THE JOY FORMIDABLE hit the Horseshoe on Saturday (April 2). See listing. Rating: NNN
It’s nice to see that the chillwave memo currently circulating in North America has yet to reach England’s shores. In Britain, apparently it’s still okay to come across as a band that actually cares about the subjects of its songs it’s okay to try to make a statement. Muse have been the most effective at this, and now Welsh trio the Joy Formidable are following a similar path, albeit with considerably less contrived drama.
The immediate criticism about this long-in-the-making debut (in the works since 2008) is that there’s too much big, as the title suggests. Throughout what feel like 12 songs of unending crescendos, singer/guitarist Ritzy Bryan’s punchy verses blow up into urgent choruses that fall into hammering guitar solos and flurrying drums. The Big Roar rarely catches its breath, save for Llaw=Wall, when the roller coaster pauses for a few minutes before lurching into the raucous Chapter 2. It’s dizzying, and you’ll want off at times, but you’ll likely ask to ride again.
Top track: The Greatest Light Is The Greatest Shade
