San Diego psych trio JOY making waves
Southern California psychedelic savages JOY have signed to Tee Pee Records, the NYC independent label known for releasing landmark albums from acts such as High on Fire, Graveyard, Earthless and Sleep. The fast-rising band has released its new album Under the Spell of Joy. The follow-up to JOY’s 2012 self-titled debut, Under the Spell of Joy was recorded and mixed by ASTRA guitarist Brian Ellis and features eight smoldering songs that suck the listener into a a surging sea of searing solos and psychedelic swagger. Special guests on Under the Spell of Joy include Nik Turner (Hawkwind), Parker Griggs (Radio Moscow) and Ellis.
The sound of JOY has been described as “a spaced-out sonic groove-ride” and “outer reach freak out”, but that hyperbole alone doesn’t do justice to the group’s measured mode of attack. JOY puts a premium on establishing both structure and dynamics, its kaleidoscopic flurry and full-throttle riffage is anchored by both subtle detail and surprising textural depth. Record Collector says that JOY “take the blues about as far out as they can stretch ’em and they’re far more psychedelic than a band like Blue Cheer ever was, even in their most lysergic moments,” a claim that can be debated by those whom have seen JOY share the stage with acts such as Dead Meadow, Harsh Toke, Hot Lunch, Sacri Monti and at last year’s well-documented west coast tour with psychedelic giants (and new labelmates) Earthless.
Track listing:
1.) Under the Spell
2.) Miles Away
3.) Confusion
4.) Evil
5.) One More Time
6.) Driving Me Insane
7.) Death Hymn Blues
8.) Back to the Sun
“Their musical virtuosity was on display in every note they played. These guys shuffle as hard as they play near-blast beat level punk, and it is all in the spirit of psychedelic blues-based rock. Their rapport is telepathic as they burn through fierce vamping then head into outer space, Oakley’s Fender Stratocaster feeding back through a wah wah pedal, Marrone soloing against him on a four-piece drum kit with two ride cymbals, and Hulson laying it down on his Fender Jazz Bass. These guys aren’t high tech, and Joy proved, especially to their Portland audience, that their music is all about back-to-basics primal psychedelic jamming on good vintage equipment. – EXAMINER
“One word that truly describes this band: Intense. This power trio from San Diego simply known as JOY steps on the gas and never lets up. With reach for the sun guitar soloing, bouncy moving bass lines, and a hypnotic groove, JOY takes their cue from many of the heavy psych legends of the seventies. I would imagine seeing these guys play live would be an absolutely exhilarating experience.” – HEAVY PLANET
