Joanna Gruesome were a five-piece

noise pop Noise pop is a subgenre of alternative and indie rock that developed in the mid-1980s in the United Kingdom and United States. It is defined by its mixture of dissonant noise or feedback with the songcraft more often found in pop music. Shoega ...

band from

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...

, Wales. The name of the group is a reference to musician Joanna Newsom. They released two albums and a number of singles.

History

Joanna Gruesome were formed in 2010 in

. Their debut album received praise from ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...

'', ''

This is fake DIY ''DIY'' is a United Kingdom-based music publication, in print and online. Its free print edition is released monthly with a physical circulation of 40,000 in UK venues, clubs and shops. DIY Magazine ''DIY'' was launched in 2002 by then-editor ...

'', and '' Rough Trade''. Joanna Gruesome were known for their energetic live shows, as well as their forthright feminist and anti-homophobic views. On 28 November 2014, the band won the

Welsh Music Prize The Welsh Music Prize is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from Wales, as voted for by members of the music industry. It was founded by music promoter John Rostron and radio presenter Huw Stephens in 2011. It was originally schedul ...

with their debut album '' Weird Sister''. They released their second album, '' Peanut Butter'', on 11 May in the UK via

Fortuna Pop! Fortuna POP! was an English independent record label based in London, started in 1995 by Sean Price. It specialised in indie pop music. Fortuna POP! previously promoted gigs under the banner of The Beat Hotel and then Basement Scam at the Buffal ...

, and on 2 June in the US via

Slumberland Records Slumberland Records is an American independent record label, formed in 1989 in Washington, D.C. and based in Oakland, California. The label has released recordings by Velocity Girl, Honeybunch, Lilys, Stereolab, Evans The Death, St. Christophe ...

. In June 2015, the band announced Lan McArdle would depart from the band. They were replaced by Kate Stonestreet from the bands Pennycress and Roxy Brennan from Two White Cranes, Grubs and TOWEL. They played their final show in 2017. Lan McArdle and Owen Williams formed a new band Ex-Vöid in 2018.

Discography

LPs

EPs

*''E.P.'' – Self Release, MP3 (2011) *''Family Portrait'' – Art Is Hard Records, 7-inch (2012) *''Cream Soda Grrrl'' – E.P. reissue – Reeks Of Effort, tape (2012) *''Split'' (with

Trust Fund A trust is a legal relationship in which the holder of a right gives it to another person or entity who must keep and use it solely for another's benefit. In the Anglo-American common law, the party who entrusts the right is known as the " sett ...

) – Reeks Of Effort (UK) &

Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records is an American independent record label based in Athens, Georgia. Its catalogue features indie rock, indie pop and hip-hop music, with several of its artists associated with or influenced by The Elephant 6 Reco ...

(US), 12-inch EP (2014) *''Astonishing Adventures! "The Captured Crusader"'' (split with

Perfect Pussy Perfect Pussy was an American rock band from Syracuse, New York. The band consisted of vocalist Meredith Graves, guitarist Ray McAndrew, drummer Garrett Koloski, bass guitarist Greg Ambler and keyboardist Shaun Sutkus. The band was known for ...

) – Captured Tracks,

, 7-inch EP (2014)

Singles

*''Do You Really Wanna Know Why Yr Still In Love With Me'' –

, 7-inch (2012) *''Sugarcrush'' – Slumberland/

, 7-inch Single (2013)

References

External links

Joanna Gruesome
on Bandcamp * {{Authority control 2010 establishments in Wales Musical groups established in 2010 Musical groups from Cardiff Underground punk scene in the United Kingdom