The Student Playlist

Showcasing the Best New Music, Curating the Classics

REVIEW: Joanna Gruesome – ‘Peanut Butter’ (Fortuna Pop!)

Front cover of 'Peanut Butter'

Front cover of ‘Peanut Butter’

by Matthew Langham

Welsh noise-pop quintet Joanna Gruesome return with the follow-up to their 2013 debut Weird Sister. At just over twenty minutes long, it packs a lot into the record and certainly doesn’t disappoint in terms of content. Produced by MJ of Leeds outfit Hookworms, Peanut Butter has an element of urgency and anxiety about it also reflecting the angst rock of their debut.

The outfit perfectly play around the loud/quiet dynamic popularised by grunge bands in the early ‘90s. Opening track ‘Last Year’ is brimming over with the same energy and goes straight into jangly guitar riffs alongside the angst-filled feminist lyrics of vocalist Alanna McArdle. ‘Jamie (Luvver)’ doesn’t quite get the foot tapping, but ‘Honestly Do Yr Worst’ is a much more appropriate throwback to their debut record. Amongst a couple of filler tracks, ‘Psykick Espionage’ defines Joanna Gruesome at their peak – clever pop melodies alongside blistering, sugar coated guitar riffs.

However, Peanut Butter‘s overall sound feels more than a tad familiar. The production is economic and slick, but it’s given the band little room for experimentation  in any other direction. ‘Hey! I Wanna Be Yr Best Friend’ finishes record off with a promising slow-paced Velvet Underground style melody with duelling guitars, which displays a latent desire to expand their sound, so it would be good to see the band diversify and incorporate some different dynamics into their next record. (6/10)

Listen to Peanut Butter here!

Leave A Comment

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.