I was working for Domino’s last year, delivering overpriced, bland pizzas to people who, on the whole, *really* didn’t need them. It was a pretty crap job, with terrible pay, but it had the one saving grace of allowing me to listen to 6 Music while I pootled about. It was while doing this that I first heard Wolf’s Law, a teaser track from the forthcoming The Joy Formidable album of the same title.
In fact, it was the first time I’d ever heard of The Joy Formidable.
I was blown away, that in a time where so much bland bullshit is gloopily pouring out of my speakers, such a well-produced, epic sounding band can get on the radio playing something with such heart and soul.
So, I took a note of the name, and when I got home I hoovered up everything I could find (and incidentally discovered that the vocalist, Ritzy Bryan is stunning, and has now gone on my list, if you know what I mean).
Finally, just three months later, Wolf’s Law is upon us, and by Christ is it every bit as good as the teaser track suggested.
It’s fair to say that The Joy Formidable don’t list subtlety as one of their strengths, each track hits you with massive, rumbling basslines, distorted guitar layered over more distorted guitar, with the aforementioned Ritzy’s light, angelic vocal floating upon it all, with a supportive string underscore helping it reach to the heavens.
Opener, This Ladder Is Ours comes across as like The Arcade Fire, but with an element, a drive, a momentum that puts them in a whole new strata. Next we move onto Cholla, which follows the same formula, but with a sledgehammer weight that pushes it squarely into the realm of early 65daysofstatic, before they started messing about with disco.
Silent Treatment is a beautiful lull, a breather that brings us Ritzy’s acoustic guitar and delicate vocal, and not much more. It’s a contrast that reminds us that there’s more to The Joy Formidable than massive production, and apocalyptic noise.
Oddly, the lead single, Wolf’s Law, has been seemingly omitted from the album. It’s not until we allow the contemplative final track, The Turnaround, to play out, do we hear it. It’s an unusual move, because it’s such a strong track, which this decision makes it slightly harder to access. Maybe it’s a message about good things coming to those who wait. Who knows?
Don’t get me wrong, Wolf’s Law (the album) is not perfect. There are things about it that can come across as slightly cynical; notably in the way the songs are arranged to be as catchy as possible, but you can hardly hold it against the band. They want this album to put them in the top flight, and based on this evidence, they really should be there.
Released 21st January 2013.
Words By Darren Saunders.
