Farmer’s Wife Finds Beauty in the Rot on New EP ‘Faint Illusions’
- Sophie Ray
- May 15
- 2 min read
Updated: May 16
Austin’s own Farmer’s Wife just dropped their latest EP, Faint Illusions, and it’s a sonic trip worth taking. With roots in the city’s DIY scene, this band has a knack for blending gritty guitars with haunting melodies, and their newest release takes that vibe to a whole new level. If you’re into 90s shoegaze with a side of grunge and a sprinkle of haunted house vibes, this one’s for you.
From the first guttural riffs of “Dirty Shirley” to the fever-dream decay of “Discount Roses,” this EP feels like the soundtrack to a slow-motion car crash you can’t look away from. It’s messy, it’s raw, and it’s oddly beautiful in the way only dark fairytales can be.
On “Mildew,” frontwoman Molly Masson pulls you into her twisted garden of decay and desire: “Tangled up in silk again. Cover me in your mildew...The fruit it rots and falls onto me.” It’s a line that sticks with you, clinging like the fog on a humid Austin night. Then there’s “The Ballet,” a track that starts with whispered whimsy “Walking down the sunset, stars are in the street. One pocket full of posies, one pocket full of meat.” before spiraling into a full-blown nightmare. This EP is full of those blink-and-you’ll-miss-it lines that hit like a ghostly whisper behind you.
If you’ve followed Farmer’s Wife since their 2023 debut There’s A Monster, you’ll notice the shift here. Faint Illusions leans harder into the darkness, trading some of the lush atmospheres for a more jagged, shadowy edge. It’s the same band, just deeper in the woods this time, all twisted branches and half-hidden terrors.
Farmer’s Wife is finishing up a southern U.S. tour with Boston Manor, Spaced, and Ellis, a lineup guaranteed to shake some venues to their foundations. Don’t miss the chance to catch them live:
May 16 - The Social - Orlando, FL
May 17 - The Masquerade - Atlanta, GA
May 18 - The End - Nashville, TN
Stream Faint Illusions now, and prepare to get lost in the darkness. Trust us, it’s worth the plunge.
Check out this latest release and listen to more of Farmers Wife on Spotify & YouTube.
