Limerick duo The Guzzlers release new single + album out this Friday
THE GUZZLERS
‘DRINKING THE DREAM’
THE ROWDY DEBUT ALBUM OUT 6 NOVEMBER
NEW SINGLE KILLARNEY OUT NOW
Rising Irish brother duo The Guzzlers are set to release their album 'Drinking The Dream' on 6th November - a debut built on pints, heart and a fair few hangovers along the way.
Ahead of the release lads release their new single, Killarney, out now. Spinning an old-fashioned kind of romance the song follows an American who falls in love with an Irish girl; it's a tale of persistence built for one of the country's most beautiful corners.
Recorded with producer Jon Withnall (Coldplay, Rihanna, Echo and the Bunnymen), the album arrives off the back of a fast-rising reputation on Liverpool's gig circuit. Cut live and entirely acoustic, it was a deliberate choice for a debut as the band explain: "There's something special about doing an acoustic album, especially as your first - it's as raw and personal as you can get. All ten songs are literally the first ten we ever wrote together. Our goal was to capture our story through whatever came out, and recording it live was the only way to keep that honest. We made this album for no one but ourselves. To us, it's our story, and only the beginning of what's to come."
Across the record, foot-stomping melodies and rich Irish folk instrumentation combine to raise a smile, uplifting by design - and creating a sound that comes fully alive when played to a live audience. Tom and Cian O'Dowd have so far held down a residency at Anfield playing for Liverpool FC fans, headlined The Jacaranda and The Cavern Club and lined up a run of December dates alongside The Highstool Prophets - all since relocating from Limerick to Liverpool in the summer of 2025.
The album opens as it means to go on with '20 Pints To Cherbourg', the shanty that started it all, written on board the Dublin to Cherbourg ferry where the brothers were employed entertaining passengers with Irish songs. One especially riotous journey got them fired from the gig and immortalised in song instead. "It's a love letter to bad decisions, late-night sessions and the kind of stories your mam doesn't need to know about,” the pair explain. “Some bands write heartbreak songs, we wrote one about drinking twenty pints. It's all related to love." From there, second single 'The Drunken Tales of Gerry MacLean' turns its affections to that one man in every Irish pub living life entirely on his own terms - full of fight and fierce love for a drink. Rather than treat him as a cautionary tale, Tom and Cian made him a legend. Next comes 'Long Way From Home' - written back in Limerick before the big move, fueled by the restlessness that got the lads there in the first place.
As the most personal cut on the record, 'The Irish Town Of Liverpool' is a thank you note to the city that has now taken them in. "Moving here has changed our lives," they say of the city. "What makes it special is the people, the history, the energy. The Irish connection is something the scouse hold dear and it’s that passion that helped inspire this song." Playing the residency at Anfield, they add, felt like the city telling them: we want you here. The album's emotional centre steps outside the pints and pub stories altogether, revealing a second, more personal thread. 'Grief' takes on loss in all its forms - a break-up, a person gone, anything that leaves its grip on you - and makes no attempt to resolve it. Title track, 'Drinking The Dream' goes further still as a song about failure, regret and being caught in the dream you once had slipping further away. As the lads put it: "There are two sides to this album - the funny stories people love, and the real grief, loneliness and pain that came with writing them. Irish music has always embraced the hardships of life rather than hide from them, and we feel it's our duty to do the same."
Next comes the playful 'A Pint Of Plain Is Your Only Man', its title born from the old Irish expression of how a Guinness that never lets you down, unlike most things in life. Having already released a song in praise of a pint of lager, the brothers had to even the score: “It only felt right to release a song about a pint of stout too… We are very considerate and caring to all types of alcohol in this band.”
'Mermaid Of Folklore' momentarily slows things down and takes the record on a more intimate path. Written in the same session as '20 Pints To Cherbourg', it was created through the lens of temptation and distraction, landing on the realisation that the one you were with was the only one you ever wanted. Finally, warm closer 'Horse Fair City' takes a look back at the good old days of Irish pubs and the characters who filled them, inspired by the stories passed down from generations. It doubles as a quiet tribute to shut down establishments and a reminder to go out and enjoy the ones still standing while you can.
For the band, songs like these are where the album's real message lives - in a refusal to look away from the darker side of life. It is a quality they see running through Irish music as a whole, and one they believe has a pull on people all over the world, shaped by a history that never shied away from pain or hardship: "The message we hope people get from this album is to enjoy your life but not burying or feeling shame about the darker things inside. Talk about it, write about it, be open about it. Changing someone's life in a meaningful way would mean a lot more to us than sales - but first we just have to make you laugh about drinking an unholy amount of pints!"
About The Guzzlers:
In Summer 2025 the band packed up and left their home of Limerick for Liverpool, armed with guitars, banjo and a raft of original songs. Busking outside notable Irish bars led to invitations inside, word got around and soon The Guzzlers were gracing the stages of The Jacaranda, The Cavern Club and The Philharmonic, supporting local legend Ian Prowse. Reputation grew further with a residency at Anfield, playing for arriving fans at every Liverpool FC home game this season and a special guest slot alongside The Highstool Prophets at Liverpool Academy in January.
In December, the band entered the studio with producer Jon Withnall (Coldplay, Rihanna, Echo and the Bunnymen), emerging with Drinking The Dream - a debut album packed with autobiographical songs inspired by the greats of Irish folk, but with their own unique and intoxicating charm. The album is set for release this Autumn, with further singles to follow throughout the year and live dates across the country, culminating in three more shows with The Highstool Prophets in December. Full dates below:
December 11th - Liverpool, O2 Academy (with Highstool Prophets)
December 12th - London, Shepherds Bush Empire (with Highstool Prophets)
December 13th - Manchester, O2 Ritz (with Highstool Prophets)
‘DRINKING THE DREAM’ IS OUT 6 NOVEMBER,
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