45s of the week: Pillow Queens, Liz Lawrence, Bully and more

The tracks you need to know about this week, reviewed by Zoya Raza-Sheikh.

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Pillow Queens – ‘Handsome Wife’

A powerhouse of indie rock, this Irish four-piece plough onwards with their gritty new single ‘Handsome Wife’. Trailing in with gentle harmonies and a backdrop of a whining guitar chords, this single wins you over with its emotional hooks and earnest lyrics. Steeped in a scruffy grunge-like attitude, Pillow Queens’ latest track drives home a bold, electrifying sound that you won’t forget.

Bully – ‘Where To Start’

Bully (pictured) offer their latest taste of Nashville tinged grunge with their fresh single ‘Where To Start’. Singer-guitarist Alicia Bognanno fronts the track with erratic, honest lyrics on dysfunctional love. In a strained vocal opener, Bognanno sings: “I don’t know where to start / I don’t know where to start with you“. In all, the single is a preppy close-cut confessional track built on a frenzied relationship. If you ask us, it sounds like the duo in question could do with some couples counselling.

Tom Walker – ‘Wait For You’

Tom Walker aka the 2019 Brit Awards Breakthrough Artist has returned with a new single. Tapping into his shining quality of captivating lyricism, ‘Wait For You’ is an emotionally charged ballad that flows through delicate highs and lows. Born out of lockdown productivity, Walker based the inspiration of the song around a mate then went through a tough time. Centred around a hopeful, forward-looking message, this single could be the soothing antidote to our quarantine blues.

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Liz Lawrence – ‘Hope (Or Something Like It)’

We’re sticking with the theme of hope for this one. Liz Lawrence seems to have settled for a mellower tone with her latest release ‘Hope (Or Something Like It)’. Opting for hushed synths and a funky, upbeat progression, the song delves into romanticist lyrics, striking a neat contrast against its predecessor single, ‘California Screaming’. Played back to back, both songs pack quite the punch.

Ella Henderson – ‘Take Care of You

Following her debut album, ‘Chapter One’, Henderson all but disappeared from the charts and our playlists. After a long hiatus, 2019 thankfully saw the return of the talented vocalist. Taking up a new record deal and, it seems, a new musical direction, the singer-songwriter found her own featuring on addictive dance pop tracks and ‘Take Care of You’ is no different. The new song is inspired by the artist’s difficulty with anxiety and pushes a heartfelt theme of self-care. It’s a truly a wholesome pop single and you can bet we’re fans of it.

Tiggs Da Author – ‘We Ain’t Scared’

An upbeat track about resilience that feels particularly pertinent right now, Tiggs Da Author’s new track is 2020’s summer anthem. Taken from the South London singer’s upcoming debut album, ‘We Aint’ Scared’ is a party-track with a hard-hitting message.