Farmer’s Wife lives within a nightmarish fairy tale on their debut EP. In five tracks, Molly Masson eschews all notions of idyllic, childlike fantasy, and especially femininity. “Bet you didn’t know I really have horns in this fairy tale,” she sings in “Swarm” before trilling, “You aren’t ready for the reality of a cold-blooded female.” Elsewhere, “Goldiloxxx” sharpens the fable with a bear attack scene and a circle-pit-inducing “just right, just right, just right” chorus. Atmospheric production and superfluous reverb emphasize the collection’s spooky quality, but real rockers should catch the band live to hear those riffs in all their glory.

Farmer’s Wife

There’s a Monster

This article appears in November 17 • 2023.

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Carys Anderson moved from Nowhere, DFW to Austin in 2017 to study journalism at the University of Texas. She began writing for The Austin Chronicle in 2021 and joined its full-time staff in 2023, where she covers music and culture.