Silverbacks – Easy Being A Winner LP (Indie Exclusive LTD Purple Vinyl)

Ireland’s six-piece Silverbacks are always pushing forward, with three albums released in just four years showing their drive. Their energetic, rock-infused tracks rarely stretch beyond four minutes, reflecting their restless creativity. Yet offstage, they’re embracing stability. Lead singer Daniel O’Kelly now lives near Paris with his wife, while his brother Kilian and fellow bandmate Emma Hanlon have settled in Drogheda, exploring a new passion for plants. This grounded lifestyle eases the pressure around their music, making it more enjoyable and genuine—something you can hear clearly on their third album, Easy Being a Winner, especially in the closing line: “You start to figure it out.”

Silverbacks learned a lot from their debut album Fad, released during the summer of 2020 amid the Covid shutdowns. Their second album, Archive Material, was created under the challenging conditions of lockdown, which added more pressure than they wanted. For their third album, they took a different approach—recording with a much more relaxed timeline. During this process, they welcomed Paul Leamy to the band, whose bass playing brought new energy and allowed Emma to focus more on vocals. The outcome is rich and layered, with beautiful harmonies shining through tracks like ‘Giving Away an Inch Of’ and ‘Hide Away.’

The edgy track ‘Something I Know’ includes clarinet contributions from Daniel and Kilian’s father, John. “We’ve always wanted to feature him on a Silverbacks record,” says Daniel. At the end of the song, John also recites a short poem Daniel wrote called the ‘Desert’s Door.’

Like their previous albums Fad and Archive Material, Silverbacks recorded Easy Being a Winner with Daniel Fox (Gilla Band) at Sonic Studios in Stoneybatter, Dublin. Daniel O’Kelly speaks highly of his younger brother Kilian, saying, “My favourite moments in the studio are watching Kilian play guitar or piano. It’s amazing to see him effortlessly bring the melodies in his head to life.” Peadar Kearney, the band’s other guitarist, plays a crucial role in shaping the sound of the opening track and lead single, ‘Selling Shovels.’ His skillful use of guitar feedback in the bridges and outro is a true craft. Throughout the album’s 11 tracks, their layered guitar work shines—from the Cory Hanson-inspired riffs in ‘Look At All You’ve Done’ to the sweeping tones of ‘Billion Star Night Light.’

After seven years as Silverbacks, the band confidently declares this album as their true sound—the sound they’ve always aimed for. Daniel reflects, “Many of the songs are fresh, but the album takes me back to those teenage days Kilian and I spent writing songs in the garage, dreaming about what our band might become. It also brings to mind the early gigs we played with Peadar and Emma in Maynooth.”.

With the release of Easy Being a Winner, I feel more certain about who we are as a band—we’re indie rock. This album captures the indie rock sound I envisioned for us years ago. It’s no surprise that influences like My Bloody Valentine and Guided by Voices come up. They’re also big fans of Stereolab, which heavily inspired the track ‘Something I Know.’ Other influences include cult Irish band Rollerskate Skinny, indie icons Yo La Tengo, Mercury Rev, and even Nick Cave, whose work inspired some of Daniel’s lyrics through themes of religion and vivid imagery.

Paris plays a significant role in Daniel’s lyrics. The song ‘No Rivers Around Here’ explores the struggle of fitting into a neighborhood and the mixed feelings about the changes expected in the coming years. Other tracks include vivid images from his view at Gare du Nord, where he lived across from a sex shop. The penultimate track, ‘Songs About Divide,’ is the album’s most subdued piece—a poignant reflection on loneliness and the challenge of feeling at home anywhere. It takes courage to express these emotions, and with Easy Being a Winner, Silverbacks have crafted their finest album to date.

“A jagged-yet-slick piece of modern post-punk” – The 405

“...infectious and breakneck” – Stereogum

Tracklist:

1. Selling Shovels
2. Giving Away An Inch Of
3. Look At All You’ve Done
4. Hideaway
5. Something I Know
6. Flex ‘95
7. Spinning Jenny
8. No Rivers Around Here
9. Billion Star Night Light
10. Songs About Divide
11. Easy Being A Winner