The Juliets - Perfect Season (album review)

The Juliets are:
Jeremy Freer - Piano, Guitar, Vocals
Sarah Myers - Violin, Vocals
Kaylan Mitchell - Cello
Ashton Hopkins - Bass
Jacklyn Phillips - Drums

After the Juliets self titled debut album landed in my most listened to albums last year, I eagerly awaited the release of their follow up, Perfect Season. I had the good fortune to book them for a show at The Chopin (video below), see them play some of the songs they were working on for Perfect Season, and talk with the band. It was great to talk to Jeremy about his influences (Motown) as well as see that he had a big picture view for the band and knew how he wanted to get the band to that place. As far as their sound goes the Juliets are able to blend elements of rock, soul, indie and baroque that all add up to a sound that can only be claimed by them.

Where their self-titled debut was tight and sounded as if they had made it all at once in one massive great session, Perfect Season has an array sounds on it and finds them experimenting with their instruments, as opposed to incorporating other sounds and instruments. Some nuanced turns of the strings are played incredibly capably by Sarah Myers (violin) and Kaylan Mitchell (cello),  as evidenced on the song "A Perfect Season".  The way they fill the background from the middle to the end of the song is not something you would describe by proclaiming "yes there are strings in there". But the effect on the listener is a rich sound that is accentuated by Jeremy Freer's swooning vocals, light falsetto, and just the right amount of guitar played by Jeremy as well.

The pop punch of "Heart In Heart" is a rollicking track that easily could have been on their first album, although slightly different with the drumming of Jacklyn Phillips, replete with loose marching snare rolls and nice jazz touches as well.  Jacklyn just joined the band (didn't play on their first album), and to see her  play live was happily surprising due to the way she mixed more traditional rock and hip hop drumming together. Who would have thought?

"The Lost Memory" is a bit of a change up for the band, and a welcomed one at that with waltz timed instrumentals and contributions from the whole band. Hell, if they put out a whole album of this I would really enjoy it.

"You Found Me Out" finds Jeremy's falsetto and piano interplay being accentuated by Ashton Hopkins bass line almost as a call and response. Add short burst of strings and this is a delicious pop nugget that leads you to bob you head with the rhythm.

With as well as Jeremy can write a pop hook and marry it to his piano playing, the one thing that might not scream out at you is the arrangements of these songs. It goes without saying that all the members of this band contribute and do it well. The Juliets have incorporated the strings so well that they sound seamless amongst the sounds of rock music. Add some hip hop drum flavor and Perfect Season  is a singular sounding album that you won't be able to stop listening to. I know my wife and I haven't as we listen to this every few days since it came out. This album will be on my most listened to wrap up in a few weeks. The band has this album as a "name your price 0 minimum download". So help them out with some dough if you are able, but above all share their bandcamp link if you like it like I do.

Here's the video for The Juliets  performing "Loon" the opening track of Perfect Season. (Dedicated Ears Showcase at Chopin Theatre Chicago on June 19 2010.

Paper Dolls - Sparks (2011)

Paper Dolls are:
Jenn Malzone - songwriter, keyboards
Cathie Degler - cello
Brad Vaughn - bass
Sarah Ross - drums

Sarah and Cathie saw the original line-up of the band disband just as they were finishing their first album.  So they reformed in this configuration and got to work. The result of that labor is Sparks, which is a mix of the original line-up's darker material (gothic) and the pop sensibility of the current band.   The mixture of chamber and goth makes theirs a sound I haven't heard in a band from St. Louis before, and their interesting arrangements make them stand out.

"Middle Class Fashion" has a simple and undeniable little piano riff that runs throughout the song, while Cathie's cello and Brad's bass spar back and forth at the bottom end. The clipped nature of Jenn's vocals play along with the piano. Some small bursts of layered vocals are thrown in here and there, and the way that all of these elements figure into the arrangement is a nice change from the norm.

"First Draft" features more jazz influences as well as flourishes of weepy cello that make for an opulent vibe. I really like the staccato nature of Jenn's vocals and the piano that plays off that. That may be the bands signature sound, and what an enjoyable one to hear.

The unconventional song structures help Paper Dolls carve a unique sound. There is quite a bit of growth as a band from their first band line-up and this current line-up.  Sparks is the type of release that will have a significant influence on budding songstresses in an already burgeoning St. Louis music scene.



Download Sparks for $5 at their thesixtyone page. They have cd's available at their upcoming shows March 11 at Wash U, and March 26 at Lemmons w/ Blood Pony. I will be doing a review of the Blood Pony album as well, so that would be a great show to see.