AN INTERVIEW WITH SOMETIMES JULIE
A new album released from Sometimes Julie gives off a lush and edgy rock soundscape that balances that edginess with a color and character that becomes completely addictive the more you listen to the record and the deeper you go, the lusher that character gets and the more you hear honesty and description in the lyrics.
The Seven Wishes LP is more than meets the eye and has some layers that you can peel back along with several surprises around the corners including some great instrumentation additions and this almost theatrical undertone that peeks its head out here and there which again gets attributed back to all the character that's bursting out of this record.
One of my favorite things about this record is the fact that there are a bunch of singles that stand on their own two feet so well but if you listen to the whole record front to back it makes more sense almost like it's a concept record of sorts.
I like this because first of all, it's really important to still have full albums the way they were when I was growing up listening to music and you bought a record on a vinyl or cassette tape or CD.
You go and do these things and you normally would buy the record because you heard one track on the radio that you liked but when you bought that album you listen to the whole thing, and it was an experience.
That's important especially in our day and age because everything's so single-based and there's nothing wrong with that but it takes away a little bit from the musical experience so having bands like Sometimes Julie who put out albums is very refreshing.
This record is riddled with choruses that stick in your head for hours or even days after the songs have ended and the only way to satiate that is to listen to the songs again which is just great songwriting.
The whole record comes out with an impact and a persona that wraps itself around you and keeps you right where it wants to.
I also love this adaptation between classic rock and a harder-edged rock as well and how those two things blend to give something that pops and has so much brightness.
You also have such great guitar work delivering soulful licks and adding more to that Sonic presence the entire time.
This is certainly delivered from a band who love their craft and I don't just mean the instruments they play or their vocals, I mean their songwriting craft and how they do things together and create something memorable.
The energy on this record feels almost like it's live on the floor as if the players are feeding off of each other's energies the entire time which is incredible because it makes you want to see them live simply because if the energy is like that on record, then seeing them live must be awesome.
This is something you don't get a lot, so it gives the record of this sort of alive and breathing undertone.
You have a beautiful almost southern undertone on certain tracks hinting towards an Americana aspect and being able to give vocals off that have such a smoothness and subtleness but also such power and impact at the same time is quite impressive.
There's a lot of attention to detail during the creation of this record but it never loses that hard and that may be the most important aspect of the entire thing.
This was a beautifully put-together and delivered record from start to finish and with its release, we wanted to have a sit-down with sometimes Julie to talk shop.
Here's what went down.
TSWS: How did this release come about?
Rick and I began writing the seven songs of “Seven Wishes” over the past five years, with the most recent, “Wish on the Wild Side,” coming to fruition in 2023. When we finished that one is when the collection really came together, because we realized that all seven songs had a common theme - a strong wish for something.
After creating demos of each of the songs in our home studio and sharing them with our bandmates, we recorded the tracks that actually ended up on the album at two different Southern California studios - Pacific Beat Recording in San Diego and Bigrock Studios in Escondido. All seven songs were then mixed and mastered by Andy Machin at Bigrock. The combined engineering efforts and talents of Alan Sanderson (Pacific Beat) and Andy really illuminated the feeling and spirit of this release. Rick and I are thrilled with Seven Wishes!
TSWS: How did this all start for you as a band?
Sometimes Julie began when Rick asked me to collaborate on the song “What A Rush” (on the first Sometimes Julie album “Head First.”) He had this tune in his head and he needed a lyricist. The result was promising - it felt fresh and sensual.
The co-writing then continued in earnest, with Rick providing the music and me writing lyrics and melodies. Our process has evolved over time - I now initiate most of our songs - but the result is always a collaboration. Sometimes Julie is a partnership with both of us being devoted to realizing the amazing experience of creating original music.
And of course, Rick and I can’t complete our projects alone. For “Seven Wishes” we were fortunate to be able to enlist some amazing musicians to contribute their talents, including three different drummers (Dave Fuller, Roger Friend, Larry Grano), two lead guitarists (Andy Machin, Laura Chavez), two backing vocalists (Clair Allison, Yvonne Fuller), one bassist (Bruce Paul Allen), and one sax/flute player (Anthony Sarain). “Seven Wishes” would not be as good as it is without these gifted men and women.
TSWS: What kind of things really inspire songs for you?
The intricate and delicate nature of relationships. Extreme joy, sorrow, grief, wonder are all internal inspiration. Being in nature, taking a wonderfully long shower, a weekend drive or a hike in the desert have all inspired our songs. Sometimes though, it is just a little guitar or piano riff, and one of us will say, “I think that’s a song.”
TSWS: This release has some great approaches to it! Can you give us some of your biggest influences musically?
This is always an interesting one-
Rick listened to such a variety of music during his formative years, including R.E.M., The Pixies, Cheap Trick, as well as iconic stuff like The Beatles and Stones.
For me, growing up I listened to my parents’ records and that meant country, classical, standards, and pop. I discovered I loved a lot of blues-based stuff like Bonnie Raitt, but also fell in love with Elton John, Heart, Fleetwood Mac, The Bee Gees, and of course, The Beatles. Other rock inspirations for me include Joan Jet, Pat Benatar, Pink Floyd, Queen, and The Who. More recently, I’ve had influences like Brandi Carlile, Pink, and, you know…women who know what they want and know how to get it.
TSWS: What are you all doing when you're NOT working on music?
Hanging with family and friends, eating amazing meals together, traveling, hiking, walking our dogs, reading (I read a ton!), going to the beach, and swimming. Being chill.
TSWS: Who's in all your headphones right now?
Lately I’ve been listening to The Pretty Reckless,Teddy Swims, Olivia Rodrigo, Thee Sacred Souls, The Who, Queen, Pink Floyd, Seeing Red, and Brandi Carlile. It’s a bit eclectic, as I like variety.
TSWS: Are you guys doing any live performances right now?
Yes, we have some local gigs planned and a few future live streams and in-studio performances as well. Performing is such an important part of our band life, and it has a huge influence on our writing. We love playing live!
TSWS: Do you record these at a big studio or do you have a home studio set-up?
We have a home studio that we use for collaboration with others while we are putting new songs together. It is also where we create demos to introduce songs to our bandmates.
For recordings we intend to share with the world, we use professional studios like Bigrock and Pacific Beat. We’ve also recorded at Pacific Records in San Diego.
TSWS: What can your fans expect from you in the near future?
Live performances in new venues, additional radio airplay, and lots of collaborations with other artists. Also, I am working on a solo album. It will be primarily piano-driven, and so a pretty big departure from Sometimes Julie.
TSWS: Before we go, what would you like to say to fans of the music?
Thank you and please keep listening to original music, live music, and supporting indie bands. Who knows - they may be the next big thing!