Singles Spotlight: Modern Woman – “Johnny’s Dreamworld”

Hello reader,

How are you today?

I’m excited to shed light on yet another musician creating music driven by great songwriting: Modern Woman. This is the London-based art-rock project led by primary songwriter and lead singer Sophie Harris. It’s a relatively new project to me as well, but I’m glad that I recently got to hear the titular single of the group’s debut album, Johnny’s Dreamworld, which is released on Friday, May 1st, via the fabulous label One Little Independent Records. I liked it so much and think you will too, so SWT will shed some spotlight on it today.

Joining Harris as part of the Modern Woman ensemble are violinist and composer David Denyer, bassist and saxophonist Juan Brint-Gutiérrez, and drummer Adam Blackhurst. According to a press release for the album, “Modern Woman’s sound emerged from years of creative refinement. The band coalesced when Harris met violinist and composer David Denyer, who brought a background in experimental composition and textural sound work. Joined by Juan Brint-Gutiérrez on bass and saxophone and Adam Blackhurst on drums, the group forged a style that values the contrasting harsh edges of folk lyricism and noise that collides with melody. Working with producer Joel Burton (Naima Bock, Katy J Pearson, Vanishing Twin), they found a live immediacy that channels the raw intensity of their performances into a sound that is both rich and unpredictable.” I love how that sounds, don’t you?

The press release further elaborates on the album and evolution of the band, stating, “‘Johnny’s Dreamworld’ represents the culmination of Modern Woman’s journey from Harris’s early, intimate songwriting project into a full-bodied band capable of folding post-punk, avant-garde, and folk traditions into a live force of dynamic originality. At its heart, the record explores the strange poetry buried within the ordinary. Harris’s lyrics, steeped in literary detail and filmic atmosphere, draw from a fascination with the dark underbelly of the everyday and the contradictions of womanhood.”

Harris explained her vision, saying, “A vital theme I’ve always wanted in Modern Woman is the idea of conflicting things, of the tender/harsh, loud/quiet and scrappy/polished. The style of everybody’s playing, drawing from a melting pot of influences, coming together to form something new.”  Sign me up. I love every single word of that, but when those words are crafted by a skilled artist into a form and presented, the results are excellent artwork. When crafted by talented musicians, the listener is blessed with a period of both earworms and joy that sticks with them for a while.

I think Johnny’s Dreamworld is a good album overall, with a sound that will resonate with its appreciative listeners. You’ll dig it. Let’s explore the titular song some more. This is the opening song on the album, setting the tone well for the ride you’re about to go on. Don’t worry, you won’t want to find any exits. This song expertly captures melodic shift and pairs its instrumentation with its vocal delivery and overall tone. “Johnny’s Dreamworld” charges quickly and intensely out of the gate, with purposely crafted and conflicting sounds from the propulsive drumming and the guitar’s screeching. It’s not abrasive to my ears, nor do I think it will be to yours. The bass groove and softer drumwork soften the melody, and you’re left in a head-bob good time just as Harris delivers the first vocals soon after; the melody gives her vocals both space and time to shine momentarily without any other noise before it builds, matching her aggressive vocal delivery shift. Again, they pair perfectly. Seconds later, another shift occurs, like before, to softer sounding moments, and this won’t be the last time. Another shift occurs, allowing drums and guitars to stand out once again before the song comes to a close. All in all, the song serves as a fantastic example of great songwriting, songcraft, and composition, in general, but especially within post-punk, avant-garde, or art-rock subgenres.  And thus, a song that deserves some discussion via our SWT Spotlight Series and serves as a lovely introduction to the band Modern Woman.

Take a look and listen for yourself.

Watch the video for the song “Johnny’s Dreamworld,” which features a lot of Harris in a small set, along with other interlaced visuals. From Modern Woman’s YouTube channel:

(All credits and rights to Modern Woman)

The cover art for Johnny’s Dreamworld:

The track list for Johnny’s Dreamworld:

1. Johnny’s Dreamworld
2. Neptune Girl
3. Offerings
4. Killing a Dog
5. Daniel
6. Fork/Heart
7. Blessed Day
8. Dashboard Mary
9. The Garden

Alex M Theel

Co-Founder, Reviewer, Content Creator, Business side, Editor at Scummy Water Tower Productions | Web

Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site, scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions and SWT Interviews. And all of our socials.
Questions, feedback, or more? Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com