{"id":162658011,"date":"2026-03-25T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/?p=162658011"},"modified":"2026-03-25T06:50:52","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T11:50:52","slug":"albums-i-should-have-listened-to-already-sistahs-by-big-joanie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/?p=162658011","title":{"rendered":"Albums I Should Have Listened To Already: &#8216;Sistahs&#8217; by Big Joanie"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&#8220;Don&#8217;t tell me to wait&#8221; &#8211; Big Joanie, &#8220;New Year&#8221;<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s time for another &#8220;Albums I Should Have Listened To Already!&#8221; This one is exciting. We&#8217;re getting into contemporary punk! Contemporary queercore punk, from a big consisting entirely of Black women! For someone who harps on the need to be intentional about consuming art by diverse artists, I am somewhat bad at seeking out bands with women. Yes, there are plenty I like\u2014Gully Boys, Covet, The Interrupters, Spitboy, Petrol Girls\u2014but I kinda have to think about who I like, you know? Same with rappers. I really enjoy Noname, <a href=\"https:\/\/johnpaulbrammer.substack.com\/p\/a-mf-monster\">I used to like Nicki Minaj<\/a>, I have a good time whenever Cardi or Doechii or Megan Thee Stallion or GloRilla songs come on, but still. There could be more women in my Apple Music rotation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, we&#8217;re correcting that. At least a little. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>HOW I CAME ACROSS THIS ALBUM<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"789\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_7104-1024x789.jpg\" alt=\"a page from a zine featuring a drawing of Big Joanie playing live, they are three Black women all standing up, even the drummer\" class=\"wp-image-162658245\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_7104-1024x789.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_7104-300x231.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_7104-768x592.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_7104-1536x1184.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_7104-2048x1578.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_7104-1320x1017.jpg 1320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">credit: Reaghan Buchanan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reaghan Buchanan&#8217;s excellent zine, <em>The Secret History Of Black Punk<\/em>, of course! Big Joanie is relatively contemporary, beginning in 2013 when guitarist\/singer Stephanie Phillips posted online about wanting to start a Black feminist punk band. The band is named after Stephanie&#8217;s mother, and the idea &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Big_Joanie\">acting &#8216;big,&#8217; as in a child acting bigger than themselves<\/a>.&#8221;<sup data-fn=\"e0aff9b6-4d9e-4bdc-837a-e3ed849da703\" class=\"fn\"><a href=\"#e0aff9b6-4d9e-4bdc-837a-e3ed849da703\" id=\"e0aff9b6-4d9e-4bdc-837a-e3ed849da703-link\">1<\/a><\/sup> Also recommend reading this <a href=\"https:\/\/bigjoanie.bandcamp.com\/album\/sistahs\">album&#8217;s description on Bandcamp<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>TRACK BY TRACK<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"350\" height=\"350\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-4.png\" alt=\"cover for Big Joanie's album Sistahs, featuring two black women sitting on a ledge in a park\" class=\"wp-image-162658246\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-4.png 350w, https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-4-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-4-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">credit: Big Joanie<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>New Year<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Big Joanie - New Year (Live on KEXP)\" width=\"790\" height=\"444\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bbfyfUkijuY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What a phenomenal start to the record. The insistent guitar with that glass-of-water tone. The thumping toms. The catchy chorus, and the fact that they get right to it. Guitar solo is unflashy and perfect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Fall Asleep<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Big Joanie - Fall Asleep (Official Video)\" width=\"790\" height=\"444\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VscB7YNpeKw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Danceable, but with punk grime. Great combination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Used To Be Friends<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Where was this song when I was in high school? \u201cI want to \/ be friends with you \/ but I only \/ feel hatred.\u201d Kinda Cobain vibes in this song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Eyes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A real test four songs in. The chords are cool and catchy, but the song has a deliberate muck, like walking in bog. I think it\u2019s cool, but that goddamned recorder\u2014I can\u2019t take the fuckin recorder. Every time this comes on in the car I worry that Mallory is finally going to break and demand I stop playing music in the car. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Way Out<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Man you know I love the lead guitar on this. Surfy, but with enough chorus to recall Cobain again.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Down Down<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Big Joanie - Down Down (Live on KEXP)\" width=\"790\" height=\"444\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SfZQo19hiDs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Again invoking punk&#8217;s long fascination with surf, using that harmonic minor scale. I will never get tired of it. The stoner-rock quality here is great, too\u2014the lyrics so repetitive they become chants, drums never veering from the toms. Good moodiness on this record. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Tell A Lie<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now we&#8217;re right back into trying to be catchy, with a really danceable drum machine mixing with pounding tom beats. There&#8217;s still some trance-inducing qualities here, but it&#8217;s more of an earworm than anything. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Token<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wild sonic stuff going on here. The drum shifts in the verse are nice. It&#8217;s almost like the song keeps fighting itself to become a different thing, but in a way that <em>works<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>It&#8217;s You<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Big Joanie - It&#039;s You (SXSW 2019)\" width=\"790\" height=\"444\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_0OMOLDIkXk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now we&#8217;re moving! Maybe the most cymbals on the record? Higher timbre on the guitar. The bass drives, keeps things danceable. You could picture a woman in a Bond movie dancing to this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How Could You Love Me<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Why not throw in a 50s ballad, right at the end? Gorgeous. Sway, everybody, sway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Cut Your Hair<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What a perfect album ender. Gorgeous. This is how we used to do things, great sad album enders like this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>WHAT I THINK<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is absolutely a punk spirit to this album, but don&#8217;t expect the fastest, most energetic songs you&#8217;ve ever heard. There&#8217;s grime here, some real muck, but it never devolves to sludge. The songs are all tight and never overstay their welcome (except that recorder on &#8220;Eyes&#8221;). This isn&#8217;t an all-the-time record for me, but I really really enjoy it. Sets a great mood, and shows the amazing stuff you can do with a trio. Simplify your songs, everyone! While keeping them strange and unique! (I am maybe talking to myself)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sorry you got an email, <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chris<\/p>\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-footnotes\"><li id=\"e0aff9b6-4d9e-4bdc-837a-e3ed849da703\">no, Wikipedia is not a primary source, but we&#8217;re just overviewing the band here <a href=\"#e0aff9b6-4d9e-4bdc-837a-e3ed849da703-link\" aria-label=\"Jump to footnote reference 1\">\u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><\/ol>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Don&#8217;t tell me to wait&#8221; &#8211; Big Joanie, &#8220;New Year&#8221; It&#8217;s time for another &#8220;Albums I Should Have Listened To Already!&#8221; This one is exciting. We&#8217;re getting into contemporary punk! [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":162658246,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"[{\"content\":\"no, Wikipedia is not a primary source, but we're just overviewing the band here\",\"id\":\"e0aff9b6-4d9e-4bdc-837a-e3ed849da703\"}]"},"categories":[24,169,10],"tags":[242,245,15,229],"class_list":["post-162658011","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music","category-shipwrecked-sailor-blog","category-wednesday-column","tag-albums-i-should-have-listened-to-already","tag-big-joanie","tag-music","tag-punk-rock"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162658011","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=162658011"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162658011\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":162658247,"href":"https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162658011\/revisions\/162658247"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/162658246"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=162658011"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=162658011"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=162658011"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}