Album title: In the Same Room
Artist: Julia Holter
Genre: Baroque Pop
Nationality: American
Release date: March 31
Position in Discography: Fifth
Estimated Rating:
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 3.54
What the hell is a live studio album? Well, this is one, apparently. Seems most of these tracks were originally released on two other albums. Hmmm. I also have not too much idea what baroque pop is, but whatever it is, this is it. It's not terrible, that's the first thing I can say, though much of it does sound kind of like experimental vocal stuff or something, like yer wan Chelsea Wolfe, is it? No idea really, just grasping here. “Silhouette” has some real manic energy in it, while “How Long” is a yearning ballad attended by some gentle violin and piano. There's a real country twang to “Feel You”, which is more uptempo, while yet not what you'd call boppy (I wouldn't, anyway) and rippling piano helps to create a sense of waves and isolation on “Lucette Stranded on the Island”. Holter has an odd singing voice; it's not bad, not at all, but it's certainly, shall we say, unconventional.
Speaking of unconventional, “In the Green Wild” is played almost entirely on bass with a Waitsy vibe to it (I'm not that into it to be honest) and then “City Appearing” is totally laidback, smooth, gentle, relaxing though it picks up in intensity about halfway through, horns and piano driving it along. I have to say though, “Vasquez” seems to drag on forever. It's almost nine minutes long, so easily the longest on the album, but it seems like twice that length. Very annoying. Kind of the only real wrinkle in the album though. Pretty interesting stuff.
Check out more from this artist? I'm not that eager to, no
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Not really
Actual Rating:
