With its ragged-edged sound, memorable guitar riffs, and punk-infused vocals, ‘Handsome Wife’ – the latest track from Irish indie rock four-piece Pillow Queens – sets a precedent for the band’s future success.
Their first release in over a year, ‘Handsome Wife’ is plucked from the group’s upcoming debut album In Waiting. Featuring exciting sonic palettes and metaphor-driven lyrics, underlined by dense percussion, this single mystifies Pillow Queens’ unique artistry in a blurred, experimental cache between lo-fi indie, pop punk, and alternative rock.
Opening with harmonised ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ amidst a distorted guitar riff, ‘Handsome Wife’ begins with the unforgettable and distinct vocals of lead singer Sarah Corcoran, with her Dublin twang that shines through on every lyric. An ode to community, this knock-out track is a sort of emotional homecoming for the group, lamenting on a “sore sad city” to which they are returning as older, wiser, and less obedient.
Cloaked in ambiguous religious imagery, the lyrical content of ‘’Handsome Wife’ nicely juxtaposes the musical fabric of the track, which is yet another rough, hard-hitting feat of production in Pillow Queens’ repertoire. Each verse adds a richness to the story, sandwiched by an urgent chorus which soars to new heights. The music video (created in isolation with the help of friends and familiars) contributes yet another layer of tender, homegrown goodness which makes the track feel all the more personal:
In Waiting is out on 25th September via Pillow Queens Records.