7/10

There’s a particular thrill when a band stops looking outward for permission and starts digging inward with purpose. 'The World Inside', the second full-length from The Iddy Biddies, feels like that exact moment of arrival. It’s a record that turns private contradictions into shared experience with confidence and bite.

Where many folk-leaning albums rely on comfort and familiarity, this one leans into unease. The songs are restless, propelled by rhythm as much as reflection, and driven by a desire to explore the gap between who we appear to be and who we actually are. It’s an album that moves quickly, sometimes sharply, but always with intention, as if each track is nudging us toward a conversation we’ve been avoiding.

Opener 'It's Just A Show' crackles with momentum, introducing a band unafraid of tension. The arrangements are punchy and deliberate, often pushing against expected structures. You can hear the influence of classic pop craftsmanship in the layered harmonies, but they’re twisted just enough to feel slightly off-kilter.

Lyrically, bandleader Gene Wallenstein writes with a novelist’s eye. Characters drift in and out, flawed and searching, carrying social pressure, self-doubt, and flashes of defiance. There’s humour here, but it’s wry rather than playful. Tracks like the politically charged burners feel urgent without being heavy-handed, while the more introspective moments spiral inward with haunting clarity.

The title-track stands as the album’s quiet centrepiece. Its atmosphere feels weighty, as if the song itself is breathing. Elsewhere, psychedelic flourishes and left-turn melodies add colour, keeping the record unpredictable without ever losing cohesion. Even at its most experimental, the band never forgets the song at the core.

What truly elevates 'The World Inside' is its sense of invitation. There’s an underlying generosity in the way the album unfolds, as if the band is saying, we’re wrestling with this too. It’s rare to find a record that feels both intellectually curious and emotionally grounded, but The Iddy Biddies manage it with ease.

This is an album for those who crave music that challenges without alienating, that thinks deeply while still moving your body. 'The World Inside' asks all the right questions, and that is what makes it a deeply rewarding listen.

The Iddy Biddies' new album 'The World Inside' will be available to stream in full from the 7th March.