Kodaline are an Irish alternative rock band from Dublin, made up of Steve Garrigan, Mark Prendergast, Jason Boland and Vinnie May. First emerging as 21 Demands before becoming Kodaline in 2011, the band quickly made a name for themselves with their emotionally charged, guitar-led sound. Their 2012 single ‘High Hopes’ became a breakthrough moment, introducing the band’s knack for turning deeply personal lyrics into huge, cinematic songs. Since then, they have built a loyal international following, with tracks like ‘All I Want’, ‘Brother’ and ‘The One’ becoming some of their most recognisable songs.

Across five albums, Kodaline have never been afraid to let their sound evolve. Their debut, In a Perfect World, established the emotional, anthemic style they would become known for, while Coming Up for Air and Politics of Living saw them experiment with bigger production and pop influences. One Day at a Time brought things back down to earth, focusing more heavily on stripped-back songwriting and personal experiences. Their influences range from fellow Irish rock giants U2 to Coldplay, Keane and Oasis, but it is real life that remains at the centre of Kodaline’s songwriting – relationships, loss, heartbreak and everything in between.

Who Will Save You Now is one of those songs that feels like it is constantly moving. There’s a sense of urgency every time it builds, as if running to the finish line or watching the final scene of a film unfold where all is not as it seems. The emotion in the vocals is deliberately strained, with Steve sounding as though his voice could break at any moment, which makes the whole track feel much more raw. I love the way it eventually pulls every back, moving from an all-or-nothing intensity into something quieter and more restrained. It feels cinematic without ever losing that very human sense of vulnerability.

We Were Only Young has a completely different energy. It feels nostalgic and bittersweet, looking back on a relationship or period of time that you only properly understand once it is already gone. The song has a really natural flow to it, with the vocals spilling from one sentence into the next. There is a comforting element of the production too, giving it a happier feeling rather than some of the album’s heavier moments despite the regret running underneath it.

Opening with beautifully isolated vocals Back To Me is a much calmer track, but there is still a quiet desperation flowing through it. The lyrics continue to move from one thought naturally into the next, as if someone is attempting to get everything they need to say out before it’s too late. There is an air of regret in the lyrics, and the bridge helps to make it even more emotional for the final chorus. I also enjoy how the song fades out with just the instruments, leaving it feeling unresolved.

One of the most personal songs on the album is Without You, particularly knowing that Steve Garrigan wrote it for his wife to perform at their wedding. It became his speech and their first dance, which makes the simplicity of the song feel even more meaningful. The whole thing is essentially about how different life would be without the person you love, and I like that it does not try to overcomplicate that idea. The vocals are warm and intimate, with a lovely guitar sound complementing them. I particularly like the final section, where it comes down to simply having each other and deciding that is enough.

Get Me High is another happy, chilled-out love song, this time about finding someone who makes everything feel better. It has a slightly faster pace than some of the other tracks, with a really nice danceable quality to it. It feels like the kind of song you would put on late at night and dance around your bedroom to without really thinking about it. There is something quite uncomplicated about the whole thing, which works after some of the heavier songs on the album. It is just about being with someone you love and enjoying that feeling, without needing to make it more complicated than that.

All I Ever Need Is You is built around the idea that you could have everything else in the world, but none of it would matter without the person you love. I like how simple the sentiment is. There is something quite genuine about the idea that someone could give you everything you could possibly want, but it still would not be enough because all you really need is one person. The vocals are lovely here, and I really like the bar-stool guitar feeling underneath them. It feels intimate and stripped back, almost like hearing it performed live in a small room.

Vultures has such a boot-stomping feeling to it that I can immediately imagine dancing to it in the pit at a concert. It feels bigger and more energetic than some of the other tracks, with the production matching the lyrics about everything falling apart around you. I particularly love the way the bridge slows everything down before the chorus jumps straight back into it. It makes the return feel even bigger. Despite all the imagery of the world collapsing, there is something reassuring underneath it, because the song is really about holding onto someone through everything. It feels like one of the album’s biggest live moments.

Last Forever starts with simple piano chords, immediately giving it a softer feeling. I really like the vocals here, particularly the slightly whiny quality and the way Garrigan seems to slide into some of the notes rather than hitting them completely cleanly. It makes the song feel more emotional and human. The whole track is about believing that a love can survive even when things start getting difficult. I particularly like the idea of cracks showing while still knowing that a love like this will last forever. It is not the biggest song on the album, but there is something really comforting about its simplicity.

Learn To Lose starts with an almost angelic vocal, before slowly building into something much more emotional. It feels like looking back through old memories, almost like photographs kept in a box, and remembering someone who is no longer there. It really captures that feeling of having to continue living even when something important has been taken away. I love the idea that someone can still be there in everything you do, even when they are gone. The backing vocals gradually layer on top of each other as the song builds, before eventually fading away.

Starting quietly with the narrator waking up on the bathroom floor after a bad night and breaking down in a stranger’s bed is Hindsight. There is something really vulnerable about how restrained the vocals are at first, before the song becomes louder around a minute in. It feels like the sound of someone slowly admitting things about themselves that they would rather not face. The lyrics are all about gaining wisdom from experience and recognising that there are things he would not do again if he had the chance. It is reflective rather than overly dramatic, looking back at mistakes and understanding them differently with time.

It’s Not Over is about looking back at a relationship while still trying to convince yourself there is something left to save. There is a lot about going back in time, saying what is on your mind and refusing to believe that what they had meant nothing. I like the idea of remembering being young while recognising that you are older now and cannot go back to that version of yourself. The song feels like it is constantly pushing forward before fading out around a minute from the end, almost like a fake ending. It then builds slightly again before stopping quite abruptly, leaving everything unfinished.

The One For Me feels like a really calm way to close the album. It starts with the idea of wanting to go back to before you met someone, when life felt easier and you were not stuck with the memories of what happened. I like that it is not overly sad or dramatic. There is something almost resigned about it, particularly in the idea that someone could have been “the one for me” while still being the wrong person. I also love the little breathing-out sound in the vocals, because it makes the performance feel more human.

Kodaline – We Were Only Young, out 2 October 2026!

(Concord)

Watch Kodaline’s We Were Only Young music video now:

Kodaline – We Were Only Young (Official Music Video)