Monofonus Press

The Works

Pillow Queens in URB Magazine

URB Magazine says:

A band with a name like Pillow Queens is definitely out to get some attention. According to the Urban Dictionary, a “pillow queen” is “a girl (generally, though men can be such a thing, too) who prefers to receive sexual pleasure without returning the favor because it’s all about her.” Don’t worry, it’s still funny because the only chick in the band is the drummer. The statement posted on their record label’s site reads: “Unsuspectingly, we signed up for a chance to win a free job, but what we don’t know is that instead we have to play rock music to audiences full of people who are yelling and screaming. We wear costumes sometimes and we’re about forcibly causing you to have fun.”

The foursome from Austin, Texas releases its first full length LP, Kookoolegit, this week, and it is fun. With lo-fi vocals and high energy rhythms, the Pillow Queens sound like they earnestly want you to have fun. They’re dancey, while perfectly capturing that out-of-tune-in-a-good-way sound quality. “Difficult House” is spastic and tight at the same time–think back to what it felt like to have that cool babysitter who’d let you run around like a maniac and still manage to keep your mom’s valuable stuff from breaking. This kind of frenetic climax can also be heard on the end of “Regional Flute.” “Wild Kingdom” is about a neighbor’s dog named Vittles–need I say more? “Real Cool Head” has a real cool hook that will make you want to dance like you’re three years old again.

The Pillow Queens also have the great fortune of being recorded and distributed by Austin’s Monofonus Press. Instead of producing their writers, visual artists, and musicians separately, Monofonus strives to collaborate with elements of all three for every artist they represent. For the Pillow Queens, Monofonus includes an impressive short story by Karen Davidson called “Clear Violet” (illustrated by Michelle Devereux).

So the Pillow Queens and Monofonus are giving you some free stuff with the album, and that’s great for everyone; you get something tangible (instead of some impersonal, cold ghost of an mp3), and they get paid for their music! Yay! Together, you can save the music industry!