The Joy Formidable have announced the release of a special commemorative 10-year double album edition of their acclaimed debut release A Balloon Called Moaning. The double album will include their 2009 EP A Balloon Called Moaning plus a newly recorded acoustic Welsh language version, Y Falŵn Drom.
Written and recorded in a bedroom over a decade ago by lead singer and guitarist Ritzy Bryan, and bass player and vocalist Rhydian Davies in north Wales, A Balloon Called Moaning was an instant hit. Rated 8/10 by NME, it was the first of the band’s releases to feature their now iconic single “Whirring” – a track that was named amongst Pitchfork’s Top 100 Tracks of The Year and described as “the song of the year” by no less than Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl.
In the passing decade, as the world tours, festival main stages and stadium shows have racked up, it has always been especially important to the band that they continue to recognise and highlight the importance of their Welsh heritage. In this new anniversary edition, each song from the original release is re-worked acoustically and presented again in the Welsh language. On the new release, Ritzy said,
We’ve been through such a lot as a band over the years, it’s been a really reflective studio session, returning to the old recordings and transforming them into these beautiful stripped back, intimate versions. It’s exciting hearing them in the Welsh language because now they have new life too and can be a celebration of language as well as memory.
In celebration of A Balloon Called Moaning / Y Falŵn Drom, The Joy Formidable are also announcing the launch of Formidable Fest / Gŵyl Aruthrol, a mini festival at The Tramshed in Cardiff on Saturday 23 November 2019. Ritzy commented:
We see Formidable Fest as a lovely opportunity for us to invite some bands to play in Wales, in front of an audience that otherwise might not get to see them. That, and having a bill that promotes Welsh language acts and bands from Wales – just a really inclusive night of great music. We’ll be doing 2 shows that night, one short acoustic Welsh set & the other full electric.
(Image credit: Steve Reynolds)
