JoyFocus

JoyFocus is a two-piece pop/rock band who come from Chicago, Illinois. Musician Rikk Currence and singer Holly Joy create music that blends elements of alternative rock and catchy pop songs. The two focus on stories of suburban family experience and all the things positive and negative that stem from a life in the American middle class. The band has proved to be highly successful since their debut in 2001; with three independent albums and seven featured singles on six different international releases, the band is working hard to become a household name.

The band’s latest single, titled “Love Song Cliché,” is an anthem for people all over the world who are tired of the standard love song that dominates radio stations every few weeks. The cute and small piano opening of the song seems to be preparing you for a love ballad until singer Holly Joy kicks up her vocals a notch. The sonic feel of the chorus grips you and takes you on a wild ride through soaring melodies and lyrics of inspiration.

Although singer Holly Joy speaks of her music as stories and experiences, her tone of voice may prove otherwise from time to time as the lack of emotion in her singing plays a major role in the band’s sound. Aside from that, this band sounds as if they are rocking out in whatever way they please. It’s obvious that musician Rikk Currence’s energy is through the roof when he’s writing and playing music. Listening to the new single from JoyFocus will bring out your favorite characteristics of rock music as well as the addiction of listening to that one pop song you can’t get enough of. - The Levity Ball

Three independent albums, 7 featured singles on 6 different international releases, and a lot of love from [loyal] fans on both sides of the planet, JoyFocus will be entering your radar soon (if they haven’t already).

Since their 2001 debut, Chicago duo Rikk Currence (musician) and Holly Joy (singer) have been making more moves and creating more awesome music than most bands with a full support staff…

Their new single, Love Song Cliche, opens up with a short piano riff that seems to be setting the mood for…well…a cliche love song?

…but then the doors are blown open by a gritty, distorted guitar and from that moment forward we are treated to an epic, dramatic piece of songwriting fit for a big arena as appropriately as it fits into headphones for a gripping adventure through sound.

Rikk and Holly are not to be taken lightly.

Holly’s vocals are as powerful and moving as Rikk’s guitar tones and engineering work. If you haven’t heard these guys before, now would be a great time to start catching up! - Middle Tennessee Music

“Love Song Cliché” is the new single from Illinois rock duo Joy Focus. Musician Rikk Currence and singer Holly Joy have been purveying their “kid tested & mother approved” music since late 2001. From this union have emerged three albums and seven singles, the latest of which is “Love Song Cliché.”

It’s a pleasing, eminently accessible track, full of youthful teasing energy and a touch of pathos.

“Love Song Cliché”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH5B6sibr38

In the early part, heavily palm-muted guitar chords provide a nice percussive backdrop on which the vocals can serenade. At first, the vocal component is kind of precious and dreamy: “I learned from my radio / a long time ago / in a galaxy far away…”

There’s an almost haunting pathos to the lines: “There’s a shred of truth in every song / That’s how they get us all to sing along.”

There’s something both sweet and tragic about Holly Joy’s voice during the chorus: “When it’s all done and through / Nothing left you can do / Just remember that I’ll be your love song cliché.”

Am especially a fan of the way the last three lyrics here are sung, which is probably a good thing, given that those three words comprise the song’s title.

It’s also a great, almost infectious chorus instrumentally. All these instruments unite for a punk-pop symphony.

“If you want the best of me / Then the rest of me comes along.”

I missed these two lines the first time ‘round. Was probably just busy diggin’ the track in general. But these are some lyrics that can be applied to so much of interpersonal relationships in general, and so much of life beyond that.

Having already listened to this track eight times over, it shall be the defining emotional experience of my day.

“Love Song Cliché” is combat-ready for the radio, and your shattered heart.
You can listen: http://soundcloud.com/joyfocus/love-song-cliche

Or purchase: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/love-song-cliche-single/id639053387?ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Or visit: www.joyfocus.com

Ray Cavanaugh – owleyesgatsby@yahoo.com
- See more at: http://www.skopemag.com/2013/06/17/joy-focus-love-song-cliche#sthash.O311zo1K.dpuf - SKOPE Magazine

Love Song Cliché is a catchy pop single that has a bit of an edge to it. It’s not the tacky pop that lingers softly along with plenty of soul but not enough heart, this song is ballsy and loud in parts drawing from the bands penchant for dramatic heavy rock-inspired arrangements.

The single is aptly titled Love Song Cliché because the song because it is still a song that recounts gooey memories and feelings but the rock elements and the band’s darker style of performance allows them to parody the characteristics of the stereotypical love ballad in a way. It’s like the band want to sing about it but this is their way of singing about it without turning into…Adele. It’s the cool way of expressing the subject and it really works in a Avril Lavigne kind of way.

