Cardinals could only come from somewhere like Cork. Their music pays homage to their hometown in the South of Ireland, which holds its own when it comes to producing local talent. They fall into a long line of recent Irish talent to breakthrough in worldwide pop culture. It's only a matter of time before the five-piece is one of the biggest bands hailing from the Emerald Isle.
The band is playing a whopping 10 shows for SXSW this week, which kicked off with a late-night show at Antone's for High Road Touring. Despite being less than 24-hours removed from arriving in the city and still fighting jet lag, they put on an undeniable performance.
Their discography displays their wide sources of influence; no two Cardinals songs follow the same genre constructs. This makes for an enthralling show, oscillating from brooding, slow lyrics to punchy upbeat tunes all while mixing it a bit of Irish folk. The band was started by brothers Euan and Finn Manning, who sing lead vocals and play accordion, respectively. Euan's moody lyrics drive the band forward while Finn's accordion melodies ring out so beautifully they feel like another voice on stage. This is especially abundant in songs "Roseland" and "If I Could Make You Care."
Brothers Finn and Euan Manning take centerstage at Antone's on Tuesday night.
The band stands out from the classic Irish/British post-punk outfit. Every one of their songs is multi-dimensional, combining refined but progressive instrumentals with demanding vocals to bring their own sauce to the scene which they hail from. It is a prowess that is impressive from such a young group of lads; they are all in their early twenties.
They released their debut self-titled EP last year, but now the band is working towards a bigger goal: one wholistic album. They say they are looking to go from releasing a collection of songs to releasing a work that stands on its own. Music lovers would be smart to tap into the band now and witness this evolution of style in real time.