gold / I feel the heat / and the noise spills from the streets / it's what I need / so why does it take so long / for me to feel / cuz the breeze upon my skin / is such a steal..."
The potent wails / indie rock noir longing of "Such A Steal" , by Irish alt rock shoegaze quintet The Altered Hours, is so utterly heart tugging, vast and illusory as to feel like a forever song, one that has always existed somehow. I know that sounds like a weird thing to say but these guys know how to bridge the potent earnest songwriting of decades past and what is to come. I absolutely love Cathal MacGabhann's vocal countenance, that is always tinged with emotional roads that are rocky and scarred but hopeful, but I must say that, for me, the absolutely killer emotionality of the lead guitar breaks that come at just the right intervals is what might actually be doing the heavy lifting for me, storyteller wise. I love the bounce and push of the guitar lines, how they settle into this wonderful groove but cry out in such loud impactful ways as well. Of course the background twangy Western noir slide guitars are critical as is that rolling bouncy bass line and sort of shuffling / stagger-y drum beat. Fuck, it is all so amazing, truly, just emotionally thrilling.
Overall, I am still feeling that "pulse pounding dreamy crush amalgam of old school punk, alt rock and sophisticated indie rock, art punk romance sprinkled throughout, like a blend of Buzzcocks / Fontaines D.C. / Yo La Tengo" that I alluded to in past reviews and, here, I also feel hints of Oasis and The Stone Roses a wee bit too.
About "Such A Steal" MacGabhann shares:
"It’s possibly about isolating myself from society because even the breeze on my skin is so overwhelming. It’s about how much I love this world, while simultaneously wanting to stay at arms reach away from its beauty”
LINER NOTES (excerpted / bracketed):
[Since forming in 2010, The Altered Hours have become one of Ireland’s most vital underground bands, praised for their immersive sound, visceral live energy, and dedication to the independent spirit. Across two albums and a string of EPs on celebrated indie labels like A Recordings, Penske, and Art For Blind, the band has forged a distinct voice within the European alternative scene, at once fuzz-drenched, emotionally raw, and impossible to pin down.]
[They’ve shared stages with The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Pop Group, and members of Spacemen 3, and earned the admiration of peers like Fontaines D.C., who invited them to join their European and UK tours, including stops at The Bataclan, Paradiso, and Alexandra Palace. Guitarist Cathal Mac Gabhann has also stepped in as live guitarist for Fontaines D.C., touring with the band across Japan and Australia.]
[Drawing inspiration from artists like Frank Black & The Catholics, Stereolab and My Bloody Valentine the band aimed to stay close to their roots, crafting a sound that feels comfortable, immediate and totally their own. “The sound is something we’ve played with before on earlier albums,” Cathal adds. “With this one I wanted it to feel effortless, like we’re totally at home in our own sonic world.”]
"Such A Steal" is the third glimpse of The Altered Hours' eagerly awaited 'self-titled' third album dropping on November 7th via Pizza Pizza Records.
-Robb Donker Curtius
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM
https://soundcloud.com/alteredhours
https://www.youtube.com/user/thealteredhours
https://www.instagram.com/the_altered_hours/
https://www.facebook.com/thealteredhours
The Altered Hours are a 5 piece alt-rock group from Cork, Ireland. Their third studio album is set for release on November 7th 2025.
The Altered Hours, alt rock, shoegaze, post punk, indie rock, 90's indie, 2000's indie, dreamy, intimate, pulse pounding, jagged, angular rock, "Such A Steal", girl / boy vocals, vocalist/guitarist Cathal MacGabhann, Cork Ireland,
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