Open Wide (album)
| Open Wide | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 7, 2025 | |||
| Length | 48:11 | |||
| Label | Polydor | |||
| Producer | Kid Harpoon | |||
| Inhaler chronology | ||||
| ||||
Open Wide is the third album by Irish rock band Inhaler. It was released through Polydor Records on 7 February 2025, and was met with favourable critical reception.
The album debuted at No.2 on the UK Official Albums Chart, earning the band its third top ten effort on the chart, following 2023's Cuts & Bruises (#2) and their chart-topping It Won't Always Be Like This (2021). Open Wide entered atop the Official Irish Albums Chart, marking their third consecutive number one in the native country.
Background and release
In an interview with The Independent, Inhaler frontman Elijah Hewson said that Open Wide reflects his "quarter-life crisis".[1][2]
Open Wide was released through Polydor Records on 7 February 2025.[3]
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 76/100[6] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Clash | 8/10[4] |
| The Independent |   [1] |
| MusicOMH |  [5] |
| NME | [3] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Open Wide received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 76 out of 100 from 5 critic scores.[6] It received positive reviews from The Independent,[1] NME,[3] and Clash,[4] as well as a mixed review from MusicOMH.[5]
Track listing
All tracks are written by All tracks are written by Elijah Hewson, Josh Jenkinson, Robert Keating and Ryan McMahon, except where noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Eddie in the Darkness" | Hewson • Jenkinson • Keating • McMahon • Amy Allen | 3:35 |
| 2. | "Billy (Yeah Yeah Yeah)" | 4:05 | |
| 3. | "Your House" | 3:47 | |
| 4. | "A Question of You" | 3:42 | |
| 5. | "Even Though" | 3:18 | |
| 6. | "Again" | 3:36 | |
| 7. | "Open Wide" | Hewson • Jenkinson • Keating • McMahon • Allen | 4:48 |
| 8. | "All I Got Is You" | 3:44 | |
| 9. | "Still Young" | 3:21 | |
| 10. | "The Charms" | 3:45 | |
| 11. | "X-Ray" | 3:23 | |
| 12. | "Concrete" | 3:49 | |
| 13. | "Little Things" | 3:14 | |
| Total length: | 48:11 | ||
Personnel
Inhaler
- Elijah Hewson – vocals, electric guitar (all tracks); background vocals (tracks 2, 8)
- Robert Keating – bass guitar (all tracks), background vocals (tracks 1, 2, 5–8, 10, 13), synth bass (3)
- Josh Jenkinson – keyboards (all tracks), electric guitar (tracks 1–8, 10–13), background vocals (1, 2); acoustic guitar, Hammond B3 (9)
- Ryan McMahon – drums (all tracks), background vocals (track 1)
Additional contributors
- Kid Harpoon – production (all tracks), synthesizer (tracks 2–13), Hammond B3 (3), background vocals (7, 8)
- Randy Merrill – mastering
- Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing
- Brian Rajaratnam – engineering
- Liam Hebb – recording, engineering assistance
- Emi Trevena – additional engineering
- Andrea Cozzaglio – additional engineering (tracks 1–12)
- Matt Wolach – mixing assistance
- Tommy Turner – mixing assistance
- Natalie Maddix – choir arrangement, alto vocals (tracks 3, 4, 7, 9)
- Daniel Thomas – choir arrangement (tracks 3, 4, 7, 9)
- Laura Leon – alto vocals (tracks 3, 4, 7, 9)
- Shayanne Campbell – alto vocals (tracks 3, 4, 7, 9)
- Siziwe Sayiya – alto vocals (tracks 3, 4, 7, 9)
- Cleo Stewart – soprano vocals (tracks 3, 4, 7, 9)
- Leanna Leid – soprano vocals (tracks 3, 4, 7, 9)
- Roslyn Adonteng – soprano vocals (tracks 3, 4, 7, 9)
- Vânia Lima – soprano vocals (tracks 3, 4, 7, 9)
- Anton Denny-Brown – tenor vocals (tracks 3, 4, 7, 9)
- Charles Dawson – tenor vocals (tracks 3, 4, 7, 9)
- Christian Jamieson Idos – tenor vocals (tracks 3, 4, 7, 9)
- Dean Patron – tenor vocals (tracks 3, 4, 7, 9)
Charts
| Chart (2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[7] | 50 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[8] | 8 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[9] | 51 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[10] | 8 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[11] | 18 |
| Irish Albums (OCC)[12] | 1 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[13] | 2 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[14] | 64 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[15] | 2 |
References
- ^ a b c "Album reviews: Olly Alexander – Polari and Inhaler – Open Wide". The Independent. 2025-02-07. Retrieved 2025-02-12.
- ^ "Inhaler singer Elijah Hewson: 'I'm 25 now – I'm getting old'". The Independent. 2025-02-03. Retrieved 2025-02-12.
- ^ a b c Shutler, Ali (2025-02-07). "Inhaler – 'Open Wide' review: blissed out guitar anthems from a band coming into their own". NME. Retrieved 2025-02-12.
- ^ a b Hansen, Susan (2025-02-06). "Inhaler - Open Wide | Reviews". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 2025-02-12.
- ^ a b Livesey, Donovan (2025-02-04). "Inhaler - Open Wide | Album Reviews". MusicOMH. Retrieved 2025-02-12.
- ^ a b "Open Wide". Metacritic. Retrieved 2025-02-12.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – Inhaler – Open Wide" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Inhaler – Open Wide" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Inhaler – Open Wide" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Inhaler – Open Wide" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Inhaler – Open Wide" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 14 February 2025.
- ^ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 February 2025.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Inhaler – Open Wide". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 February 2025.