Cardinals

In February, Irish band Cardinals finally released their long-awaited debut album Masquerade. As on their first singles and their self-titled EP, the five musicians from Cork mix Britpop vibes, New York Strokes coolness, Yo La Tengo melancholy and The Pogues swagger. Months ago, the NME hailed the Cardinals as writing the "classics of the future". Songs such as the Irish-sounding "St. Agnes", the melancholy "I Like You", the noisy "The Burning of Cork" or the softly sung ballad "As I Breathe" fulfill these high expectations. Singer, guitarist and main songwriter Euan Manning says of "Masquerade": "It feels like a natural progression. In the early years, it often felt like we were still searching for ourselves as a band and trying out different things. The album, on the other hand, feels more cohesive and confident." You can see how well the new songs work live at an exclusive German concert by the Cardinals at Berlin's Frannz Club in early November.