Cardinals Masquerade
Cardinals's Masquerade announces a vivid, gothic-tinged debut that balances Irish coastal melancholy with post-punk-pop immediacy, and critics largely hear promise. Across five professional reviews the record earned a 71.5/100 consensus score, with reviewers repeatedly praising the opening trio and recurring standouts “She Makes Me Real”, “I Like You” and “The Burning of Cork” as the best songs on Masquerade. Those tracks are singled out for keening vocals, accordion-led warmth and hooky, plaintive melodies that give the album its most urgent moments.
The critical consensus highlights a two-part album structure that shifts from atmospheric restraint to gnarlier, fuzz-driven catharsis - critics note the pivot around “I Like You” and point to second-half intensities on songs such as “Anhedonia” and the title track. Reviewers consistently praise the record's atmosphere, gothic romanticism and vulnerable lyricism, even as some find repetition and sameness blunting momentum. Far Out warns of occasional numbing sameness, while NME, No Ripcord and Indie Is Not A Genre celebrate the band’s textured arrangements and memorable hooks.
Taken together the reviews sketch a band with an evocative sense of place and a clear sonic identity: restrained folk touches and accordion lines sit beside skull-rattling guitars and political-tinged unease. For readers asking if Masquerade is worth listening to, the consensus suggests a rewarding, occasionally flawed debut where standout tracks like “She Makes Me Real” and “I Like You” mark Cardinals as a post-punk act to watch.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
She Makes Me Real
5 mentions
"Once “She Makes Me Real” opens with a joyous accordion lead"— No Ripcord
I Like You
5 mentions
"Nowhere on the album is this better demonstrated than in the plainly titled “I Like You,”"— No Ripcord
Anhedonia
5 mentions
"The smoldering delivery of “Anhedonia , ” one of the more punk-driven tracks here,"— No Ripcord
Once “She Makes Me Real” opens with a joyous accordion lead
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
She Makes Me Real
St. Agnes
Masquerade
I Like You
Over At Last
Anhedonia
Barbed Wire
Big Empty Heart
The Burning of Cork
As I Breathe
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 7 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Cardinals’ debut Masquerade finds its strongest moments in the opening trio and the aching middle, with “She Makes Me Real”, “St. Agnes” and “I Like You” standing out as the best tracks. The review’s voice is celebratory yet measured, praising the band’s raw, imperfect sound and the unexpected accordion that sets songs like “She Makes Me Real” apart. It is these songs - lively, plaintive and intimate - that answer directly which are the best songs on Masquerade and why the record feels both urgent and tender. The album’s peaks show Cardinals aiming high and mostly hitting the mark.
Key Points
-
“She Makes Me Real” is best for its joyous accordion and dynamic build that sets the album’s tone.
-
Masquerade’s core strengths are its raw, imperfect energy, the distinctive accordion integration, and a balance of bright and sombre moods.
Themes
Critic's Take
Cardinals make an album that feels desperately alive; Masquerade thrives on gutting, immediate songs like “She Makes Me Real” and the bruised highlight “The Burning Of The Cork”. Trendell hears a band flirting with classic status, trading woozy shoegaze and skull-rattling indie for sharp, open-hearted hooks - the direct candour of “I Like You” and the gnarly second-half freight of “Anhedonia” underline why these are the best tracks on Masquerade. The record lands as sadly beautiful and in tune with 2026, equal parts vulnerability and menace, which is what makes these songs stand out.
Key Points
-
The Burning Of The Cork is the standout due to its brutal political resonance and emotional intensity.
-
The album’s core strengths are its raw vulnerability, sharp hooks, and a nervy energy that captures 2026.
Themes
Fa
Critic's Take
Cardinals make a compelling, if slightly numbing, record on Masquerade. The reviewer's voice lingers on the textures and the recurring romantic guitar tone, but it is “Anhedonia” that emerges as the best song - noisy, urgent and brilliantly combustible. Other songs like “She Makes Me Real” open atmospherically, yet many tracks get caught in revolving doors and blur together. For listeners searching for the best tracks on Masquerade, the record rewards close attention rather than casual spins.
Key Points
-
‘Anhedonia’ is the best song for its noisy, energetic urgency and vivid imagery.
-
The album’s core strength is strong musicianship and thick, fuzz-pedal atmospheres, though songs often blur together.
Themes
In
Critic's Take
Cardinals arrive on Masquerade with a patient, atmospheric debut where the best songs - “She Makes Me Real” and “I Like You” - resist the indie reflex to fill every moment. The review voice favours quiet accumulation over immediate payoff, praising how the accordion and jangling folk instincts let tracks unfold rather than shout. For listeners asking what the best tracks on Masquerade are, those two songs stand out for their restraint and melody, while longer pieces like “The Burning of Cork” and “As I Breathe” reward attentive, full-album listening. This is music that privileges mood and texture, and it makes a case for the album as a lasting statement rather than a collection of singles.
Key Points
-
The best song(s) are the more restrained, melodic tracks like "She Makes Me Real" because they prioritise mood and melody over volume.
-
The album’s core strength is its patient, atmospheric arrangements anchored by accordion-led, nostalgic textures.
Themes
Critic's Take
There isn’t a shortage of post-punk-leaning bands, and Cardinals make a persuasive case with Masquerade - the title track and “Big Empty Heart” stand out for their propulsive melancholy and crooked lullaby charm. The record splits neatly into two halves, with “I Like You” and “Over At Last” marking the pivot where simmering energy becomes pummelling guitar catharsis. Manning’s keening croon threads through each highlight, lifting moments like “Barbed Wire” into feverish intensity even when later tracks stumble melodically.
Key Points
-
The title track is best for its propulsive melancholy and centrality to the album’s mood.
-
The album’s core strengths are its two-part structure, accordion-inflected folk warmth, and Manning’s keening vocals lifting key tracks.