What do you do when there are endless reasons to be angry? If we let our rage dominate our every waking minute, it would drain us, permanently weigh us down and block out any grain of hope.
But as furious as Dream Wife might be, as they’ve always been, about unrelenting patriarchal violence, one of their greatest strengths is finding levity within that fury. It sets them apart from other bands of their ilk, especially in a time of mounting interest in feminist themes in punk, and on their third album they are more potent than ever before.
Refreshingly, ‘Social Lubrication’ feels fun as well as important, sharp in its observations as well as its wit. The thrumming Who Do You Wanna Be? is an early standout, capturing the exhaustion of surviving under late capitalism with a wry sensibility.
“Exhausted by the pressure to feel somewhat empowered, it’s only 8am and I haven’t even showered,” moans vocalist Rakel Mjöll.
Meanwhile, the title track’s disco-rock chorus adds a playful sense of contrast to its caustic frustration at industry sexism (“What’s it like to be a woman in music dear? You’d never ask me that if you regarded me as your peer.”) and their fury reaches an apex on the squalling, faintly Idles-esque Leech, showing there’s a time and place to take their subject matter more seriously.
Elsewhere, Dream Wife take moments of respite from social commentary with just as much success. Hot (Don’t Date A Musician) combines choppy riffs and snappy rhyming couplets in a larger-than-life warning against fraternising with people in bands, while the woozy, life-affirming ballad Mascara is simply gorgeous, with a chorus that’s so besotted with The Cure that it’s possible to imagine Robert Smith singing it.
The one major flaw comes in the form of I Want You, whose same lovesick sentiment and caterwauling hooks makes it the identical triplet to older cuts Let’s Make Out and So When You Gonna…? For the most part, however, ‘Social Lubrication’ is an exhilarating listen crackling with energy, made for yelling along to with both glee and rage.
Dream Wife Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Thu October 05 2023 - MANCHESTER New Century
Fri October 06 2023 - BIRMINGHAM Castle and Falcon
Sat October 07 2023 - BRISTOL Bristol Strange Brew
Sun October 08 2023 - LEEDS Brudenell Social Club
Tue October 10 2023 - DUBLIN Grand Social
Wed October 11 2023 - LIMERICK Dolans
Thu October 12 2023 - GALWAY Roisin Dubh
Thu October 19 2023 - LONDON Electric Brixton
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