Cliffords celebrate outsiders and fight Irish stereotypes on powerful new single ‘Rod For My Back’

Cliffords are back with the lively new single ‘Rod For My Back’, which sees them celebrate outsiders and fight Irish stereotypes.

1. READ MORE: Cliffords talk working on a “refined” debut album: “It’s all about that contrast of life that we keep living through”.
2. 2hollis – ‘Pirouette’ review: a lovestruck fantasist faces his fears of vulnerability.
3. Kofi Stone is getting comfortable with life’s contradictions.

A verdade inacreditável dos Twisted Teens: os punks de Nova Orleans pregando o evangelho do rápido, barato e fora de controle.

O quarteto de Cork lançou a faixa como sua primeira nova música do ano, e a primeira de mais que virão em 2027.

It arrives following them completing a run of tour dates with The Mary Wallopers, and also nearly a year to the day of them dropping their last single, ‘Marsh’, back in November 2025.

Musicalmente, a cantora Iona Lynch, de “Rod For My Back”, e seus colaboradores estão em seu auge mais explosivo, com um riff de guitarra áspero e potente sustentando a faixa, além de melodias vocais cativantes e letras que denunciam preconceitos e estereótipos.

Lynch continuou: “Quando começamos a fazer turnês pelo Reino Unido pela primeira vez, fomos rapidamente colocados em uma caixa cultural, assim como os demais colegas irlandeses.

Parecia que nossas identidades únicas como irlandeses eram reduzidas a uma ideia de cultura da qual nunca nos sentimos parte, como se tivéssemos sido lavados em uma nova onda de entusiastas G‑splitting Plastic Paddy.”.

Earlier this summer, the NME 100 alumni caught up with us backstage at Mad Cool 2026, having already supported Mumford & Sons at BST Hyde Park and opened for Florence + The Machine over that past week alone.

In the interview, the band opened up about when we could expect more music from them, following on from their debut EP ‘Strawberry Scented’ in 2024, and the critically acclaimed EP, ‘Salt of the Lee’ in 2025.

Lynch added that the majority of the writing has been done between Cork and Blackpool over the span of four months, and explained that the heavier themes of mental health seen in the single ‘Marsh’ will be prevalent throughout the upcoming debut album too.

The indie four-piece also spoke to us in 2025 about the inspiration behind their music, and how it feels to see their fanbase grow.

The world's defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking what's new and what's next since 1952.

When you purchase through affiliate links on NME.com, you may contribute to our site through commissions. Learn More.

NME Networks, a part of Caldecott Music Group. All rights reserved.