ALBUM: Big Joanie – ‘Sistahs’

A mix of the personal and political underscored by riotous rhythms and a sistah-hood ethos, DIY punks Big Joanie have released their highly anticipated debut album Sistahs today. Recorded at Hermitage Works Studio with producer Margo Broom and released via Thurston Moore & Eva Prinz’s new label The Daydream Library Series, Sistahs is a strong debut from a band who have been actively working on and off-stage within London’s DIY scene for years.

Together, Steph, Estella & Chardine have been busy running the Decolonise Fest for punks of colour, volunteering at Girls Rock Camp and leading the Stop Rainbow Racism campaign, which works to stop racist performances in LGBTQ venues. Their combined pro-active efforts have resulted in the creation of 11 songs that tackle issues of self-motivation, race, equality, and letting go of unhealthy relationships.

The pensive and highly relatable opening track ‘New Year’ brims with a quiet yearning to kick start something, to stop waiting. It’s followed by ‘Fall Asleep’ with its infectious bass lines and wicked guitar riffs. The introduction of electronics 1:44 minutes in is ultra cool, and was inspired by the likes of Joy Division and New Order (which is why Producer Margo added a wall of synths and drum beats.)

‘Used To Be Friends’ is an anthem everyone can sing with confidence with a sarcastic smile and no real sense of aggro – just the care-free attitude of someone who’s shed the skin of an unhealthy acquaintance. ‘Eyes’ is a cacophony of guitars, percussion and recorder. It’s one of the first songs guitarist Steph wrote aged nineteen, inspired by her disdain for “working a part-time job handing out over-priced artisan bread at Waitrose”.

‘Way Out’ is a wonderful, reverb-soaked, 90s-esque tune, whilst the brief ‘Down Down’ spirals along with its driving percussion for just shy of two minutes, before the surf-pop-style ‘Tell A Lie’ lifts listeners up again. Much like ‘Used To Be Friends’, ‘Token’ laments an unhealthy friendship, although this time it’s about the feeling of ‘tokenism’ experienced by people of colour when middle class white people decide to befriend them as a poor act of liberalism.

‘It’s You’ was born from a bad situation. After the lead singer from Steph’s first band (My Therapist Says Hot Damn) left just three days before their next gig – ‘It’s You’ was one of the many songs she had to write from scratch to play at the show. The penultimate ‘How Could You Love Me’ will have you swaying from side-to-side as it rings out in 60s girl group style, whilst closing track ‘Cut Your Hair’ is a vulnerable but optimistic ode to predicting a relationship is over before you or your partner are willing to admit it.

Despite their breezy, confident nature, the contexts of Big Joanie’s songs on Sistahs are powerful because the relay the struggles of everyday. Whether that’s having your mind turned to mush by a boring job, falling out with yourself, or others around you, they’re three women of colour talking about their life experiences to the backdrop of marching beats and punk-inspired riffs. That’s something the world needs plenty more of in our opinion.

Order your copy of Sistahs here. Follow Big Joanie on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Get In Her Ears2 Comments

WATCH: Ms Mohammed – ‘Pandora’

A direct challenge to anyone who dares to suppress the feminine in all its forms, musician and activist Ms Mohammed has shared a video to accompany her latest single ‘Pandora’. Taken from her critically acclaimed EP Alibi, ‘Pandora’ brims with relentless riffs and thundering percussion, which reflects the strength and endurance of all the women featured in the new visuals. Among these women are Madame So, Kat Five of Feral Five and Zel from VODUN.

“We are sold limiting ideas of what it means to be female,” Ms Mohammed explains about the context behind her single and video. “The feminine is still derided in all cultures, still frowned upon, still synonymous with weakness. Truly celebrating the feminine would bring about the revolution that is so desperately needed. The Future is Femme!”

Ms Mohammed founded the Clit Rock movement in 2013 as a way of speaking out against female genital mutilation. As a champion of cross-cultural tolerance and an out queer artist who advocates for LGBT rights and visibility, Ms Mohammed is challenging prejudice through her music and we are happy to be her allies in the fight for equality.

