Album Review: Pillow Queens - 'In Waiting'
Pillow Queens share subtle protest anthems as they reflect on the society’s unaddressed issues in their debut album In Waiting.
After releasing two successful demo EPs and having performed with the likes of Future Islands, Pussy Riot and IDLES, the Irish indie rock band Pillow Queens now share their very first album In Waiting.
Full of brilliant metaphors and relentless creasing guitars, the album is a clever and well-constructed rejection of mainstream conventions. Conveying not only urgency and frustration, but also inclusivity, community and hope, In Waiting, is the refreshing sound of togetherness and unity the world is craving.
Bringing attention to and challenging religion, politics and societal dogmas, the album opens with dreamy Holy Show, a vulnerable track that exposes the coping mechanism of a generation constantly under pressure and forever haunted by the feeling of regret.
On HowDoILook, Pillow Queens dig deeper into that vulnerability and expose the tremendous effort it takes to deal with the ever-growing anxiety that crushes positivity in the youth. “I’ve stopped my thoughts, it’s the only way of keeping my sensations from creeping up on me” sings Sarah Corcoran, the lead singer. This track also carries an incredibly important message of self-acceptance and the comfort found in clamming one’s identity.
A Dog’s Life, meanwhile, is a reflection of the current times and exposes the reality lived by this generation. As the heirs to the socio-economic and political decisions of their predecessors, they are now faced with “a freedom in Eden about to collapse”. However, Pillow Queens make it clear that despite the fragility caused by a broken system, people have always found the way to right the wrongs.
Taking on yet another controversial topic, on Gay Girls, the four-piece directly make a connection between queerness and religion with room for interpretation in a track that begins as a slow ballad and reaches climax with an exquisite guitar melody contrasting wild vocal harmonies.
Whether you like their music or not, Pillow Queens’ punk-inspired proposal not only has a strong messaging worth listening to but also makes a call for reflection and self-evaluation which we all need to enact on as we look forward to a better future.
Words by Nicole Otero