So 2018’s punk rock riot racket continues apace. Starcrawler may have been first out of the gates but it’s Dream Wife who come with the preconceptions to challenge.
Hey Heartbreaker is the currently unavoidable single playing on every alternative music radio station in the UK every hour. But those of you who have been paying attention may have heard the throat ripping roar of Let’s Make Out or the Nevermind pop of Somebody at some point last year.
They sound like stalker material in their lyrics at first
“I’ve seen you on the silver screen and I’ve seen you in the daytime, I see you everywhere I go and I see you in my dreams”
But as the song evolves you realise they may be adding a perspective on a scenario in which the truth can do the vocalist no damage.
“And then I see you talking to your wife and I see you holding your child, and I see you everywhere I go and I see you, and I see you, but they all know”
The Dream Wife 11 track debut album comes at you like The Yeah Yeah Yeahs did with the Master EP and (probably less intentionally) like Fluffy did with Hypersonic (If anyone remembers them). It’s a full on rip roar of rock from a three piece band who (strangely) don’t count a drummer among their ranks. You’d suspect this could be problematic given how their particular garage rocky template relies on such a live band verve on record. And yet… They’ve played impressive sets where Alice Go on Guitar and Bella Podpadec on Bass make all the racket you need for a quality and distinctive vocalist to come and make their mark.
The syllable mawling accent of lead Wife Rakel Mjöll gives them an edge on say. Hey Charlie or INHEAVEN as she’s clearly a unique noise maker in the indie rock tapestry. That accent? Reykjavik. That’s something that sets them apart with a modicum of Icelandic Pop Cool.
Hey Heartbreaker sounds brilliant on the radio. That Stooged riff and those Karen O squeals hit you right in the 2018. I get the feeling the music fans have won this year already.
Here’s to 10 more months of this type of thing.
Steve For The Deaf 
Love it. I don’t believe stuff like that would ever get wide airplay in the States. I can see this being used in a Tarantino film. Good stuff. I like your friend, old son; you show me such neat new things.
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