The evolution of The Scratch from Dublin’s pavement-stomping buskers to heavy-hitting festival mainstays is a trajectory built on pure, unadulterated grit. Their latest offering, 'Pull Like A Dog', feels like the definitive arrival of a band that has finally stitched their metal upbringing and folk foundations into a singular, seamless garment. Recorded in a frantic thirteen-day sessions at Hellfire Studios, the album captures a raw, "plug in and play" vitality that most studio polished records lose in translation.
The title itself—borrowed from the O’Donovan brothers' Olympic rowing mantra—perfectly encapsulates the band's current headspace. As Daniel “Lango” Lang puts it, “It’s just another way of saying ‘send it’ and see what happens. It’s a motivating phrase we needed, at the time, to inspire a bit of gusto.” That gusto is evident from the opening title track, a percussive assault that serves as a high-velocity mission statement.
While the record thrives on adrenaline, it isn’t a one-note riot. There is a newfound maturity in the songwriting that allows for moments of genuine vulnerability. ‘I Hope All Is Forgiven’ is a stark, moving meditation on loss, proving the band can command silence just as effectively as they can a mosh pit. “I Hope All Is Forgiven delivers a raw and soaring exploration of grief,” and it provides a necessary breath before the album dives back into the frantic, infectious energy of ‘Horsefly.’
The addition of Gary “Gaz” Regan to the line-up has clearly catalysed a fresh perspective. Guitarist Conor Dockery notes that “as a band, this feels like a new beginning,” suggesting that the hurdles faced during the writing process only strengthened their resolve. This sense of perseverance shines through on ‘Roses n Poses,’ a track that celebrates the internal bond of the group, while ‘Gladrags’ cleverly dissects the modern anxiety of the digital spiral.
The journey concludes with ‘Ringsend,’ a hauntingly beautiful reimagining of Oliver Saint John Gogarty’s poetry. Featuring the ethereal vocals of Susan O’Neill and Gareth Quinn Redmond’s weeping fiddle, it’s a grounded, traditional end to a whirlwind experience. 'Pull Like A Dog' is a balanced, fierce, and undeniably Irish record that refuses to be pigeonholed. It’s the sound of a band hitting their stride and pulling harder than ever before.
You can tune into the titanic album above, and for more, follow The Scratch on Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok for the latest tour updates and news.
