JOANovARC to release new self titled studio album on February 15th 2019
JOANovARC will release their new passionate, soulful and powerful self titled album “JOANovARC” through Pledge Music/ Holier Than Thou Records on Friday 15th February 2019.
The new album follows JOANovARC’s critically acclaimed debut album “Ride of Your Life” (2016) produced by Grammy award winning producer Gil Norton and recorded at Rockfield Studio.
Gil Norton, Grammy-winning producer (Foo Fighters), dubbed the band as “The new Queens of Rock”. Says Gil: “A pleasure to work with in the studio, great musicians and one of the most hard-working bands I know”.
“JOANovARC” was recorded at Orange Tree Studios, produced by JOANovARC and Andy Hodgson, mixed and mastered by Romesh Dodangoda (Funeral For A Friend, Bring Me The Horizon and Stone Broken).
To celebrate the release of the first single from the new album – “Girls Wanna Rock” – JOANovARC will embark on their “Girls Wanna Rock” October/November 2018 UK Tour. All profits from the single sales are going towards the Pink Ribbon Foundation (Reg. Charity No. 1080839).
Tickets for all concerts can be booked here. The charity single launch will take place at Big Red in London on Friday 19th October.
The new energetic and diverse album features 11 finely crafted songs. JOANovARC are delivering powerful rock anthems with a modern twist. This four-piece band are a driving force live which transcends on to their new album. The opening track “Girls Wanna Rock” is ballsy, brash, passionate and will hit you in the face.
“We are family, true flesh and blood and best friends. This has always given us a special bond and an automatic connection with our songs. We have always written songs together from when we were teenagers based our own true experiences. A sibling band always delivers true passion”.
The album encapsulates JOANovARC’s live energy and reveals a dynamic mix of dark and light. From “Girls Wanna Rock” to the soulful sounds of “Try It On”, which showcase both Sam and Laura's diverse vocals.
The new album has been completely funded by a very successful Pledge campaign. JOANovARC decided to record the new album at the start of 2018 and the Pledge campaign response was phenomenal with their goal being achieved within a week. The many fans who supported “Ride of Your Life” were more than happy to support this new album.
“We are role models, we want to inspire young females and empower them. The "JOANovARC" album is an inspiring statement and speaks for itself”.
The “JOANovARC” album is a continuation of the band's journey and includes songs that have been written by the Walker sisters over many years.
“We are all great friends, as mentioned in our last album we have been through everything together, heartache, death, illness, sweat, blood, great times, addiction, narcotics, break ups, celebrations, fights and tears!”...
Tracklist: 1. Girls Wanna Rock 2. This Way 3. Burning 4. Down by the River 5. Waiting For 6. Try It On 7. Slipping Away 8. Take It Out 9. People Coming Up 10. Jane 11. When We Were Young
UK Tour Dates 2018:
Sunday 14 October - One Night Of Rock, Queens Theatre, Hornchurch Friday 19 October - The Big Red, London (Official JOANovARC single launch) Saturday 20 October - Club 85, Hitchin Saturday 10 November - Percy’s Cafe, Winchurch, Wrexham Sunday 11 November - The Victoria Club, Bloxwich, Walsall Saturday 17 November - Melbourn Rock Club, Royston Sunday 18 November - The Robin 2, Wolverhampton Friday 23 November - Amersham Arms, London
Track by Track:
1. Girls Wanna Rock
This is about women coming together in a united front showing the world how strong they can be against all the odds. We wanted to use this song as a way to support and raise money for so many women suffering from breast cancer. We have many friends who are struggling with breast cancer right now. We were looking at a “We Will Rock You” vibe and hope this will send a powerful message to the listener.
2. This Way
“This Way” is a song about rejection. It is about a girl who feels unwanted by the guy she is with and he doesn’t feel the same as she does after everything she has done for him. It's another powerful song with a strong guitar riff that was inspired by a blues rock vibe. Blues rock is always a good way of expressing heartache.
3. Burning
“Burning” is an old track based on the London riots in 2011. One day people are happily getting on with their lives in their community, the next moment it can easily be torn apart over one tragic unforgivable incident that causes an uprising of anger and riots. We wrote this song after seeing people’s lives being destroyed in a divided community. The song is passionate and driving. It has a big chorus and a prog rock feel at the end with an instrumental guitar section.
4. Down by the River
“Down by the River” is about loyalty and when the trust between friends has been broken. A girl has a group of friends who stab her in the back metaphorically even though they have been through so much together. This song has another classic 'Layla' inspired guitar riff that is repeated throughout the song with spacious verses that tell the story. There is a dramatic middle eight section and an energetic outro.
5. Waiting For
This song is about drug addiction and how it can affect the lives of others. This is written about someone Sam cared for in her past who was hooked on drugs. She was hoping he would change for the better but knew deep down he never would. In the end she had to break away as it was tearing her apart. This song was inspired by the Foo Fighters building intros and middle eights. We were looking to create that sound especially with the guitars.
6. Try It On
“Try It On” is a territorial warning to someone who tried to prey on a weak and rocky relationship and not think about the consequences she caused to the other partner at home. This song is JOANovARC’s pop/folk song inspired by KT Tunstall and shows a different side to the band with Laura's soulful voice and song writing. The outro definitely brings it back to the JOANovARC rock roots with a hammering Angus Young guitar lead line along with a powerful vocal.
7. Slipping Away
A song about denial. It's about not facing up to the truth and blocking out feelings. You become numb and not admit to running away from your problems. We wanted this song to sound like 90s grunge – Hole meets The Breeders. It's a very simple 3-minute catchy grunge-like song.
8. Take It Out
This song is about someone who doesn’t want to admit when they are wrong when they make a mistake. Instead they take it out on the people around them. This is a punchy “in your face” disco rock song with a Muse style crazy finger tapping outro.
9. People Coming Up
This track is about a group of friends who spend all their time getting high on drugs together. The uplifting music represents how they feel at the time before they lose the buzz. Another disco rock song. While in the studio we said to the producer that we wanted to express the people come down from a high as well. The middle eight was a perfect place for this, it almost brings the song to a halt and the last chorus takes the people back up again. It's weird but we like it and it’s very fitting for the subject.
10. Jane
“Jane” features Laura on vocals. It is about a girl who knowingly keeps people who are good for her at arms length. It's a sort of self punishment for wrong doings in the past. The song is sung in third person, as an onlooker watching the interaction between she and the guy who loves her. This is our country rock song inspired by Southern rock and gives the listener a nice long guitar solo with an epic outro.
11. When We Were Young
This song is about looking back on your younger years and wondering where the time has gone. A realisation how life has got harder as you get older. Time is precious, and it flies by. It's our farewell song for the album and is inspired by Oasis – a country rock song. For us, “When We Were Young” is more about the song not the production and we wanted simplicity, so the song would transcend to the listener.
Line-up: Samantha Walker - Bass and vocals Shelley Walker - Lead guitar and backing vocals Laura Ozholl - Rhythm guitar and vocals Deborah Wildish - Drums
