“It’s a great exercise for rolling your Rs if you’re learning Welsh,” says Ritzy Bryan, one third of Welsh indie-rock trio The Joy Formidable, as she shares the story behind the group’s upcoming fourth album AAARTH.
“The title points towards where recording took place – in Wales and in Utah. It comes from the Welsh word for ‘bear’, which is seen as a symbol of strength and wisdom in the southwest USA, which we felt the need to channel into ourselves at a time when things were very chaotic and unstable. Not only were we questioning on a personal level whether we had the energy to record another album together, but we’ve been on the cusp of some serious social and political changes in the wider world, which have been difficult to navigate. This whole album is about getting back up and continuing to fight this chaos, so we decided to have some fun with the title by adding a few extra letters at the beginning, which you can interpret as a scream or an exultation.”
With their previous album Hitch also documenting some difficult issues, namely heartbreak and letting go of the past, was AAARTH a turning point for the band?
“The starting point, for me, was probably rock bottom. The album really documents our upward movement to somewhere much better. We’ve had a decade together and when we began recording 18 months ago, we felt the most disbanded and disillusioned we’d ever been, so channeling these feelings into recording was quite cathartic. We really have to thank AAARTH for reminding us why we became a band and this turnaround made everything sound fresher and more vivacious. There’s a real sense of being alive on this record, and of not giving a fuck.”
Having recorded the album out in Utah, The Joy Formidable are preparing to return to Wales in the summer, including a gig at Clwb Ifor Bach. Are they excited?
“We’re really fired up! It’s actually been a whole year since we’ve played live, because we’ve been so busy recording, and coming home always feels really special. We’re really looking forward to playing Clwb – we love the party vibe, and the stairs are fine after about four pints.” ELERI CROSSLAND
The Joy Formidable, Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, Thurs 23 Aug. Tickets: £19. Info: 02920232199 / www.clwb.net