Posts Tagged ‘Owen Williams’

EX VOID – ” Boyfriend ” EP

Posted: May 14, 2018 in MUSIC
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Ex-Vöid’s “Boyfriend” is a fun punk song about a bad relationship

Ex-Vöid is the new band from Alanna McArdle and Owen Williams, former members of the now defunct pop-punk group Joanna Gruesome. Like their former band, McArdle and Williams have continued to mix sugary sweet harmonies with furious blasts of noise in their new project. Joanna Gruesome were a band who always seemed destined to burn bright and burn fast. Their take on, “hyper-aggressive” pop music, resulted in two brilliant, and very short, albums and then singer Alanna McArdle parted company with the band, the band carried on, perhaps still are carrying on, yet it never quite felt the same. The partnership at the core of the band’s success was between Alanna and Owen Williams, and after, allegedly, “a chance meeting at a contemporary dance class”, the two began discussing working together again. The result is Ex-Vöid, and their debut three-track single , check out lead track, Boyfriend.

Musically, there seems to be both continuity and progression from the Joanna Gruesome sound. The short sharp bursts of brutality remain, although they’re now accompanied by a more distinctly poppy sound than ever before, with nods to the likes of Veronica Falls or The Spook School, although the cited influences are, “Black Sabbath’s “Into The Void”,  D.C.-area hardcore legends “VOID,” and Raincoats number “The Void”.” As playful, noisy, hook-laden and exciting as ever, Ex-Vöid are a welcome return for this perfect coming together of musical minds.

A three-track single, Boyfriend is out now via Don Giovanni Records

JOANNA GRUESOME – ” Pretty Fucking Sick of it All “

Posted: July 3, 2016 in MUSIC
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Currently writing their third album in a secure location, ‘Joanna Gruesome’ have taken a weekend break from a relentless schedule of séances, psychic ceremonies and moonlight rituals to leak two singles from their “Peanut Butter” period. Songwriter Owen Williams explains: “While I was writing Peanut Butter, Saturn transitioned into retrograde and for obvious reasons I ended up losing two songs. We’ve recently managed to unearth them, record them and press them onto a 7″ single.”

The record features performances from new band members Roxy Gruesome (from the groups Towel, Two White Cranes, Grubs and formerly of Trust Fund) and Kate Gruesome (formerly of the queer punk group Pennycress).

“Pretty Fucking Sick (Of It All)” is a pop song about being pursued by intelligence operatives, partly influenced by the group’s recent U.S tour, in which the CIA took a special interest in the band’s movements.

“Occult Bookshop” is a pop song and origin story detailing the first meeting of the group.

Both songs are also about being non binary. Williams explains: “I wanted to write about the confused nature of my own gender identity and being non binary generally. But I also wanted two songs about Occult forces, espionage and using astrological means to strengthen, receive and administer crushes.”

Williams has failed to elaborate further , but a source close to the band has confirmed that listeners may be in danger of accessing “subtle realms of the unconscious” if the record is played on repeat. A rival source has warned of “dissonance, organs, shouting, occult content, pop melodies and ‘hardcore’ punk rock rhythms”.

The record includes a violin performance from Maria Marzaioli and was recorded by Rory Atwell on a boat in London. It features original artwork from Bart De Baets.

Available on limited edition blue vinyl 7″ b/w Occult Bookshop.
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