Pillow Queens are back with their triumphant third full-length album, ‘Name Your Sorrow’, showcasing the band at their most vulnerable and self-assured. The band has announced an Irish tour, playing Dolans Warehouse on Saturday November 30.
The gig is a co-presentation from Seoda Shows and Singular Artists. Tickets from www.dolans.ie
This LP delves deep into themes of queerness, insecurity, desire, and heartbreak, while also highlighting the resilience and strength that emerge from pain.
Produced by Collin Pastore (Lucy Dacus, boygenius) at Analogue Catalogue in Northern Ireland, the album breaks new ground, offering fans a glimpse into the band’s artistry and humanity. With quality instrumentation and raw lyricism, the band immerses listeners in an emotionally-charged sonic landscape like never before.
Each of the twelve tracks unpacks a different aspect of the human experience, from grief to joy and everything in between, culminating in a collective catharsis that reveals a newfound sense of strength.
The album, as described by P.Q. guitarist Cathy McGuinness, is one of “intensity, loneliness, and love,” exploring how love and loss coexist in a beautifully intertwined, messy reality.
During their time recording in the quiet countryside, the band bonded deeply, creating a supportive environment that fostered creativity and experimentation.
Pillow Queens drew literary inspiration from Irish poet Eavan Boland, English poet John Keats, and British writer C.S. Lewis, while musically, their influences range from Vampire Weekend to Barbra Streisand, Frank Ocean, Tool, and Lana Del Rey.
Formed in 2016, Pillow Queens—Pamela Connolly (lead vocals, guitar, bass), Sarah Corcoran (vocals, guitar, bass), Cathy McGuinness (vocals, lead guitar), and Rachel Lyons (vocals, drums)—burst onto the scene with their debut demo EP ‘Calm Girls’.
This led to a series of UK and Irish dates and festival appearances. Their follow-up EP ‘State of the State’ earned them critical acclaim, with Hot Press declaring the band “currently lauded by any critic worth their salt.”
Their debut album In Waiting dropped in 2020 to praise from The Guardian, NPR, NME, and The Line of Best Fit. They were named a Band To Watch by Stereogum, received an Irish Album of the Year nomination, and made their U.S. national television debut remotely on The Late Late Show with James Corden.
Pillow Queens expanded their horizons, touring North America and Europe, playing at SXSW, and opening for IDLES, Pavement, and Phoebe Bridgers in Glasgow.
Their 2022 sophomore album ‘Leave The Light On’ received positive reviews. Pitchfork noted, “Pillow Queens make the kind of noise that tends to flourish live, roared back by the faithful,” while The Guardian highlighted their “epically transcendent and comfortingly gritty” sound. They received an Irish Album Of The Year nomination and made an in-person late-night TV debut on The Late Late Show with James Corden.
