Joana and The Wolf - Lexington, London, 15/8/2011

  by Tom Fogarty

published: 28 / 8 / 2011

intro

New Pennyblackmusic writer Tom Fogarty watches London four piece Joana and The Wolf combine mythology and electronica to superb effect in a show at the Lexington in London

Joana and The Wolf played their "only London gig of the summer" at trendy North London haunt, the Lexington in August. It is an intimate, darkly-lit venue - providing an ideal setting for JATW's bemusing wailings and driving tempos. So who are Joana and The Wolf? They are a London four piece fronted by Lithuanian singer-songwriter Joana Glaza (according to their office PR statement). But the sum of their parts is much more than that. Their lyrics have an eerie fairytale quality that tap into a rich history of gypsy folklore and mythology, tinged with power and pathos in equal measure. Glaza’s powerful wailing voice is something akin to Kate Bush, backed with an up-tempo driving drum beat, techno-esque keyboard and layered guitars. Comparisons could be drawn to Bjork or PJ Harvey and even the Stooges, but they are in no way derivative. Here lies a truly original band, imbued with much energy and symbolism. Fastly becoming a firm London favourite, and hot on the heals of relentless UK summer touring this year (Kendal Calling, Secret Garden Party, Guilfest), the atmosphere among the crowd was electric before the gig. Anticipation for the band to perform was high, which can only lead to the question - when will they actually get round to releasing an album? Kicking off the show with a new song, 'When I Run', the band played a short, punchy set which has become their trademark. The remainder of the gig consisted of the usual material, including fan favourites such as 'Hide Me', 'Kingdom' and 'Entertainer', but they still managed to sound as fresh as ever. Joana and The Wolf have become a confident, polished band over the last year - perhaps due to a schedule of heavy appearances recently - and they perform with a frenetic and energetic pace, hard to find elsewhere. And when seen in a suitable environment such as the Lexington, it is not hard to see why they have gained a small but dedicated following of fans. Joana and The Wolf have earned the reputation of never putting on a bad show. A fun gig, but with so much recent touring under their belt, can we expect some more London gigs and an album soon please?

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