Vocalist/guitarist Ritzy Bryan and bassist Rhydian Dafydd originally played together as part of indie rock band Tricky Nixon, which later reformed into a new wave/post-punk band Sidecar Kisses. In 2007 they regrouped on returning to Mold, Wales and formed The Joy Formidable, with Justin Stahley now on drums.
The Joy Formidable released their debut single, "Austere", on 7" through Another Kitchen Records on 18 August 2008. "Austere" was followed with a second single, a limited edition double 7" physical release of "Cradle" on Try Harder Records on 2 February 2009.
In 17 February 2009, the band issued an 8-track mini album A Balloon Called Moaning on Pure Groove Records. In support of the record the band appeared at several notable festivals, including Latitude Festival, Reading Festival and Leeds Festival during which time Justin Stahley was replaced on the drums by Matthew Thomas.
In May 2009, they issued the single, "Whirring", on 7" through Friends Vs Records, which was BBC Radio 2's Radcliffe and Maconie Show's Pick of the Week for the week of 11 May 2010.
At the end of 2009, The Joy Formidable released a free digital-only single "Greyhounds in the Slips", produced by and featuring ex-Mansun frontman Paul Draper and a limited edition live album entitled First You Have To Get Mad on 30 November 2009, which had been recorded at their headline London Garage gig two months previously.
The band also notably toured the UK with Editors and Passion Pit. On 26 June 2010, they supported Paul McCartney at Cardiff's Millenium Stadium. The very next day, the band performed an opening set on the Other Stage at the Glastonbury Festival 2010. They also toured as part of the 2010 NME Radar Tour, supported by Chapel Club, Flats and Wilder.
Another single entitled "Popinjay" was released through iTunes Store on 21 February 2010, ahead of a physical release on 5 April 2010. In 11 October 2010, The Joy Formidable issued the single "I Don’t Want To See You Like This".
In 24 January 2011, The Joy Formidable released their debut studio album The Big Roar on Atlantic Records. The album was very favorable received by critics. The Big Roar was preceded by the re-issue of the single "Austere".
http://www.thejoyformidable.com
The Last Drop
The Joy Formidable Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
loud as the light can be made
Smile in this space, It's all loud
loud as the light can be made
How come it's all around me?
How come it's all around me?
How come it's all around me?
Under the bed, these boxes
wait for the spring, to bring me near
it makes me see, it's all wrong
let's have some time while you're healing
How come it's all around me?
How come it's all around me?
How come it's all around me?
How come it's all around me?
It's clear
I've squeezed
The Last Drop
The Last Drop
The Last Drop
The Last Drop
pieces come together, pull the mist like needles
fighting for the leap when we can rise like spirals
How come it's all around me?
How come it's all around me?
How come it's all around me?
How come it's all around me?
The lyrics to The Joy Formidable's "The Last Drop" allude to a feeling of overwhelming loudness, perhaps representing the chaos of modern life. The repetition of "smile in this space, it's all loud" suggests an attempt to find positivity and joy amidst the noise. The next stanza brings in the imagery of boxes under the bed, waiting for spring - this could represent a time of healing or renewal, but also emphasizes the feeling of being trapped or confined.
The chorus repeats the question "how come it's all around me?", conveying a sense of confusion or disbelief at the overwhelming nature of the world. The final section brings in the image of pieces coming together and rising like spirals, perhaps suggesting a sense of hope or possibility.
Overall, the song seems to be exploring the challenges of finding peace and positivity in a chaotic world, and the sense of being constantly surrounded by noise and confusion despite efforts to escape it.
Line by Line Meaning
Smile in this space, It's all loud
Be happy in this environment where everything is vibrant and lively
loud as the light can be made
As noisy and intense as the brightness of light can be
How come it's all around me?
Why is this energy and liveliness surrounding me?
Under the bed, these boxes
Boxes are hidden under the bed
wait for the spring, to bring me near
They wait for the spring season to come closer to me
it makes me see, it's all wrong
It makes me realize that something is not right
let's have some time while you're healing
Let's take some time to heal together
It's clear
Everything is now obvious and apparent
I've squeezed
I have extracted the maximum possible
The Last Drop
The final bit of something important
pieces come together, pull the mist like needles
Fragments merge, drawing in the haze like needles
fighting for the leap when we can rise like spirals
Struggling to jump up and ascend like spirals
Contributed by Xavier M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.