SPREAD JOY – Spread Joy

There are times when you discover a debut release, give it a few honest plays, and simply look forward to what’s next. Then again, there’s the rare occasion when an album flat out smacks you in the face with sheer brilliance, demanding repeat listens. Such is the case with the self titled debut from Spread Joy. The Chicago group, consisting of some familiar faces from Negative Scanner and Human Beat, were due to play their first show in March 2020. While that moment has been postponed indefinitely, Spread Joy have quietly crafted a future classic. These ten tracks are a remarkably simple and near perfect distillation of the ‘Pink Flag’-era Wire sound – giving way to frenzied No Wave dashes while executed with a speed/precision that approaches hardcore. Oh, and there’s no denying that the mix is anchored by the vocal prowess & persona of Briana Hernandez, in a performance evoking visions of greats like Su Tissue and Lizzy Mercier Descloux. Ten tracks in fourteen glorious minutes – as if Spread Joy have synthesized the best moments of the last 40-odd years of punk into one timeless pairing of tracks. If ya think it’s too short, you’re wrong. Just flip the record over and let the Spread Joy sink in.