REVIEW: Prima Queen - The Prize

Prima Queen’s debut LP is nothing short of fantastic. With The Prize, the indie duo have proved they have the full package with incredible lyrics, instrumentation and production, that all serves to showcase the bands individuality, and is definitely not an album to be slept on!

The Prize is such a well-put-together album that it really wouldn’t be hard to believe they already had a series of albums under their belt - however, this isn’t the case for the indie duo, consisting of friends Louise Mcphail and Kristen McFadden from Bristol and Chicago. Prima Queen only had one EP out prior to the album announcement, but had already built an incredible live reputation through appearances at Glastonbury, SXSW and Pitchfork in Paris; also going on tour with the likes of Olivia Dean, Wet Leg and Whitney. Having had praise from all corners of the press and a fanbase of people eagerly awaiting their debut album, there was some pressure with this release, but it's safe to say they did not disappoint.

The album opens with opener ‘Clickbait’ which is a 42-second intro track but sets the scene for the album perfectly. This then flows seamlessly into ‘Mexico’ which provides a strong opening to the album, with an incredibly catchy chorus and perfect guitars running through the entire song, which come in even stronger at the chorus. ‘The Prize’ follows on strongly, with a particularly catchy bridge and an upbeat vibe throughout the whole track. 

‘Oats (Ain’t Gonna Beg)’ features some incredible guitar lines with a catchy guitar riff from the get go, it also switches up the vibe from the songs so far, proving that Prima Queen have various different sounds in their locker. ‘Flying Ant Day’ opens with a more acoustic feel, before a strong bass line accompanies the acoustic guitars in the opening. With an incredibly catchy chorus and a summer-like rhythm, this song will definitely fulfil all your summer song needs. 

‘Meryl Streep’ is a catchy indie-rock song, with an infectious bass line and a well put together chorus. ‘Spaceship’ then brings a new energy to the album with serene vocals and a stripped back melody, and allows a moment of appreciation for the incredible vocals on display. This then goes into ‘Fool’ which brings pure pop-rock bliss with catchy guitars and choruses.

‘Woman and Child’ opens with infectious guitars and drums which continue throughout the entire song and is accompanied by another catchy chorus and strong vocals. Closing tracks ‘Sunshine Song’ and ‘More Credit’ round out the album on a much calmer note, showing Prima Queen can also do more stripped back and acoustic songs as well as they can do pop-rock. 

Ultimately, this album has set Prima Queen on a bright path with an album that has fully encapsulated their talent and individualism. If you haven’t yet heard of Prima Queen, it's time to check them out! You can also catch Prima Queen live this December as they head out on tour supporting Everything Everything, playing a series of shows across the UK. They will also be playing at All Points East in August.

Score: 8/10

The Prize was released on April 25th via Submarine Cat Records.

Words: Olivia Hermans

Photos: Prima Queen