Follow

Ritzy Bryan, vocalist and guitarist for Welsh alt-rock group The Joy Formidable, told us that she and her band-mates might fear one thing… That’s “the fear of things just being kind of bland…”

Well, Ritzy, fear not! The Joy Formidable are anything but bland. Look at the facts: Ritzy and bassist Rhydian started as school mates. From North Wales to London to Portland, Maine, JF keep all over the map. Their latest full-length, Wolf’s Law, is named for a scientific theory addressing the body’s adaptation to bone stress (brainy mouthful, indeed!). Despite the rock edge to their sound, Ritzy swears by “pumping” 80s dance music. And newest member (and Zappa enthusiast) Matthew James Thomas joined on drums by answering an ad that was not a call for a drummer.

And above all of it, their focus is “the merit, the soul and the songwriting.” Which is more than reason to catch them performing those songs they wrote “in a little cabin in the woods” as they embark on a major Summer Festival tour. (Hey, local readers… Catch them here in the states come September!)