Sour Widows - Revival Of A Friend (2024) Hi-Res

Oakland, California’s Sour Widows twist together slowcore, bedroom rock and grunge in their distinctive way. Maia Sinaiko and Susanna Thomson, who both provide guitar and vocals, mourn throughout Revival of a Friend but ultimately gain power of their trauma and loss. On the eight-minute closer "Staring into Heaven/Shining," they eloquently wish for clarity: "If all my anger/ And my pain/ Could catch like a flame/ And purify/ And cremate/ Maybe I could be alive/ Know that you're safe/ And you feel me/ We communicate/ Beyond God, beyond doubt." The band, completed by drummer Max Edelman and bassist Timmy Stabler, and complemented by Will Borher (bass) and album producer Maryam Qudus (synths), use a variation on Nirvana's sudden dynamic shifts in nearly every song. While there are exceptions, like the all-instrumental "Gold Thread," most tunes swell and ebb in volume with great regularity. Opener "Big Dogs" begins with methodical snare and cymbal before both guitars begin to slowly build. Sinaiko and Thompson both play and sing harmoniously, demonstrating Sour Widow's greatest strength. Eventually a roar enters before guitar solos ensue, but it ends as suddenly as it begins, with the two voices delicately imploring, "You could bleed me dry if you wanted/ But you're too shy/ Too shy." It's a masterful and compelling beginning that bodes well for what's to come. Road song "I-90" is a reflection on relationships pondered while driving; power chords crunch as the driver cherishes the sights: "I was just happy I could see you like that/ So prone, so peaceful/ Nothing wrong, the freeway emptied out." And the gentle "FTGE," where only an acoustic guitar accompanies the vocals, is a welcome change. Born of personal grief, this forceful debut is filled with hopeful finesse.