Joyce Manor

Release Date: January 4, 2011

Label: 6131 Records

By: Lauren "Renna" Mahoney

Hailing from Long Beach California is a group of four gentlemen dedicated to the art of flawlessly composing anthems that remain bittersweet, brutally honest and visually intimate. Gaining much respect and recognition recently, they continue to demand and deserve your immediate attention. It is my pleasure to introduce or to remind you of my favorite band, Joyce Manor.

I’ve spent plenty car rides, showers and moments in silence exhausting my voice and the last ounce of my physical energy towards every lyric and breath expressed in their songs. Their self-titled album remains to be my favorite anthem since January of last year, and has yet to become stale or dull. Frontman, Barry Johnson, has mastered the art of lyrical profoundness. Shameless honesty and clever quirkiness mesh perfectly throughout the whole album. “I would say I’m sorry but I’m not sorry. I would say hey what’s the difference? Entertain my lack of interest. Because the one you are ain’t the one that I’m after, Closing in on your heart with the worst of intentions.” Even though this lyric excerpt from Call Out seems painfully barefaced, we can admit we’ve all been there – filling the void of loneliness with a not-so-significant other. That’s the beauty in Joyce Manor’s lyrics – they state in bold the uncomfortable reality of many things most people take a blind eye and a covered mouth to. Aside from the lyrical mastery, their music is so creatively composed. The unique melodic patterns and flawless dramatics created by dueling guitars and exceptional and refreshing drum patterns make Joyce Manor the memorable band that it is.