The Big Roar

Last updated

The Big Roar
Bigroar.jpg
Studio album by
Released24 January 2011
Genre
Length49:53
Label Atlantic
Producer The Joy Formidable, Rich Costey, Neak Menter
The Joy Formidable chronology
A Balloon Called Moaning
(2008)
The Big Roar
(2011)
Roarities
(2011)
Singles from The Big Roar
  1. "Popinjay"
    Released: 5 April 2010
  2. "I Don't Want To See You Like This"
    Released: 8 October 2010
  3. "A Heavy Abacus"
    Released: 8 July 2011

The Big Roar is the debut album by Welsh rock band the Joy Formidable, released in the UK on 24 January 2011 on Atlantic Records, with a US release following on 15 March 2011. [1] The tracks "Austere", "Cradle", "Whirring" and "The Greatest Light Is the Greatest Shade" were originally featured on the band's debut mini album A Balloon Called Moaning . [2] These songs were re-recorded for The Big Roar.

Contents

Background and recording

In summer 2010, the band signed with Canvasback Records, a subsidiary of Atlantic. The band worked on writing and tracking the material for The Big Roar when they were not on tour. The album was recorded in London. [3]

On the album, bassist Rhydian Dafydd said that "(it) covers a lot of emotional range. It's captured the battle between the eternal optimist and the manic depressive". Their debut was produced by the band, with help from engineer Neak Menter. The band traveled to Los Angeles to mix it with producer Rich Costey, who had worked with bands such as Mew, Muse, Foo Fighters and Glasvegas. The first single from those sessions, "I Don't Want to See You Like This", was released in the autumn of 2010. [3] The Japanese release of the album contains three exclusive bonus tracks. [4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AbsolutePunk (84%) link
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg link
Contactmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg link
BBC Music (very positive) link
Drowned in Sound Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg link
NME 8/10 link
Clash Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg link
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg link
Pitchfork 6.8/10 link
Spin 8/10 link

The Big Roar has received mostly positive reviews. The album currently has a 77 out of 100 on the review aggregate site Metacritic, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". [5]

Reviewer Mike Haydock of BBC Music praised the album, calling it "a fantastic debut". [6] Lisa Wright of NME also gave the album a positive review, writing, "The Big Roar is the kind of epic-yet-intimate debut that does exactly what its title makes out in the most tactful of styles; an LP that ultimately delivers on every count on the four years of promise leading up to it". [2] In another positive review, Clash wrote of the album: "Bolt on an undeniably zealous execution, a set of simple yet well-written songs, add an element of confident adventure via some experimentation and diversity and the rebirth of indie may just have found its leading protagonists". [7]

In a more mixed review, Stuart Berman of Pitchfork criticized the album for being excessive, writing, "There's no denying the Joy Formidable's passion, vigor, and pop smarts; it would just be easier to appreciate those qualities if The Big Roar didn't so often sound like a big blur". [8] Jason Keller of Now Magazine agreed, writing, "The immediate criticism about this long-in-the-making debut... is that there's too much big, as the title suggests". [9]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."The Everchanging Spectrum of a Lie"Rhydian Davies, Ritzy BryanThe Joy Formidable, Neak Menter7:44
2."The Magnifying Glass"Davies, BryanThe Joy Formidable, Neak Menter2:19
3."I Don't Want to See You Like This"Davies, BryanThe Joy Formidable, Neak Menter4:18
4."Austere"Davies, BryanThe Joy Formidable, Neak Menter3:30
5."A Heavy Abacus"Davies, BryanThe Joy Formidable, Neak Menter3:40
6."Whirring"Davies, BryanRich Costey6:47
7."Buoy"Davies, BryanThe Joy Formidable, Neak Menter4:51
8."Maruyama"Davies, BryanThe Joy Formidable, Neak Menter1:46
9."Cradle"Davies, BryanRich Costey2:46
10."Llaw = Wall"Davies, BryanThe Joy Formidable, Neak Menter3:44
11."Chapter 2"Davies, BryanThe Joy Formidable, Neak Menter3:08
12."The Greatest Light Is the Greatest Shade"Davies, BryanThe Joy Formidable, Neak Menter5:20
Japanese edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
13."My Beerdrunk Soul Is Sadder Than a Hundred Christmas Trees"Davies, BryanThe Joy Formidable4:56
14."Popinjay"Davies, BryanThe Joy Formidable, Neak Menter3:15
15."Chwyrlio"Davies, BryanThe Joy Formidable4:12
Limited edition bonus CD: It's Just a World Apart
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Greyhounds In the Slips" (featuring Paul Draper)Davies, BryanThe Joy Formidable3:25
2."My Beerdrunk Soul Is Sadder Than a Hundred Christmas Trees"Davies, BryanThe Joy Formidable4:56
3."Popinjay"Davies, BryanThe Joy Formidable, Neak Menter3:15
4."Chwyrlio"Davies, BryanThe Joy Formidable4:12
5."The Butterfly's Last Spell"Davies, BryanThe Joy Formidable3:21
6."Wide Eyed"Davies, BryanThe Joy Formidable2:43
Limited edition bonus DVD: One Shape Under the Magnifying Glass: Live at the Mercury Lounge
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."The Greatest Light Is the Greatest Shade"Davies, BryanJohn Ashby 
2."Cradle"Davies, BryanAshby 
3."The Last Drop"Davies, BryanAshby 
4."Austere"Davies, BryanAshby 
5."Ostrich"Davies, BryanAshby 
6."Greyhound In the Slips"Davies, BryanAshby 
Limited edition bonus DVD: A Bridge Splits November's Sky
No.TitleLength
1."To Worms Head" (includes "My Beerdrunk Soul Is Sadder Than a Hundred Christmas Trees", "The Magnifying Glass", "Whirring", "I Don't Want to See You Like This", "Austere", "The Everchanging Spectrum of a Lie") 
2."Austere" (music video) 
3."Cradle" (music video) 
4."Whirring" (music video) 
5."Popinjay" (music video) 
6."I Don't Want to See You Like This" (music video) 

