“The dissolution of a long-term relationship” brought great change for Irish singer-songwriter Matthew Doyle. Frontman of indie-rock band Rowdy Outsider─also composed of musicians Sean Murtagh (drums) and Conor Whearty (guitar)─Doyle funneled not only his pain but “the realization of the huge change” which followed into a new song. “Fall Away” borrows elements of pop/punk and new wave, but it’s far more than meets the eye.
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“While on the surface the song is a sombre ballad, ‘Fall Away’ is an incredibly positive song, and it brings feelings of relief, hope, and excitement,” Doyle tells American Songwriter. “[It] is a raw release of emotions, written quickly, verse by verse in order, committing to each line on the spot. Lyrically, the song is as raw and direct as you can get. I had the chorus hook in my head for a long time. When I started writing the first verse, I knew this was the song where it would finally come out.”
At its clattering musical core, a message of better days ahead pokes through the sonic layers. “It’s okay for ‘bad’ things to happen. Things don’t always go to plan, but in every negative, there’s reason to be positive,” he explains. “Sonically, this song is inspired by modern indie pop tracks but with a heavier side, with a nod to the production of the ‘80s with the heavy use of spatial processing such as delays and reverbs. The bass line drives the song leaving room for subtle lead guitar parts throughout the verses.”
Hailing from Drogheda, Ireland, the indie three-piece harken to such early influences as Green Day and My Chemical Romance. Across a string of singles so-far, including “Take a Breath” and “Sunday Afternoon,” their adeptness in combing throwback style with a modern twist is crystal clear. In his writing, Doyle writes best when he doesn’t “have to think about it,” he admits. “I always write lyrics very quickly and commit to them. The first thing you come up with is the raw emotion, the reason for writing the song, so I always go with my gut when it comes to lyrics.
“Our songs always start with a basic drum track programmed in a DAW, and then we record to this as we write. The song will be quickly arranged with drums, a bassline, and chord progression. While recording these early guitar and bass tracks, vocal melodies and hooks will always come to us. These hooks and melodies will be recorded either as lead guitar parts or scratch vocals,” he continues. “By the end of the writing session, more often than not, we will have a complete, basic arrangement and good mix of the demo. Having a demo that captures the mood of the song really gives us motivation when it comes to rehearsing the song as a band.”
Once in the rehearsal room, the trio will layer on additional parts and backing vocals, fine-tuning particular drum patterns, as well. “Having a strong base to add to in the rehearsal room is key for us,” he adds. “For release, we‘ll record live drums, swap out guitar and bass tones with final performances and refine the demo to bring it to release standard.”
Songwriting is “such a unique form of self expression,” he observes. “It gives a platform to release emotions that are difficult to speak about in person. The idea of waking up in the morning, writing a song, and at the end of day, going to bed having made something you didn’t have when you woke up, is a huge motivation.”
