JOANovARC by JOANovARC

Grammy-winning producer Gil Norton regards JOANovARC as ‘The new Queens of Rock’. High praise indeed from the man in the control room behind some of the Foo Fighters most prolific work.

Over the last three years, the all-female British quartet has been touring relentlessly whilst simultaneously writing towards the follow-up to their 2016 debut Ride Of Your Life. And now it’s time for the group to finally share the fruits of their labour with their all-new eponymous sophomore release.

The band’s latest offering was mixed and mastered by Wayne Proctor and Steve Wright of House of Tone, who have really worked their magic on the record. The overall flow of the album is simply a joy from start to finish.

The beauty of this album is that it truly showcases the many different facets of JOANovARC. It’s not just all about the fist-pumping hard rock anthems, there’s so much more to that band than that. The vast musical landscape covered on the album maintains your interest throughout, you don’t necessarily find yourself skipping tracks, but rather listening to the album in full.

The album kicks off with the fiery opening track “Burning”. And it’s not just the title that radiates heat, the track features some scorching fretwork from Shelley Walker, as well as an infectious melody that simply sweeps you away.

Likewise “Waiting For” follows suit with its bass-heavy groove from Samantha Walker, tight rhythm and short sharp guitar riffs. Much like the opener, this track is another early favourite at the top of the album.

On the other hand “People Coming Up” deviates from the norm, taking the album in a slightly different direction. This song, in particular, is less rock and more funk, whilst conjuring up images of artists like Chic and Nile Rodgers.

The groups stray off the beaten path is only short-lived initially as they switch gears very quickly with the dark and brooding “Take It Out”. Again with its catchy hooks, this track, in particular, will inevitably by a crowd pleaser on the band’s forthcoming UK tour.

With songs like “When We Were Young” and “Go Home”, the four-piece prove that they can produce high-quality ballads just as easily as they can deliver all-out hard rock anthems. Each of these tracks holds their own on the record. With the beautiful, heartfelt and somewhat harmonious “Go Home” closing out the release.

The heavy percussive segments by Deborah Wildish on “Try It On” are a real joy to listen to. The track has a stunning melody, and the chorus on this number, in particular, is a real earworm.

For those familiar with the group, “Jane” will come as no surprise, having been a live favourite for a while. The song has a bit more of an alt-rock vibe to it, and you can almost just visualise the crowd pogoing along to this number.

As the album reaches its conclusion, the group ups the tempo with the hard-hitting groove of “This Way” and the fast and furious “Slipping Away”. The latter of which is arguably one of the heaviest numbers on the album.

With JOANovARC’s latest offering, the band has delivered a contemporary rock album that showcases their versatility, whilst simultaneously putting forward the perfect representation of how rock music should sound in 2019.

JOANovARC’s sophomore album will be released via Holier Than Thou Records on Friday 31st May 2019. The band will also be performing at Camden Rocks Festival this weekend at Gabeto on Sunday 2^nd June at 15:00.

JOANovARC – MAY/JUNE 2019 UK TOUR 
TICKETS: http://joanovarc.co.uk/events/

JOANovARC
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