Going on three years now, my favourite band has been The Joy Formidable and I have done little to hide that fact. They are easily one of the highest energy and emotionally satisfying acts on tour and the gigs are mounting, each one better than the last. One hardly notices that their debut album is already more than a year and half old. Almost.
Simply stated: good things take time. I understand just how absolutely tormenting the songwriting process can be, and I’ve heard first hand from this trio just how mental the process is as they compose on the road, so I wait for new material with a quiet and determined patience.
Fortunately, the music gods have been more than prolific in the past few years, so there’s been no shortage of truly worthy bands and efforts for us to enjoy. If you follow TJF, you know that they have camped out in the states for the better part of the year, giving us plenty of opportunity to watch them live, whilst they’ve painstakingly written and recorded their second album. But out of nowhere yesterday, we were treated, or teased depending on your outlook, to the title track and a video from TJF’s upcoming album, Wolf’s Law.
Ritzy and her band mates are absent in the video, opting instead to share with us an unadulterated story. The result is a glorious mashup of nature scenes that convey the essence of Wolf(f)’s Law, which was hypothosised by the 19th century German surgeon Julius Wolff. It states that bones of a healthy human or animal with adapt and remodel themselves to adjust to the loads they carries. Or so this story unfolds of a world in motion and life facing adversity. Go ahead and load up the metaphoric cannons — I have a feeling there won’t be a shortage of them on this new album.
Whilst their music has been solidly guitar based in the past, the band has never shied from the use of different instruments such as harp or synth fills to convey a thought or feeling. “Wolf’s Law” starts with delicately sustained piano chords and vocal phrases before giving way to more traditional instrumentation and full-throated voicing. There are even some atmospheric synth modulations in this mix. As this beautifully orchestrated anthem builds slowly, it adds layer upon layer until it reaches a steady and stunning crescendo.
I’m still pondering Ritzy’s lyrics and will be interested in sharing interpretations. Without a doubt, lyrics and storytelling are the hardest part of songwriting but Ritz makes it seem effortless. The download of this song tips us a little, teasing really. As it plays in iTunes, I note that it’s track 12 of 14. Brilliant. The album is due in January.
http://thejoyformidable.com/wolfslaw/
If you like what you hear, download the track for free here.
