Oh my gosh. These guys are heavy and loud. I can take heavy and loud; I had during all of middle school and high school. But The Joy Formidable is just a little too much for me to handle at times. These guys rarely take a break from being constantly in your face. The drummer finds home with his few crash cymbals, the guitarist/vocalist plays either full chords or power chords that are tainted with an overpowering distortion, and her vocals are covered by a relative fuzz. I've been through the album twice now. On my third listen, I had to stop after the third song. It's way too much British rock for one day.
However...
The Big Roar is a good rock album. It's eclectic, attention-grabbing, and if the distortion were to disappear, it has the potential to be awesome. I hear some great harmonies that are unfortunately overshadowed by the exuded Courtney Love-on-more-drugs-than-usual vibe.
If you're a rock fan at heart, definitely check out this album.
Verdict: 3.3/5. Favorite tracks:
The Magnifying Glass,
A Heavy Abacus,
Whirring (very cool music video),
Chapter 2, and
The Greatest Light Is The Greatest Shade.
Best, Jonathan
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