Joy Again – Song And Dance :: OndaRock Reviews

Joy Again's debut album lasts just over half an hour. Twelve tracks of light indie-rock power- And bedroom-pop which do not have a weak moment and consolidate the fanbase of the Philadelphia band, which has reached over four million monthly listeners on Spotify.

Tribes, Pixies, Mansions and contemporaries like Yot Club can be useful references to frame the album's cut: few chords, the right rough but brilliant sound, a light-hearted, slightly pop-punk tone, just a touch of electronics… And then melodies, verses, riffrefrains that hit the mark, even when they happen bridge (but without exaggerating, which then makes things too complicated).
Nostalgia and adolescent spontaneity are the emotional keystones of almost all the pieces, whether real or artificial. What acts as a glue is the omnipresent bittersweetness linked to the passage of time, often told through the fading of a romantic relationship. “I can't believe what you've done to me/ Since you fell out of love with who I've become,” recites title trackand the bulk of the album's lyrics echo this same mood.
The lyrical toolbox will be limited, and deliberately so is the musical one, but the ingredients are arranged in a varied and effective way, giving each piece its own personality. “Apples, Peaches” focuses on a grainy sound and funk-like bass, “Angel” combines synth-pop in its most breezy guise, “Chew” goes straight to pop-punk without overdoing it, “Carolina” closes the album with a delicate streak, yet surprising with slightly fabulous rhythmic interlockings.

Duly pandering and undoubtedly on fire, “Song And Dance” however also seems to be the epilogue of Joy Again's trajectory. In March, even before the release of the album, the band announced its dissolution. Anyone who discovers them after the games are over will still be able to proceed backwards through the group's discography, which is collected in two EPs (“Piano”, the most brilliant and ramshackle, and “Joy Again”) and a compilation (“Forever”). Or throw yourself on the solo production of the leader Arthur Shea (aka Arthur), already comprising three lopsided albums and a lot of Zolo, and realistically destined to be enriched in the future – we'll see if along the same oblique line or, in harmony with the spirit of ” Song And Dance”, along a more ecumenically pop-rock direction.

12/20/2024