Portland – The always-focused musicians of No Joy brought their psych-rock to Mississippi Studios Friday night. The show followed the June 9th release of their LP, More Faithful. Their third release proves to be their most complex and their live show only reflected that. Strewn with ominous fade-outs, slow murky vocals and assertive skill, No Joy captivated the audience for the whole show. There is a sense of individualism when the band is onstage; each musician is fixated on their own contribution to the overall. No Joy aims to never leave their audience in silence, and isn’t that what we want?
No Joy formed out of a long-distance collaboration between vocalist and guitarist Jasamine White-Gluz and guitarist Laura Lloyd. Caught between Los Angeles and Montreal, White-Gluz eventually moved to Montreal so the band could play live. They released No Joy in 2010 and added drummer Garland Hastings and bassist Michael Farsky shortly thereafter. More Faithful’s predecessors are 2010’s Ghost Blonde and 2013’s Wait To Pleasure, both of which established their versatility as a collective. They self-proclaim their genre as “fantasy” and it is in many ways – a fantasy that exists in reality.
The Canadian four-piece thrives on a dreamy aesthetic that actually revolves around a more doomy groundwork. It’s no wonder that No Joy began playing shows with acts like Best Coast and Wavves, whose own sound is derived from a gloomy, albeit outwardly sunny approach to lo-fi. The band’s sound however is all their own, for their foray into the genre has been harsher and more intense. Onstage, it is apparent that White-Gluz’s ethereal, looped vocals and Lloyd’s manic guitar were the basis for their shoegaze sound, but the additions of Hastings’ non-overpowering drums and Farsky’s powerful bass were just as vital.
The set was comprised of songs mostly off More Faithful, but with inclusions of their former LPs. Wait To Pleasure’s “Hare Tarot Lies” was a standout with its imagery of “a flying beauty waiting on lockdown” and the repetition of that very image accompanied by trippy, melancholy guitar. “Everything New” off their latest album, was a slower, more melodic take on the psych-rock sound. White-Gluz still brings the doom that makes them No Joy though, with lyrics like: “God is not coming back / Don’t try and hide it.” There is a quiet descent in “I Am An Eye Machine” which focuses on harmony, controlled and inviting drums and instrumentals. However, the track takes risks by moving from one extreme to the next-shy instrumentals to wild guitar strums and whispering vocals in between them.
No Joy resides in a chaotic, but well-constructed vision. Their focus as musicians is as clear as their willingness to create a sound that is rich in experimentation. However gloomy the band claims to be, their sound still defies hopelessness in a way that also confronts it. No Joy attacks and rebuilds again and again, making us wonder what they could possibly do next.
No Joy is currently on tour promoting More Faithful. Their album is available here. Be sure to track future tour dates.
Dakota Smith
Follow her on twitter in case she says something funny: @LikeTheStates
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