· By Mattias Forsgren
Norway-based punks Lazy Queen are releasing their scorching new EP “Growing Pains” April 14 via Icons Creating Evil Art
April 14 2023 – Today, Norway-based punks Lazy Queen have released their scorching new EP “Growing Pains” via Swedish label, Icons Creating Evil Art. They celebrate this breakthrough release with new single “I See You”.
A feisty yet empathy driven track, “I See You” was the first song finished on “Growing Pains” and details the human experience of behavioural pattern forming, set to a tremendous punk-esque soundscape.
“Being blind and falling victim to our own behavioural patterns and shortcomings, both big and small, just seems to be such a universal part of being human.” singer Henrik details, explaining “It’s both something I’d experience myself, but also see happen to friends, and people around me. And as it often is, it’s so much easier to meet others’ shortcomings with empathy and understanding, versus allowing yourself that same grace. This change of perspective, and how my reactions, feelings and responses would change depending on the situation became the inspiration for the song.
During the period in which Growing Pains was written I also came to know the true nature of someone in my close circle, and so I and we had to learn what behaviour we can accept and what we can’t. Just cause you’re trying to practise more empathy doesn’t mean you can let people step all over you. So it also becomes about setting healthy boundaries, whether or not the person in question is also a victim of their own patterns. Sometimes you just want to throw your hands up and shout: why the fuck do we keep falling into these same pitfalls time and time again.”
“Growing Pains” arrives with not one, but two new singles - “Dumb MF” is a tongue-in-cheek ode to egocentric self-destruction
Concerned with self-reflection, growth and accountability, and backed up by passionate and refreshing songwriting, “Growing Pains” is a 6 track taster of what is still to come from Lazy Queen. Recorded in Taakeheimen Lydriket, the new EP was co-produced by Morten Øby and Henrik Gracía Søberg. Having been a big part of the production on previous releases Get Home or Die Trying, and especially A Human Reaction, this is the first official producer credit for García Søberg on a Lazy Queen record. A shared collaboration between the band, bass on “Growing Pains” is performed by García Søberg and guitarist Petter E Anderdal, and keys by García Søberg and then-dummer Jørgen Apeness.
Appearing on “Growing Pains” are Lazy Queen’s previous releases - “243 New, Moon”, “4th Contact” and “Option To Nothing” - which was released to an unsuspecting global audience via video chat services Omegle and ChatRoulette under the guise of a social experiment - watch the video here. The ingenuity of these tracks saw Lazy Queen capture the attention of Amy Lamé at BBC Radio 6 Music, BBC Radio 1’s Jack Saunders and achieved playlisting on Amazing Radio UK. At press, these two singles made their mark as Lazy Queen debuted on Kerrang Magazine’s K! Chart and earned continued support from Rock Sound, Distorted Sound, Louder Than War, Backseat Mafia, to name a few.. In this short space of time, Lazy Queen were playlisted on Spotify’s New Music Friday Norway, All New Punk, and Norsk Rock, and Tidal’s On The Rocks.
Upon the announcement of “Growing Pains” back in late 2022, Henrik explains “We’ve been going through significant life changes in the time since we wrote “A Human Reaction”, both as a band and as individuals. I’ve had to really think about who I am, and who I want to be, and what I want from my music and the band as a whole. It’s been a process of being forced to look frustration, depletion, shortcomings and self-doubt straight in the eye without seeking the first and best route of escape and self-soothing. Growing Pains is our expression of this process and our experiences living it.”
A couple of years back Lazy Queen entered the Norwegian music scene as a blast of fresh air, making the move from New York, where Colombian-Norwegian Henrik García Søberg founded the band. Fast forward to now, the Oslo-based band have embraced the new decade with an ever-evolving attitude of acceptance, perseverance and survival, creating an effervescent soundtrack along their journey. With an instinctive ear for melody and a uniquely intuitive sense of identity, Lazy Queen effortlessly weaves harmonic and discordant elements together that transform into a rich soundscape of bouncy yet jagged poignancy when the band comes together to complete the jigsaw puzzle of each track. Like CLASH puts it, “their penchant for bouncy, punk-infused electro-pop allows them to deliver poignancy with a sprinkle of sugar”. It’s immediate. It’s urgent. It impatiently demands your attention.
It’s no surprise then that Lazy Queen’s ingenuity has been praised by fans and music outlets all over the world. Lazy Queen have three storming EPs under their belt; 2019’s “A Sigh So Deep”, 2021’s “Get Home Or Die Trying”, and 2022's “A Human Reaction” - the latter released on Swedish tastemaker label Icons Creating Evil Art. Beloved singles such as “Bed/Head” and “Alcohol” received spins from Norway’s own P3, UK’s BBC Introducing Networks as well as BBC Radio 1’s Future Alternative show with Jack Saunders, prompting the following response "This band feels like such a rare discovery…it doesn't feel like a carbon copy, it doesn't feel like they're trying to be anyone else but themselves”. The band has received huge praise across the board with press from Kerrang! to CLASH, Rolling Stone France to Rock Sound, Visions DE to Louder Than War. On top of this, Lazy Queen have lauded across digital streaming platforms, recognised by Spotify playlists: Fresh Finds Global, New Music Friday Norway, The Punk List, All New Rock, 100% Rock, Rock idag and Rock ei ole kuollut and many more, as well as Apple Music’s New Music Daily, The New Rock and Flesh Blood.
Lazy Queen are: Henrik García Søberg (vocals/guitar/bass/keys - they/them), Petter E Anderdal (guitar/bass - he/him), and Jørgen Apeness (drums/keys - he/him)
It’s no surprise then that Lazy Queen’s ingenuity has been praised by fans and music outlets all over the world. Lazy Queen have three storming EPs under their belt; 2019’s “A Sigh So Deep”, 2021’s “Get Home Or Die Trying”, and 2022's “A Human Reaction” - the latter released on Swedish tastemaker label Icons Creating Evil Art. Beloved singles such as “Bed/Head” and “Alcohol” received spins from Norway’s own P3, UK’s BBC Introducing Networks as well as BBC Radio 1’s Future Alternative show with Jack Saunders, prompting the following response "This band feels like such a rare discovery…it doesn't feel like a carbon copy, it doesn't feel like they're trying to be anyone else but themselves”. The band has received huge praise across the board with press from Kerrang! to CLASH, Rolling Stone France to Rock Sound, Visions DE to Louder Than War. On top of this, Lazy Queen have lauded across digital streaming platforms, recognised by Spotify playlists: Fresh Finds Global, New Music Friday Norway, The Punk List, All New Rock, 100% Rock, Rock idag and Rock ei ole kuollut and many more, as well as Apple Music’s New Music Daily, The New Rock and Flesh Blood.
Lazy Queen are: Henrik García Søberg (vocals/guitar/bass/keys - they/them), Petter E Anderdal (guitar/bass - he/him), and Jørgen Apeness (drums/keys - he/him)