Wives at Mercury Lounge

Andrew Bailey, guitarist in DIIV, has a new side band called Wives, based out of Queens, New York. The indie rock quartet teams him with guitarist/vocalist Jay Beach, bassist Alex Crawford, and drummer Adam Sachs. The four musicians had been part of the local DIY scene, performing house shows and small venues, when one day some remaining studio time booked for another project gave the four musicians an impromptu opportunity to create music together. Satisfied with the results, they committed to forming a band. Wives' debut album, So Removed, will become available on June 28, 2019.

Wives' hometown show at Mercury Lounge tonight was a warm-up to the band's European/UK tour in May. The band's mix of gentle pop vocals, off-kilter indie, raw garage, and guitar-led dissonance was a curious but successful mix. The rather brief set was well-paced, the vocals and vocal harmonies ranged from droll to sensitive, the lyrics seemed to well-crafted, and the grungy, shimmering guitar leads were engaging. It might be unjust to review a band so early on its path, but this performance was already shooting a clear arrow towards its eventual trajectory, and Wives showed substantial promise.