There’s not a huge amount of information out there about the four-piece San Francisco-based band Wife. Comprising Char (vocals), Siena (drums/vocals), Lucky (bass/guitar) & Liv (guitar/bass), they are about to complete a North American tour, and have recently released their sophomore album ‘The Importance of Daydreaming’.
Packed with complex riffs and intricate drum parts, there’s a lot to digest here – this album reveals more and more the more you listen. From the 1st bar to the end of the 13th track, there is a crunchy, grungy sound. The band feel like a well-oiled machine, and the workmanlike production gives this album a rough, sandpaper texture, which is really satisfying.
At first, it’s a slightly unnerving sound, but ultimately this is an accessible post hardcore / noise rock album with plenty of groove and more hooks than a fisherman.
Char’s vocal has a wild punk sensibility and are slightly set back in the mix, which means you are drawn further into the music. It’s an expressive vocal, moving between sung, spoken word, and impassioned scream with ease. A slight crack here, some raspiness there – and always with a perfectly judged tone.
Each track is a complex beast in its own right, but all are joined by a cool dissonance, wonderfully contrasting sections, and crazily inventive arrangements.
Album opener ‘Play Pretend’ eases us in before it heaves and cracks, becoming more tortured and frantic. As we will see again and again through the album, this song has surprisingly groovy moments alongside the halting, cerebral sections.
‘Until Then I’ll Be Flying’ ramps up the intensity to 11, before ‘Swingset’ lifts the throttle, delivering a pretty, mellow soundscape interlude.
‘Sing Me To Dream’ has an almost playful, upbeat groove – but the demons soon crash the party. Dreams become nightmares. Char sings “I dream of dreaming – I wish I could sleep”.
‘Wish On A Number’, with its stuttering rhythm and spiky riff, is a great example of the raw groove and inventive melodic ideas that are found throughout this album.
‘Splintered Smile’ is a real tour de force and sums up the band perfectly – beautiful aggression and spellbinding melodic invention.
‘Five’ features a relentless, crazed speed waltz, and the album becomes ever more claustrophobic and fractured.
Final track ‘Crashbox’ is the band in full flow and a fitting closer to this 13-track opus.
I loved the sonic palette used over the 13 tracks – there is just the right amount of grit and dirt, and each element is placed in its own space to maximise its power.
It reminded me of the In Utero-era Nirvana in places – visceral, yet musical.
The album flows from one track to the next with well-judged shifts in mood – a brooding intensity punctuated by an occasional short respite.
The big question, though, is ‘The Importance of Daydreaming’ a case of the sophomore slump? The classic ‘difficult 2nd album’ syndrome? Dream on!!
Written by Grubby
