Album Mini-review: No Joy — More Faithful
There’s a curious quality to some of the best shoegaze: the dual feeling of moving both at breakneck speed and at a glacial pace. The music on More Faithful, No Joy’s third long player, is a case in point. From the opening notes of kickoff track “Remember Nothing,” the band is full-on, steamrolling ahead in a manner recalling Hüsker Dü. And simultaneously, they’re creating a gauzy, head-nodding, somnambulant ambience. And that sharp contrast works. When they dial things down — that is to say, when they lean more in the dreamy direction – the melody in their concise songs reveals itself more overtly. Sweet vocal harmonies float atop hypnotically repeated chords. No Joy’s overall sound suggests Best Coast with a wider sonic palette. More Faithful is sequenced so that the pummeling tunes alternate with the subtler ones; the effect is alluring and creates a nice bit of musical tension.
An edited version of this review previously appeared in the Colorado Springs Independent.
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About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.