I'm trying to avoid these YouTube videos of new songs until I hear them see a proper release but it's SO hard.
I love Julien so much. Definitely my new obsession. Pre-ordered the Sprained Ankle vinyl re-issue with the 7" containing the two new songs. Go Home is such perfection. I could listen to it on repeat all day.
Banquet Records but I'm based in the U.K. Can you order it from the Matador Records website? Fairly sure I read that only the international versions will come with the free 7".
Somehow I completely missed that she is playing a show in Grand Rapids on March 31st and now I'm happy. It's a little weird because it's at the same college she played back in September, but tickets are up for sale on their website and its listed on her Facebook page so it must be legit. Can't believe I'm going to see her again so soon.
7" Funeral Pyre/Distant Solar System came in yesterday. Haven't had a chance to listen to it yet, though.
Distant Solar System is great. Really digging some of the lyrics on this one. She doesn't raise her voice too high here but sticks to this pretty infectious vocal melody throughout. There's some great harmonies at the end. So serene.
This might be an unusual question, but has anyone here ever written an artist a letter? I'm seeing Julien play in Grand Rapids in about 2 weeks and I've thought about writing a letter to her that just kind of details her music's impact on my life, how much Sprained Ankle means to me, etc. I know that's something I've heard about other people doing but I still can't figure out whether or not it'd be weird or cross a line. Her record has become such an important force in my music listening and in my life in general, and I'd love to convey to her the significance of her art and its impact on me. I was thinking I'd just hand it to her merch person when they're not busy. I've definitely seen fans bring artists food or weird gifts (I watched an interview with Diet Cig where they talked about getting t-shirts with a picture of a goth dude pooping on the back) but a letter is obviously more personal and more intimate. Would that be too weird?
My buddy who is like a giant Weakerthans / John K Samson fan wrote John a letter and he actually wrote my buddy back. Definitely not weird as long as your letter isn't weird haha. I'm sure it's super super humbling and flattering for an artist to get something heartfelt that is hand written, especially in this day and age where communication over the Internet can seem so cheap
Wow, that is amazing! I would be trying very hard to keep it as not weird as possible, haha. I'd probably just keep it around a page or two and try not to sound overly fanboyish, or just drown her in adulation. I'll probably vacillate between doing it and not doing it for the next two weeks. I may end up posting what the letter would be in this thread at some point, actually, to have outside eyes give me their opinion.
Did not know she's gonna be in GR on the 31st. Will definitely be going to that. I saw Noah Gundersen play at the same place (ladies literary club). It's like a mini cathedral. It's going to be the perfect venue for her.
Would encourage you to do it. A person at my office did a short tour with her and said that would be meaningful to her.
Thanks everyone, I think I'm going to do it. I just needed the validation that it isn't totally odd. @zmtr if you do end up going I'd love to meet up! I'm pretty sure she's playing a different room this time, but it's still on Calvin's campus. She actually just played the ladies literary library in September and it was amazing, they did a brief Q&A afterwards and I got to to ask a question! I about died. The date on the 31st kind of went under the radar for me so I didn't even know about it until a week or two ago, but now I can't wait.