5. December 2025
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Media Review

Johnnie Carwash – No Friends No Pain

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Johnnie Carwash - No Friends No Pain

Johnnie Carwash - No Friends No Pain
4.1

Rating

 4.1/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Fresh, happy sound
  • Very speedy, catching album

Flyctory.com Cons

  • Not that promising beginning

Time for some music from France: Johnnie Carwash are doing indie-pop songs with a touch of rock. While the band already gained some popularity in their home country, the more and more roll over to other European places. Maybe their new album No Friends No Pain is helping with that? I had a listen to the 29th March 2024 release.

 

Johnnie Carwash – About The Artists

Johnnie Carwash is an indie-trio from France, which has been founded in 2018 in Lyon. They mix punk, rock and pop elements to their music. In 2020, they released their first EP Mom Is A Punk!, followed by their 2022 debut album Teenage Ends. In 2023, they had a major tour, including stops in Germany, for example.

 

Johnnie Carwash – No Friends No Pain – Track by Track

The ten track album lasts 31 minutes.

1. Sunshine

Sunshine
Such a beautiful day
To hate your guts
What don’t you understand ?

The opener already defines the typical sound by Johnnie Carwash. The band has a fresh and happy vibe, there is a touch of punk and garage in their sound, as well as the ease and recklessness of a school band. This leads to a catching, but also rather easy to digest sound.

2. I’m A Mess

I’m a mess and I like it – the key message of the second song is a really clear one. The song has a great speed and thus quickly touches you with your energy. With 2:26 minutes, the single release just comes with the right format for a radio song.

 

3. Aha (It’s Okay)

The first tunes of the third song Aha (It’s Okay) feel very similar to the predecessor. And, honestly, the song has a hard time establishing being a unique and characteristic part of the album. I’m A Mess simply comes with more energy and a clearer message. Bad luck, as this one has some nice elements as well, including the nice melody line, which reminds me of surf music.

 

4. Stuck In My Head

After these similar single releases, the more rocking Stuck In My Head is adding a nice new flavor to the album. Nonetheless, the French keep their happy, melodic style, which is somehow made to infect your soul. You should mention that this vibes are a bit in contrast to the final lyrics, I want you dead. 

5. What A Life

The rather short songs of No Friends No Pain create quite some speed on top of the rather uptempo songs. Thus, you reach the fifth song What A Life after a short voyage through the album. The track comes with very present guitars and and a good drive from the guitar side. The lyrics remind of punk music.

I started a band with my friends
Quit my job it feels so great
Goodbye plaza, hello pasta
Got no money, I’m not worried

6. I Wanna Be In Your Band

After band life has been mentioned in the song before already, it is featured again in I Wanna Be In Your Band. The song is a bit slower than the songs before. Finally, the song leads to the core message I wanna be in your band – or maybe we could just be friends. That’s a nice view on a musician’s life, which makes me smile.

7. Waste My Time

Waste My Time? At least, you don’t do that for too long, the track is just 2:05 minutes long. And it is not a waste of time. Increasing the speed and the guitar level again, it spreads a lot of energy in a short time.

8. Anxiety

Don’t wanna go outside
Don’t wanna bruise my mind
I never wanna feel fine

Cool bass grooves drive the eighth song of the album, Anxiety. Like most of the songs on No Friends No Pain, Johnnie Carwash works with a rather short set of lyrics, but therefor goes for clear messages. Nice.

9. Hate Myself

Hate Myself is another slightly slower song (far away from a ballad, though…). The guitars are rather heavily strumming throughout the track. The clear, direct sound of the band is very present in this song – there is a touch of this track being recorded right in the rehearsal room.

10. WALIAG

The closing song is long in any way. First of all, WALIAG is a 4.47 minute listen. Secondly, the full title, What Ain’t Lost Is A Gain, somehow felt having been too long for this album. The first part of the song even has a ballad touch, but Johnnie Carwash is finally heading back to their typical sound again. However, the track is rather in the midtempo range.

 

Johnnie Carwash – No Friends No Pain – Spotify

Here is the album on Spotify:

 

Johnnie Carwash – No Friends No Pain – My View

I really like the sound of No Friends No Pain. Luckily, the band presents a more variable sound after the slightly monotonous beginning. Johnnie Carwash delivers vibes which make you smile and dance to their music – and I am thankful for that. Good one.

Favorite Song: I Wanna Be In Your Band

 

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