Cardiff-based noisepop five-piece Joanna Gruesome will release their debut album Weird Sister on September 10 via Slumberland Records (US) and Fortuna POP! (Europe). Album tracklist and cover art below. Today the group shares the album’s second single “Sugarcrush”.

Thrilling Cardiff-based noisepop five-piece Joanna Gruesome will be releasing their terrific debut album via Fortuna POP! (Europe) and Slumberland (USA) in September. Brimming with irresistible pop melodies and spiked with dissonant fuzzy jangle, their songs are shot through with loud discordant feedback and super-fast, hardcore punk drumbeats.

Kicking it against sexism and homophobia, nothing is off-limits, drawing inspiration from DIY scenes such as Riot Grrrl/noisepop/C86 /K Records as well as post hardcore like Drive Like Jehu/Converge and the art rock of The Velvet Underground and My Bloody Valentine, Joanna Gruesome offer a staggeringly diverse album, unexpectedly quiet and surprisingly loud.

Joanna Gruesome comprise Alanna on vocals, Owen on guitar, Max on bass, George on guitar and Dave on drums. They all met in an anger management counseling group. During the course they were told that writing, making music, dancing or painting could relieve tension and help reduce feelings of anger. One initiative involved a project where they were assigned a group to compose and perform a song in front of other members. Initially they found each other infuriating but gradually acknowledged their musical chemistry and decided to continue with the band outside the therapy group.

Most of the album was written during a month long stay in a seedy west Brighton hotel (now closed down) called The Hell House. The residents were pretty strange, kept attempting occult rituals/using Ouija boards etc and many of the songs were written to distract from the weirdness. Heart-wrenching and exhilarating in equal measure, these are not cheerful songs.

Joanna Gruesome

Weird Sister

Street Date: Sept 10, 2013

1. Anti Parent Cowboy Killers

2. Sugarcrush

3. Wussy Void

4. Madison

5. Lemonade Girl

6. Secret Surprise

7. Do You Really Wanna Know Why Yr Still In Love With Me?

8. Candy

9. Graveyard

10. Satan

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