Written by Archie Sagers

The new single “Butter Knife” by Prima Queen is a somber emotional journey, beginning with soft electric guitar, thumping bass drum, and two-part vocal harmonies. A spoken word verse creates a stark contrast to the delicate euphony of the chorus. Prima Queen’s poetry remembers a loved one, focusing on two family holidays. This monologue is tinged with immeasurable sadness as we slowly learn of the subject’s struggle with Alzheimer’s and eventual passing. Lyrics sprawl across the verses as they reflect the confusing difficulty of losing someone twice as they became a different person due to their illness: “A head and a body, but she’s not there.”

Compared to their previous loud alt-pop singles this year, “Eclipse” and “Invisible Hand,” “Butter Knife” is a much slower and more vulnerable track that allows Prima Queen to bear their soul to listeners. Produced by tour-mates The Big Moon, it still features immaculate production but focuses on minimal instrumentation. Tear-jerking strings edge into the second verse and fill the quiet space before the instrumentals ebb down the energy. Interlocking violin melodies suddenly burst in the final chorus as the lyrics reach a heartbreaking conclusion. “Nobody’s ever ready to watch someone they love lose their mind.”

Pollenate Me!

For more Prima Queen, you can watch the video for “Eclipse”:

Archie Sagers is a musician and photographer living in Brighton (U.K.). He has also run the record label Crafting Room Recordings since 2019.