LA’s
Julie combines quirks with rock
By
Allison Baldwin
Online Forty-Niner
Editorial Assistant
“
Catch a Feeling,” the first self-release by Los Angeles-based band Julie,
sounds a lot like most of the bands you hear on K-ROQ.
The band consists of Nathan Blumenfeld-James on guitar and lead vocals, Dustin
Bath on lead guitar, Nissam Aharon on drums and Grey Melcher on bass, keyboard
and backup vocals.
The first single, “Silly Strings,” has a nice bass line and good
rhythms, but the lyrics take backseat to instruments for a good deal of the
song. The Spanish lyrics halfway through the song were a refreshing addition,
and the song progressed nicely.
Other memorable songs on the CD are “This Town,” “Not Me
Not Mine” and “Watch What You Say.” The bouncy opening of “This
Town” is vaguely reminiscent of something that would be heard in a John
Hughes film from the ’80s. However, the vocals are like any other rock
song on the radio right now. The two elements blend nicely.
“
Not Me Not Mine” is the obligatory reminiscent ballad that every rock
band includes. However, the band takes a slightly different approach to the
ballad by dividing the verses with a fast-paced chorus. The closing song, “Watch
What You Say” infuses a great backbeat with synthesized riffs and chords.
The lyrics are pretty morbid, but that aside, the song is nice to listen to.
The CD itself is short, only 31 minutes, but the songs are strong and powerful. “Catch
a Feeling” is a good addition for anyone who likes her rock to come with
a few quirky additions and an endless supply of infectious grooves. The album
hit the streets April 14 and is on sale at the band’s Web site, www.julietheband.com.
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