Personnel

The Joy Formidable
Production
Design personnel

Charts

Chart (2011)Peak
position
Billboard Heatseekers Albums [10] 8
UK Albums Chart [11] 31

Related Research Articles

<i>Renegades</i> (Rage Against the Machine album) 2000 studio album by Rage Against the Machine

Renegades is the fourth and final studio album by American rock band Rage Against the Machine (RATM), released on December 5, 2000, by Epic Records, almost two months after their first breakup. The album consists of covers of songs by Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Afrika Bambaataa, Minor Threat, Eric B. & Rakim, The Stooges, MC5, The Rolling Stones, Cypress Hill, Devo, and others.

<i>Black Holes and Revelations</i> 2006 studio album by Muse

Black Holes and Revelations is the fourth studio album by English rock band Muse, first released on 3 July 2006 through Warner Bros. Records and Muse's Helium-3 imprint. It was produced by Rich Costey over four months in New York City, London, Milan and southern France.

<i>Wolfs Law</i> 2013 studio album by The Joy Formidable

Wolf's Law is the second full-length studio album from Welsh alternative rock band the Joy Formidable. The album was released on 21 January 2013 in the United Kingdom, and on 22 January 2013 in the United States, on Atlantic Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Joy Formidable</span> Welsh alternative rock band

The Joy Formidable is a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 2007 in Mold, Flintshire, and currently based in London, England. The band consists of Rhiannon "Ritzy" Bryan, Rhydian Dafydd and Matthew James Thomas. The most recent album, Into the Blue, was released in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austere (song)</span> 2008 single by The Joy Formidable

"Austere" is the debut single by Welsh alternative rock band The Joy Formidable. It was originally released in August 2008 on 7" vinyl on the Another Music=Another Kitchen label. The song and band gained much exposure when YouTube removed a fan-made music video. An official video was put together featuring the band playing pass the parcel. The single was re-released for their debut album The Big Roar and a new video was made, featuring the band performing the song.

<i>A Balloon Called Moaning</i> 2008 EP by The Joy Formidable

A Balloon Called Moaning is the debut extended play by Welsh indie rock band the Joy Formidable. It was released exclusively in Japan in December 2008, then released with additional tracks in the UK the following month.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Big Pink</span> English rock band

The Big Pink are an English electronic rock band from London, consisting of multi-instrumentalists Robertson "Robbie" Furze, Akiko Matsuura and Charlie Barker. Initially a duo, they signed to independent record label 4AD in 2009 and won the NME Philip Hall Radar Award for best new act. To date, they have released five singles, with their debut album A Brief History of Love released in September 2009 and its follow-up, Future This released in January 2012.

<i>A Brief History of Love</i> 2009 studio album by the Big Pink

A Brief History of Love is the debut album from British electronic rock duo the Big Pink. The album was released on 14 September 2009 on 4AD. The Big Pink signed with 4AD in February 2009, and won the prestigious NME Philip Hall Radar Award for best new act. The band were also named as "one of the most likely breakout acts of 2009" by the BBC. Prior to the album's release, the band issued three singles: "Too Young to Love"/"Crystal Visions" on the House Anxiety label in October 2008, "Velvet" on 4AD in April 2009, and the non-album track "Stop the World" in June 2009. "Dominos", the album's first proper single and the band's fourth single overall, preceded the album on 7 September.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominos (song)</span> 2009 single by The Big Pink

"Dominos" is the first single from The Big Pink's debut album A Brief History of Love. "Dominos" was released as a digital download and on 7" vinyl on September 7, 2009, a week before the release of the album. The song was co-produced by the band and record producer Paul Epworth, and mixed by Rich Costey. In their native United Kingdom, the song peaked on the UK Singles Chart at #27 and #10 on the Irish Singles Chart in the Republic of Ireland. The single's B-side, "She's No Sense", features vocals from Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whirring</span> 2009 single by The Joy Formidable

