NewDad MADRA
Released Jan 26, 2024 Atlantic Records UK
Consensus forming 3 professional reviews Updated Oct 4, 2026
Mostly positive consensus
Consensus is still forming across 3 professional reviews. NewDad's MADRA arrives as a widescreen, shoegaze-tinged debut that balances big guitars with a fragile, introspective core.
How ChoruScore worksCritics' Top Tracks
The songs critics returned to most
Dream of Me
1 critic mention
“most exciting moments come when NewDad embrace bolder guitars such as “Dream of Me” — The Line of Best Fit
Nightmares
1 critic mention
“New Order chorus bass on songs like ‘Angel’ and ‘Nightmares” — Hot Press
Change My Mind
1 critic mention
“On ‘Nosebleed’ and ‘Change My Mind’ singer Julia Dawson is particularly candid” — Hot Press
Full critic consensus
NewDad's MADRA arrives as a widescreen, shoegaze-tinged debut that balances big guitars with a fragile, introspective core. Across professional reviews, critics praise the record's dreamlike atmosphere and melodic choruses while noting that its stripped production and uniform haze sometimes leave songs blending into one another.
The critical consensus, reflected in a 66.67/100 score across 3 professional reviews, highlights standout tracks that break the fog: “Angel”, “Dream of Me” and “Nightmares” frequently surface as the album's most immediate moments, with “Nosebleed” and “Change My Mind” singled out for candid lyricism. Reviewers consistently point to shoegaze and post-punk influences - from Kevin Shields-style lead playing to New Order-like basslines - and praise the contrast and layering that gives songs their emotional weight.
Opinions diverge on cohesion and production. Some critics celebrate the record's speaker-testing roar and live potential, calling certain cuts unforgettable proof of NewDad's promise, while others find that the stripped-back mix exposes near-misses and limits variety. The consensus suggests MADRA contains essential moments and memorable songs, even if the full collection does not always cohere as strongly as its best tracks imply.
For readers searching for a MADRA review or wondering what the best songs on MADRA are, critics agree: start with “Angel”, “Dream of Me” and “Nightmares” to hear NewDad at their most immediate and affecting.
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Angel
Sickly Sweet
Where I Go
Change My Mind
In My Head
Nosebleed
Let Go
Dream of Me
Nightmares
White Ribbons
Madra
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What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 3 critics who reviewed this album
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Critic's Take
NewDad sound colossal on MADRA, and the review makes it clear the best tracks - “Where I Go” and “Angel” - showcase that widescreen, speaker-testing roar. Riccardo praises “Where I Go” for lead playing that echoes Kevin Shields, and he points to “Angel” (alongside “Nightmares”) for its New Order-style chorus bass, making them among the best songs on MADRA. He also highlights “Nosebleed” and “Change My Mind” for candid lyrics, which help explain why these tracks resonate so strongly. Overall the review frames these standouts as proof that MADRA is an unforgettable debut poised for a big breakthrough.
Key Points
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The best song is "Where I Go" for its Kevin Shields-like lead playing and definitive shoegaze guitar work.
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The album's core strengths are massive, melodic guitars, introspective lyrics, and memorable chorus melodies.
Themes
Critic's Take
NewDad’s MADRA is at its best when it leans into louder, rawer guitars, especially on “Dream of Me” and “Angel”. Vicky Greer praises the band’s dreamlike soundscapes and direct lyricism, noting that the earworm chorus of “Sickly Sweet” and the hypnotic atmosphere make these the standout tracks on the album. The review retains a measured tone, applauding polished production while urging more variation so songs do not blend together. Overall, the best songs on MADRA are those that break the hazy mold and land with sharper, bolder hooks and guitar work.
Key Points
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The best song moments are where NewDad deploy louder, bolder guitars, notably on "Dream of Me" and "Angel".
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MADRA’s strengths are its polished dream-pop atmosphere and direct, vulnerable lyrics, though more variation is needed to avoid tracks blending together.
Themes
Critic's Take
NewDad's MADRA reads as an album of near-misses, where the best songs - “Let Go”, “White Ribbons” and the closing “Madra” - reveal the band at their most luminous. Emma Swann's voice is exacting and wry, noting how “Let Go” crashes into life with a heady contrast of breathy vocal and discordant guitars, and how “White Ribbons” cocoons Julie Dawson's delicate murmur. The review keeps returning to contrast and layering as the record's chief assets and deficits, arguing that stripped-back production exposes flaws rather than concealing them. Ultimately the critic implies the best tracks here point to what NewDad can be live, even if the record itself doesn't fully cohere.
Key Points
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The best song is “Let Go” because its heady vocal-guitar contrast showcases the band’s strengths.
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The album’s core strength is its moments of delicate layering and contrast, though stripped production often exposes flaws.