Now that is a title suggesting serious exhilaration, and from a seriously infectious band, and all. The Joy Formidable play rock n’ roll bolstered by monster hooks and tempered by frontwoman Ritzy’s dreamy vocals - like floating on a stormy sea. They’re going to be massive. Oh, yes. Think Pretty Girls Make Graves. Think Howling Bells. Even think Garbage, seeing as Shirley Manson’s such a huge fan. If these girl-fronted rawk comparisons strike you as being a bit obvious, or hardly inspirational, just give new single Popinjay a listen.
Head-boinking, no? Popinjay comes ahead of the as-yet-untitled debut album which is due for release later this summer, though The Joy Formidable are no new conception, no band of green types blinking in the light of sudden exposure. Their very impressive eight-track collection, A Balloon Called Moaning, has already earned palpable respect for this gang of gorgeous workhorses. I’ve been listening for a while (While The Flies is easily my favourite track, should there be any stalkers out there taking notes), and going on those ear-swelling melodies and that guitar-heroism in the making, I’m all fired up for seeing them live. Lucky, then, that they play Cyprus Avenue in Cork this Thursday, 27th of May, and The Academy in Dublin on the 28th as part of their first headline tour.
I’ll be grabbing a chat with the band before the Cork gig, as I plan to be good n’ deaf afterwards. If you lot can think of any questions you’d like to throw at Ritzy, Rhydian and Matt, do tell, though any regarding Ritzy’s chances of marrying you in the near future will not be passed on.
More arse-shaking loveliness can be found at their MySpace and official site.
