Review: Joanna Gruesome / Perfect Pussy – Astonishing Adventures Split 7”

This 7” is the long-awaited collaboration between psychic sister bands Joanna Gruesome and Perfect Pussy. Both bands contribute two songs here—one original and one cover. On the A side, Cardiff indie pop noisemakers Joanna Gruesome supply “Psykick Espionage,” a spitfire noise punk tune that’s 100-percent on par with their ace debut Weird Sister. For their cover, they brilliantly translate i hate myself’s “And Keep On Reaching For Those Stars” from ’90s emo to bittersweet pop. Perfect Pussy’s original … “Adult World (The Secret)” is a treat—it’s less harsh than their previous efforts, which makes pulling Meredith Graves’ lyrics from the swirling haze a bit easier (a rewarding effort). Their take on The Sugarcubes’ “Leash Called Love” finishes the collaboration strong—after Graves’ delightful take on Björk-style vocals, she glitches out à la Alice Glass, over a looping electronic pulse. Be sure to snag this 7” before it disappears—physical copies come with a 24-page comic book by Phil McAndrew. –Christian Schultz