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WEST044 |
Julie Sokolow - Something
About Violins
Julie
Sokolow doesn't need much to express herself. To record Something About
Violins, she used nothing more than her voice, an inexpensive acoustic guitar
, and the built-in microphone on her Macintosh G4 Powerbook. In doing
so, she has turned on its head the old adage that lofi is the provenance of
analog fetishists. She has also created a work of great and unusual
beauty.
Using contrasting melodies and vocal textures, she rehashes the most painful,
disappointing, and embarrassing episodes of her past. Sometimes her
desperation and anger melt into a sexy slur that could be mistaken for one of
Karen O's finer moments. At other times her voice is resonant and
inviting, and sure to draw comparisons to Julie Doiron or Mirah. In the
end Something About Violins is a portrait of an unsettled heart, isolated and
caught in-between worlds.
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PRESS |
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"For
her, lo-fi isn't a result of outsider circumstances, but an artistic
choice. Something About Violins adroitly upends lofi's expectations
of live performance, it's song full of artful touches and sophisticated
layer of sounds."
–
Pitchfork
.
"Washed
in slight but complimentary digital hiss, Sokolow’s music recalls the
lo-fi simplicity of Mirah, Julie Doiron, and viola player Anni Rossi.” –
WIRE
"The
matter of fact quality of her delivery prevents the music from sounding
too precious while revealing a wry sense of humor in her acceptance of the
strangeness of human communication" –
WIRE
"Anguish
helps Sokolow to spin some great yarns." – Tiny Mix Tapes
"She
pronounces "violins" like "violence," giving this
lonesome, Cat Power-ish ballad a subtle sense of menace"
–
Washington Post
.
"This
singer/songwriter melts the anger and despair of her unsettled heart into
a sexy, gentle slur." – Spin
Magazine
.
"Sokolow
puts no barriers between herself and the listener…Wryly self deprecating
and heart wrenchingly honest, she's able to remind you that often the
greatest moments in your life are those that you cringe to remember."
–
Raven Sings the Blues
.
“This
is cold, luminous, promising material.” – All
Music Guide
.
“her
songwriting is tightly constructed and nuanced” – Paper
Thin Walls
.
“very
promising debut from an inventive young songstress” – Music-versity
.
“Those
who discover her debut effort, Something About Violins will
find themselves wooed by its charm and understated beauty.” –
Urban Pollution
.
"…ultimately
a very strong and self-assured debut" – Foxy
Digitalis
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