The Fynches, an Irish folk-rock band that evoke the golden age of hard-hitting melodicism, today release their long-awaited self-titled debut album, following the highly successful singles Heavy, I Will Follow, Find It For Yourself and Lead On.
Brothers Ferdia Walsh-Peelo (lead vocals and guitar) and Oisín Walsh-Peelo (vocals and keys) were raised in a musical family in County Wicklow. With seven years between them, what began as softly sung bedtime melodies from an eleven-year-old boy to his little brother, developed into the musical explorations that became the sound of The Fynches.
Over the years, composer and arranger Oisín honed his skills touring and recording with bands such as Villagers, Flyte, Hudson Taylor, and Bombay Bicycle Club. A natural frontman, Ferdia found fame on the silver screen starring in Sing Street, as well as roles in the multi-Oscar-winning film CODA, Pistol (Danny Boyle), and Four Letters of Love (starring Pierce Brosnan and Helena Bonham-Carter).
In 2018, building on a years-long dream to have a rock band, the brothers dedicated a freezing winter in Berlin to write and record demos together. With a goal only to create and have as much fun as possible a plethora of material was created, with several songs from the period included on the album today including I Will Follow, Under My Window, and the albums lead single Here and Now.
With several permutations of the band along the way, the brothers are now joined by Camryn Teehan (drums), Fionn O’Neill (bass), and Julia-Maria (cello). In 2024, deciding to prioritise the band over individual pursuits, The Fynches spent much of the year hunkered down in the studio together refining tracks.
Now, these musical blueprints have developed into a full statement album. With brooding ballads, raucous crowd pleasers, and even a requiem interlude, the band’s debut is marked by dynamism, playfulness, and musical virtuosity.
Oisín explains “While this album is a piece of art, a product that you hold in your hands or see on a screen, it’s also our own lives through sound.
Music, as we know, has that inexplicable capacity to elevate, to express the inexpressible. But it’s even more than that for us. It’s the constant whittling of a feeling, the permutations of a personality – the joy of living. It is the amalgamation of our cumulative strengths to create something fun and beautiful. In short – something that brings people together.”
Lead single Here and Now, the first song of the album,is “an invitation by the band to BE HERE, NOW” say the brothers. “We love the George Harrison album ‘All Thing Must Pass’ and we were inspired by that crossover of mindfulness and rock ’n’ roll – the big hippies that we are! We’re deeply inspired by meditation and love allowing that to bleed into the music.”
The Fynches’ previous single releases have been received to critical acclaim, with radio sessions (The Miriam O’Callaghan Show) and lively TV performances (RTÉ One’s The Late Late Show, Fanning At Whelans), as well as spirited appearances at some of Ireland’s most iconic venues. In 2023, they completed their first Irish tour, swiftly followed by an unforgettable show with ‘The Coronas’ at King John’s Castle in Limerick.
The Fynches are a band that come into their own under the lights, earning them a reputation as an electrifying live act, and are now set to embark on an extensive, full-band tour of Ireland in November, with UK and European tour dates in 2026. With the prolific work ethic of Ferdia and Oisín, and a hoard of material already in wait, this album fires the starting gun for what is to come from The Fynches.
Stream The Fynches now: https://tr.ee/72spcNgaGz
Vinyl Purchase: here