Irish rock band Inhaler, most known for being a “nepo baby band,” released their third album, Open Wide, through Polydor Records on February 7th, 2025. With Elijah Hewson on vocals and electric guitar, Robert Keating on bass, Josh Jenkinson on keyboard, electric guitar, and acoustic guitar, and Ryan McMahon on drums, this band of high school best friends continues to pave their way through the music industry and make quite a name for themself.
The band’s frontman, Elijah Hewson, is the son of Paul “Bono” David Hewson, which has caused critics to judge the four friends much harsher; however, E. Hewson makes it clear in many interviews that his father has had little input in Inhaler’s music.
Hewson, in an interview with NME said that “People always ask: ‘Do you get really good advice from your dad about music and songwriting?’ and the honest truth is no. Yeah, [U2’s] a really successful band, but I have completely different opinions on songwriting.”
U2, Bono’s 1976 Irish rock band, is just that: rock. The mesmerizing, nostalgic sounds of 70’s rock echo through the band’s entire discography. Originally, Inhaler demonstrated the same 70’s rock vibe and appeal, but they have seemingly decided to branch out to pop.
Open Wide is an indie pop-rock album that combines catchy, meaningful lyrics with 70’s rock-esc guitar solos and a poppy vibe that makes you feel like dancing. Consisting of 13 songs and spanning approximately 48 minutes, Inhaler’s Open Wide is one of the most musically advanced albums of 2025.
For this review, I’ll be focusing on my top three favorite songs and the title track; however, this does not nearly cover the album in its entirety. Starting with “Eddie In The Darkness,” the perfect pop-rock blast into this alternative musical universe, and ending with “Little Things,” a perfect attempt at modernizing the timeless post-punk subgenre, this Inhaler album is all around a great time.
Open Wide
The album’s title track, “Open Wide,” is the seventh song on the album, first released on December 6th, 2024. Immediately, the song garnered a lot of attention due to the new musical approach present in the song. Despite being nearly five minutes long, the song is engaging with its lyrical composition and production.
With lyrics such as “I’ll hold down these ties / As much as I want freeing from you / You got your arms out open wide / You say, ‘Come on, baby, take a look,’” the song combines themes of vulnerability with the idea of a comforting, reassuring embrace.
Vulnerability is a state that many find hard to properly convey, but Inhaler does an excellent job with “Open Wide.” The sporadic guitar, bass, and steady drums come together to make a breathtaking harmony to support the most notable aspect of this song: E. Hewson’s raw, authentic vocals.
Your House
As the first promotional single for the album, “Your House” was released on October 29th, 2024. This track ranks third on my list of favorites because of the lyrical storytelling, genre-blending instrumentals, and general vibe.
At its heart, “Your House” is a complex song that grapples with the concept of chasing destructive love. The song represents a push and pull game with the lyrics “I’m going nowhere you won’t find me / Maybe I sold love for what it’s worth on the street,” and “Oh, love there ain’t a sharp enough knife / To cut me out of your life,” demonstrating the love interest’s toxicity in contrast with the protagonist’s unwillingness to leave.
Combining Elijah Hewson’s main vocal presence with background vocals from Jenkinson and Keating, the track includes a modern-day gospel aspect that blows the listener away and brings every part of the track together. The song showcases the band that Inhaler is working to become, and it feels like they have finally found their desired footing in the music industry.
A Question of You
Lasting roughly four minutes, “A Question of You” is the perfect example of the pop side of this album. Being the fourth track on the album and the second on my list of favorites, this fun, upbeat tune is simply infectious.
What drew me in were the inquisitive and metaphorical lyrics, such as “And that is the question I’ll ask / It’s the only question / And that is a question of you,” which echo through the bulk of the track. Through this, “A Question of You” provides a sense of curiosity before making the listener feel accomplished with the last chorus: “I found out yes, I found out / Took me a while to find / The answer to the question / I am the answer to the question of you.”
Through this song, you can hear the desperate attempt for originality. Inhaler’s experimentation is all over this album, and they did an amazing job with it. Engaging vocals from E. Hewson paired with a musical composition that keeps the listener on their toes make this track undeniably enjoyable. Even if pop-rock isn’t your preferred genre, there is something about “A Question of You” that draws you in and doesn’t let go.
Even Though
Track five on the album is, in my opinion, what truly seals the deal. From beginning to end, this song is a timeless masterpiece. My favorite aspect of this song has to be the lyrical composition, but that is not meant to discount the beautiful instrumental blend in the background. Ranking at number one for this album and number seven on my list of all-time favorite songs, Inhaler’s “Even Though” is an indescribable listen.
“Even Though” is the only song on Open Wide in which the lyrics were taken from E. Hewson’s personal experience and life trauma. The song contains heavy, meaningful lyrics that describe coming to terms with the end of a dishonest or unbalanced relationship. In this instance, the song’s protagonist is trying to convince the love interest–and possibly even themself–that even with their chemistry and history, they aren’t in love.
The track’s chorus describes a pivotal moment in the doomed relationship. “And you say / ‘Stay the same’,” represents the love interest asking the protagonist, or rather the relationship as a whole, to stay. This request comes from the love interest not wanting the “love” to end, and not wanting to learn how to live by themself.
“Oh, nothing has to be the way it was,” is the protagonist’s response, an expression of the fact that they see no path forward in the relationship. “Even though / All of your friends must know / We’re going nowhere fast,” is the protagonist’s further acknowledgement of the reality of their situation.
The implication is that it’s obvious to everyone: the two are stuck in a doomed, futureless relationship. The love interest is in denial, preferring the comfort of the stagnant present and familiar relationship. The protagonist is the realist, pointing out that their stagnation is ruinous and things have to end. With every metaphor and hidden meaning, this track is truly a lyrical and musical masterpiece.
Overall, Open Wide is a top-ten album with something for every subgenre of rock. With garage-rock, pop-rock, post-punk, folk-rock, and indie-rock, this album is truly for every rock lover. The addicting instrumentals and intelligently crafted lyrics set this album apart from many others of its genre. Throughout their experimentation, it seems as though Inhaler has finally found a sound of their own, one they can use to explore and demonstrate their full musical potential. Open Wide is a ten out of ten, and I would highly recommend it to anyone and everyone.
