Reader’s Wives | Victor’s Mother Juliet EP

Reader’s Wives released their second EP on 360 in early March 2010. Now available from *. Victor’s Mother Juliet sees the band in great form.

On receiving the Demo, I eagerly opened the EP and pressed play. I was immediately struck with the depth of the release. I recognized, the art work, I recognized the voice, but was bowled over by the way the band had developed. Their ability to paint a picture not just lyrically, but with empathic instrumentation, is a superb testament to their abilities.

This is a brave release by Reader’s Wives, as it is a huge step away from the debut EP Secrecy and Sex, which I thoroughly enjoyed. This EP is a clear stepping stone in the development of Reader’s Wives and a new chapter, marking a moment in time when influences from everyone in the band has been fully realized and the LP due out later this year, I expect will be a stormer.

Victor’s Mother Juliet the opening track- Has the obvious song writing capabilites of Niall writ large over it. I heard this track at Peter Parkers, on the EP it has taken a step forward. No matter how many times I listen to this track, I still find something new in it. There is an acoustic feel which seems to make this an intimate one to one peformance. Yet the strong bass and layered vocal bring a roundness and depth means it can be sustained musically at both high and low volume, each providing a completely different feel: One bitter; The other of longing, try it and you will see what I mean (well I hope I haven’t completely lost my head).

Reader’s Wives – Victors Mother Juliet on MUZU

Beautiful Angel – sees the brand stike out with a superb melody, the track gave me the sense of looking at a portait of someone no longer there. The lyric evocatively reminiscing and the instrumentation providing a frame for the echoed voices.

Everything’s Better With You – Is a simple exposition of a split in a relationship. Musically the sense of chaos and and recrimination is creatively captured in just 1:10. As with the first EP, there is a song which very powerfully makes its statement by appearing to jar with the rest of the release. That ability to bring something completely different to the party, is precisely what makes Reader’s Wives such an interesting band. On the face of it, the track shouldn’t be here, but due to its stark clarity, it is in fact the very essence of the release.

Eyes like a Hutu – Listening to this track, I find myself drawn to an desolate bar in a French garrison town in Africa. With a provocative drum beat I couldn’t help tapping out myself and an accompainment of a mouth organ, Reader’s Wives paint images of loneliness and longing.

Working All Week – Is a showcase for the superb songwriting and composition skills of the band, as the acoustic guitar sets the scene for a lyric reflecting on the tenuous balance of inter-woven lives.

A powerful, atmospheric and thoughtful EP, Victor’s Mother Juliet, capably demonstrates the depth: lyrically, musically and emotionally, that marks out Reader’s Wives. They are able to surgically slice to the depth of emotions and extract a gently beating heart, vulnerable  yet with an inner strength. Leaving the listener, with a feeling of possibilities, despite a world of inner-conflict.

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