6.5 Lyrical Poetry, Relatable with Some Cliche
Ailbhe Reddy’s third album Kiss Big, released January 30, 2026, by the Dublin-born indie singer/songwriter was high on my priority list to review. I have not previously listened to her, but her name kept popping on lists of queer artists to watch in 2026, so I’ve been intrigued.
I try to press play blindly; I don’t read other album reviews before I preview the music for myself. However, in my preliminary research on Ailbhe Reddy and in compiling lyrics, I came across that I was about to listen to a breakup album. Yes, indeed, this was such.
Right away, with the first song “Align,” I was greeted with an arpeggiated synth sound, stripped cush vocals that were haunting in a pretty way. The word here is soft. And these lyrics are definitely about a breakup. The song drives along slowly. It’s literally a song I would listen to on the highway on a late night drive. I think it’s a slow start to this album, a little monotonous, with not a lot of variation. However, I like the weepy tone, the dual panned vocals in the outro and nice well wishes in the lyrics. This is NOT a bitter breakup album, okay?
When I get to “That Girl,” I am asking myself, “How old is Ailbhe?” The beats in the song definitely have 90s vibes. This song is similar in vibe to the last song , but faster paced. It features real drum sounds, as well as beats, with a clean prominent snare. I like it. I hear lots of synths and padding to round out the full sound of the song. I like the outro of this song with the repetition, but it’s not earth shattering. Overall, the poetry of the lyrics is starting to shine.
“So Quickly, Baby” starts with a lyric we’ve seen in this album already–a reference to the hurt she has caused this past lover and the accompanying regret. The instrumentation begins with acoustic guitar and padding, allowing Ailbhe’s voice to really cut through. This chorus is very emotional here. You feel it in your gut, not your head. The pre-chorus, unfortunately, lyrically, is very cliche with “We were two strangers living in the same house/I barely recognize you now.” The chorus might make up for this, as we all need lyrics to relate to (“How do you move on so quickly, baby?/I’m still fighting you in my head”). And Ailbhe wails here. The background vocals are just out of step with the lead vocals, which is a cool effect. I have to mention the guitar solo that follows the lyrics rhythmically in the bridge!
“Untangling” has a subtle indie country vibe. The lush vocals on the word “undone” is a nice touch. I have to ask, what does this song add to the album? What does the instrumentation add to these lyrics? This song is not lyrically or instrumentally unique from the rest of the album and I am bored at this point. I honestly think you have to be an Ailbhe Reddy fan already to dig this song. The moody electric guitars are notable.
“Graceful Swimmer (feat. MaryKay)” is a standout song for the album. While listening, it becomes fully apparent that the lyrics are the hero of the album, rather than the instrumentation. The instrumentation is interesting, but the depths of the lyrics are poetry. This song starts with a subtle little dotted beat before a light electronica machine beat enters. The chorus ends with a cymbal crash and drops the song back into the verse with whole note padding. I notice some lead single note guitar patterns intermittently. Lyrically, Ailbhe mentions the soft speaker, and the song really is soft and pretty. I hear the arpeggiator in this song, too.
“Dead Arm” is another standout song for Ailbhe Reddy’s Kiss Big. There is a slightly different feel here. Maybe there are more clean guitars? The prechorus is beautiful with “Do you see the way I’m hanging on every word you say?” I love the cadence on which she sings in the chorus. The notes are unexpected and pretty here. I hear an interesting tin-like snare sound amidst these insanely relatable lyrics. If you listen closely, you can hear a little diddly of lead electric guitar dancing over padding in the background. I notice there is a single vocal stem down the center in this song.
“Goregeous Thing” appears to be just two vocals and guitar at the beginning. The drums roll in with a bass drum heavy pattern, giving way to a more standard pop-rock groove. Lyrically, there is a lot of hurt and regret in this song, too. I hear a lower register voice in the background vocals. This is an interesting song that breaks up the monotony a little.
“Kiss Big” is a highlight! The heavy reverb on this song makes you feel like you are with Ailbhe Reddy at an open mic night watching her pour her heart out on fingerstyle acoustic guitar. This song is sweet and full of well wishes over the sweetest chord progression possible. Again, it reminds me of 90s pop, reminiscent of Jewel and Tori Amos. It’s dreamy, yet grounded in a hard pain and regret–the same ribbon throughout the entire album.
“Crave” corroborates my theory that this album was born of poetry. This song is actual spoken word poetry over music. It is profound. There are chucking and riffing electric guitars tucked underneath towards the end and the whole piece evokes a 90s feel in instrumentation, maybe like The Corrs? Ailbhe Reddy is Irish; this would check. The song ending reveals the string section that was underneath the whole time. I love it!
Overall, Ailbhe Reddy’s Kiss Bigg album is lyrically wonderful. While Ailbhe Reddy does not avoid cliche on this album, she spins highly relatable lyrics to create a breakup album that comes off not neither bitter nor resentful, but almost hopeful and well-wishing. The instrumentation of the album allows the work to feel dreamy, yet stay grounded in the pain and regret that Ailbhe feels.
Standout Songs
- Graceful Swimmer (feat. MaryKay)
- Dead Arm
- Kiss Big
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