The Big Roar

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The Big Roar album cover
Album Information
EDITOR'S PICK
  • Artist: The Joy Formidable (See All Albums by The Joy Formidable)

  • Date Released: Jan 21, 2011

  • Genre: Alternative/Punk, Style: Commercial Alternative, Alternative

  • Label: Canvasback/ATL

  • Copyright: 2011 Atlantic Recording Corporation for the United States and WEA International Inc. for the world outside of the United States.

Total Tracks: 12   Total Length: 50:00

eMusic Review 0

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Kevin O'Donnell

eMusic Contributor

Kevin O'Donnell has worked as an editor at Rolling Stone and SPIN and his writing on music, books and pop culture has been published in the Washington Post, NPR...more »

02.28.11
Hook-centric pop formalists crank up the volume
2011 | Label: Canvasback/ATL

If Courtney Love went to etiquette class and got guitar lessons from My Bloody Valentine's Kevin Shields, her resulting band would sound a lot like Joy Formidable. Fronted by pixie-cute, bottle-blonde, 26-year-old Ritzy Bryan, the Welsh trio brings back the dense, fuzz-bombed wall of noise of early '90s alterna acts like My Bloody Valentine and Ride, and their long-in-the-works full-length debut album offers a far more thrilling revivalist ride than contemporary noise freaks like Yuck and Male Bonding.

When Bryan sings, "Simple words are growing vague," on opening stunner "The Everchanging Spectrum of a Lie," it's meant as a war cry. The Joy Formidable's sound is all about guitars: Bryan delivers maximal power-chords, saturated in fuzz, occasionally drowned out by feedback from amps that are dangerously cranked into the red. Her rhythm section rocks plenty, too: bassist (and Bryan's boyfriend) Rhydian Dafydd packs plenty of low-end, gut-rattling punch, while drummer Matthew Thomas unleashes furious punk grooves with the precision of Dave Grohl.

Despite the volume, Joy Formidable are hook-centric pop formalists at heart. "Cradle" features irresistible ooh-oohs amid its turbulent power chords, while "Don't Want to See You Like This" could be mistaken for a tossed-off tune from … read more »

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some beautiful noise

Touchedbyanoodle

This album definitely brings up memories of the early-mid 1990's post-shoegazer alt-rock bands making swirly loud music, female vocalists whose words are mostly buried in beautiful guitar noise. Of course, no one would match the majesty of Loveless. But many would try. As for the Joy Formidable: I like it, and I haven't heard anyone really do it (or getting attention for it is more like it) for some time. But the thing is, most of it all kind of blends together for me and is forgettable after the initial rush. There are a few tracks here that are strong enough to push beyond the initial thrill, though, like tracks 3 & 6. When I heard "Whirring" the first time, it certainly grabbed my attention.

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One of My Favorite Albums of 2011

magus3

This album is loud, sweet and utterly sublime; I can't stop listening to it. From the amazing opening sonic play of the first track to it its devastating closer, THE BIG ROAR is chock-full of gorgeous guitars, driving bass, stellar drumming and engaging vocals. As for the songs repeated from their first release A BALLOON CALLED MOANING, please note that the mixes are significantly different: "Austere" is nearly thirty seconds longer (and hauntingly richer) while "Whirring" is transformed from a three + minute song to a rip-roaring six + minute rock jam. I recommend downloading all tracks even if you already own A BALLOON CALLED MOANING, for THE BIG ROAR is one of those albums that merits hearing in its entirety as is. You'll be haunted for weeks.

user avatar

Awesome

theenddecay

Check out my full review here: http://earbuddy.blogspot.com/2011/04/earbuddy-review-joy-formidable-big-roar.html

user avatar

Great Album, Great Sound

NikkoKFM

Over all this is a great piece of work. I think this has the potential to be a classic of this decade. No filler on this one.

user avatar

Save Yourself Even More Money

Zotzedwriter

Agree with the post below - and want to add that "I Don't Want to See You Like This" was also previously released. Only six of the tracks on this disc were new for me.

user avatar

Save yourself some money

saradevil

This album has some tracks off of a Balloon Called Moaning. I was a little annoyed with that. The repeats are: 5. Austere 6. Whirring 9. Cradle 12. The Greatest Lights it he Greatest Shade Save yourself a few quid if you download this one and be selective.

user avatar

great album

KfuMike

also R.I.Y.L. : Tegan and Sara, Lush

user avatar

this is that....

sameoldparadise

i understand the hook-centric reference very well, but pop music is what you play for your parents in the car and they listen patiently and tell you that's very nice honey.... this isn't that..... rock and roll is what you play in your bedroom and your parents pound on the door and say.... TURN....THAT....DOWN!.............NOW!!!!.....this is that

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