10 Questions with: Josephine Network
Artist feature written by Beau Croxton
Josephine Network by Nico Malvaldi
Josephine Network’s new album Hooked is a joyous party of infectious melodies, brilliant guitar harmonies and power-pop rock n’ roll that never lets go.
Josephine Network is an NYC band that has delivered catchy power-pop rock n’ roll glory since day 1. Led by NYC singer/songwriter/ guitarist Josephine, the group has shared the stage with renowned acts such as the Lemon Twigs, Shannon & the Clams, Sheer Mag, among others.
This past March, Josephine just released her fantastic sophomore LP Hooked. Now, it must be said that Hooked is a perfectly fitting title, as the power-pop hooks of this excellent record sink in and never let go. The upbeat recluse anthem “When Nobody’s Home” shines with jovial Beach Boys cheer that is irresistible, and “Mary Jane Girls” successfully swerves into a supremely harmonious lane that veers close to her peers, The Lemon Twigs.
Josephine is an especially excellent rock n’ roll guitarist and composer, as she has a really sharp sense of arrangements and harmony. Tracks like “Rock and Roll Singer”, “Hooked” and “Silver Highway Song”are highlighted by some killer, fuzzy, Thin Lizzy-esque guitar harmonies and seamless vocal harmonies that soar. These expertly delivered embellishments take already great songs skyward.
The songs on this LP fit comfortably alongside the riffs of your favorite Dazed and Confused-type rockers, just as well as they shimmer next to your favorite T Rex-ified glam rock n’ roll. Hooked thrives in many zones of classic rock, glam rock, and power-pop in a seamless way that doesn't rely exclusively on one strength; there’s high quality and consistency in every slight turn.
From the killer RN’R bar-broom brawl riffs of “Rock And Roll Singer”, and the Bolan-esque stomp of “Babbling Fool”, to the speedy BPM and glorious harmonies of the closer “The Rockers”— Hooked is a sweet toothed garage-rock party that showcases Josephine as a total rock ‘n roll pro with knack for quick & catchy hits.
Josephine’s live band is also top-shelf— her bandmates all have their own incredible projects: you can find Nat Brower leading his own brand of brilliant power-pop garage-rock with Brower , You can find Saara Untracht-Oakner leading her fantastic project SUO, and you can find Max Hiersteiner playing drums with rowdy NYC garage-punks Dirty Fences.
Josephine Network will be joining NYC retro-rock maestros The Lemon Twigs on their North American tour starting this Friday April 24, 2026. Don't miss it!
We caught up with Josephine for 10 questions ahead of the tour, see below and make sure you get Hooked wherever you stream music.
Check it out below! Happy 4/20 to all the “Mary Jane Girls” out there"
Q&A
1.How did you want to approach this LP differently than your last record?
JOSEPHINE: I wanted to rock harder! My previous solo album was so polite. This time, I allowed myself to be louder, to have a big sound.
2.What was the most crucial piece of gear for recording this album?
My American Telecaster.
3.What is one of your fondest memories of recording Hooked?
Every day in the studio is like Christmas. That said, I don’t remember any of it!
4.I always love your riffs, leads and guitar harmonies. What's your personal favorite guitar moment on Hooked?
Thank you! My favorite guitar moment is the country-style solo in “The Rockers”. I’m not a dedicated country player, I’m more of a dabbler. But I really enjoy the style of the telecaster masters. They’re so fun to watch. I love the documentary “Born Fighters”. It follows the recording process of Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds and Rockpile in the late ‘70s. There’s an amazing scene where Albert Lee comes in to a session and does his magic hybrid-picking tele thing and makes the whole room giddy. I’m nowhere near that virtuosic, but it’s fun to fake it.
5.I’m sure it changes on and off– but what are your current favorite songs on Hooked?
“Silver Highway Song” is my favorite. I like my bass playing, just driving that ‘A’ note the whole time. The entire song is sung in falsetto. My falsetto is really the truest register of my voice. The track kind of has a Prince thing to it. I’m a big fan of Prince’s ‘Dirty Mind’ era. And then the middle section, guitar harmonies. The band Boston is fascinating to me, because it’s like, arena rock hits, recorded DIY. I love the footage of Boston playing Giants Stadium in ‘79. My mind was definitely ‘arena oriented’ when making Hooked.
6.Are there any surprising influences on Hooked that your fans might not know about?
When I was a kid I watched a lot of MTV. I loved TRL. I loved Mariah Carey. I loved Destiny’s Child, Writing on the Wall was one of my first beloved CDs as a kid, maybe that’s why I love stacking harmonies so much. Then, seeing the White Stripes “Fell In Love With A Girl” video was life changing. That guitar tone, the “ahhs”, the Lego video was so playful, it was everything to me, and reflects in everything I do now. My White Stripes obsession led me to discover another Detroit band called The Go. They have several incredible albums, and a great psych side project called Conspiracy of Owls, and it’s crazy because Lolipop Records, the label that put out Hooked, just reissued the Conspiracy of Owls album. I also want to shout out Sheer Mag, one of the best bands in the world, they play killer hard rock power pop, Tina is a true rock star, I’m honored to have crashed on her floor so many times over the years.
7.What are some great local NYC bands that you are loving right now (besides your awesome bandmates’ projects which I’ve already shouted out)?
The Lemon Twigs, Tchotchke, The Stones, Star’s Revenge, Fast Kids, Fine Mess, Loosey, and Christeene.
8.What are some of your favorite hangout spots or restaurants in NYC?
The North 5th pier is my favorite place in NYC. I love the view of Manhattan skyline. It’s so pretty and romantic and calming. And there’s always an interesting mix of people. I walk there a lot. I love diners - my favorites are Sunset Diner in Greenpoint and Grand Morelos in East Williamsburg. My favorite venue is TV Eye, it’s got everything, so many fun rooms, so many fun ways to get into trouble.
9.What’s your favorite show you’ve played with Josephine Network so far?
Playing in the wrestling ring to 4000 people at Twinks vs Dolls last summer! That was an insanely surreal rock n roll fantasy. Once we played a punk house in Leipzig Germany where everyone was jumping so much the floor almost caved in. More recently, the Hooked record release show was big for me. I have been kind of scared to host and headline shows in New York, but we stepped up for Hooked, packed it out and all our friends were there. It’s given me confidence to host more shows in the future.
10.Josephine Network is paired so perfectly as an opener for The Lemon Twigs. How excited are you for the tour and what can concert goers expect?
I am so excited! We love the Twigs, they are so inspiring. We’ve been friends for a while now and have a lot of mutual respect for each other. As for our set, we are gonna be playing a lot of songs from Hooked, all revved up. The record is polished, the live show is dirty. The band is firing on all cylinders! Let’s goooooo!
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