The Mary Wallopers share stripped-back video for ‘The Idler’

The Mary Wallopers have shared ‘The Idler’ – the latest politically-driven single to be taken from their new album. Check out out below.

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Released this week, the track comes as the latest single to be released from the traditional folk band’s new album, ‘Irish Rock ‘n’ Roll’, and serves as a message of condemnation towards the figures of greed across society.

Coming with a stripped-back, black-and-white music video, the single shares the band’s motif of acceptance in the face of daily injustices which have run through the ages. It also sees the band call out money-grabbing landlords, the clergy, the taxman and petty-minded xenophobes.

“Well don’t blame The Idler who sits on the corner sits on a corner a cup in their hand,” sings Sean McKenna. “But blame the idler who owns the apartments built by his cronies on next public land.” Check out the full track below.

“The song was written in response to the scapegoating and vilification of ordinary people just doing what they need to do in order to keep struggling through life, rarely harming anyone,” said McKenna of the inspiration behind the new song.

“Meanwhile those in positions of power, the ones who often create or uphold such situations, are held in high esteem and regarded as pillars of the community. In essence it is a simple call to punch up, not down.”

The track is one of the three original Mary Wallopers compositions on Irish Rock ’n’ Roll – which will mark the band’s second album. The LP is set for release tomorrow (October 13) and can be pre-ordered here.

Alongside the announcement of the new album, The Mary Wallopers are also set to embark on their previously announced dates across Europe, Great Britain and Ireland. This string of tour dates will kick off on November 8 with a slot at the Engine Rooms venue in Southampton, and run until the latter half of Cork, where it concludes with a show at the City Hall in Cork, Ireland.

A stop at London’s O2 Forum in Kentish Town is also set for November 10, as well as shows in Sheffield, Manchester, Cardiff, Liverpool and more. Find a full list of upcoming shows and remaining tickets here.

Speaking with NME back in July, the band’s Charles Hendy opened up about their single ‘Wexford’ and shared what it meant for the band to be making folk accessible to a new generation.

“The songs are actually painfully relevant. We sing about landlords, about property, about the cost of living in general— and they resonate with younger people… [But equally] some of the songs are about 400 years old,” he explained.

“We touch on a wide range of emotions too… some are funny and some of them are more serious…It’s nice to have people crowd-surfing to Irish music.”

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