Californian gazers Julie first dropped into our consciousness with the now legendary ‘flutter’ single. It was a real breath of fresh air and with ‘starjump’ / ‘kit’ following close after it was obvious this band were the real deal. When the Pushing Daisies EP came out it absolutely blew my mind, as did their subsequent single ‘pg.4 a picture of three hedges’ / ‘through your window’.
Now the band, who are Keyan Pourzand (Vocals, Guitar), Dillon Lee (Drums) and Alex Brady aka Alexandria Elizabeth- (Vocals, Bass), are back with their long-anticipated debut album. The band have been working on my anti-aircraft friend for some time now as they explained in their interview with Dork earlier this month.
“We’ve been working on the record since December of 2022 actively, but some of the songs’ original fruition dates back to 2019. It was a mix of recording some songs, going on tour, writing, recording another few, touring, etc.”
Having teased us with some singles prior to release my excitement levels for this album have piqued. Let’s drop the needle and dive in.
We open on the single ‘catalogue’. Brady’s vocal both blasé and driving. Guitars growl, spit and snarl in a way that is reminiscent of Thurston Moore. Lyrics talk of fears unshed through time and dreams unfulfilled. It’s a strong opener and sets the scene well.
Following this is the dynamic ‘tenebrist’. Equal parts wall of noise and pop song it’s everything that early shoegaze was. That contradictory nature of what you’re hearing making you want to listen again and again. There’s so many modern gaze bands miss this aspect in their music. julie nail it here.
On my DKFM Shoegaze Radio show this month I played ‘very little effort’. I was taken with its layered sound and interplay between Pourzand and Brady’s vocal performances. It’s great songwriting that keeps you guessing as to where you’re heading next.
‘clairbourne practice’ grabs you by the throat from the first note. The song envelops you in a haze of nostalgia with its unmistakable nods to early My Bloody Valentine in its guitar riff and vocal delivery. It’s a powerhouse delivery and when it reaches those false stops, you’re left breathless.
The band pull back their defences a bit on ‘knob’ revealing a vulnerable side to their sound. Stripped back guitar and vocals makes up the majority of this deeply affecting track. Lyrically the words are esoteric and leave an emotional mark. Now, it’s not chilled the whole way through but at the mid-point of the album this tells us that julie have plenty surprises up their sleeves yet.
In complete contrast ‘thread, stitch’ has a real density. It’s almost as if the band are playing in treacle. I put it down to that fat bass tone Brady delivers. Vocally this feels like a conversation with our two vocalists trading lines. Ultimately, it goes to show that the simplest of melodies can be the most impactful.
In the Brady penned ‘feminine adornments’ we hear our narrator taking control and asserting herself. We also hear a prime example of the sonically rich and emotionally resonant delivery julie are so adept at. Vocals delivered with a mix of vulnerability and strength over a steady and insistent backing, sometimes with real menace. “Any other reason, to get me off her throat” for example.
‘I’ll cook my own meals’ has a pinch of Malkmus and Cobain liberally sprinkled with that signature julie magic. Musically its very much a homage to that 90’s aesthetic with those quiet loud quiet dynamics and sledgehammer guitars that kick in like a hurricane. Pourzand’s drawl leans heavily into that slacker sound and it really pays dividends when accompanied by this backing. I’m actually surprised this wasn’t picked as a single.
The obtusely titled ‘piano instrumental’ follows. Featuring neither a piano and not being an instrumental. The song opens on a languid and laid back Pourzand, lazily bringing us into the song. It’s not until Brady enters the fray that we realise, this is a part two for ‘feminine adornments. We hear repeated lyrical motifs that bring us back but with a new perspective.
The album concludes with the more genteel ‘stuck in a car with angels. This is, for the most part, guitar and vocals, with Brady’s surefooted and assured delivery being the backbone of the piece. Even when the sonic tornado begins her style doesn’t change to either combat or match the intensity. She somehow seems to rise above it, like the titular angel.
my anti-aircraft friend was a highly anticipated album. When bands set their bar high with their early work and online presence then that debut album can sometimes fall flat or not meet our lofty expectations. I’m very pleased to report that julie haven’t just met my expectations, they have far exceeded them. This album isn’t a one trick pony, single textured experience. There’s so much going on and I never knew what was coming next. I’ve been living with the album for a couple of weeks now and I’m still finding new aspects of the performances I love on every single listen. If shoegaze or grunge is your thing then julie need to be your new favourite band. They are going to be massive.
my anti-aircraft friend is out now on Atlantic Records and is available digitally on CD and vinyl.
You can follow julie on social media here…
Photo Credits
Maya Sprangler
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