Just as the leaves started to turn, shoegaze band Julie released their long-awaited album “my anti-aircraft friend.”
Released on Friday, Sept. 13, “my anti-aircraft friend” has 10 tracks. Track one, “catalog,” which was the first single from the album, provides an upbeat start.
In classic Julie fashion, the exciting distorted instrumentals are juxtaposed with melancholic lyrics. Bassist and vocalist Alex Brady sings: “I just wanna sit here / catalog / picture of a bone / with the pine needles / in my hair / and think about / the fears I thought I shed.”
It’s a perfect fall track. This album makes me want to sit outside on my hammock drinking a good iced coffee, with my speaker blasting Julie.
Following “catalog” are songs “tenebrist” and “very little effort.”
“tenebrist” opens with nostalgic strumming that reminds me of many shoegaze intros. Here, band member Keyan Pourzand is on vocals. His voice is very unique and almost hypnotic. Again, the instrumentals are heavy, but the vocals are overall calm.
“very little effort” has become the trademark song of the album for me. The drums in this song are some of my favorite ever—I think the sound is very unique. When listening to this song, I notice something different every time. I never get bored listening to “my anti-aircraft friend.”
Jumping to track five, “knob,” there’s a big switch. Everything becomes a little more simplistic. This shows Julie’s artistry because it proves they are able to master both the more complicated and bare-bones songs. About halfway through the song it becomes heavier, and begins to sound like other Julie songs.
Many listeners of Julie say that their songs sound similar, but I personally disagree. I don’t think anyone is doing anything quite like them. Yes, there are bands similar to Julie, but I don’t think an artist has perfected their formula quite like this. But Julie is definitely a band to continue to look out for.
Track six, “thread, stitch,” is a perfect duet, and definitely follows the underlying fall theme that I associate with this album. I can’t wait to lay on my hammock watching the leaves fall, listening again and again.
One song that I haven’t been able to stop listening to is track seven, “feminine adornments.” First of all, I love the song title. I think it has such a good ring to it. The chorus feels like it could be a pop song, and I think that’s part of my draw to it.
Some music is designed to be catchy, and this song definitely fits that. The lyrics are brutally honest, and follow the vibe of any other emo song. The bluntness is entrancing, and as a listener it makes you want to know and hear more.
But the vocals are melodic over the distortion—it’s a must listen.
In the home stretch, tracks “i’ll cook my own meals,” “piano instrumental” and “stuck in a car with angels” conclude the album.
“piano instrumental” is actually quite the opposite of a piano instrumental. Piano was replaced for heavy breaks of distortion. Distortion describes the foot pedals that are used to give guitar a specific sound. In this case it’s staticy, altering the regular electric guitar sound.
Finally, the last track of “my anti-aircraft friend” is “stuck in a car with angels.” It’s a beautiful conclusion. The album closes with continuous drum and guitar, and then, sadly, it ends.
Starting this fall, Julie will accompany their new album with a North American tour, spanning from San Diego to Boston. It’s one of my dreams to see Julie live, hopefully I’ll be able to get myself to Massachusetts to see them.
Now go outside, sit in the fall leaves and listen to “my anti-aircraft friend.”
