The Joy Formidable finds its voice with The Big Roar

By M.T. Richards
The Joy Formidable first achieved popularity in 2008, when their quixotic debut single “Austere” became a hit in the United Kingdom. The Welsh rockers have since signed to Atlantic Records, but the Joy Formidable vocalist Ritzy Bryan notes little difference between fans on her native soil and those across the pond.

“We’ve got a very loyal fanbase,” Bryan says. “Both sets [of fans] share a passion for music and are quite exuberant.”

The enthusiasm is understandable. With discordant riffs and mesmeric, thunderous vocals to spare, the Joy Formidable are a face-melting rock band in the vein of Sonic Youth. The band’s songs have a woozy, punishing sense of grandeur that is equally suited for a live atmosphere or the studio.