When studio legend Gil Norton (Pixies, Feeder) declares a band ‘The new queens of rock’, it’s important to sit up and listen. The band in question, JOANovARC, tracked their acclaimed 2016 debut, Ride of your Life, with Gil and are now back with a brand-new outing mixed by the excellent Wayne Proctor (King King, Ben Poole) and Steve Wright at Y Dream Studios, North Wales. An explosive four-piece band, JOANovARC is led by the Walker sisters – Samantha on bass and vocals, Shelley on lead guitar and backing vocals – and they are joined by Laura Ozholl on rhythm guitar and Deborah Wildish on drums. Together, they make some of the most addictive, catchy rock of recent times, and the eleven tracks here look set to burnish still further the reputation the band has amassed.
Opening with the insanely addictive Burning, the first thing you notice is Samantha Walker’s vocal which runs down across the opening riff, introducing the song and drawing the listener in. Her voice is powerful, a touch gritty where it counts, and she pours genuine emotion into a lyric about the London riots of 2011. Nailing the track is the quite excellent percussion from Deborah Wildish who embellishes her parts perfectly, knowing exactly when to go for a vibrant fill and when to hold off, allowing other instrumentation to shine. It’s a sparkling start to the album drawing on a number of elements including classic Guns ‘n’ Roses and Manic Street Preachers, and it paves the way for the brisk waiting for, which offers up a tense opening riff and some nice minor key harmonies that recall early Veruca Salt. Similarly addictive is down by the river which has a sweet classic rock vibe thanks to the judicious use of acoustic guitars and a pristine mix, but it’s the glorious chorus that’ll have listeners returning time and again to a track destined to blaze across the airwaves everywhere where there’s electricity. Next up, JOANovARC pull a neat volte face to deliver the funky, soulful people coming up which sounds like Beth Hart tackling Kiss during their disco phase. It’s a great track, a sure-fire dance-floor filler and catchy as hell. The band stay in rockin’ disco territory for take it out, an initially slight track that threatens to be underwhelming until the glorious chorus kicks in. it brings the first half of the album neatly to a close.
Opening the second half, JOANovARC slow the pace for the stripped-down and subtle when we were young, although Shelley Walker’s understated solo will still send shivers down the spine. Similarly, try it on sees the band adopt a slow-burning style, the rippling percussion that underpins the song threatening to explode into violence if the unseen protagonist doesn’t heed the warning and back off. Jane sees Laura on lead vocals for a track that recalls the likes of Heart with its country-alt vibe and sweet harmonies. Things get heavier on the bluesy this Way, a track built around a raw, gritty riff and this carries over into Slipping Away a track which the band compare to the likes of Hole and The Breeders. It is a heavier track for sure, although it lacks the ramshackle rage of early hole, veering closer to the likes of Feeder with the chugging rhythm and glistening lead. The album closes with the subtle, acoustic lament Go Home, a sweet finale that brings this diverse album nicely to a close.
Beautifully recorded, this self-titled album does much to cement the reputation JOANovARC have built for themselves since their inception in 2015. Tough rhythms, soaring leads and hook-laden choruses are all present and correct, the band drawing influence from myriad rock artists to deliver a punchy album that repays repeat listens and which will undoubtedly inform any number of rock radio playlists in the months to come. All rhetoric aside, JOANovARC is simply a great rock album from a great band and it deserves every success… oh, and for goodness’ sake, play it LOUD! 8.5
