In an Irish rock scene that’s spent the last half a decade flourishing to an utterly unprecedented degree, Thumper, now made up of six friends, don’t quite fit, stylistically at least. Building from DIY roots – their early releases were bedroom recorded tapes made largely by now front man Oisin Furlong – they’ve built into a band that thrives live, blending clever melody with an instrumental barrage and a pulsating, vibrant stage presence.
Furlong has always been the soul of the band, and their early efforts – scrappy and immediate – in some ways reflect what the band were built upon: the idea, essentially, that anyone can make music and get themselves out there. Thumper are great on record, but it’s live, where they turn into a snarling monster of backroom sweatboxes, where they truly shine, and that early scrappy immediacy remains at the forefront.
The outfit that Furlong has built around him reflects that hustle. They’re loud and energetic, a floor-vibrating set up that can hold a raucous melody, yet often spend time down the front amongst their audience, backed by a thumping dual-drum backline. Their topics are drawn from their world: angst and existentialism, self examination, and the hardships of modern living, but delivered with a true sense of fun.
