One of the most powerful forces of nature is the all-girl rock group. When a new one pops up, you know they have a lot to say. The punk-inspired group Dream Wife just released their debut album of the same title Jan. 26, 2018. The trio, with roots in London, is inspired by artists like David Bowie and Madonna, and it shows.
The music feels equal parts excited about life and bitter about its injustices, and there is simply never a dull moment. Lead vocalist Rakel Mjöll wastes no time showing off her versatile pipes in “Let’s Make Out,” screaming like any number of her female predecessors. In the accompanying music video, the members don Bowie-inspired colorful face makeup.
One of the most powerful pieces of the album is an anti-objectification anthem, “Somebody.” The line repeats, “I am not my body. I am somebody.” (Say it louder for the boys in the back!) Members Alice Go and Bella Podpadec showcase their respective talents for guitar and bass in this infectious hit.
An even higher energy piece is “Fire.” The only thing catchier than the song’s lyrics are the overlapping chords, which you might find yourself humming hours later.
My personal favorite and the single that got me caught up in the world of “Dream Wife” is the album’s next single, “Hey Heartbreaker.” In the animated music video, the band’s members are represented by music-performing robots, trapped in a cage of lasers, watched by a handful of dead-eyed spectators. That is, until the laser cage defects and the band escapes, in what is certainly symbolic of the girl-group experience.
Its lyrics are about a girl falling victim to the fairytale romance of a certified heartbreaker with a reputation of running around. “They all know that you’re one of them… Why did nobody tell me?”
Things slow down a tiny bit with the next track, “Love Without Reason,” with lyrics that are simple, repetitive and contemplative. Mjöll repeats the same sentiment, “I feel like I love you without reason… so let’s be kids and fall in love.” A feel-good song about living authentically and impulsively, “Love Without Reason” is an instant favorite.
“Kids” is another adventurous, high-spirited single about being alive. A closer look at the lyrics reveals a thoughtful reflection on the ways that things change in the world around us as we move through life and tell ourselves, “These days will never end.”
Anyone who has ever revisited a past home knows the feeling of seeing “your old neighbourhood and your old house too/ And that tree that you fell out of as a kid,” and finding that it was all replaced by something as unsentimental as a supermall.
The next single, “Taste,” is about the mixed feelings of nervousness and excitement in finding someone new, like a “movement in my blood.” After that is “Act My Age,” half gentle and sweet and half mosh-pit material.
“Right Now” is the album’s most rock ‘n’ roll piece, about living in the moment, running on nothing but adrenaline, hitting nothing but green lights. “We were always in a rush/ We didn’t eat very much/ We didn’t sleep very much.”
A song about letting down defenses and letting someone in, “Spend the Night” is one of the more emotionally open tracks on the album. The album closes with “F.U.U.” (an expletive acronym…) featuring fellow U.K. band Fever Dream.
“F.U.U.” is an unapologetically angry piece, and according to a statement made by the the band’s members, it is meant to be dedicated to “your creepy driving instructor that keeps slapping your thigh… or the friend that offers some condescending, slut shaming insight.” So keep this one handy.
All-in-all, Dream Wife is off to a remarkably good start. Their lyrics dig deep, and their musical talent digs deeper. I would keep an eye out for this group; I have a feeling that this is just the beginning.
