Dust off your flannel shirts, Sick Joy are here, and they’re bringing the grunge with them. The up-and-coming rock outfit are on the cusp of releasing their new EP, Amateurs, a collection of angsty, hard-hitting, and ludicrously catchy ’90s-esque rock tracks. A Brighton-based trio, Sick Joy have exploded since the band’s inception in 2016, with their previous singles being critically praised, and the band even touring with big boys of rock, Feeder.
What you notice immediately from Amateurs is the fact that the EP is absolutely drenched in nostalgia. From the opening acoustic riff of “Senses”, to the quirky, garage-band style of the music video for “Smiling Shame”, there is an undeniable feeling that Sick Joy could easily have risen to the top of the charts in the mid-’90s. That isn’t to say that all that Sick Joy have going for them is nostalgia, not by a long shot. The familiar style of play that envelop the band is only skin deep, and once you scratch away the surface, you begin to really see the true finesse found within Amateurs.
The sheer variety of styles found within the EP is nothing short of stunning. The hard, totalitarian guitar and bass riff which dominates the chorus of “Smiling Shame” is as distant from the slow, groovy melody of “Stumbler” as Brian Eno is from Cannibal Corpse. But that’s okay and, in fact, that is exactly what an EP should do: demonstrate the wide scope of abilities a band is capable of.
Sick Joy are certainly one of the hottest young acts to come out of the UK rock scene in a long time. Keep your eyes (and ears) on this trio; they are surely destined for greatness.
Amateurs is out on the 23rd of March and is available to pre-order.
Live Dates:
MARCH
- 17 Brixton Academy – London (w/ Feeder)
- 21 Sebright Arms – (w/ The Pearl Harts)
- 23 Green Door Store – Brighton (EP release show)
APRIL
- 21 Bodega – Nottingham (w/ Bryde)
MAY
- 05 Jumping Jacks – Newcastle (Hit The North Festival)
Sick Joy: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | bigcartel