Watch the video for ‘Pandora’ below and follow Ms Mohammed on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Get In Her EarsLeave a comment

Darlington Music Collective Tracks Presents: Noisy Daughters Event

Following on from their successful Womenfolk event in October 2017, Darlington music collective Tracks have organised a FREE workshop & panel discussion on 3rd March – followed by a ticketed gig! – to celebrate females in music. The event aims to teach and inspire the next generation of girls and lead the way to equality in music. The showcase will take place at the new Theatre Hullabaloo space that’s recently opened in Darlington.

Tracks are a non-profit organisation and any money raised from ticket sales will go back into funding future Noisy Daughters events. The workshop is open to females only, but all are welcome at either the panel or the gig.

The free songwriting workshop for women runs from 1-3pm, and will be delivered by Liz Corney (The Cornshed Sisters, Field Music). Participants are encouraged to bring their instruments and are offered guidance in all things musical composition (places are limited; so booking is advised). This will be followed by a panel discussion from 3.30pm-4.30pm, which will centre around the issues facing women in the music industry today, and what can be done to change them.

Panelists include Rianne Thompson from BBC Tees, Hannah Van Thompson of The Van Ts, Claire Dupree from Narc Magazine, and Liz Corney of The Cornshed Sisters/Field Music. Sarah Wilson from Tracks/BIG Little Gigs will be chairing, and there will be an opportunity for the audience to ask questions at the end.

The day will conclude with a headline gig from The Van Ts, with support coming from the likes of BBC 6 Radio play-listed singer-songwriter Eve Conway, the much hyped hip-hop act Leddie MC, and energetic electro-pop pioneers Twist Helix.

(Pic: The Van Ts)

Sarah Wilson from Tracks said: “It’s vital to give women in music credible, female-led music events nationally, and it’s brilliant that we can do this in our hometown of Darlington. We’re hoping to inspire the next generation of female musicians, whilst giving a platform to the current batch of female artists that are leading the way”.

BBC statistics showed that last year, 84% of headliners at music festivals were men. Ents24.com demonstrated that this trend occurs not only at festivals but takes place on a daily basis at regular shows. On a randomly selected day(12th October 2017), they found that out of the 370 gigs listed on their website, 69% of the acts (255) were made up entirely of men, while just 9% (33) were female-only (half of these being solo artists).

Outside of the performance arena, a recent study by Georgina Born and Kyle Devine – titled ‘Music Technology, Gender, and Class: Digitization, Educational and Social Change in Britain’ – highlighted the “highly (male) gendered digital music field” in which approximately 90% of music technology students are currently white males. The outcome is that the creative field becomes dominated by male practitioners, male lecturers and male authors.

With all these negative headlines and a male dominated industry it’s easy to see why women are underrepresented in the world of modern music. Thankfully, organisations like Tracks are tackling the issue head on with their brilliant Noisy Daughters event.

Tickets for the gig are available online here. Physical tickets can be purchased from The Pennyweight in Darlington.

FYI – this is a 12 + event (under 16s must be accompanied by an adult).

RSVP to the free song-writing workshop & panel here.

Follow Tracks on Facebook and check out their website for updates & future events.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Get In Her EarsLeave a comment

Track Of The Day: Ms Mohammed – ‘Alibi’

Ms Mohammed (aka Dana Jade) is not one to suffer fools gladly. As both a musician and an activist, she confronts xenophobia and Islamophobia head-on to challenge pre-conceptions about race, gender and sexuality. Born in Trinidad and of South Asian descent, her guitar-wielding persona is equal parts exotic Goddess and entrancing vampire.

Her new track ‘Alibi’, taken from her recent EP of the same name, is full of thumping, exotic dhol drums, surrounded by fuzzy, bluesy guitars, all of which lead the listener down velvet and gold-lined corridors to Ms. Mohammed’s lair – a prospect which is simultaneously thrilling and terrifying.

As a champion of religious and cultural tolerance and supporter of LGBT rights, Ms Mohammed is challenging prejudice through her music – and we are 100% behind her endeavours to promote tolerance, acceptance and freedom of expression.

Follow Ms Mohammed on Facebook, and join the Clitrock movement on Twitter too.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Get In Her EarsLeave a comment