And he, the fool are a seven piece collective of friends and musicians, whose latest output, ‘re:place the thought’ embodies nothing less than reverence and emits a golden glow.

The band’s second EP follows their 2023 live offering ‘mend your speech!’. Taking inspiration from a vast variety of sources – seven musicians and music fanatics to account for – the influences of Black Country, New Road, Bell X1 and Talking Heads to name but a few, are subtly weaved through their sound. A lot to make work. But they do so. Beautifully.

‘re:place the thought’ marks an evolution for the band. If their first live EP established them as ones to watch, this offering cements and he, the fool as having found themselves. Members swap places as lead vocalist, no two instrumental configurations are the same by track, but it works to create a rich and deeply dramatic score.

The opening track ‘Wifey’ laments a former love, written in an emotional fragment of time. “I will tell you you’re my wife / in a way that you’ll believe it / in a way that scares your friends” ravishes the opening line. The melodic tune builds and falls – scornful and malicious – embodying the emotional trip from which the track was born.

A reimagining of the previously released ‘The Dogs’ follows. The guitar part emerged from an attempt to learn Biig Piig’s ‘Feels Right’, but the track itself is much darker. Clarinet permeates the tune with that misplayed ‘Feels Right’ melody on guitar undercutting each verse. A cacophony of voices commands the chorus.

The track ends with what seems like an out of place clarinet melody – which is was, until it was borne into the opening and vocal melody of the EP’s third track ‘Cliseadh’. The sweet vocals of Muirne Shaw accompany melodic clarinet, her words i nGaeilge. ‘Cliseadh’, translating to failure, explores self-love. The depths that you go to to find it. The surface tension breaking. The calmness that exudes as a result.

‘Don’t Shelve Me’ welcomes the return of Kevin Cleary’s soft yet powerful vocals. “Don’t tell me it’s too late / don’t shelve me I’m past my date”, the chorus pleads. Instruments are layered with five of the seven members’ vocals make up the final chorus. Wind instruments are duplicated and pitched up and down to fill space and the result is five minutes of melancholic beauty.

The closing track ‘Thin Air’ is led by Kate Gurren’s vocals. The gentle inflections of a Donegal accent breaking through. The melody inexplicably channels the early naughties, turned dark and wistful. The lyrics “if you insist, I will shut up and stay here. If you did not exist I’d have made you from thin air” were written about no one in particular at the time, but yearn for closeness – a connection that could exist in time, romantically or platonically. ‘Thin Air’ closes the EP with resolution.

‘re:place the thought’ enmeshes seven musicians, uncountable instruments, two languages and a bucketload of passion and love. It is clear that and he, the fool have a joint vision. A group of friends and musicians who foster individuality, who together create a seamless and cohesive body of work. And the result is golden.