Joy Villa – I Make The Static

Joy Villa – I Make The Static – EP Review

Joy! So…first off…I can go on the luckiest streaks of listening sometimes that it’s not even funny; it’s more like a confirmation of being in the place where I’m truly supposed to be, doing what I’m truly supposed to be doing. Now…I’m not staring at myself in the mirror for more than 5 minutes on any given day, but I can certainly acknowledge the beauty of finding where you belong. As an artist, this is when the music flows right through you and out into the music, onto the page, splashing towards the canvas…whatever your medium might be.

I can certainly tell you I’m stoked that Joy Villa has found her true calling…if she’s got any doubt she can call us up anytime to confirm her rightful place amongst the independent music stars of today.

What I wasn’t expecting, due to a totally misleading album cover, was the tremendous ability to rock right out that this lady has! Joy! I was thinking you’d be a pop-star from that cover! Don’t get me wrong – she’s completely beautiful and cover-worthy, no question about that – but something about the brightness of the colors I suppose threw me from rock to pop assumptions.

But then here she comes out gunning right off the drop with “I Make The Static,” the title-track from the EP. In a blend of classic-rock riffage with a modern twist of pop-rock, this track gets the energy flowing quickly. Joy’s voice comes out melodic and energetic…the commitment is there and this opening track gets me thinking there could be a fantastic talent about to be uncovered here today…

And “The Darkness” pretty damn well confirms that instantly. With a sound that echoes a couple of my favourite bands, K’s Choice and Feeder, Joy is at her finest in the verse and burst brightly and emotionally through the chorus. It’s the verse that’s absolutely gripping however; Joy is left almost completely alone and it’s on her to deliver in full, and she undeniably does. Ironically enough…both of those bands I’ve cited come from across the globe from us here at sleepingbagstudios…Feeder specifically from the UK where British music-producer Barrie Gledden owns both a stable and a studio. Presumably a home as well! But perhaps that UK influence has helped Joy Villa find potential for success not only where she’s based out of in NYC, but on a global scale.

“Vagabonds” features and spotlights some excellent guitar work and again highlights the versatile and completely fantastic choices Joy Villa makes in song-writing. With different parts that require her to switch between styles, she confidently triumphs song after song through the EP and certainly moment to moment on “Vagabonds,” the hook-laden track in the midst of the album. Almost similar to something Garbage would have put out…Joy, what can I say lady-friend? You’ve got me HOOKED and I am absolutely loving your sound.

Truthfully, I started with “Surrender” when I had my first listen to Joy. So NOW go back and think about that first album-cover impression! It didn’t add up – all except for ONE tiny element that maybe some people wouldn’t even see…and that made all the sense in the world to me…

…it’s the look in her eyes.

If you’re lucky enough to see it, then you already know what I’m talking about. There’s a look of intense determination you can see behind the eyes of Joy Villa…one that says ‘it’s my time…and I’m here to take my moment and prove it to you all.’ I don’t know so much that Joy would have ever necessarily experienced being the underdog before with talent & good looks working in her favour…but you can see the fighter in her, the commitment right on display in that same album cover. To hear “Surrender” and see that look…everything all of a sudden began to make much more sense.

The song itself completely a hit-single, there’s not even any doubt about that. Crunchy guitars with a perfect, simple & effective riff before it explodes; but what makes this track as genius as it really is, are the choices that Joy makes throughout the song. As she vamps through various vocalizations, the instincts for artistic & innovative sounds through her voice are absolutely impressive and make this track an absolutely fantastic listen. She explodes with a furious energy and growl to her tone…this song is one thick & rich track that is inescapable; impossible to not love, like or at the very least appreciate how much she’s kicking ass on this track.

“Beautiful” ends I Make The Static on a beautiful note, contrasting against some pretty tough lyrics and situations. Excellent acoustic guitars play along this one, and the chorus is like an audible metaphor and mantra for Joy I’d assume. Leaving herself isolated to repeat “Tell yourself you’re beautiful;” it’s like she removed all the instruments purposefully to ring out her gorgeous tone & voice as purely as you can hear it. And the lady is ALWAYS on dear readers…she’s never missed through a single moment or tone on this entire stunning EP.

Oh that’s RIGHT. Totally forgot to mention this one important detail that might make you stop and listen all over again immediately…did I mention this is her DEBUT?

I’m very sorry Joy…but you’re absolutely ridiculous. Ridiculously talented. A ridiculously great song-writer. Ridiculously and audibly determined. And it’s completely ridiculous that this is only the first time I’m hearing about you and your amazing talent right now.

But let’s just suppose for a second, that these are the blocks of which Joy is about to start to build with… Good lord – the places her music is going to take her! Hang on tight Joy Villa, you’ve got the skills and natural ability to take this as far as you want to go; but don’t think you can hide out much longer – talent like yours does not stay a secret for very long.

Find out more from her official page:  www.princessjoyvilla.com

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