Roxanne and the Reprobates – Easy Joy (2026)
‘Easy Joy’ is the extremely impressive debut single by Roxanne and the Reprobates. It is a track that contends with feelings of emptiness and isolation, and the extent to which people go to fit in. The track has a certain swagger about it, and all the instruments work beautifully in unison.
The band are fronted by singer and guitarist Roxanne, who vocally sounds like Deborah Harry, Kate Pierson (The B52’s) and Sheryl Crow. She is joined by Richie Noonan on bass and Frank Ryan on drums. They have gigged at venues across Merseyside and have been together for four years.
‘Easy Joy’ opens with a lovely, singular guitar, which took inspiration from The Clash’s ‘Straight To Hell’ (sampled famously on ‘Paper Planes’ by M.I.A.). The song title came to Roxanne as it was the name of a petrol station in a documentary she watched about China. The well-crafted lyrics explore the lengths people go to feel accepted, this could be characterised by the music industry or society in general; “You’ve got to tell a certain story / You’ve got to have a certain edge / You’re looking for that easy joy”
The track has a great intensity that owes a lot to its frantic chorus, which is when the song explodes into life. Richie Noonan delivers a simple but effective bassline which carries the track. There is the accompaniment of handclaps, which are laid over Roxanne’s electric guitar. By the time of the second verse, Roxanne sings, “Your ambition has fizzled out / Staring at flickering screens“. The track’s lyrical content is about dissatisfaction with life and craving something more.
The bridge has more thought-provoking lyrics in the form of: “Too young to know what you want / Too old to remember what that was“. The meaning behind this could be that you can get so caught up in daily life that you forget what it is that you ever wanted to do. Frank Ryan’s thrilling rolling drums really find the mark here. Roxanne and the Reprobates music is full of melodic hooks, guitar riffs and dark lyrics.
‘Easy Joy’ was produced by Jim Spencer, who is known for his work with The Charlatans and Johnny Marr. Roxanne and the Reprobates’ imaginative lyrics and excellent instrumentation really stand out on this wonderful debut.
Learn more about Roxanne and the Reprobates on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify and TikTok.
