Sean Griffin's 'People Are Mad' hits all the right nerves

If you’ve ever felt like screaming into the void while the world burns, but still want to whistle along while you do, it’s time to meet Sean Griffin’s 'People Are Mad'. After 25 years leading New York’s Irish-folk-punk stalwarts The Ruffians, Griffin steps out on his own with a debut single that’s as pointed as it is playful, distilling years of songwriting into a three-minute anthem for our collective, chaotic modern moment.

Built around a rousing acoustic rhythm, a mischievous harmonica, and a chorus that feels like a pint-sloshing pub chant for the end times, 'People Are Mad' takes the folk tradition of political protest and filters it through a punk lens, with more than a touch of gallows humour. It’s part Frank Turner, part Shane MacGowan, part late-night rant that somehow turns into a singalong.

There’s something uniquely satisfying about the way Griffin frames global dysfunction with a wink and a nudge rather than a finger-wag. Lines swing between cheeky sarcasm and honest concern, making it the kind of song that feels both cathartic and communal. You laugh, you nod, you raise a glass. And then you hit repeat.

Griffin’s voice carries the weight of experience. And while this debut is rooted in Irish folk instrumentation, it’s clear he’s aiming far wider. With hints of blues and the bones of punk simmering beneath the surface, 'People Are Mad' is just the opening salvo in what promises to be a genre-straddling solo debut.

He may have waited a while to go it alone, but Griffin’s timing couldn’t be better. In a world increasingly off its rocker, 'People Are Mad' is both a mirror and a mood. Folk-punk rarely sounds this fun or this fiercely relevant.