Oslo-based alt-rock outfit Lazy Queen arrive with their second single of the year “Sober.” It follows the fiery single “Throwaway” released last month. Through punk ethos and unabashed vulnerability, Lazy Queen’s message looks to break down stereotypes around identity, depression, and addiction.
The Nordic rock five-piece act continues to explore dynamic punk-spirited echoes with this latest release. The track dives into the unending struggle of sobriety and the journey to some sort of recovery. “Sober” thematically leans on this despairing, vacant feeling after the party has come to an aching end. Through the band’s raw vocals, busting guitars, and snappish drums, Lazy Queen digs a bit deeper here with a poignant yet melancholic examination of striving to find stability and normalcy in everyday life.
“Growing up, I wish I’d been presented with a more nuanced picture of what recovery looks like. More often than not, I don’t really see the Hollywood-perfect story arc of heroically fighting your daemons, finding resolution and living happily ever after that we’re presented in a lot of media fitting into real life,” says lead singer Henrik García Søberg over email. “Recovery isn’t linear, it’s continuous work, and it’s okay to make mistakes along the way. It’s been important to me to remind myself that I’m not a total failure just because I haven’t reached that ‘perfect place’ yet, even though it might feel like it. It’s that frustration we wanted to capture in the song.”
The band is comprised of Henrik García Søberg, Peter Steinholt Mortensen, Petter Enger Anderdal, Jon Bernhard Hunskaar, and Jonas Røyeng. They’ve released two EPs, 2015’s Drift and 2019’s A Sigh So Deep.