Ultimately, the Chicago-based duo of musician Rikk Currance and singer Holly Joy have cultivated their own pop sound that is still completely acceptable for all ages and creeds but also people from varying social backgrounds. Yes there are aggressive guitars and thunderous drums like Def Leppard just stepped in the building, but there are also soft synths and masterful piano riffs that stabilise any forcefulness. The result is a precise and expertly-produced sound and an emotional, spiritual note that is alternative to the conventionality of the pop genre.

- Music - News.com

“An unusual three-piece band, as two musicians play
everything while the third handles all the vocals. Super
Happy Family Wish Record sounds like the $5.99 special
at Lee Ho Fook’s, but the band’s image is a hybrid of cartoon
imagery and professional wrestling. You probably
wouldn’t know what to expect when if you saw the record
in the store, but Joy Focus covers a few bases anyway.
“Hello” and “Undone” are nice showcases for Joy’s vocals,
which can sound almost teen-pop on some tracks yet sultry
on others. As for the music, Rikk Currence and Ray
Kainz can knock out some infectious pop (like the bouncy
“Two Days”) or play funkmaster (“Count Me Out”) as the
need arises. Despite the sometimes dense production, I
like the way the band plays around with arrangements and
vocal layering; it gives each of the seven tracks its own
personality. “

Bill Holmes - Cosmik Debris Magazine
- Bill Holmes from Cosmik Debris

“Holly Joy heads up this group and brings her own sultry
brand of Power Pop to her tunes. The style of the song
stays loyal to all that has gone before in this field, offering
much “Joy”(excuse the pun), happiness and dance into
your life. The lady can clearly sing with confidence, good
diction, and clarity, and delivers this well constructed vocal
with consummate ease.”
- Gods of Music.com

Joy Focus is a trio from Illinois arriving with seven songs perfectly tuned with the title of this cd, a sound driven by the guitar of Ray Kainz (he plays also bass and keyboards) and by the voice of Holly Joy, an image between comics and wrestling combined to a great professionality that allows to enjoy the positive pop rock with traces of modern rock.

"Instant Anything" is a great opener that has all that needs to please our ears, from the refrain in Cheap Trick/Enuff Z’ Enuff style with a slight touch of Marvelous 3, making peace among teenagers and older listeners.

With "Hear Say" I thought to hear a catchy song typical of Abba performed by a good American power pop band, while "Undone" might be a song written by Roxette with a greater electric load above all in the ultracatchy refrain.

Despite the cheerful atmosphere of the greatest part of the songs, Joy Focus know how to build more reflective, helaborated and mautre tunes like "Two Days" (showing a deeper dimension of the band without losing cathcy melodies) or the tough funk rock "Count Me Out".

On "High Beam Hair Cut" I found few similitudes with AOR like REO Speedwagon and Rick Sprinfield, always filtered through the JF’s personality, while closing "Hello" is maybe the most complete song of this cd and is worth to be listened to and loved!

There’s only to mention the great drum job by Rick Currence (he shares the bass duties with Ray), the professionalism in writing, recording and arranging these songs that in a short time will bring Joy Focus to the international attention!

- AOR Website

JoyFocus is a power rock due from Wheaton, IL, consisting of Holly Joy and Rikk Currence. Dancing around the edge of contemporary Christian rock, JoyFocus displays powerfully positive messages in their songs.

Ultra Catchy Atomic Pop Interlude - Volume 1 consists of three songs. Rikk Currence shares vocals with Holly Joy on He & Mary. Their voices are in perfect counterpoint to each other, she with a child-like quality reminiscent of Cyndi Lauper, circa-1985; he with a mellow baritone. On Mr. Hughes Comes Home and Prayer the lead is all Holly Joy. Her enigmatic sound wraps itself in the music like a trusted friend, particularly when Currence joins in on harmony in Prayer.

This is just a small sample, but it's obvious that JoyFocus has a certain spark or chemistry that turns the connection of notes and words into something more than just the song. They have a full length release due in the Fall of 2008, and I will be excited to see what that brings.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5) - Wildys World

JoyFocus' "Mr Hughes Come Home" is one of Chicago's finest. JoyFocus unleash their new music on the EP "Ultra Catchy Atomic Pop Interlude Volume 1", and this outstanding cut is wonderfully produced and perfectly sung! Don't be surprised if this lands on a ton of iPods, since their music has influences all over the place, and they pull it off with perfection. You can tell that this band loves great music, because that is that is the kind of music that JoyFocus makes! Excellent stuff! - jay@popbang.com