"Whirring" is a song by the Welsh alternative rock band the Joy Formidable. Written by the band, it was originally released on the band's debut EP, A Balloon Called Moaning, in 2009 before being re-released on the band's debut full-length album, The Big Roar, in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Don't Want to See You Like This</span> 2010 single by The Joy Formidable

"I Don't Want to See You Like This" is the second single from the Joy Formidable's debut album, The Big Roar, released by Atlantic Records on digital download and EP as well as a 7" picture disc. A music video for the song was released on 27 September 2010 and was directed by Martin Rhys Davies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Heavy Abacus</span> 2011 single by The Joy Formidable

"A Heavy Abacus" is the third and final single from Welsh alternative rock band The Joy Formidable's debut album The Big Roar, released in July 2011. A music video for "A Heavy Abacus" was directed by Christopher Mills. The song charted at number 25 on the Billboard Alternative Songs, and stayed on chart for fifteen weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gun (song)</span> 2013 single by CHVRCHES

"Gun" is a song by Scottish synth-pop band Chvrches from their 2013 debut album The Bones of What You Believe. It was released as the band's third official single on 15 June 2013 via Virgin and Goodbye Records.

<i>El Pintor</i> 2014 studio album by Interpol

El Pintor is the fifth studio album by the American rock band Interpol. It was released through Matador Records and Soft Limit on September 8, 2014, internationally, and on September 9, 2014, in North America. El Pintor is the band's first album without bassist Carlos Dengler, who departed Interpol after the release of the band's eponymous album in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Joy Formidable discography</span>

The discography of Welsh alternative rock band the Joy Formidable consists of five studio albums, one live album, three extended plays and 15 singles. Their debut extended play, A Balloon Called Moaning, was released in December 2008, followed by their debut studio album, The Big Roar, in January 2011, which reached No. 31 on the UK Albums Chart, and produced the singles "Whirring" and "A Heavy Abacus", which reached No. 7 and No. 25 on the US Alternative Songs Chart, respectively. Their second studio album, Wolf's Law, was released in January 2013 and reached No. 41 and No. 51 on the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200, respectively. Their third studio album, Hitch was released in March 2016. Their fourth studio album, AAARTH, was released on 28 September 2018. Their fifth studio album, Into the Blue, was released on 20 August 2021.

<i>The Center Wont Hold</i> 2019 studio album by Sleater-Kinney

The Center Won't Hold is the ninth studio album by American rock band Sleater-Kinney, released on August 16, 2019 by Mom + Pop Music. The album was produced by St. Vincent and is the last album with drummer Janet Weiss, who announced her departure from the band on July 1, 2019, a month before the album was released. Upon release, the album received generally favorable reviews from critics.

<i>Fever Dream</i> (Of Monsters and Men album) 2019 studio album by Of Monsters and Men

Fever Dream is the third studio album by Icelandic band Of Monsters and Men, released on 26 July 2019 through Republic Records. The album was co-produced by the band with Rich Costey, and was preceded by the lead single "Alligator".

<i>A Celebration of Endings</i> 2020 studio album by Biffy Clyro

A Celebration of Endings is the eighth studio album by Scottish alternative rock band Biffy Clyro. It was produced by Rich Costey and was released on 14 August 2020. It debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, making it the band's third consecutive studio album to top the chart.

<i>Ultra Mono</i> 2020 studio album by Idles

Ultra Mono is the third studio album by British rock band Idles, released on 25 September 2020 by Partisan Records. Following on from their previous album Joy as an Act of Resistance, the album further explores themes established in the band's previous works such as critique of capitalism, revolution, class struggle, mental health and toxic masculinity, as well as the positive and negative aspects of the band's newfound fame.

<i>Into the Blue</i> (The Joy Formidable album) Album by The Joy Formidable

Into the Blue is the fifth studio album by the Welsh rock band The Joy Formidable. It was initially released on 20 August 2021, and was reissued in a deluxe edition with two additional songs on 14 September 2022. The album was written in the band's native Wales but recorded at their retreat in Utah, United States; the band described the setting in Utah as an inspiration for the album's sound and atmosphere.

References

  1. The Joy Formidable announce debut album release date and tracklisting. NME. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  2. 1 2 Wright, Lisa. Album Review: The Joy Formidable. NME. Retrieved 10 June 2011
  3. 1 2 The Joy Formidable - Full Biography. MTV. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  4. Joy Formidable, The - The Big Roar on Discogs
  5. The Big Roar: Reviews. Metacritic. Retrieved on 10 June 2011.
  6. Haydock, Mike. Review of The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar. BBC Music. Retrieved 10 June 2011
  7. The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar. Clash. Retrieved 10 June 2011
  8. The Joy Formidable: The Big Roar. Pitchfork. Retrieved 10 June 2011
  9. Joy Formidable - The Big Roar. Now Magazine. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  10. "Artist Chart History - The Joy Formidable". Billboard . Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  11. "JOY FORMIDABLE - The Official Charts Company". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 June 2011.