Had my first listen this morning. I’d been putting it off as I wasn’t sure I would enjoy it (not really had much to do with the country genre being from the UK) but it’s the kind of music that isn’t pushing too dar and sounds very pleasing to my ear. My three year old was also walking around and dancing saying “JU-lee-ehn and TOH-rez”. Cute.
On Julien' IG.. she hinted that more Julien Baker & Torres tour dates will be announced tomorrow, fingers crossed for UK dates!!
Was supposed to see them next week. Really hope she’s doing okay and this time off will be good for her.
In a cup half-full perspective, it’s probably the best that she saw this as the best call and was able to go through with it. Hope she has the support she needs.
She's been touring hard last year and between that and the promotion and touring for this.. I don't blame her for wanted to prioritise her health first and cancel the tour, hopefully she will get the help she needs, take her time and come back when shes good and ready.. no rush at all
Julien and Torres were supposed to play Red Rocks tonight, opening for Rilo Kiley. Due to the cancellation of the tour, they were replaced by Ben Gibbard. As a tribute to Julien, Ben covered Julien’s song “Sprained Ankle” tonight.
This is still one of my fave albums of the year, shame it ended the way it but hopefully it's not forgotten come AOTY list time.
The lack of touring, the leaning hard into the country shtick aesthetically, trying to convince people they were legit country artists rather than just being themselves making alt country music, and the god awful album cover. It just felt so contrived. I also personally feel like Julien is more interesting of a songwriter but that’s my personal taste. The album (read Julien songs) still had some tracks but yeah, overall big let down.
I was initially disappointed too, but I’ve come back to it and enjoyed it since then trying to meet it where it’s at. I definitely am more into Julien’s songs (The reason most of us probably checked this out) and I think those are pretty good and pretty much hit my expectations for “JB, but a little country”. Some of the Torres songs like Desert Flower, Sylvia, and Good Bye Baby are nice too. I think this was meant to be a fun little side album that ended up getting a way bigger push from the label than expected and those expectations worked against it. I mean, it was finished like at least 2 years before it released, no? I don’t think it was meant to be the next big “Julien Baker album cycle project” and wasn’t made with the attention to detail and quality something like that would normally have. I think it’s easier to enjoy as a tiny little treat.
I am re listening to interviews from around the release and in retrospect it really does not sound like Julien’s heart was in it. This was a fun Covid era bunch of songs that got seemingly pulled out of a drawer.
The timing of it was super weird for her, too. Did those handful of live shows which felt like a warm-up to something new from her and then this came instead. I just hope Julien is doing well and whatever timeline she decides to come back on for her solo work, I’m there.