Pillow Queens long for intimacy on new track "Like A Lesson"
TOUR ACROSS THE UK THIS JUNE, SUPPORTING SNOW PATROL ON JULY 12 + WILL PLAY BIGGEST SHOW TO DATE AT IVEAGH GARDENS IN DUBLIN ON JULY 13
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Today, acclaimed Irish indie rock band Pillow Queens share their latest track and official video for 90s-soft rock-inspired "Like A Lesson" out everywhere now. The band's triumphant third studio album Name Your Sorrow is due out April 19 and available for pre-order now. This June, Pillow Queens will perform live across the UK and will support Snow Patrol in Limerick, IR on July 12 ahead of their biggest show to date on July 13 at Dublin, Ireland's Iveagh Gardens. Tickets are on sale now for all shows via pillowqueens.com/live.
Out today, the guitar-driven "Like A Lesson" explores longing for intimacy and a desire for closeness as well as the fears and insecurities that come with sharing one's self. On the raw subject matter, the band says the track dives into, "The notion of finding safety and comfort in the presence of love of limerence is emphasized, contrasting with the paralyzing fear of making mistakes or ruining your life or someone else’s. It delves into the feeling of being a lesson for someone, a side character in someone else’s story." Over a hooky guitar riff, the track swells until the backing instruments fade for a moment and lead vocalist, bassist and guitarist Pamela Connolly belts, "I don’t wanna ruin my life/But I wanna go home with you." Here, the band illustrates the thin line between fear and desire and the risk involved in vulnerability.
It slowly became a blend of each band member's music taste and is now a favorite to play live. The band continues, "Sonically, we were influenced by a range of artists from Blur and REM to Seminsonic, New Radicals, and Squeeze. It began as a song we felt had a strong country music influence and morphed into something that referenced a wide range of our musical tastes. It’s the 90s soft rock song on the album."
Watch "Like A Lesson" (Official Video)
The band's triumphant third full-length album Name Your Sorrow finds the group at their most vulnerable and self-assured as they explore themes of queerness, insecurity, desire and heartbreak as well as the positivity and strength that can grow from pain. Produced by Collin Pastore (Lucy Dacus, boygenius) at Analogue Catalogue in Northern Ireland, the collection sees the group chart new territory as they give fans an all new, uninhibited look at both their artistry and humanity. With masterful instrumentation and raw lyricism, the quartet immerse listeners in a robust, emotionally-charged sonic world like never before.
Each of the twelve tracks peel back an additional layer of the human condition, from grief to joy and everything in between, culminating in a collective catharsis–a newfound sense of strength and hope in a greater sense of self. With moments of harmony and contradiction, lead guitarist and vocalist Cathy McGuinness calls the album one of intensity, loneliness and love. "It is about stages of love, loss and grief and how they can all exist alongside one another–intertwined, messy, beautiful–how both love and loss can coexist." Tucked away in the quiet Irish countryside, the group bonded deeply, laughing, cooking for each other and playing games which resulted in a safe, supportive environment that allowed each musician to experiment, mess up, and try again. Pillow Queens credit Irish poet Eavan Bolan, English poet John Keats, and British writer C.S. Lewis among their literary inspirations during the writing process, and musically, influences range from Vampire Weekend to Barbra Streisand to Frank Ocean, Tool and Lana Del Rey.
Most recently, the band shared the brooding, building track "Gone," a torturous tale of exiting a collapsing relationship, led by a pulsing beat that feeds a sense of uneasiness. The band says, "'Gone' is a song that looks into the vapid nature of brief romantic encounters and the hyperbole that can become so monotonous, it makes you jaded." The track came about at the end of a jam session during a songwriting retreat in The Burren on the West Coast of Ireland. Lead vocalist, guitarist and bassist Connolly adds, "Lines like, 'I was in your top five things to do' convey a lack of self-worth that’s tackled throughout the album. It’s a song that showcases a vulnerability that allows for no silver linings–it's the reality of how someone is feeling in the moment." Upon its release, The New York Times praised Connolly's vocals, unbridled honesty and the track's fuzzy guitars.
In November 2023, the band shared the first taste of the project with "Suffer," filled with soul-stirring lyrics and a melancholic melody that captures the ache of heartbreak and the struggle to let go. It premiered on Huw Stephens show on BBC 6 and garnered support from Stereogum, The Line of Best Fit, DIY Magazine, Dork, Hot Press and more. To coincide with the release, the group played a string of dates around EU and UK throughout the month including a sold out London show and an appearance at Germany's Rolling Stone Beach. This summer, Pillow Queens are set to perform throughout the UK and will play their biggest show yet in Dublin on July 13. See a full list of dates below with tickets on sale now here.
Formed in 2016, Pillow Queens–made up of Pamela Connolly (lead vocals, guitar, bass), Sarah Corcoran (vocals, guitar, bass), Cathy McGuinness (vocals, lead guitar) and Rachel Lyons (vocals, drums)–burst onto the scene with their debut demo EP Calm Girls, leading to a string of UK and Irish dates and festival appearances. The release of their follow up EP State of the State prompted Hot Press to write the band is, "currently lauded by any critic worth their salt." Their debut album In Waiting arrived in 2020 and received praise from The Guardian, who called them “2020’s most exciting indie rockers,” NPR, NME, and The Line of Best Fit, they were named a Band To Watch by Stereogum, received an Irish Album of The Year nomination and made their first U.S. national television appearance remotely on the Late Late Show with James Corden.
Taking the world by storm, the band went on to tour North America, UK and Europe, play at SXSW and open for IDLES, Pavement, and later, Phoebe Bridgers in Glasgow. Upon the 2022 release of their sophomore album Leave The Light On, Pitchfork wrote, "Pillow Queens make the kind of noise that tends to flourish live, roared back by the faithful: burnished heartland euphoria, defiant lyricism bolstered by ragged harmonies, lashings of pride, and an unabashed love of crescendos." The Guardian added, "Sonically, the album evokes the work of Americana-influenced alt-rock musicians such as Angel Olsen, Sharon Van Etten and even the Killers – a sound that is both epically transcendent and comfortingly gritty." DIY Magazine raved about the band's evolution, stating, "'Leave The Light On’ swaps this sense of personal heritage for introspection, pairing delicate self-reflection with sounds far grander than their previous release," and the band once again received an Irish Album Of The Year nomination, as well as made their debut in-person late night TV show appearance, once again on the Late Late Show with James Corden. Now, in 2024, fueled by an elevated sound and unflinching honesty, Pillow Queens are prepared to ascend to new heights.
Out everywhere now, the lush, melodic "Like A Lesson" bridges the gap between desire and fear. The third studio album by Pillow Queens, Name Your Sorrow, is due out April 19 and available for pre-order now. Experience Pillow Queens live across the UK this June and later, at their biggest show to date at Iveagh Gardens in Dublin on July 13 with tickets on sale now here. Stay tuned for much more to come from Pillow Queens via Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.
