Cliffords

The Cork band's vocalist Iona Lynch on namechecking their home town in their records and embarking on their first full year of summer festivals

- NICK REILLY

Irish band Cliffords might be at an early crossroads in their career, but their latest EP - the upcoming Salt of The Lee - shows off their ability to summon the soaring alt-rock soundscapes of bands like Wolf Alice and - from their own country - The Cranberries.

“All the lovers come for trouble and now down at my door / They seek some sweet redemption but I cry out for more,” sings vocalist Iona Lynch on standout track ‘Bittersweet’, a song which perfectly captures the musical fireworks that this band are only too capable of creating.

Elsewhere, the heartbreaking ‘Dungarvan Bay’ is Lynch’s very personal recollections on losing a close friend two years ago. “I wanted the song to show all the different emotions that come with loss, that there can be great moments of humour, joy and growth,” she says. “And whilst it will never truly leave you, things will change over time.”