The band, but albuterol is a close second.
It’s late 2020, probably about December, and I find myself scrolling through TikTok as a lot of people found themselves doing during the pandemic. I come across a video of this band playing a great song. One thing about me, I love finding new music. I find myself really enjoying this song and think to myself, “who is this? I need to hear more!” That band, ladies and gentlemen, was Inhaler.
Inhaler is an Irish rock band formed in 2012 in Dublin, Ireland. The band consists of Elijah Hewson, vocalist and guitarist, Josh Jenkinson on guitar, Robert Keating on bass, and Ryan McMahon on drums. Also on tour with them is Louis Lambert on keyboard and synthesizer. I’ve had the privilege of seeing them on tour six times, including when they played their sophomore album Cuts & Bruises release show at PRYZM in London and when they opened for Harry Styles in Dublin at Slane Castle.
Nothing better than when a group of friends decide to make a band together, and then put in the work to make it happen. There’s something so wholesome about growing up together, touring together, playing together, that a band formed by friendship really encapsulates. What I enjoy most about Inhaler is how low-key and real they are with each other. What makes a band a band is the genuine love and care they have for the music. Inhaler, to me, is a band that cares about the art and brings a playful touch to the songs they write.
The first song I was introduced to was “When It Breaks”, a song written during the heat of lockdown. The band explains, “The lyrics and the music communicate the anxiousness of how we were all feeling and still are now a couple months later.” The guitar and bass bring a sort of dark, fast-paced but hopeful twist and turn to the song that is perfectly paired with lyrics that describe that restlessness feeling the pandemic brought on for all of us. I knew then that this was a band I had to pay attention to.
I remember excitedly waiting for their debut album It Won’t Always Be Like This to drop in the summer of 2021, and per the band being so authentic, they upped the release date by a week just because, which of course had me even more thrilled. Better yet, that same year they announced North American shows for the following year which meant I could finally see them live. Of course, since they were smaller at the time, they didn’t make a stop in my city so I had to go to LA, but as a real music fan, you’ll go where the music takes you.
Inhaler live is a sight and wonder to behold. Incredible vocals and guitar from Eli, electrifying performances from Josh shredding on guitar, Ryan jamming it up on drums, Bobby taking it away on bass, and Louis keeping it real on keys, the whole ensemble brought on a soul-stirring show. The energy from the band and crowd, dancing away to “When It Breaks” screaming together, “I f**king hate that b*tch” from “My King Will Be Kind” their debut album and subsequent shows were a perfect fit for coming together after experiencing such isolation from lockdown. Every Inhaler show I’ve been to reminds me time and time again of why I love music so much.
They went on to tour extensively, play festivals, and open for iconic bands like The Arctic Monkeys and Pearl Jam. Keeping the same energy, their sophomore album Cuts & Bruises expanded on what made the band so great in the first place, their connection and genuine love for the music. In a Billboard article, Eli mentioned the name for the album came from the realization they had to look after each other as a band, and paying attention and caring for the relationships between each other after the pandemic and being on the road together.
Almost every song from Cuts & Bruises is a favorite of mine. “Perfect Storm” feels like a dreamy indie-rock journey that makes you want to sit up and call every failed relationship you had, whereas “When I Have Her On My Mind” is a melancholic, intimate, yet hopeful nostalgic piece that feels personal and almost begs you to contemplate if past feelings from relationships are bleeding into your new one. I could go on and on about every single song and how this album is a perfect follow-up to their debut. It’s full of songs that are incredible live and make you want to jump around and dance for hours on end.
During one of their LA shows in 2023, I had the privilege of running into Ryan McMahon on my way to the venue. There I was, walking down the sidewalk from my hotel, a Celsius in hand, and I see this man standing ahead of me. As I’m walking closer, I think to myself, “that looks like Ryan.” Lo and behold, I’m about to pass and I realize it is him. I’ve never had a run-in with people I’ve come to admire and enjoy their talents so this was exciting for me. So, my go-to, my opening line, was to do a little point and say, “Ryan?” and he takes his AirPod out as I say again, “Ryan, from Inhaler!” As sweet as he is, he says, “yes that’s me”, and I go into how I saw them the night before and they were incredible and I’m seeing them again tonight (they had two LA shows). He is as cool as you’d expect, thanking me for enjoying the music, shaking my hand and asking my name, and we have a delightful little conversation. I tell him he needs to come to my city and he laughs and says he’s heard people say that before (could have been me on Twitter, I had been trying for years), and then I wish him luck for the show and that I’ll be there and we say goodbye. I walked away thinking, “damn, that was really cool.” I then had one of the best nights ever, singing and dancing with new friends I met in line, bonding together over our love for music and the band.
Inhaler did eventually come to my city this past October, which meant I didn’t have to travel and got to enjoy one of my favorite bands in my hometown. Another electrifying show that left me wanting more. Inhaler has a third album, Open Wide, coming out on February 7, 2025. Recent singles like “Your House” and “Open Wide” let me know this is going to be another hit by a band that can do it all. If you’re on the hunt for new music and a fresh sound, I highly recommend Inhaler. Watching them grow has been an honor, and I am thrilled to see where the music takes them next.