Ronan O'BrienCMAT returns with her third studio album, EURO-COUNTRY. A fantastic project invoking every emotion from relationships to the late Celtic Tiger era, our very own “Dunboyne Diana” continues to impress on her upward trajectory towards superstardom.
CMAT Baby!
Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson was put on this Earth for a single reason; to make music for the girls and the gays, as she puts it. The Dublin native moved to Manchester with her then boyfriend, performing together as Bad Sea. Following the demise of that relationship, she decided to pursue a solo career. Following critiquing songwriting at a Charli xcx listening session, Charli advised her to shake things up. And so she did.
Beginning as an online cult sensation, CMAT released several once-off singles. Many of these became timeless hits and featured on her eponymous debut album, If My Wife New I’d Be Dead. Her profound talent was revealed to the world on release of this album, which charted at number one in Ireland. The comedic lyricism as well as a fusion of pop, indie and country, delivered with Kate Bush-esque vocals made appealed to so many, myself included. Her personality shone through like a star during the album release, which made her an infectiously likeable icon in the Irish music scene.
A very successful tour, which featured performances at SXSW and Electric Picnic, was followed by her second album. Crazymad,For Me was released in 2023. An intoxicating and vividly melodic break-up album, it once again reached top of the Irish charts upon release. Her success continued with notable performances at Glastonbury and on The Graham Norton Show.
CMAT‘s exposure continued, and in 2024 a third album was announced. Singles from the album included “Running/Planning“ and the TikTok viral “Take A Sexy Picture Of Me”. The latter, dubbed “the woke Macarena”, saw swathes of people recreating the notable dance. The album dropped at the end of last month, to once again, top the Irish charts, beating Sabrina Carpenter in the process.
The Big Boys & The Berties
Opening with a familiarly typical Irish phone conversation, the album doesn’t take long to get into the swing of things. The title track, “EURO-COUNTRY” opens with Ciara singing in Irish. A wonderful homage to her culture, it’s melancholic and the song continues with these themes. Relatively upbeat in parts, the lyrics deal with the struggles of Irish identity and some very stark realities of the Celtic Tiger period in Ireland. One of the most poignant lines in the album appear on this track; “All the big boys, all the Berties / All the envelopes, yeah, they hurt me / I was twelve when the das started killing themselves all around me”.
A gorgeous fiddle provides the opening to the country-influenced “When A Good Man Cries“. It’s groovy and incredibly infectious, and her solemn voice provides some wonderful atmosphere. Lyrically, it explores the sadness and guilt dealt with hurting someone you love. The opening lyrics even point to self-blame, “I waited for love with a cricket bat / I got what I want and I kicked it flat”. Further nods to Irish culture exist here in remarkable fashion, with comparisons to Wilde’s anti-hero; “How do you act when the daddy’s not home? / Dorian Graying if the door’s closed?”
Ciara, Don’t Be A Bitch
A slightly more upbeat song, “The Jamie Oliver Petrol Station“ is a bit of a paradox. Lyrically, Ciara herself recognises the senselessness of the track; “Mm, this is making no sense to the average listener”. Incredibly charming, it explores the irrational dislike of people, especially some celebrities. Her vocals provide a commentary throughout, with spoken-word parts that feel similar to that of Chappell Roan. While evolving into a bit of a diss track at times, she reminds herself it’s not that deep; “Okay, don’t be a bitch / The man’s got kids / And they wouldn’t like this”. The instrumentals are really cool here, with the piano adding to the retro rock ‘n’ roll aspects. This is such a humorous track, and for it to be conceived from searching for a deli is even better.
More country music influence appears in “Tree Six Foive“, which appears to have been an outtake from Crazymad, For Me. The title refers to the phonetic spelling of the numbers in her accent. It’s upbeat and so easy to listen to. The drums provide really good snare rolls, the piano is pumping throughout and the bass is so groovy. Ciara’s vocals are effortless and the hook is absolutely infectious. Pop star, rock star or country icon, she can really do it all.
