Reviews – Page 465 – Get In Her Ears

LIVE: Dream Wife – Sebright Arms, London 26.01.18

Pastel-coloured party balloons littered the basement floor of Hackney’s Sebright Arms last night as pop-punk power trio Dream Wife took to the stage to celebrate the release of their debut self-titled album. After tearing through a knockout rendition of ‘Hey Heartbreaker,’ vocalist Rakel thanked the crowd for joining the “intimate soiree.”

Having recently returned from New York to play the album launch show, there was no evidence of jet-lag or fatigue in their performance even though Alice admitted she was “sick as a dog.” ‘Lolita’ and ‘Fire’ sparked a frenzied but friendly mosh that was maintained for the majority of their set, and new tracks ‘Love Without Reason’ and ‘Right Now’ sparkled in a set-list full of gems. Old favourite ‘F.U.U.’ never fails to rile up the crowd and there’s something overwhelmingly liberating about watching the girls thunder through this track, gleefully threatening to undo your image with a vicious haircut.

The live impact of poignant anthem ‘Somebody’ never fades. Whether you’re a “Bad Bitch” at the front or an ally at the back, hearing Rakel speak her truth with defiant flare is always affecting – whether it’s your first, or fifth Dream Wife gig. It was seamlessly followed by new track ‘Act My Age’, the chorus of which sparked further po-going and pushing in the mosh. Rakel’s unapologetic, confident delivery lead her out in to the hands of the crowd, who lifted her up to the ceiling and made her feel “cradled like a baby.”

Dream Wife have built this creative, supportive community around them and they were happy to thank individual members of their team mid-set, as well as continuously speaking words of gratitude to their fans and sharing the champagne they’d opened at the beginning of the show. They closed the night by handing out pom-poms to fans, who cheer-leadered their way through the riotous final track, ‘Let’s Make Out’.

Dream Wife’s Sebright Arms gig proved that they’re one of the most cherished bands on the live circuit right now and they should be immensely proud of their debut album, their exceptional live delivery and their obvious dedication to making each other’s dreams of being in a brilliant band, a reality. #DreamWife4Lyf

Photo Credit: Joanna Kiely

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

January 27, 2018January 2, 2021

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Track Of The Day: Abi Wade – ‘A Bit Like Love’

Orchestral soundscapes personalise Abi Wade’s new single ‘A Bit Like Love’

The ornate piano and soulful strings that characterise the track are emotional, personable, and human. On the single, Abi sings of lost relationships, her stark, sharp vocal marrying with the flurried piano notes of the chorus. The focal lyric “It doesn’t feel a bit like love to me” weaves in and out of the ethereal strings, sounding closer to a tragic arthouse film soundtrack than a pop song. It’s this, though, that makes the track stand out.

Written almost entirely on the cello, Abi’s musically rousing approach to writing songs is conveyed through her delicate yet powerful layered soundscapes. With vocals likened to Kate Bush, ‘A Bit Like Love’ is stylistically timeless.

The single is the newest release from album Beautifully Astray. The record is a unique exploration of relationships, with its finger directly on the pulse of melancholy yet brilliant music.

Beautifully Astray, the upcoming new album from Abi Wade, is out 6 April.

Erin Bashford

Photo Credit: Kenny McCracken

January 26, 2018January 26, 2018

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Track Of The Day: Tina Boonstra – ‘Prodigal’

Tina Boonstra is a songwriter born and raised on the move. Her songs are filled with a hope and a yearning to belong and her latest single ‘Prodigal’ is a beautiful example of her efforts to do so.

Featured on her upcoming EP My Concrete Heart (Will Beat Again), set for release on 2nd February via 7Core Music, ‘Prodigal’ is one of six tracks that showcases her ability to write in a vulnerable, yet determined vein.

Growing up as a songwriter in a missionary family, Tina expected her songs to find their home in the church halls she was so familiar with, but it wasn’t until she began performing on the London open mic circuit that she truly cut her teeth as a performer. “I decided that if no one was going to sing my songs in church, I’d go and find somewhere else to play them,” Boonstra explains. “I started playing open mic and acoustic nights in and around London. I wanted to sing about what it was like to live in a city that is constantly asking for more and more of you, and at the same time telling you, you’re not enough. I wanted to sing about faith and doubt, and the very real struggle to feel anything apart from completely numb.”

We’re moved by Tina’s bravery, honesty and captivating voice. Listen to ‘Prodigal’ below, and follow Tina on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

January 25, 2018January 2, 2021

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ALBUM: Dream Wife – ‘Dream Wife’

Fearless on stage and now on record, Dream Wife‘s debut self-titled album is a joyful declaration of defiance and self-autonomy, designed to motivate listeners in to embracing life, love, and the fires that spark when you overcome adversity.

Released via Lucky Number on 26th January, the album bursts open with ‘Let’s Make Out’, a confident display of catchy riffs and Rakel’s trademark sweet & shouty vocals. It’s a shameless celebration of consensual lip-action that will have you eyeing up your crush’s cupid’s bow. We were on set for the video shoot at Dream Wife’s ‘Fake Prom’ last year, so hearing this track makes us gush with happiness.

The liberating ‘Somebody’ is a poignant anthem about reclaiming your body after sexual assault, with a chorus that all women should adopt as a mantra: “I am not my body, I am somebody”. Despite the traumatic context, it’s a steady, life-affirming listen that resonates long after Alice’s guitar riffs stop ringing. It leads in to the riotous ‘Fire’, which blazes with glorious energy. Bella’s bass smoulders as Rakel sings of a flickering, heated romance.

The theme of love permeates the record and the Wives explore its spectrum in numerous ways. ‘Hey Heartbreaker’ will have you staring down any troublemaker who tries to be reckless with your heart, whilst the soft, sultry sounding ‘Love Without Reason’ explores the unjustified adoration we bestow on our partners. Previous single ‘Kids’ plays out with its care-free, up-tempo attitude, as does the intoxicating ‘Taste’.

In the blink of an eye, the trio can switch to antagonistic, as Rakel’s mockingly sweet vocals on ‘Act My Age’ perfectly demonstrate. She confronts listeners in the chorus with the line “Do I amuse you? / Do I confuse you?” with her sharp delivery, making this a standout track on the record. The brief, youthful urgency of ‘Right Now’ flows into an invitation you can’t refuse on penultimate track, ‘Spend The Night’.

Live highlight ‘F.U.U.’ is the perfect way to end this exploration of relentless passion in all its forms from the trio who “worship at the twin altars of David Bowie and Madonna.” There’s a reason these self-proclaimed “Bad Bitches” are doing so well. Their dedication to their music, their fans and to each other is more intense than any of the forces that seek to undermine them. #DreamWife4Lyf.