Joan & The Giants return with ‘Looking For A Reason’, a new single that continues the Perth band’s exploration of personal experience, emotional resilience and the changing shape of their rock sound.
by Paul Cashmere
Joan & The Giants have released their new single ‘Looking For A Reason’, adding another chapter to a catalogue shaped by autobiographical songwriting and the personal experiences of frontwoman Gracie Newton-Wordsworth. The release comes as the band continues its August Melbourne residency at The Old Bar, while a new Noise11 interview with Newton-Wordsworth provides insight into the songwriting, recording and career decisions behind the group’s recent work.
‘Looking For A Reason’ was written and performed by Gracie Newton-Wordsworth, Riley Sutton, Liam Olsen, Chris Mackenzie and Oscar Dawson. Dawson produced and mixed the recording, with Jordan Power mastering the track. Newton-Wordsworth wrote the lyrics and created the artwork.
The accompanying music video was shot and edited by Matthew Wood and directed by Newton-Wordsworth, extending the song into a visual project directed by the artist herself.
The new release follows a period in which Joan & The Giants have increasingly connected their music with personal experiences. That relationship between life and songwriting is central to the Noise11 interview, in which Newton-Wordsworth discusses how autobiographical writing has become an important part of her creative process.
One of the most revealing sections of the conversation concerns ‘Mamma Don’t Cry’, a song written after Gracie Newton-Wordsworth left an abusive relationship and spoke to her mother about what she had experienced. She explains how songwriting has provided a way to process difficult periods in her life, with different songs reflecting specific chapters and experiences.
The discussion also examines ‘The Five Stages Of Grief’, including the emotional consequences of recording material that deals with difficult subjects. Newton-Wordsworth talks about songs that remain challenging to perform live, demonstrating the distance between writing a song and subsequently having to revisit its subject on stage.
That emotional directness has accompanied Joan & The Giants’ musical development since the band’s early EP ‘Me And You’. Newton-Wordsworth discusses the evolution of the group’s sound and the move towards the more substantial rock approach heard in its current material.
The interview also provides context around the band’s position as an independent Australian act. Joan & The Giants have performed internationally, including a support opportunity with P!NK and appearances at SXSW in Austin and The Great Escape in the United Kingdom. Newton-Wordsworth discusses the confidence required to perform in those environments and the experience of taking Australian music into international markets.
Behind those performances is the less visible business of maintaining an independent band. Newton-Wordsworth explains how Joan & The Giants balance creative work with the practical responsibilities involved in operating a contemporary music career.
That challenge becomes particularly relevant when discussing the band’s unreleased catalogue. Joan & The Giants have accumulated enough material for two albums but have yet to release a debut album. Rather than simply marking the next stage through a conventional album cycle, the band is continuing to develop its material while considering how its substantial body of work should ultimately be presented.
Newton-Wordsworth also reveals that Joan & The Giants have completed their first remix, offering another indication of the ways the band is extending its recorded output beyond its established approach.
‘Looking For A Reason’ therefore arrives during a period of transition for Joan & The Giants. The single adds to a body of work that has become increasingly personal while the band continues to establish its identity through recording, touring and international performance opportunities.
The Melbourne residency provides a local setting for that development. Joan & The Giants are performing every Tuesday night during August at The Old Bar in Fitzroy, giving the band a run of intimate shows alongside the release of the new material.
Tour Dates
Tuesday, August 4, Melbourne, The Old Bar
Tuesday, August 11, Melbourne, The Old Bar
Tuesday, August 18, Melbourne, The Old Bar
Tuesday, August 25, Melbourne, The Old Bar
Ticket Details
Tickets for the Joan & The Giants Melbourne residency are available through Oztix.
The Old Bar is at 74 Johnston Street, Fitzroy, Victoria. Doors usually open at 7:30pm.
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