I find it pretty darn irritating and somewhat patronising when you see music writers, DJs, bloggers etc claiming how 'proud' they are of a certain band's success - almost as if they deserve some of the credit for the success that the artist has forged for themselves.
That being said, to have seen Joanna Gruesome grow from a conversation on Facebook chat to be releasing their debut album on Fortuna POP! and Slumberland has been a real privilege. Even from their
first five roughly recorded demos it was pretty obvious they had something pretty special going on (Owen is quite simply an incredible song-writer), and an album on two esteemed labels is nothing less than they deserve.
I also find it incredibly irritating when bloggers, journalists, DJs etc brag on various social media platforms about all of the albums they've heard ahead of release, but I can say without any sense of exaggeration that their debut album is bloody excellent. Its release has been officially announced today - it'll come out on September 9 in the UK on Fortuna POP! and on September 10 in the US on Slumberland.
With the addition of vocalist Lan (Alanna McArdle, who also sings as Ides and with A Grave With No Name), they've added an extra dimensions - her voice able to switch from sugar-sweet to in-your-face and angry in an instant. And that's something demonstrated on 'Secret Surprise', the excellent first song to be unveiled from the record, below.
