PVRIS are back in England (well, almost!!) – and they’re bringing the ludicrously brilliant Maggie Lindemann and Charlotte Sands with them!! Life hasn’t been this exciting since ‘White Noise’ hit the airwaves nearly a decade ago. Here’s why PVRIS and their debut album mean sooooooo much!

  • MUSIC FOCUS: PVRIS.
  • ACTIVITY FOCUS: Write a persuasive article celebrating your favourite band/singer, record or song.

Pvris, White Noise

In 2014, no band defined the future of music more precisely than the forward-thinking PVRIS. So much so, that if aliens one day descend in search of the most important art on offer during that period of time, I won’t hesitate in sending them home with the debut long-player from Massachusetts’ finest pop/rock/dance hybrid. I’m sure the extra-terrestrials would be delighted. After all, leading lady, Lyndsey Gunnulfsen, is such a lovely individual, and it’s impossible to imagine anyone in the universe not thinking so.

Not that Gunnulfsen’s likeability is really the point. The aliens would clearly be fully intent on sourcing some serious research material – they might not be quite so fussed about finding a new best friend!

So, why PVRIS?

Well, let’s see…

First up is the fact that PVRIS did such an insanely brilliant job of leading the charge into a brave new musical world. In 2023, we take boundary-blurring for granted. But, this was NOT the case when PVRIS first unleashed ‘White Noise’.

Never before had alternative and mainstream music got along so well. But everything was suddenly all very friendly. In the not too distant past (i.e. a few months prior to PVRIS’ arrival), a rock band playing pop songs would have been chased squealing out of town, but Lynn and co. were only being chased by fans in search of autographs. And that alone tells us how much the people needed a band who weren’t one-dimensional. How much they needed a band they could both sing along with and dance to. How much they needed a band who could write a record like ‘White Noise‘ – an album packed with songs that were as heavy and meaningful as they were catchy.

And it’s not just the musical context that’s worthy of consideration when judging Lyndsey Gunnulfsen’s awesomeness. Let’s think about her band’s social context too. Nearly a decade ago, the voice of the LGBTQ+ community was still relatively restricted. And, no, we’re not saying that, right now, everything is easy or equal, but it’s fair to note that Lynn’s position as something of a role model for gay pop/rock/dance fans back then did mean that she faced different pressures, prejudices and more pointed fingers than she might in 2023. Today, it’s true not only that the LGBTQ+ community are more heard within the music industry, but also that women in general occupy a more prominent position on the scene’s frontline. The PVRIS singer/songwriter/guitarist played such an important role in moving us to this improved place.

PVRIS Announce UK/EU Tour Supports - Rock Sound

Just as critical as PVRIS’ ability to change, well, EVERYTHING, is their ability to write a catchy tune. Quite possibly the aliens we mentioned earlier are going to be facing an especially long journey home – well, the least we can do is provide them with a soundtrack that will more than stand up to repeated listening. ‘White Noise’ will absolutely do the job. How do I know? Well, I’ve been playing the album on loop for nine years now and I’m still nowhere near tired of the frantic ‘My House’, the ecstatic ‘St. Patrick’ – or any of the other tracks that make up this immaculate record. Listening to any PVRIS song will make you feel like you’ve drunk a hundred glasses of orange squash – just the kind of energy boost you’re likely to need when undertaking an intergalactic expedition.

Although… actually… maybe the truth is that I don’t really want to hand ‘White Noise’ over to our alien friends after all. If our distant neighbours really want a sample of something that teaches them about humanity and life in 2014, I think I’ll have to point them in the opposite direction of my PVRIS record. There’s absolutely no way I’m giving my favourite album to a bunch of nosy old aliens! They can have Kasabian!

ACTIVITY 1

Decide on a song, album or artist you would enjoy writing about. Make a list of the things that make your song/album/artist so significant. In the case of PVRIS and ‘White Noise’, I chose to celebrate:

  • the inventiveness, originality and progressive nature of the music
  • the impact the band had on people’s attitudes within the music industry and wider society
  • the quality of the songs themselves

You may wish to do similar and choose 3 things you think make your song/album/artist important, and write a paragraph about each of those elements. Add an engaging introduction and a short, sharp conclusion and you’re done! Or, of course, you can create your own structure.

