Joan of Arc
“So Much Staying Alive and Lovelessness”
(Jade Tree)
Although alternately revered and maligned as being one of the cornerstones of the sprawling emo empire, the freshly reassembled Joan of Arc are wearing their brains on their sleeves here with only the briefest of glimpses at their hearts. While frequently pretty and pleasing to the ear, this is an almost purely intellectual post-rock affair. It feels odd how much they remind me of the Kinks in their “Village Green” and “Arthur” days, but the Ray Davies influence is definitely there.
An ambitious album by a band a lot of people might avoid just because they think Joan of Arc are going to sound like Get Up Eat World. This is far from the case and their latest offering begs you to reconsider. On tour soon with the absolutely amazing brutal-prog duo Hella.
