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Signatures In Time Icon

Monday, August 14, 2017

Julia McDonald - Gravity (2016)




Written by Dale Butcher, posted by blog admin

It’s hard to straddle the fence between too poppy and just poppy enough.  The pop genre itself is a precarious balance where an overindulgence of sugarcoating and bubblegum aesthetics could easily cause harm to the music but if you balance all of the elements just right the songs could turn into something special.  Julia McDonald definitely has that something special going on with her first EP, Gravity. 

The title track is a gust of syrupy sweet vocal inflections and well-lathed instrumental melodies that dabble in dub/electronica throb and pop rock guitars.  On paper it might seem kind of bland but once you put on the headphones you’re entranced by the attention to layered production which weaves multiple melodies together as well as McDonald’s gliding vocals.  Her prowess when delivering the lyrics makes sure that the song is always moving forward and never stagnating.  “Games” takes things one step further thanks to hurried tempos, energy rush guitars and the commanding vocals which go from r & b freestyle to impactful singing that really hits its stride during the chorus. “Pretty Committee”, out of the EP’s six tracks, is the most suited to pop radio and mainstream airplay.  The gilded rhythmic grooves and ambient switch ups put Julia in line with Pink (only McDonald’s writing is more thoughtful).  It is low carb stuff in terms of its simplicity but the nutrition can again be found in the subtle construction of multiple layers and sweeping keyboard flourishes.  “No Good for Me” has slight, dub-tinged choruses that bounce on a beat as the chorus forms up into another pop standout that hits all of the right notes and all of the right instrumental melodies (the understated programming is a frequent highlight from track to track).  Acoustic, guitar spun pop gives “Something to Talk About” a straightforward feel that is perfectly suited to the lower registers of Julia’s voice, while curtain call cut “Simpler Things” is a danceable, prom night winner that totally relies on the vocals and synths to do the majority of the heavy lifting. 

Gravity, all in all, is an accomplished release from a songwriter still realizing her full potential.  Even if this is just her potential in bloom, Julia McDonald already has chops and panache to spare.  Each of the EP’s 6 tracks flow seamlessly into one another and make for a listen that should even please pop fans that dropped out of the genre long ago

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