Inhaler, ‘Just To Keep You Satisfied’ – Single Review ★★★★☆

Inhaler were a band on the crest of a wave in 2021 despite their touring schedule heavily disrupted by the pandemic. That year, they secured a debut UK album number one with ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’. Also, despite the disruption to that fully fledged debut – the band are back with latest single ‘Just To Keep You Satisfied’. It is from their second, supposedly ‘difficult’ album ‘Cuts & Bruises’.

‘Just To Keep You Satisfied’ starts with moody synths and also a solid drum beat backbone. The beautiful dual track guitar work is an early treat. Plus, just over one minute into the song the full band kicks into overdrive. Inhaler’s sound evokes one reminiscent of early Killers work and a cross between The Strokes and New Order. It takes a while for the listener to place Eli Hewson’s lead vocals. They are delivered with a cocksure sneer and arguably the closest sound comparison would be The Vaccines Justin Young.

Lockdowns

The second album’s material was reportedly written during the Covid lockdowns at the band’s converted nunnery HQ and ‘Just To Keep You Satisfied’ has a moody sound and undertone of a band dying to get back out to their audience on the road.

You feel that world domination awaits Inhaler. So much so, you wouldn’t shy away from betting that they are one record away from delivering their seminal album. LP number three will be the key you feel.

Inhaler support some very big acts this summer. They back up Artic Monkeys on their European leg of their tour, Sam Fender at St James Park as well as newly crowned multiple Grammy and Brit award winner Harry Styles at Slane Castle. The latter is certainly a homecoming gig of sorts. Also, these gigs for Inhaler certainly show how well thought they are already as a band and will give them a chance to flex their stadium crowd muscle, a muscle they will flex as stadium headliners in the not-too-distant future one predicts.