PILLOW QUEENS

In Waiting AWAL

With razor-sharp riffs, belting hooks and vocal runs drenched in emotional fury, this unforgivingly catchy and wickedly poignant debut is sure to make Pillow Queens an alt scene staple. The Irish quartet juggle atmospheric indie numbers and incandescent rock anthems with virtuosic aplomb, dipping and diving around varying notches of intensity so that the bigger jams feel earned and exciting, but the slower cuts never even border on boring. So too does this showcase the dizzying deftness of string‑splitter Cathy McGuinness – whether she’s ripping a thick, thunderous onslaught of volcanic distortion or a tight, temperamental emo strum, her work with the fretboard is always effortlessly enchanting. This is definitely one to crank up high.