I caught the Cardiff, Wales, UK-based quintet of Joanna Gruesome at a CMJ Showcase at Death by Audio and although I eventually wound up in the Elmhurst General Hospital Emergency Room later that night, their CMJ set was among my personal highlights of that night, and of the entire festival. The band’s debut full-length saw a September release through Slumberland Records here in the States – and it’s won critical praise for material that possesses pop melodies with a buzzing, dissonant sort of jangle with tons of feedback. 

Building on the success of their CMJ Festival appearances, and their debut album. the band will be releasing the “Sugarcrush” digital single, and the B-Side includes a cover of Galaxie 500’s “Tugboat.” The Joanna Gruesome cover still retains the shoegazer feel of the song, although it’s somewhat buried under layers of fuzzy, buzzing distortion.