If you want a little further direction, scan through a colour-coded version of the PVRIS article (directly below). The colour-coding will direct you towards writing skills/techniques you can focus on making use of when writing your own article:

  • epithets used to add sharpen definition and highlights key qualities.
  • repetition to emphasise need/significance.
  • energetic vocab choices to underline the energy of the music etc.
  • plosive alliteration to mimic the noise of the attitudes Lynn faced and the force with which she moved forward regardless.
  • pronouns to signify the connected nature of the PVRIS community.
  • similes to create sense of fun.

In 2014, no band defined the future of music more precisely than the forward-thinking PVRIS. So much so, that if aliens one day descend in search of the most important art on offer during that period of time, I won’t hesitate in sending them home with the debut long-player from Massachusetts’ finest pop/rock/dance hybrid. I’m sure the extra-terrestrials would be delighted. After all, leading lady, Lyndsey Gunnulfsen, is such a lovely individual, and it’s impossible to imagine anyone in the universe not thinking so.

Not that Gunnulfsen’s likeability is really the point. The aliens would clearly be fully intent on sourcing some serious research material – they might not be quite so fussed about finding a new best friend!

So, why PVRIS?

Well, let’s see…

First up is the fact that PVRIS did such an insanely brilliant job of leading the charge into a brave new musical world. In 2023, we take boundary-blurring for granted. But, this was NOT the case when PVRIS first unleashed ‘White Noise’.

Never before had alternative and mainstream music got along so well. But everything was suddenly all very friendly. In the not too distant past (i.e. a few months prior to PVRIS’ arrival), a rock band playing pop songs would have been chased squealing out of town, but Lynn and co. were only being chased by fans in search of autographs. And that alone tells us how much the people needed a band who weren’t one-dimensional. How much they needed a band they could both sing along with and dance to. How much they needed a band who could write a record like ‘White Noise‘ – an album packed with songs that were as heavy and meaningful as they were catchy.

And it’s not just the musical context that’s worthy of consideration when judging Lyndsey Gunnulfsen’s awesomeness. Let’s think about her band’s social context too. Nearly a decade ago, the voice of the LGBTQ+ community was still relatively restricted. And, no, we’re not saying that, right now, everything is easy or equal, but it’s fair to note that Lynn’s position as something of a role model for gay pop/rock/dance fans back then did mean that she faced different pressures, prejudices and more pointed fingers than she might in 2023. Today, it’s true not only that the LGBTQ+ community are more heard within the music industry, but also that women in general occupy a more prominent position on the scene’s frontline. The PVRIS singer/songwriter/guitarist played such an important role in moving us to this improved place.

Just as critical as PVRIS’ ability to change, well, EVERYTHING, is their ability to write a catchy tune. Quite possibly the aliens we mentioned earlier are going to be facing an especially long journey home – well, the least we can do is provide them with a soundtrack that will more than stand up to repeated listening. ‘White Noise’ will absolutely do the job. How do I know? Well, I’ve been playing the album on loop for nine years now and I’m still nowhere near tired of the frantic ‘My House’, the ecstatic ‘St. Patrick’ – or any of the other tracks that make up this immaculate record. Listening to any PVRIS song will make you feel like you’ve drunk a hundred glasses of orange squash – just the kind of energy boost you’re likely to need when undertaking an intergalactic expedition.

Although… actually… maybe the truth is that I don’t really want to hand ‘White Noise’ over to our alien friends after all. If our distant neighbours really want a sample of something that teaches them about humanity and life in 2014, I think I’ll have to encourage them in the opposite direction to my PVRIS record. There’s absolutely no way I’m giving my favourite album to a bunch of nosy old aliens! They can have Kasabian!

Please do send your own articles (or questions) in. We want to publish the most exciting writing and offer advice.

Now, have a look at some classes revolving around the work of PVRIS’ main supporting act: Maggie Lindemann.