The Butcher and The Baker
Inspired by the endless body-shaming comments she and many other women experience on a daily basis, “Take A Sexy Picture Of Me“ was released in iconic fashion. Intentionally released on the same day as the Papal conclave in protest of women’s continued oppression, the song became a near-instant global hit. Lyrically, there are so many sad truths exposed, like little girls feeling forced to conform to beauty standards; “Nine years old, tryna wax my legs with tape”. The second verse contains what is affectionately known as “the woke Macarena”. First dubbed by critics, it was adopted by Ciara to encourage the carefree dancing that accompanied the song on TikTok.
“Ready“ sees a return to the melancholic lyrics. She explores the loneliness single life can bring and the sadness evoked by the passing of time. Once again, her vocals are superb here. The real standout feature for me however, are the backing vocals, which just brings the chorus to an ethereal place. Even among the sadness, the comedy shines through. Her mention of “I did everything that Gwyneth asked of me” is a sly remark towards the celebrity and her bullshit health advice.
A wonderful tribute to a close childhood friend, “Iceberg“ is another mournful song. Despite the infectious hook, the lyrics address seeing the struggle a friend is experiencing. Comparing their situation with the water scene of Titanic, she tells her friend “Now you’re drowning just like Jack did”. CMAT cannot help but to inject some comedy in the lyrics, which sees her trying to hype her friend up in the pre-chorus; “Where’d you go, crazy girl boss?”
Bingo Wings
The self-depreciating opening lyrics of “Coronation St.“ provide the theme of the entire song. “Holy smoker, I’m such a joker” repeats throughout the track, as CMAT addresses struggles with body image and social comparisons. Another laid back instrumental allows her vocals to take full focus, and for good reason. The song is a showcase of her talented songwriting, with fantastic lines like “I spent all my money on things that keep me tired / And give me bingo wings / That cannot fly but keep me up all night”.
More sadness is invoked in “Lord, Let That Tesla Crash“. The easygoing instrumental allows her vocals to be the main focus again, which again, is a fantastic choice due to the lyrics. It seems to address the death of a friend, who the narrator lived with. It addresses the anger felt by the passing of time following the death of a loved one, with a Tesla now perched outside their old abode. With nothing but bitterness flowing, she wishes for the car to crash. There is more hilarity throughout the lyrics, even in such sadness. As a listener, you can’t help but giggle at the opening lines; “I heard death comes in threes–I misheard, it bein’ from Dublin / I thought ‘death’s in the trees’ Which makes sense cuz they’re the saddest cunts”.
Diana/Janis
A song I was introduced to from Later… with Jools Holland, the first single from the album “Running/Planning“ is a cyclical tale of relationships. The song is one of the few on the album to feature an anthem-like hook. Although the focus is again on the vocals, real credit is due to the “Very Sexy CMAT Band”. The drums are powerful, as is the inclusion of the fiddle. However, the lyrics steal the show again. There is so many references to monotony in a relationship, it’s almost a commentary on those who settle down with another, “just because”. The lyrics, “Find it a girl to love, who’ll kinda do” encapsulate this perfectly. CMAT summarises this, advising the song “is about having to chase your own tail to be good enough to exist.”
The album closer, “Janis Joplining“ opens with Fiona Apple style piano and delivery. Whether intentional or not, the baroque pop style is absolutely brilliant and exudes the carelessness of a strong woman. It’s a lyrical journey of self-destruction, once again in the context of a relationship. Pleading with the prospective partner to just stay for the night, she paints herself as the muse. “If we keep these thoughts in our head, babe / They’ll never hurt us no” reaffirms the destruction she is knowingly inflicting upon herself.
Final Thoughts
A showcase of her wit, emotion and endless talents, EURO-COUNTRY is a modern classic. But the real winner in the album is how her personality is on full display. At times opening her heart to then opening her lungs to propel some of the most beautiful melodies, this album is not to be missed. The hooks are infectious, the fusion of genres is brilliant and as for Ciara herself; well, she’s one of a kind.
As an avid fan of CMAT, I have been following her upward journey for a while. Her debut album is absolutely superb. Although I did not enjoy the follow-up as much, the third really puts her back into the limelight as one of the ones to watch out for. Mark my words, this girl will be a superstar. And if not, she’ll always be one to me.
