Kodaline Dismiss The Script, U2 Comparisons

Irish foursome Kodaline have played down “ridiculous” comparisons to countrymen The Script and U2.

Our Brand New for 2013 nominees are set to score their second Top 20 hit with their latest single Love Like This, while at home pre-orders of their album In a Perfect World are huge.

So unsurprisingly the band – who come from Swords near Dublin – are being hailed as Ireland’s best music export for years, but the likeable lads aren’t comfortable with the inevitable comparisons.

“We’re completely different to The Script,” said shy frontman Steve Garrigan when MTV News asked about Danny O’Donoghue’s group.

Drummer Vinny May added: “Because we’re Irish we’re going to be compared. They’re really nice guys but we don’t think we sound anything like them.”

Towering guitarist Mark Prendergast also dismissed the comparisons to The Script and Bono’s legendary band: “There’s a huge difference. We haven’t worked with Will.i.am and started rapping yet!

“Being compared to U2 is ridiculous, but if you’re Irish and play guitar that’s going to happen.”

Kodaline are enjoying success in the UK this year, but at home they first found fame as teenagers on RTÉ talent show You’re a Star.

Then performing under the name 21 Demands, they made history in 2007 when their song Give Me a Minute became the first independently released track to top the Irish singles chart.

But blond lead singer Steve believes doing their own shows has got them where they are now.

“If you wanna write your own songs I’d avoid those type of scenarios,” he advises.

“I think if you really want to get into music, you’ve got to gig and gig and gig and gig and gig.”

Vinny continued: “We don’t regret You’re a Star because we were so young. We had a great time doing it and we got to play our own stuff, but they were awful songs!”

Being one of the most acclaimed new acts of 2013, you could forgive the boys if the hype had gone to their heads a little.

But they are incredibly modest when we chat about their fast-growing fanbase and admit to feeling apprehensive with the release of their debut LP looming.

“Right now we’re excited, anxious, worried and scared!” admitted Mark.

Bassist Jason Boland continued: “We’ve been living with the excitement for a while, so to have anyone excited about the album bar us is great.”

Steve added: “It’s impossible to impress everybody, but we absolutely love doing gigs so if people come to our shows that’s the most important thing for us.”

Kodaline release their debut album In a Perfect World on 17 June.

By Ben Lowe @mtvuknews

In a Perfect World tracklist:

1. One Day
2. All I Want
3. Love Like This
4. High Hopes
5. Brand New Day
6. After the Fall
7. Big Bad World
8. All Comes Down
9. Talk
10. Pray
11. Way Back When