There are many reasons for the Joy Formidable to be basking these days. They released their sophomore album, Wolf’s Law, in January to a string of positive reviews, played on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, charted just outside Billboard’s Top 50 albums and their lead single, “This Ladder is Ours,” has reached the top 25 on the U.S. Alternative charts. They have also just embarked on a North American tour which included a series of gigs at SXSW and will take them clear into the middle of May. And to think, to some degree this album’s early success owes a lot to a canceled gig.
With Wolf’s Law, The Joy Formidable have released what is sure to be a contender for year-end album best of lists. These might be bold words for an album that is only being released in January, but Wolf’s Law improbably fuses together epic rock with gorgeous melodies, swelling choruses, singer Ritzy Bryan’s both pixie-ish and ethereal vocals and all the dramatic sweep and scope of a concept album without imploding under its own weight like most concept albums do.
