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Tag: Juniper
The Foreign Films and Juniper
The Foreign Films “Magic Shadows”
Canadian Bill Majoros is back and the listener is taken away to a hazy, nostalgic world of driving basslines and vocal harmonies by the album’s opening tune, “Midnight Movies.” It’s a compelling character study set to a hook, the kind that Ray Davies perfected with The Kinks, but Bill updates the time and place to now. Following that are “Rain Clouds (Sunshine in Your Heart)” and “Perfect Future” with distinct 80’s percussion and synth lines. “Cinema Girl (Magic Shadows)” and “Time Machine” showcases the band’s ability to blend elements of late 20th-century rock to create a sound that is both timeless and fresh.
“Lost in Time” recalls Pink Floyd’s spacey atmosphere with an overlapping sax solo and “Cosmic Lover” channels both Norman Greenbaum and Marc Bolan at the same time. Overall, Magic Shadows masterfully combines innovation with nostalgia. Highly Recommended.
Juniper “She Steals Candy”
Juniper Shelley, the daughter of power pop musician Michael Shelley, has released her sophomore album She Steals Candy, and in some ways, it’s a nostalgic throwback to the early days of girl pop. “BANG!” is a simple catchy tune that evokes comparisons to artists like Lesley Gore. “James” and “Baby Doll” are both terrific songs about falling for bad boys written from her point of view, and her sweet assured vocals make her a sympathetic lead. It even goes into a retro-style taunt with “Little Miss Stuck Up.” She tries out the country tunes “Picture Of You,” and “I Cry Cause I Care” but the delivery here seems to lack emotion. Juniper is much better when playful on “Taste the Soup,” or even the carnal rock of “Alone With You” and “I’ve Gotta Boy.”
The stylistic variety of the record is a welcome change of pace, and the songwriting is excellent all throughout. Juniper’s voice is upfront, bathing in the glow of confidence that she is in control of the proceedings. Better than her understated debut, and it shows growth with the excellent “Turn To You.” With 16 tracks, this album will undoubtedly appeal to fans of girl-pop and retro vibes. Highly Recommended.
The Lemon Twigs and Juniper
The Lemon Twigs “Songs for the General Public”
Brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario continue their quirky theatrical homage to the conceptual rock of the 70s. They seem to follow in the unconventional path laid out by Russell and Ron Mael (Sparks) with their own Lemon-y glam twist. But it’s unfortunate that they start out with “Hell On Wheels,” a bombastic Meatloaf styled epic belted out by a parody of Bob Dylan. We get it. Its all very tongue in cheek, but a little subtlety would go down better. They add so many influences and ideas into each track it can be disorienting. Like a Chinese dim sum menu, you will find plenty here to like and dislike.
Thankfully the brothers are very talented and can turn on the charm effortlessly. “Live In Favor Of Tomorrow” embraces a breezy melody that power pop audiophiles will love. The piano melody of “No One Holds You (Closer Than The One You Haven’t Met)” is a Billy Joel-Todd Rundgren hybrid that dazzles with its layered composition. The harmonies are equally amazing on “Somebody Loving You” boosting the deep synth melody. Highlights also include “The One” and “Only a Fool” with its prog-pop composition, loaded with minor chord shifts. There is just enough to make this album highly recommended, so check it out.
Juniper “Juniper”
Fifteen-year-old Juniper Shelley, daughter of singer-songwriter Michael Shelley is getting into the family business. Her self titled album displays both a modern teen POV and reverence of pop’s past. “I guess that my musical taste is a mashup of my family’s music and my friends’ music,” she says. “I really like the Beach Boys, the Zombies, and Fountains of Wayne, but I also love Taylor Swift.”
With a bevy of guest stars, from Marshall Crenshaw, Chris Geddes (Belle and Sebastian), to Dennis Diken (The Smithereens) and more contribute here, making Shelley’s modest vocal work shine. “Kids on My Corner” is a real pop gem, with its fast rhyming lyric and catchy percussion. All the songs are timeless girl subjects (a la Lesley Gore) with sweet melodies on “Best Kept Secret,” “Girls Just Want A Boy To Rest Their Head Upon” and the bouncy “Sticking With My Henry.” But it’s not all mush, and the playful set has some great songwriting in addition to the excellent musicianship. Like those early Beach Boys records, it’s bona fide innocence on full display. Highly Recommended.