OFFICIAL: http://www.juliamcdonaldmusic.com/
Written
by Mike Yoder, posted by blog admin
Julia
McDonald and her debut EP Gravity is
already making a splash in the world.
The singer/songwriters music is on its way to MTV, E!, Oxygen, Bet and
AE. Additionally, McDonald and her live
band have been appearing at numerous musical festivals throughout the
country. So, what’s behind the buzz
about this release? Well, it’s deserved,
so say the least!
Julia
has a knack for constructing bright hooks in pop tunes that they themselves are
not so bright; yes, there’s a bit of darkness and reality pumping through the
veins of this 6 track debut with particular lyrical shots taken at plastic
chicks, relationships in limbo and much more.
She handles the gloom with a particularly cheery attitude and varied
vocal delivery that gives weight even when the music frolics. The title track sets the tone, sprinkling
piano melody atop a somber acoustic guitar.
Trippy beat-work provides a relaxing pulsation as McDonald’s voice rises
into a soaring chorus. This song
leisurely climbs its way into a hook-filled, radio pop rock gem that’s
instantly worth a repeat listen. “Games”
ups the tempo with trotting acoustic melodies plied to a surface of shimmering
keyboards and Julia’s faster paced vocal abandon. It takes the infectiousness of the first tune
and doubles the layering for an even catchier proposition.
“Pretty
Committee” filters in an electronic, slow dub thump that showcases some soul
influence in both the musical arrangements and vocals. It toys with hip-hop but goes full pop in the
chorus for the most enticing dichotomy of sounds heard on the record. Piano and keyboards are the central focus of
“No Good for Me” which also relishes a sunny day, foot-moving electronic vibe
that equates to another total chill/trance out piece. The rock based “Something to Talk About”
flirts with rock thanks to driving, programmed percussion and up-tempo acoustic
guitars, leaving endnote “Simpler Things” to cast the EP off with
Hooverphonic-styled trip-hop flutter.
Pop
and indie music are often devoid of heart n’ soul these days and that’s where
Julia McDonald comes in to prove the critics wrong. These silky romps will get in your head and
stay there for days. She’s already an
accomplished songwriter and with a little more fine-tuning and oomph to the
programming, there is little doubt that her next record will be an even bigger
smash hit. Gravity is a fine piece of work from a singer/songwriter to
watch.
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