A Hilarious Punch In The Gut
Irish singer-songwriter Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, better known as CMAT returns with her third studio album EURO-COUNTRY, and it is nothing short of a kaleidoscope of sound. Over the course of twelve tracks, she effortlessly blends country, folk, alt-pop and shades of rock, all underscored with her trademark wit and razor-sharp lyricism. It’s a bold evolution from her earlier work, and one that cements her as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary music.
What makes this record so compelling, is how effortlessly CMAT walks the line between satire and sincerity. Her writing is hilarious one moment, devastating the next, and always achingly human. She has a rare gift for spinning cultural critique into something deeply personal.
In “Take A Sexy Picture of Me” she sings about the grotesque beauty standards society has placed on us women, not shying away from going where we need to go. Over a bouncy, funky beat, she sings:
“Take a sexy picture of me / And make me look fourteen, oh / Or like ten, or like five / Or like two, like a baby”
The absurdity of the lyric only sharpens the truth. It’s a biting commentary on the infantilisation of women, packaged in a track, that has unsurprisingly found viral traction on TikTok and beyond.
“Iceberg” goes into a similar direction, dissecting the tension between wanting success and staying true to oneself, especially as a woman in the public eye.
Emotional devastation finds its own special place on this record in “Lord, Let That Tesla Crash”. It is a raw reflection on grief – sad, but still sarcastic. That is an attribute she never loses once on the entire album. This song is incredibly layered in its lament, making it not only highly relatable, but also feel like a good friend delivering an intimate message.
The clear standout on this album, however, is its title track. “EURO-COUNTRY” is an honest, and really quite angry, exploration of Ireland’s financial collapse in the 2000s and the lingering trauma it left behind. The intro of the song is beautifully sung in Gaeilge, making it a powerful reclaiming of cultural identity. In a time when Irish-language music is still seldom played on mainstream radio, it feels both radical and necessary.
What sets EURO-COUNTRY apart from CMAT’s previous records is its sheer ambition. She expands her sonic palette, experimenting with bigger and bolder arrangements, without ever losing the intimacy, that makes her work so magnetic. The album is wonderfully cohesive, forming a tapestry that is both deeply Irish, yet universally resonant.
The album is as funny as it is heartbreaking and definitely one that refuses to be put into a box.
If you like what you hear - catch CMAT on tour next year! https://cmatbaby.com/live/
What did you think of the album? What’s your favourite track? Let us know.
EURO-COUNTRY OUT NOW.
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WORDS BY
Marie Müller, 2025
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