Belfasts Franklin take a fuzzy, fierce step forward

Music Review | 4th Oct, 2025 Franklin

There’s something special about Belfast’s Franklin. Their sound doesn’t come from chasing trends or sticking to one genre, it’s born out of the chemistry between five musicians, each pulling from their own mix of influences. You can hear it all: bits of alt-rock, post-punk grit, even flashes of heavy metal edge. Somehow, they take all those sounds and fuse them into something distinctly theirs.

Bursting onto the Irish music scene fully formed, Franklin wasted no time making an impression. Their debut single Bebby grabbed nationwide radio play, and the follow-up B.A.T.O.F kept the buzz going. Now, they’re keeping that momentum alive with their latest release, Tiny Chairs.

With thick, fuzzy basslines, pounding drums, and emotional vocals, Tiny Chairs feels like an adrenaline rush from start to finish. It’s loud, raw, and full of energy, the sound of a band truly coming into their own.

Lyrically, though, there’s a deeper layer. Frontman Kevin Hillick explains:

The lyrics mainly revolve around suffering with multiple mental illnesses and all the things people will say or do to try to make you feel better. I'd heard so many wild suggestions and opinions when I told people I suffered from ADHD or depression.

As for the song’s title, there’s a bit of bittersweet humor behind it:

I’ve struggled with mental health for most of my life. When I was younger, I had the attention span of a goldfish and was always distracting the class. They’d send me off to a separate room to do random activities — and I just remember they had the tiniest chairs.

The latest release marks the third part of what the band calls a trilogy of singles, a closing chapter before a new era begins. And if this track is any indication, Franklin are closing that chapter with style. It captures everything they’ve built so far, the energy of their live shows, the grit of their earlier releases, while hinting at even bigger things ahead.

Franklin - Tiny Chairs

The single, Tiny Chairs, is available through all streaming platforms.

Photo Credit: Tiny Chairs/Old Crow Promotions