Album Review: Pillow Queens - 'Name Your Sorrow'
Pillow Queens return with a huge, alluring new record.
The Dublin quartet release their third album Name Your Sorrow, and it’s a strong contender for their best yet.
Formed in 2016, they released a number of singles in the lead up to their debut album In Waiting, which arrived in 2020. It was followed by 2022’s Leave The Light On, and the years in between saw them perform on The Late Late Show With James Corden, and open for Phoebe Bridgers.
Name Your Sorrow feels like a natural progression for the band but is incredibly impressive all the same.
The intro track, February 8th is big and loud, a perfect taster of what’s to come. It’s filled with glorious synths and powerful electric guitars. “Let’s just play some rock and roll music” and that’s exactly what they do. The vocals are shared between Pamela Connolly and Sarah Corcoran, who also swap between playing rhythm guitar and bass guitar, drummer Rachel Lyons and lead guitarist Cathy McGuinness.
The track Suffer is a clear highlight and was released as a single last Autumn. The guitar is excellent throughout. “No matter how long, no matter how long we suffer/I still can’t keep it off my mind” they deliver. It’s a song about staying together, and keeping things together no matter what, and how you will “still love” someone through it all. “If your hearts’ not in it/You can’t keep swimming” they sing, over incredible production.
Like A Lesson is next, also a single, and it has echoes of 90s vibes with great production and a catchy melody. “Growing up gets good when you’re clawing your life back/Just focus on yourself, but I don’t really like that” the lyrics are direct and relatable.
Two highlights up next; Blew Up The World and The Bar’s Closed, two very different tracks, yet equally as powerful. The former opens with acoustic guitar and builds to something massive. “4 in the morning/I don’t deserve this/I asked for mercy/You gave me curses “are some of my favourite lines from a song this year so far. The vocals are arresting, and the song writing is utterly beautiful. “Your silence burns us to the ground” the lead vocalist draws out the syllables of the final world, and it becomes a guttural, raw sound, followed by an epic guitar solo.
The Bar’s Closed is possibly my favourite track on the record. It starts off slow and dreamy, like some sad 90s dream-pop number, but also builds into something monumental. It opens with stunning electric guitar, and then some heart-breaking lyrics that open each verse. “I’ve been watching you losing your light” and “you’ve been watching me lose my worth” it’s sad, melancholic, and completely beautiful. “You’re not my life anymore, you’re not my life” it hits you right in the chest.
Heavy Pour is another track with incredible production, fuzzy guitars, and strong drums. “Oh, your heavy pour/Keeps me at your door” it’s wonderfully ambiguous and energetic.
The closing track Notes On Worth is a corker, too. The production is unique, the lyrics are actually rather comforting and it’s just the perfect choice for an closer. “I don’t wanna go home alone this weekend/I think I’m worth the time” and leaving us with the line “I’m worth the time” is empowering, and powerful.
Name Your Sorrow is a raw, passionate, important album, and undoubtedly one of the best, most consistent records of the year so far.
Words by Lucy Skeet
