The Last Vinci – 15 Minutes At A Time
Release Date: 17th April 2026
Label: Narrow Door Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Alt-Rock
FFO: Black Orchid Empire, MOLYBARON, VOLA, Biffy Clyro.
Review By: Paul Franklin
Two years ago, Alex Vinci was diagnosed with a chronic illness. It was just ten days before the Cork alt-rock trio were due to head out on a European tour, one that the frontman believed would be his last.
Then his wife offered him simple, grounding advice: “Take it 15 minutes at a time.” Those words became a mantra, one that reshaped his creative voice, his view of the world, and ultimately, the soul of this new record.
15 Minutes At A Time is a deeply personal chronicle of resilience, transformation, and gratitude. From the outset, the band’s intent is clear: sharp bursts of modern alt-rock with progressive leanings, stitched together with an almost playlist-like mentality. Riffs arrive quickly, hooks follow dutifully, and before anything has the chance to truly settle, we’re already onto the next idea. It’s an approach that keeps things moving, but ultimately works against the album. Too often, tracks feel like sketches rather than the finished picture, promising, but frustratingly incomplete.
Just as a groove begins to lock in or an atmosphere starts to build, it’s cut short, leaving you with a sense of “what could have been” rather than “what has been”. Although, there are exceptions, Black Wall being a notable one where they manage to maintain the groove for the whole track, laying down some meaty riffs over what sounds like the Knight Rider theme played on a cheap Casio keyboard.
I don’t know if the ‘15 minutes at a time’ mantra was applied to the songwriting process, but you can’t help but feel that a little longer commitment to the stronger elements would have resulted in a more cohesive and compelling record.
(3 / 5)
