Over three years in the making, joan’s debut album, superglue was well worth waiting for. Composed of thirteen vulnerable, emotional, nostalgic, glittering tracks, superglue finds the duo delivering some of their most personal and heartfelt music to date. Influenced by Alan Benjamin Thomas and Steven Rutherford’s recent transitions into fatherhood, superglue finds both artists wearing their hearts on their sleeves, and the result is something that can’t be faked. It’s meaningful, honest, and incredibly relatable.
Kicking off the album and really setting the tone for the songs that follow is the stunning intro, “life death & everything in between”, which truly feels like the “birth” of the record. The songs that follow are twelve vulnerable stories that anyone can relate to. There’s truly a little bit of something for everyone, from the nostalgic “simple”, which feels like the perfect soundtrack to a 90’s rom-com and the sticky-sweet, “falling in love” to “don’t wanna be your friend”, which touches on feelings of longing and unrequited love.
superglue isn’t just filled with “love songs” either. While it’s safe to say that joan excel at capturing the butterflies that come along with new love or heartbreak of losing someone, songs like the uncertain “loner”, which finds the duo battling imposter syndrome, and “flowers”, which touches on change, also shine. There’s also the heartwarming “monsters”, which finds the duo promising to protect their daughters, and the powerful title track, “superglue”, which speaks to the power of a fatherly bond as they make the commitment to be the “superglue” for their children.
With each and every track on the album, joan prove that they’re unafraid of tackling any subject matter. In fact, they do so effortlessly. superglue accomplishes exactly what a debut full-length should – it solidifies joan’s place in the alt-pop world while proving just what they’re capable of and showcasing their emotional range along the way.