Fanning out with fanclubwallet
The fanatical, radical and real cool world of fanclubwallet’s Hannah Judge; photographed by Ian Filipovic.
Introducing fanclubwallet, the project of Ontario rising DIY pop star Hannah Judge who just released the lauded Hurt is Boring EP. A moniker inspired by an old Dennis the Menace wallet belonging to their father, the new EP was lovingly developed and incubated as the artist battled a severe case of Crohn’s for 10 months that kept them largely bed ridden in their childhood home. A must-hear cornucopia of candid and cutting candy coated personal anecdotes, Hannah deals in some of the most acute, raw, catchy, emotive, earnest and relatable pop art you will hear anywhere this spring season.
The unexpected incidents and accidents that life casts in the middle of our path strike hard with the opening head on collision "Car Crash in G Major". Judge chronicles the chaos and traumas that are as intrinsic and guaranteed as part of the complicated human experience, as well as those moments of respite and the elusive specter of happiness. With sincere and saccharine pop toned structures, the genius of Hannah's song craft prowess is the uncanny ability to make even the concepts of calamity sound and feel like an enthusiastic event. Melodic overtures ponder the desire of stability, sentiments of sanctuary and the sanctity of safety that are all but lost upon us in this confounded day and age.
The processes of healing through trauma, acts of rebellion and oddball exchanges are put on full display on the power pop nouveau plea to "C'mon Be Cool". Hannah's songs carry the message of acceptance, understanding, all the while extolling the values and importance of kindness in our treatment of others (both close to our hearts and otherwise). The fight or flight instincts of escapism, coping and the overwhelming urge of absolute abandon can be felt in the lo to hi fidelity mix and muddle of feelings on “Flew Away” that includes the ambient noise of social chatter looming low key in the background soundscape. The processes of checking up and checking in on loved ones and all the inherent complications that are involved with any coupling ring out on the heart felt "What's Up", as the title track deals with the dichotomies of pain counterbalanced with the almost unattainable desire and pursuit for a preferable state of bliss.
The sharp cupid arrow dart journal poetics of fanclubwallet are reminiscent of the obscured bedroom penned symphonies of malcontent, wary hope and ennui found in the catalogs of the Double Double Whammy and Orchid Tapes repertoire respectively. From the confines of quarantine and into the unknown of a world learning to see and hear one another face to face again — Hurt is Boring is an economic cycle of home bound hymns for weary-eyed world wanderers slowly returning to a reluctant planet that feels different, somewhat familiar, new and ultimately strange. After the following listen, join us for Hannah Judge's lively curation of inspirations.
Presenting fanclubwallet’s Week in Pop:
“Five Items of Inspo”
Mr. Meaty
I can't stop thinking about the Canadian kids show “Mr. Meaty” it aired on nickelodeon and I have no idea how it got past the producers. It’s basically a puppet show about these two kids that work at a mall food court, and the character design is deeply disturbing. In one of the episodes the main dude tries to impress a goth girl who ends up eating her own hand after accidentally dunking it in the deep fryer. There’s just something about it that makes it impossible to look away.
Online Bidding
Lately I can’t stop perusing auction websites, like the online estate sale ones. Everything is closed up in Canada right now (so no thrifting) and I'm always looking for old music/recording gear on them. I’ve had a little luck and I got a reel to reel for $8 but I’m trying to check them out less because I ended up spending waaaay too much money once. It’s easy to get caught up in a bid!
Fisher Price Happy Apples
Re: the online auction problem, I'm obsessed with these 1970s fisher price toys that are like apples with smiley faces on them, that have chimes inside? Each one sounds a little different depending on the quality but they have the most unique sound. I mostly find them on auction sites or things like Kijiji / Craigslist. I had one and now I have four I think. I've sent them to some friends so I can't quite remember. I wanna start a happy apple trend!
Tumblr
Garfield hangs with Hannah Judge of fanclubwallet; photographed by Ian Filipovic.
This one's pretty self explanatory. At the beginning of the pandemic I signed into my old middle school tumblr account just to find that I actually still really like it. There’s basically no targeted ads on there and I can really pick and choose what I want to look at. It feels like it’s rotting my brain a little less than other social medias, but who knows. I’m a cartoonist as well, so it’s a really great place to look at art and not have to see a bunch of other stuff I'd rather not see.
Bleached Eyebrows
I think I'm a little late to the game here, but this trend really came out of nowhere to me. I think it looks really cool and I'm super jealous of the people that can pull it off. I’m pretty sure I’d look a little too wacky with them but I definitely consider it when I stay up until like 4am. What if I bleached my eyebrows right now? I should get a new tattoo or a mullet, that stuff always crosses my mind but I either just fall asleep or talk myself out of it.
fanclubwallet’s Hurt is Boring is available now everywhere.
Cover art for fanclubwallet’s Hurt is Boring EP.