Indie/Alternative/Pop Rock

Taken from their debut album "Weird Sister."
Out now on Slumberland Records (US) & Fortuna Pop! (UK)

LP/CD: http://smarturl.it/jgws-album
Digital: http://smarturl.it/jgws-itunes

Thrilling Cardiff-based noisepop five-piece Joanna Gruesome will be releasing their terrific debut album via Fortuna POP! (Europe) and Slumberland (USA) in September. Brimming with irresistible pop melodies and spiked with dissonant fuzzy jangle, their songs are shot through with loud discordant feedback and super-fast, hardcore punk drumbeats. This album sees their first foray away from recording in a living room to a proper studio under the guidance of producer MJ of the much lauded Hookworms.

Kicking it against sexism and homophobia, nothing is off-limits, drawing inspiration from DIY scenes such as Riot Grrrl/noisepop/C86 /K Records as well as post hardcore like Drive Like Jehu/Converge and the art rock of The Velvet Underground and My Bloody Valentine, Joanna Gruesome offer a staggeringly diverse album, unexpectedly quiet and surprisingly loud.

Joanna Gruesome comprise Alanna on vocals, Owen on guitar, Max on bass, George on guitar and Dave on drums. They all met in an anger management counseling group. During the course they were told that writing, making music, dancing or painting could relieve tension and help reduce feelings of anger. One initiative involved a project where they were assigned a group to compose and perform a song in front of other members. Initially they found each other infuriating but gradually acknowledged their musical chemistry and decided to continue with the band outside the therapy group.

Most of the album was written during a month long stay in a seedy west Brighton hotel (now closed down) called The Hell House. The residents were pretty strange, kept attempting occult rituals/using Ouija boards etc and many of the songs were written to distract from the weirdness. Heart-wrenching and exhilarating in equal measure, these are not cheerful songs.

Awash with nods to mental illness and the dark recesses of the mind, the record is littered with references to the devil or zombies and allusions to comic books. “Secret Surprise”, in which mental illness takes a physical form and is fought using razor blades. Or "Anti-Parent Cowboy Killers," which is about stealing a scooter and driving it into the ocean when you should be in school LEARNING. Or "Sugarcrush," about spending a summer burning knitwear.

They have built-up a phenomenal live reputation, blending obnoxiously loud guitars and the occasional band uniform, with a high energy performance dispersed with quieter reflection, boy/girl vocals and teenage angst.

“Abrasion, anger, attitude. One guitarist is in the audience, but this isn’t too much of a stretch. There are slower parts where the musicians take a second to breath. There are noisier bits where the musicians take a second to reflect. There are thumpy bits where the musicians take a second to dance and enjoy themselves. Everyone’s smiling. Everyone’s hugging themselves. What a glorious mess of a noise to be a part of. What a glorious sense of community.” Everett True, Collapse Board
 
"A brilliant band from Cardiff who love their fuzzy melodies and songs dripped in scuzzy reverb." Huw Stephens, Radio One.

Joanna Gruesome - Sugarcrush

Go Violets - Teenager

recorded between 06/2012 and 04/2013 by jan niklas jansen & björn sonnenberg at bear cave cologne  
( http://www.bearcavestudio.com ). 
mastered 05/2013 by shelly steffens at chigaco mastering service 
( http://www.chicagomasteringservice.com).


CONVINCE ME

Take a look at the Video: 
https://vimeo.com/82579305

IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER

RECORDED AT HAFENSTRASSE 64,
MASTERED BY ROLE AT TONMEISTEREI, OLDENBURG. 
http://www.die-tonmeisterei.de/

I WISH I WAS BIKINI KILL!

Whilst visiting New York, The Radio Dept. popped into KEXP and recorded an acoustic Piano version of Heaven's On Fire which you can now download here, for free.

Take away the Thurston Moore speech, the fuzz, the synth and strip the song down to it's bare bones, there you'll find a passionate and emotional song.

With Daniel playing the Piano, Martin's acoustic guitar and Johan's soft vocals, The Radio Dept. have done their best to let you into the emotional side of this song.
Listen and download!

