One of the problems with complying year-end lists is that albums released towards the end of the year often get excluded. That was the case with Big Joanie’s debut album, Sistahs. Even though they released their album a week or two before I started working on my list of the 40 Best Protest Album of 2018, I sadly didn’t have a chance to listen to it until
Big Joanie is a black feminist punk trio from the UK. Even though their music isn’t necessarily considered overtly political, they do address subjects such as tokenism and empowerment. They also tap into a fresh genre-bending sound that the band has described as “like The Ronettes filtered through 80s DIY and riot grrrl with a sprinkling of dashikis.”
The band is an example of how the simple act of making music can be a powerful statement of social change. In true punk fashion, they refuse to play by the rules that are set out by a white male-dominated music genre. They are also involved in helping to create Decolonise Fest and other initiatives to make the DIY punk scene more inclusive.
The album opens with the anthemic “New Year”, which features the three women harmonizing on the stirring five-word mantra: “Don’t tell me to wait.” It is a fitting resolution for those who want to achieve change in society. The current patriarchal structure had their chance. Why wait any longer to demolish it?