There are records that deserve to have been made if only for a single song. Dashboard Mary is one of those compositions, but Johnny’s Dreamworld is not one of those records.
The debut LP from the London-based outfit Modern Woman is a carousel of emotions and contrasts packed with exceptional tracks. From the haunting delicacy of more arty pieces like Neptune Girl or Daniel, to the aggressive post-punk crescendo of Killing a Dog or the emotional Blessed Day.
The album kicks off with the title track, Johnny’s Dreamworld, where Sophie Harris immediately proves that her vision is not easily pigeonholed, thanks to the multiple vocal registers she deploys. It opens with spoken word passages, shifts into an aggressive bridge, and culminates with her most lyrical voice in the chorus. A true statement of intent regarding the identity of the work and the band’s artistic ambitions from minute one.
Beyond its musical avant-gardism, it confirms what Harris already hinted at on the group’s debut EP, Dogs Fighting in My Dream (2021): we are witnessing an outstanding lyricist and performer. Comparisons (always odious, yet useful for orienting ourselves around new talent) suggest the following touchstones:
- Björk: highly understandable given her vocal inflections and her more arty side.
- Cat Power: I don’t find this comparison quite as fitting.
- Patti Smith: here lies the key.
Her delivery, often bordering on poetry yet never neglecting its more punk rock edge, makes parallels with Smith hard to avoid. It is precisely at this point that we reach the album’s climax with Dashboard Mary, a track that could well have been penned by the godmother of punk herself.
33 magical minutes, boasting an unusual depth for a debut effort.