Artist: The Just Joans
Title: Has Anybody Seen My Boy?
Format: 7" single on transparent blue vinyl
Cat#: Fika069
Release date: 10th August 2018
Bandcamp | Spotify | iTunes
Cult Scottish miserabilists The Just Joans have a new double A-side single, following up on the success of 2017’s album You Might Be Smiling Now…, their first in over a decade.
Formed in Glasgow in 2005, The Just Joans have evolved from a shambling two-piece to an accomplished sextet that embraces rivalry and relationship in the vocals of siblings, David and Katie Pope.
Once described as ‘the missing link between The Magnetic Fields and The Proclaimers’, the band have used self-awareness and self-deprecation to continuously explore themes of angst, heartbreak and detachment in their songs.
From their 2006 debut album Last Tango in Motherwell through a series of successful EPs, to 2012’s compilation Buckfast Bottles In The Rain, the acerbic wit in David Pope’s observational lyrics have helped make the band a firm favourite of the indie-pop scene. Their rise has seen them play a plethora of international festivals, such as Wales Goes Pop, Indiefjords, NYC Popfest, and of course the Indietracks festival, of which they have been long-standing cult favourites since their first appearance in 2008.
David Pope describes the two tracks from the 7” in characteristic Just Joans style:
“Has Anybody Seen My Boy? is our attempt at writing a lost 60’s girl group track...had that girl group been from Motherwell. 3 minutes of bubblegum-tragi-pop. Flip side Who Does Susan Think She Is? is a direct message to the friends who swanned off to art school and came back 3 months later with dyed hair, a Polaroid camera and a snooty attitude. You know who you are…”
The artwork was created specially for the single by Doreen Kay who attends the weekly art cIass Katie Pope runs for adults who have learning disabilities. Doreen's work often depicts popular cultural, including tv programmes and celebrities she likes. She also paints places she's enjoyed visiting and people she knows. We’re all very excited that she agreed to design the sleeve for this release.
The Just Joans are David Pope (vocals and guitar), Katie Pope (vocals), Chris Elkin (lead guitar), Fraser Ford (bass guitar), Doog Cameron (keyboards) and Jason Sweeney (drums).
"Two new songs from glum sibling centric Glaswegian indie rockers. The Just Joans, formed in 2005, are built around the tempestuous relationship only siblings can have, here provided by Katie and David Pope. Has Anybody Seen My Boy shows them capitalising off the energy of 2017's You Might Be Smiling Now... for a fresh opportunity to show off how miserable they are." Norman Records
"terrific weekend angst-pop" When You Motor Away