Irish alternative country artist Podge Lane returns to our blog thanks to his third full-length album, Multiple Dead Ends.

By Graeme Smith

It was in 2022 that Podge Lane first appeared on our pages, nabbing a spot on Jane’s Underground Country round up. She followed that up with an interview, and another share of his music through her round up of Irish artists. More recently, I shared his single, Left Foot Right Foot (Panic).

It’s a track that features on his new album, Multiple Dead Ends. As a collection, it reflects on our limited time on this mortal realm, adding to Podge Lane’s personal repertoire through raw, expansive folk rock, jaunty psychedelia, and everything in between.

Lyrically, Podge Lane bears his anxieties, almost wearing them as a badge of honour through astutely-observed moments and emotional whirlwinds. The trio of tracks Left Foot Right Foot (Panic), My House, and Down set us off in a lively and relatable way before things go in a quieter direction with the floaty The Little Things.

The musical range on display across Multiple Dead Ends is impressive, but I always found myself returning to the lyrics. Podge Lane has a way of stating his point of view with a dry wit and infectious relatability. He finds a way to smile, laugh and dance through the anguish, and is completely unafraid to do his own thing in a world that demands conformity. This Is Not What I Was Promised is a case in point, and mid-album highlight.

Elsewhere we get groovy with The Problem (With Everything), moody with The Follow On, romantic with Love (And The Baggage It Brings), and philosophical with album closer Life Was A Song (Scream Along). The album’s twelve tracks run the gamut, but come together thanks to their thematic links and Podge Lane’s inimitable style. It’s truly a masterclass in honest song writing.

Multiple Dead Ends is out now via independent record label Teip Records. You can give it a listen below.