A lively blend of soul-searching heartland rock, “Lately” showcases Limerick’s Dylan Flynn & The Dead Poets transforming existential doubt into a powerful, urgent, and profoundly human anthem of introspection and emotional liberation.
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“Lately” – Dylan Flynn & The Dead Poets
“‘Cause ‘lately, I’ve been living life the wrong way…” Few moments feel as authentically human, and as intensely passionate, as when Dylan Flynn delivers those lines – weathered yet hopeful, heavy yet brimming with light. A sweeping, heartfelt anthem that captures the open-road yearning of Springsteen and the cinematic power of Sam Fender, Dylan Flynn & The Dead Poets’ recent release “Lately” feels as if it were plucked from the classic rock canon. It’s passionate, deliberate, and genuine – a track that doesn’t just touch the soul, but electrifies it.
“Lately” – Dylan Flynn & The Dead Poets
Released independently in late August, “Lately” marks Dylan Flynn & The Dead Poets’ second single this year and serves as the centerpiece of their forthcoming EP, I’ve Been Living Life the Wrong Way (set for release on November 7). Arriving less than a year after their self-produced 2024 album, the story after they’re gone, “Lately” signifies an exhilarating new chapter for the Irish quintet, one driven by refined songwriting and a vibrant, dynamic sound.
Since their inception in 2020, the Limerick-based band – consisting of Dylan Flynn (lead vocals/guitar), Marty Ryan (lead guitar/backing vocals), Killian Moran (bass/backing vocals), Paul Breen (drums), and Chris Britton (keys/saxophone) – has garnered substantial local acclaim for their heartfelt rock songs. They’ve sold out headline shows throughout the UK and Ireland, performed at SXSW and Electric Picnic, and are increasingly recognized as one of Ireland’s most compelling emerging acts.
While their earlier work leaned towards atmospheric indie rock and intimate contemplation, “Lately” feels grander, brighter, and bolder – the sound of a band spreading their wings. Flynn and the band harness the sweeping emotionality of classic heartland rock while retaining the unrefined sincerity that has characterized their earlier music. It’s a confident progression: Restless yet anchored, nostalgic yet revitalized, and unmistakably the product of a group finding their unique voice.
Building on the emotional depth and melodic richness of their recent efforts, “Lately” radiates confidence and strength – the sound of a band spreading their wings. Flynn and his bandmates draw from the anthemic qualities of classic rock while remaining true to the raw sincerity that has defined their body of work thus far.
You can perceive this transformation the moment “Lately” begins. Built on a driving rhythm of guitars, drums, and keys, the song soars with a luminous saxophone melody that breaks through the mix like sunlight piercing through the clouds. This element infuses warmth and color into the band’s robust composition, enveloping Flynn’s vocals with an almost spiritual clarity. The resulting sound feels both timeless and contemporary – heartland rock for the modern era, balancing nostalgia with urgency.
Lyrically, “Lately” pairs its expansive sound with stark, introspective reflections. Flynn depicts scenes of emotional numbness and existential uncertainty – death looming; empathy fading; regret igniting like a flash in the dark. His imagery is vivid and unsettling, tracing the troubling borders of self-doubt and spiritual exhaustion. Even in its gentler moments, there’s a struggle against the world’s weight: Attempting to maintain tenderness in a cold environment while fighting to keep the mind alight as darkness encroaches from every angle.
“I can taste the moment that
death walked through the door
Break me off some empathy, a feeling I ignore
Gripping tight your tongue,
your lips sit motionless
Fire off a gun, fill it with regret
Take a thought and put it out
That flame is sure to burn
Lighten up your mind
Darkness at every turn”
“This song was the first track I wrote after completing our last album,” Flynn tells Atwood Magazine. “It crept up on me gradually, piece by piece. I remember playing it during soundchecks on our last tour. At that time, I was immersed in a lot of ‘70s and ‘80s American Rock, which my dad had introduced me to. I was really getting into Petty, Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac – and I aimed to create a song that felt both classic and modern.”
That lineage is evident in every note. There’s a grounded poetry to Flynn’s lyrics – vivid and candid, yet imbued with vulnerability
A lively infusion of soul-searching heartland rock, “Lately” showcases Limerick’s Dylan Flynn & The Dead Poets transforming existential uncertainty into a powerful, urgent, and profoundly human anthem of self-reflection and emotional liberation.
