Back in 2006, Patrick Quigley would return home from attending college in London and it wouldn’t be long before he would start jamming again with childhood friends Stephen Sheridan and Sid Alcock, along with drummer Jay Oglesby, and these sessions would eventually lead to the foundation of pop/rock four-piece, GATSBY. Having previously been together in a previous iteration under name of Sonora in the early 00s, it all seemed to click back into place and feel natural for the group. The band would quickly begin to generate a lot of attention with their tight instrumentation and introspective and touching lyrics, and would go on to be seen as one of the most promising young bands in Dublin at the time.

A few years later, the band released their debut album in 2009, The Sweet Science.

Just last week the band would release their new album, Newfoundland – their first release since the single, Defender in 2012 (a remastered version of the song would indeed appear on the new album). Newfoundland is a collection of previously unfinished pieces by the band that only further serve to hint at the talent and potential that highlighted this band in the early days.

The album opens with Any Joy and instantly the listener is exposed to the characteristics that make GATSBY such a compelling listen. A song that implores the listener to find the things in their life that cause them happiness and to embrace them fully – it can almost be seen as the band reminding themselves that making music is something that brings them joy so let’s do it again. The instrumentation is tight and Quigley’s vocals show a sincerity that brings the song to life. It is a strong opening.

The idea of seizing the moment and doing what you want and enjoy is a common theme across the album. There’s a strong sense that GATSBY have really missed making music in the years since their last release, and throughout the record you can almost feel the sense enjoyment that they are back doing what they love. A sentiment that comes across most prominently on the song, Simple Things – find the small things that make you happy and recognise that they’re the most important.

“I’m savouring the simple things!”

Moments on Some Other Time and Slide are the prime indicators of the ability GATSBY have for creating delicate and engaging soundscapes, and telling emotional and effecting stories. The subtle electric guitar towards the end of Some Other Time, and the slow build at the core of True Desire show a true understanding of instrumentation across the album. Hey Desire, in particular, shows a band who have been together a long time and know what they are trying to achieve as vocals and instrumentation seamlessly come together to make one of the stronger moments on the LP.

Releases like this record only help to reinforce the importance it is for bands like GATSBY to stay an active part of the Irish music scene. Hopefully there’ll be more from the group into the future.

MK