Album review by Katie McFaul

Have you ever had one of those days where you manage to experience every possible feeling that a human being can feel in a mere 24 hours? An unoiled, out of control rollercoaster speeding through the entire emotional spectrum before you’ve even got round to brushing your teeth! Yes, we’ve all been there and believe it or not, Dream Wife’s second album, ‘So When You Gonna…‘ is like the soundtrack to one of those crazy days.

In case you didn’t know, Dream Wife are a London based band who draw influences from punk rock, indie and the riot grrrl movement. These gals stormed into our lives in 2018 with their debut self titled album, and toured the world with their unique brand of brash garage punk that you can really dance to.

Now they are back with a second helping, an album that is both totally fresh and exciting but with a classic, familiar feel to it. From track to track there is a definite shift in mood and tone, whilst remaining toe-tappingly catchy.

‘So When You Gonna…’ showcases Dream Wife’s impressive range both lyrically and instrumentally, varying from playful and tongue in cheek (‘When You Gonna…’ or ‘Sports!’) to raw and sensitive, (‘After the Rain’). Most importantly, they manage to capture the experiences of women at a certain time, and deliver it with such fierce attitude and creativity that you never want it to end.

Fun fact: In an effort to correct the obvious gender imbalance within the music industry, this entire album was recorded, mixed and produced by a female recording team. Pretty cool, huh?

Clever, thoughtful, funny, nostalgic and catchy as hell, this album is a slam dunk, a hole in one, and any other generic sporting references you can think of! Each song has an intent and purpose behind it, whether that’s sharing embarrassing memories of a drunken escapade or challenging the place of women within the world. There is something very present about this record, as the band themselves put it,

‘We are the youngest we will ever be, we are the oldest we have ever been, right now.’

So whether you like to head bang, sing along or just sit and take it all in, Dream Wife has what you’re looking for.

Check out Dream Wife on: dreamwife.co Facebook Bandcamp