IN THE SPOTLIGHT: QWAM

By Irisa Z.

This month we introduce Bushwick based five piece, QWAM. With a sound that would feel right at home in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer soundtrack, QWAM gets to the heart of it all in their new album Girls Aren't Afraid of Blood. Formed in 2016, QWAM have been in the game for quite some time. Now with 2 full length releases under their belt, this new album veers a little off from the pop punk-ier origins and swings right into the heavier sound. Shoegaze inspired riffs holding tightly to lyrics that peel...no, SHRED back the layers of what it is to exist in this world and the constant uphill battle to find your place in it.

On August 6th I was able to catch up with the band at Night Club 101 in the East Village for their album release show. There I had the five members sit and fill out our little ice breaker inspired questionnaires while we chatted about their formation, influences, and how they were feeling about the album finally being out in the world. Lead singer, Felicia, had mentioned when discussing influences that the band had put together a handy little playlist on Spotify showcasing their inspirations while creating this album. That playlist you can find right here.

There are very few albums I have in my life that I deem a "no skip", and this is one of those albums. From emotionally raw lyrics to guitars that sound like they bite QWAM is one act to keep your eyes on. You'd be a fool and a half to miss one of their live shows.

Key tracks include: Something Bad, Friend$$, and Teeth.