The mere mention of the much-maligned “quaran-tune” has become a nigh-on unforgivable sin. Eleven months into the year, eight of which have been spent under varying stages of lockdown, the ubiquitous concept of composing under quarantine, universal though it might be, has become the most tiresome subject matter to ever be put to song. Every now and then, however, a surprise comes along.
Fredericton’s TV Wife has tip-toed over our standards to bring us “Social Distancing,” and we swear this song is it for the genre. There’s nowhere left to go that hasn’t already been done, never mind crafting something enjoyable.
Defining themself as “the psych-rock project of yet another person who doesn’t know what else to do with themselves,” TV Wife hits the old self-awareness nail on the head.
Fortunately, “Social Distancing” is not the burden on the ears we’ve come to expect, with someone lamenting their inability to see friends and family, belting out their longing like they’re Dashboard Confessional, except with all of the acoustic guitar and none of the talent.
Instead, they lead with a gut ripping sound, nodding back to mid-2000’s garage rock greats like The Black Keys and The Von Bondies, with a strong emphasis on the rock aspect of it. This is blissful noise paired to a voice that lies somewhere between a garburator that only smokes after sex and Tom Waites when he’s feeling moderately amicable.
Rock first – lyrics incidentally. This song could have come out any other years and would have been just as good. It’s not trying to hit anyone over the head with the new depths of depravity we’ve discovered in isolation, rock and roll found already those on its own long ago, but opts for simplicity as it “serves the groove.”
Obscured in mystery, TV Wife confounds the matter with their infomercial-style promotion for their debut album:
“Welcome, dear friends, to the psycho-paranoiac hellscape of ‘Social Distancing’—a jaunty new cut that stews about in the swirling garbage disposal of our new reality. Have you found yourself asking, ‘Where have all the parties gone?’ Have you found yourself waking with the horrible realization that you’ve forgotten the faces of all the people you used to call your friends? Well then, fellow plebs, this one’s for you!
Taking the shape of a sonically-charged mental breakdown, ‘Social Distancing’ is the histrionic first single from TV WIFE’s debut album INDOOR KIDS, which arrives December 4th on Bandcamp and wherever imaginary records are sold.
So mask up, wash your hands, and get used to it. Social Distancing is here to stay.
Yours,
TV WIFE”
So, against our better interests, our curiosity has been piqued. But we swear this is the last quaran-album that our ears are getting subjected to and if we’re wrong about that it sounds like it’s going to provide stiff competition for anyone else.