Album: Julia With Blue Jeans On
Release: 29.10.2013
Label: Jagjaguwar
Tracklist:
1. Barbarian
2. Everyone is Noah, Everyone is the Ark
3. Barbarian II
4. November 2011
5. Dreamy Summer
6. Julia With Blue Jeans On
7. Love the House You're In
8. First Violin
9. Black is Back in Style
10. Your Chariot Awaits
Moonface aka Spencer Krug is a canadian singer/songwriter most known for his experimental indierock bands Wolf Parade and Sunset Rubdown. In 2010 Mr. Krug created the alter ego Moonface where he started experimenting in the various sounds he created with Wolf Parade and Sunset Rubdown. He made a collaboration with the finnish instrumental band Siinai and they created a massive record called Heartbreaking Victory which told the dark story of breakup.
This year Spencer is back with his new record Julia With Blue Jeans On. Recorded in Helsinki Mr. Krug took a different path to the making of the music. He left all the electronical sounds and instruments out of the picture and recorded the album with only a piano and vocals. This is a very dangerous path for artists that are known for their massive sounds in various releases.
The record is massive! Even though the rawness of the music when Krug is bashing the piano and breaking his voice through out the song it gives the music a really complete sound. It is almost as you could hear the backup band playing in the background. The rawness of the album is almost as pure as when Rufus Wainwright released All Days Are Nights: Songs For Lulu, the piercing vocals give you goosebumps and make you think about your own reality while the smoothing sound of the piano takes your worries away.
Moonface wanted to tell the story of breakup in his last record, but in JWBJO he wants to tell the process of getting through it and into a new start. The pounding realization of being the victim of the person you love ( Barbarian), to the process where you want to take that one back to your room ( November 2011) and finding that one perfect fragile thing in your life that you can hold on to (Julia With Blue Jeans On), give you understanding that this are actually the words that Spencer Krug wants to get out of his mouth. These are letters of grief and understanding that will help him to move on.
The melodies and singing on the album is extremely beautiful, in a way Mr. Krug has always given me slightly the same vibe that Paul Banks from Interpol has given me in their best moments. The skillful and playful composing of the songs give a lot of room to the music and keeps you interested. The ceremonial piano of November 2011 makes you feel that you are in a sunday church trying to get forgiveness for your sins and the ravaging ending song Your Chariot Awaits leaves you satisfied about the record.
There is one slight problem with the record. Although it is good in many ways and the nice switch to a raw sound with just piano and singing it is also its weakness. In some of the songs you lose your concentration and miss some of the greatest parts of the music because of the similarity of the sound in many of the songs. But even though it has some of its misses this is a record that stays with you for a long time and specially in these dark november nights.
4/5
Niklas Aaltio
Spotify : Moonface – Julia With Blue Jeans On
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MoonfaceOfficial?fref=ts
Website: http://www.moonface.ca
Buy the record: http://www.levykauppax.fi/artist/moonface/julia_with_blue_jeans_on/#cd
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