‘July Talk’ by July Talk | Due 10.16.2012 via White Girl Records | Pre-order
Here’s something fun: Take a listen to Paper Girl, July Talk’s first single from their forthcoming self-titled debut below, and try to imagine what the Waitsesque-sounding dude looks like…
Done? Based on my own experience, I’m guessing whatever you visualized is off — the first frame of the video posted below will reveal just how much.
That said, this deep, raspy voice belongs to Peter Dreimanis — and though it is beat-up and jarring enough to suggest a can filled with bolts and screws has lodged in his esophagus, it is unselfishly, pleasingly tempered by the soothing, honeyed tones of this Torontonian five-piece’s co-lead, Leah Fay. This yin-yang pair, backed by Ian Docherty (guitar), Danny Miles (drums) and Josh Warburton (bass), represent light and dark both sonically and physically, and successfully make their water-and-oil harmonic mix work even though it quite probably shouldn’t. (Could you pair Mick Jagger with Andrea Bocelli and have it sound good? It’s doubtful.)
Though Paper Girl is busting with blues guitar rhythms mashed with punk rock power chords, the remainder of the album’s tracks sound more like they’re taken from a Best of Eighties pop, and/or Nineties alt-rock compilation (think vaguely retro song structures replete with keyboards). This isn’t a slight, though; it’s all done in a good way.
Throughout this debut — due October 16th via White Girl Records — July Talk gives us big, well layered, balanced sound, meaningful lyrics and plenty of soft, woeful melodies. This one’s definitely going into the rainy day rotation.
+ WIN TICKETS TO SEE JULY TALK LIVE IN TORONTO
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JC Cote once hawked music to radio for a major label but fled in time to preserve his love of music (and perhaps his very soul). He strums guitars, plucks basses and bangs on drums with gusto. For further thrills, he pilots race cars and provides race analysis to Montreal’s TSN990.
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July Talk Tracklisting
01. Brother
02. Comedown Champion
03. Don’t Call Home
04. Guns & Ammunition
05. Having You Around
06. I’ve Rationed Well
07. Let Her Know
08. Paper Girl
09. Someone
10. The Garden
Upcoming July Talk 2012 Tour Dates
10.19 – Toronto, ON – Horseshoe Tavern
10.23 – Winnipeg, MB – Royal Albert Hall
10.24 – Regina, SK – Vangelis
10.26 – Calgary, AB – Gateway SAIT
10.27 – Lethbridge, AB – The Slice
10.28 – Edmonton, AB – The New City
10.29 – Grand Prairie, AB – Better Than Fred’s
10.31 – Kamloops, BC – Blue Grotto
11.01 – Vancouver, BC – Media Club
11.10 – Kingston, ON – Grant Hall
