Joanovarc
Joanovarc – Red Vixen Records
The thing that first strikes you about this new eponymous Joanovarc album is just how polished it all is. If this was a band swimming in cash with huge backing this wouldn’t be a surprise but they’re really not, they’re very much hands on and mindful of the pennies. This does give them full control but quite often when bands are fully at the helm they steer inevitably towards trouble. Here with this record the course is set for a hard rocking pleasure cruise. The music is strictly rock of a retro nature while the sound is sharp, crisp and very much twenty first century. Joanovarc have an astonishing ability in penning harmony laden songs that are pure class. In particular Sam Walker’s vocals should serve as a lesson in how to sing with real control. The music is emotive and is almost tactile in the way it surrounds you, and then embraces you. In this digital age with blast beats, samples and screams this is a little island of pureness that still looks forward rather than in the rear view mirror. Joanovarc may just have produced one of the best rock albums of 2019.
Review by Gary Trueman