The Radio Dept. - Heavens On Fire (Acoustic)

For your consideration is the 2nd full-length recording from A Tundra... "Ides of Parch". With the band's sophomore release, A Tundra has whittled away many of its noise and prog experiments in favor of a more pop-based approach. While their debut record “Man or Woman Laughing Or Crying” flowed something more like a ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ novel, “Ides of Parch” trades some of these musical diversions for a more linear approach to arrangement. Melodic vocal threads with layers of harmony popping in and out intertwine with smart, but never obtuse, layers of instrumentation. Though, the band has learned from its previous excursions into deconstruction. Bursts of noise or collage sometimes reappear with purpose into the support role of seasoning the songs when necessary.

Album Info

All music written and arranged by Katsaounis/Mahlmeister/Payne/Steffens, except “We” written by Steffens.
All lyrics by Mahlmeister/Steffens.
Personnel:

Donny Mahlmeister: Guitar, Vocals, keyboards
Liz Payne: Bass, Viola, Upri

09 We

Original track included in the album "Clinging to a scheme" (CPD 30) 
Casa del Puente Discos. 
Labrador Records

The Radio Dept. / Heavens On Fire

Erben des Knalls

(Strophe 1)
Am anfang war das nichts dann der raum und die zeit
dann das licht dann der staub dann ein haufen gestein
dann ein stern der ihn wärmt und den er laufend umkreist
bis sich auf diesem stein etwas auftat zu sein

denn auf dem blau-grünen eiland - geschaffen aus staub
stieg erst irgendwas mit beinen aus dem wasser heraus
tauschte schuppen gegen haut stieg als affe vom baum
begann sich waffen zu bauen und damit über afrika hinaus

durch diese welt zu marschieren - plündernd und nehmend
erst mit schüchternen gesten dann die münder bewegend
jedes stück des planeten hier in trümmern zu legen
nur um sich dafür sein konterfei auf münzen zu prägen

die er hortet und pflegt während er fortwährend fleht
dass er der mortalität durch ein paar worte entgeht
die zwar weise erscheinen doch die menschen verfassten
die allen ernstes dachten dass die erde eine scheibe sei

(Hook)

(Strophe 2)
Auf diesem wunderschönen steine wird recht grausam selektiert
sodoch stach der mensch heraus aus den abertausend tieren
schwang sich auf zu dominieren dank dem daumen und dem hirn
dank dem feuer das er zähmte um da draussen nicht zu frieren

denn es hielt ihn erst nur warm doch dann lernte er zu schmieden
ersann sich ein paar zahlen und erlernte dividieren
programmierte sie dann zahllos auf gerfertigte platinen
und aus erze und dem feuer schuf der mensche windows sieben

geläutert von den trieben und getrieben von vernunft
hat er in jeder sprache worte für die liebe und die kunst
er erfasst sich physikalisch all das wirken um ihn rum
doch seine eigentliche frage ist nicht wie sondern warum

denn er fühlt sich zu bedeutend um in schwärze zu verschwinden
daher sperrt er seine sinne und glaubt märchen die verkünden
dass ein jeder ewig lebt doch die auch menschen verfassten
die allen ernstes dachten dass die erde sich nicht dreht

(Hook)

(Strophe 3)
Solange der mensch lebt solang strebt er auch denn
das streben ist dem wesen eines jeden immanent
es vergeht kein moment in dem der mensch nicht denkt
es gäbe irgendeinen grund für seine existenz

und so sucht er und findet in den weiten des himmels
immer weitere himmel die von weitem her glimmend
schon zu zeiten dort wimmelten und hell erstrahlten
als die welt die ihn gebahr noch ein felsbrocken war

und nun stellt sich die frage was da oben noch wartet
weil da mond sowie mars doch kein opa mit bart ist
nur ne große und schwarze trostlose leere in der
tote materie verloren durch die gegend fliegt

[.......................] ich wünscht` es wär nich der fall
doch alle sterne des alls sind nur erben des knalls
und nich mehr. es ist falsch was die alten da schrieben
doch des gottes bester freund ist seine alternative

(Hook 2x)

--------

drums based on beat by beatjunkie-rato
additional electric and accoustic guitars, keys and voices by
Die Primären Geschlechtsorgane.
facebook/MCSmog

MC Smog - Erben des Knalls

Thank you for listening –
we're a band called mennies.


Always looking for new and interesting music. Love supporting indie bands/small labels. 

CONVINCE ME

mennies

Recent comments

lada andel

Stricklyerin

Related tracks