More Faithful is the third record by Montreal’s No Joy, and by far their most successful work at making the commonplace tics of shoegaze seem strange and wonderful again. Instead of straining their volume further or pushing their distortion even harder, the band unclutters. They make room in the mix for strong, if circuitous vocal melodies. On a gorgeous song like “Moon in My Mouth”, they slow down to a bobbing waltz. There are noise bursts too, but subtle layering builds-up without burying. These songs display real confidence, declining to confuse.
No Joy – Blue Neck Riviera
No Joy – Moon in my Mouth
The Fat Angel Sings 