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

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Women In Film at Doc ‘N’ Roll Film Festival 2018

Having been going since last Thursday, this year’s Doc ‘N’ Roll Film Festival is running an exciting line-up of music documentaries running at various cinemas across London over the next couple of weeks. As if that didn’t sound exciting enough, this year in particular is showcasing the contribution of women to both the film and music industries, with a wide variety of talents both in front of and behind the camera being celebrated.

One of the films being showcased is the story of poet and electro pioneer Anne Clark, I’ll Walk Out Into Tomorrow. Anne Clark turned punk’s creative heat into eloquently cool soundscapes, whose influence, three decades on, is still felt among musicians in Europe and beyond. Via her groundbreaking use of samples and analogue synthesizers in tracks such as ‘Sleeper in Metropolis’ and ‘Our Darkness’, the Croydon-born artist would become a forerunner of the techno generation. This intimate portrait of a famously reticent figure attests to the patience and keen eye of filmmaker Claus Withopf, whose camera accompanied Clark for nearly a decade. Along with compelling live footage dating from the 1980s to the present day, I’ll Walk Out Into Tomorrow focuses on Clark’s recollections of her school days, London’s punk scene, the music industry’s manipulations and deceits, the wilfulness of the human heart, and her enduring love affair with the creative process in all its doubts, detours and discoveries. I’ll Walk Out Into Tomorrow will have its UK premiere at The Barbican Centre at 3.30pm on Saturday 10th November. 

Also screening will be the story of Sweden’s most outspoken Feminist LGBTQ rapper Silvana Imam, Silvana. Silvana is screening on Saturday 10th November at 6pm at Curzon Soho. 

Another film we’re particularly excited about, Stories From She Punks tells the story of women who wrote songs and played instruments in bands in the ’70s, and is made by Helen Reddington of The Chefs and Gina Birch of The Raincoats. The world premiere of Stories From She Punks is screening on Saturday 10th November at 7pm at Genesis Cinema. 


Lesley Woods, from the film Stories From She Punks.

And perhaps the most poignant of the festival’s offerings, So, Which Band Is Your Boyfriend In? explores gender in the DIY punk scene. So, Which Band Is Your Boyfriend In? sees its London premiere on Saturday 17th November at 6.30pm at Genesis Cinema. 


Marcia of The Skints, from the film So, Which Band Is Your Boyfriend In?

Of the festival, founder Colm Forde explains:

“Our 5th London edition is the culmination of five years of relentless DIY spirit – blood sweat and tears from ourselves and a passionate volunteer group of independent film and music fanatics. Along the way, we’ve grown an ever expanding young audience of underserved fans across the UK, while inspiring many flattering imitators and upsetting the industry dinosaurs! Our programme of 28 premiere films includes 16 first-time directors who champion the power of music and film as universal languages of hope and inclusion.”

All info and a full listing of films on offer at Doc ‘N’ Roll Film Festival found here.

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Get In Her Ears w/ Luna Neptune 16.08.18

Kate returned to the studio this week, armed with plenty of new music from the likes of Ghum; Basement Revolver, LOW, Skating Polly & Ellie Bleach. She opened the show with a tribute to the late, great ‘Queen Of Soul’ Aretha Franklin too.

Luna Neptune also came in to chat about her recent EP Next Automated Wave, and for a live performance.

Listen back to the show here:

@getinherears
@KCBobCut
@LunaNeptuneBand

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EP: ShitKid – ‘This Is It’

ShitKid has a penchant for apathetic, off-kilter lo-fi sounds and she’s set to share more of them on her upcoming EP, This Is It. The anti-popstar’s fourth record is set for release on 19th January via PNKSLM Recordings and it’s the perfect follow-up to her acclaimed debut, Fish.

ShitKid is the project of Swedish artist Åsa Söderqvist, who recorded and produced This Is It in her own bedroom, before handing over the material to be mastered by Luke Reilly. The EP opens with jaded track ‘Favourite Thing’, on which heavy bass & reverb align to communicate ShitKid’s simultaneous delight and dissatisfaction with a summer fling.

‘Oh Me I’m Never’ picks up the tempo, with pulsing, drone-like electronics and more of ShitKid’s deceptively sweet vocals. The pounding drums and jaded synths on third track ‘All My Fears’ will get your feet anxiously shuffling around the dance floor, while ‘High Way’ is an off-kilter extrapolation about life after quitting a job because you’re “lazy and bored.” Her apathy has an unusual, engrossing energy to it and penultimate track ‘Spring Theory’ will have you eye-rolling at your seasonal chores list, eager not to waste time on such mundane events

‘Yooouuu’ is an anti-love song, an extended farewell sponsored by “so many cups of coffee” and “cigarettes” culminating in a note “by the phone”. It’s a polished ending to this strung out set of sounds, all of which prove that ShitKid is anything but shit.

Pre-order your Limited Edition vinyl copy of This Is It here. Follow ShitKid on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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