Track of the Day: Burglar, 'No Easy Way Out'

Dublin alt-rock duo Burglar have unleashed their vibrant new offering, which follows the success of their previous single ‘Nobody Needs to Know You’re Desperate’ in March.

Recorded in a home studio in rural Kildare, 'No Easy Way Out' marks the first taster from the duo's upcoming EP, set to drop around late November.

With this heavy-on-the-heart hit, ‘No Easy Way Out’ is a freight train of reality crashing through, and a flagship moment for the broad strokes of a canon crying out for innovation. Indeed, rock bands are hardly the played-out, extinct species some believe them to be.

In the tradition of the inflamed patron saints before them, like PJ Harvey and bar italia, Burglar keep their sensibilities broad and their balladry specific. On the latest track, the feelings are raw, and the duo resist major-chord resolutions.

Contemplative, pummelling and hypnotic, ‘No Easy Way Out’ touches on the emotional strain of doomed love affairs, the low self-esteem coupled with aftershocks of obsession and unspoken feelings, all delivered with hints of sarcastic pessimism (a long-proven method to coax oneself out of love’s absurdity).

Consistent, rising and electrifying, there is an emotional fluster, a taut tenderness to the listening experience. Walls of text do little justice to tracks as strong as this. The greats Burglar are poised to become is very much the writing on the wall.

The band have already begun carving notches in the Irish rock tradition with their unmissable and unforgettable live shows. Burglar - Willow and Eduardo - formed after meeting in college in 2021 and bonding over a shared love of alternative music.

Their backgrounds couldn’t be more different, but it makes for an incredible pairing: Eduardo grew up around the punk rock scene in his hometown of Goiânia, Brazil, while Willow hails from the indie-pop orbit encircling Dublin.

Despite a relatively short tenure, they’ve served as influences for a number of local artists, including the hip hop polymath Ahmed, With Love., who enlisted Eduardo’s sonic chops on his upcoming mixtape Comma, Full Stop.

Coupled with their alchemic live shows, it’s no wonder they’ve earned a coveted spot in Ireland Music Week with a gig at The Button Factory’s Crowbar Terrace on Thursday October 3rd. Tickets for the showcase at the Button Factory on Thursday start from €12.00 and are available to purchase here.