‘Queen’ is the second single from London’s Hot Wife. The band began as a few pints in South London, but soon expanded into a quartet that are determined to “melt your face off” in their mission to disrupt the city’s male-dominated scene. Performing live for two years before launching their debut single ‘buffy summers’ last year. Armed with powerful riffs and tongue in cheek lyrics, this combo is deadly but sounds oh so good. Even with your face on the floor.
Written as a middle finger against a certain toxic individual, ‘Queen’ baths in empowerment. Showing how powerful it is refusing to be controlled, and allowing success to be the greatest revenge. With influences ranging from the likes of Veruca Salt, Hole and L7, the song erupts with anger, and beefy guitars lay down a riff that sounds straight from the depths of Grunge. One of those riffs that make you have an instant “Oof” face the second you hear it.
Lyrically, the song does a great job plainly detailing the actions of this “cheating scumbag” (actual quote), while also announcing how little effect it had. Hot Wife switch up the vocals throughout, with group vocals coming in to increase the DIY and riot grrrl nature. It makes them sound as unrelenting as the instrumental, and allows the song to sound as chaotic as possible.
‘Queen’ is a fantastic song. It is loud and heavy-hitting on all fronts, and certainly an anthem to people who aren’t very nice people. Hot Wife have obliterated all first impression and made a new fan out of me here.