Cradle is a brash and epic song fuelled by love and frustration. Layered guitars come in waves, each one driving the song on. It's triumphant and fiery, a three minute life-affirming burst, the sound of a band hitting their stride. It should set them up as one of the dark horses of 2009.

The Joy Formidable have recently been on the road with White Lies, as well as playing Reading/Leeds, Latitude Festival and many dates of their own, including their clubnight Joie de Vivre. These shows have seen the band rev up, and they are fast becoming an essential live act. Brutally loud to beautifully quiet, their searing white noise and intensity has defined them as band that can thrill and move their audiences.

They have done live sessions for 6Music and XFM, enjoyed plays on Radio 1 and have hijacked NME Radio's playlist. They were one of the highlights of SWN Festival, and ‘Cradle’ should see the band build on the critical praise heaped on ‘Austere’, which was NME’s Single of the Week.

Look out for the limited edition 7 track CD ‘A Balloon Called Moaning’, coming up on Pure Groove in February: a sister album to their Japanese release bearing the same name ( Rallye Label). It’s a defiantly optimistic record that chronicles much light and darkness. The band’s literate response to a climate of woefulness, a look to the future and a brilliant snapshot of where they are right now.

And merry ****ing Christmas, The Joy Formidable share the festive love with free download, "My beerdrunk soul is sadder than a hundred dead Christmas trees", available December 21st.


The Joy Formidable
MySpace.com - The Joy Formidable - UK - Other / Other / Other - www.myspace.com/thejoyformidable