POPE JOANNA

honest to goodness power electronics. I have known Clarisse (Pope Joanna) for almost 25 years—we performed two shows in CA in 2002, did a very short east coast tour a year later, and then she pretty much put the project to rest and focused on her academic career. although we never fell out of communication, our chatting picked up a bit after she released a split cassette in 2010. I had long hoped Clarisse would make a recording of Sermon I—the piece she performed at the two shows in CA—partially because I had fond memories of the shows but also because it seemed a glaring gap in her fairly thin recorded output.

over the course of nine years, Clarisse recorded an iteration of Sermon I along with seven other pieces and has deemed this release the conclusion of Pope Joanna.

The lyrics, as Clarisse states, “are almost all based on the hypocrisy of religion and cloaked in the tropes of religious texts: sermons, prayers, etc.”

In addition to a booklet of lyrics and a thorough interview, the release comes with a reliquary of sorts: Clarisse cut up elements of her Pope Joanna costume (pontifical gloves, stole, and mitre) and attached them to the inside bottom of the box.

Edition of 26 signed and numbered copies.

(label info)