Papa Boyle – Drive Thru (2025)
Inspired by the sounds of the ’50s and ‘60s rock and roll era, singer-songwriter Papa Boyle is that time capsule of old-school sounds dug up in the 2020s and set out among the masses to enjoy, engage and entertain. Yet, as much as there is a rock and roll groove to his music, the Irish artist holds his hand out to various other genres in various decades. With his 2024 single ‘Tranquillo’, there was an indie-rock drawl, and 2025’s ‘Chasing The Smile’ crept toward alternative rock sentiments. Today, we take a gander at the most recent addition to his discography, ‘Drive Thru’. Where will it lie? Come along and find out.
Following the well-received single ‘Wave To Me (Like It’s The First Time)’, ‘Drive Thru’ shifts from an indie-folk meets indie-pop weave to something heavier, harder and a little more folk-rock in tone. Reminding me of a Fleetwood Mac meets Cream, this is a breath of nostalgic noise, and I’m not complaining. Backed by bold drums, the bass flutters along with soaring guitars, pushing you along a kaleidoscopic wave of sound. The scorching guitar solo quickly met by crashing cymbals definitely ups the ante on what is already an intriguing song. Add Papa Boyle’s rugged yet rich vocals, and the track is infused with a chilled-out groove – the groove you feel when twirling about with friends and just letting loose.
One of the first songs Papa Boyle demoed, but then stuff got in the way, ‘Drive Thru’ was a song he came back to, and it earned fan-favourite status among live audiences. Papa Boyle shares:
“Throughout the recording process, I wanted to capture that energy from the live shows, and I think we did just that. ‘Drive Thru’ is about having a good time and sharing those fun moments. The track has a bit of an attitude to it that I hope the listener will enjoy.”
‘Drive Thru’ is the first track off his upcoming debut EP, We Can Clear A Strange Divide, Papa Boyle has me eager to hear more from the talented musician. Until the EP, set for release in 2026, we’ll enjoy his catalogue, and I suggest you do too.
Find out more about Papa Boyle on his X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok and Spotify.
This artist was sent to us by Jawdropper Music.
Listen to more folk-rock music on The Other Side Reviews Folk Rock playlist:
