Near The Sun $7.22

About Near The Sun

Julie Peel is a French born, self-taught multi-instrumentalist who has previously been featured on ALR tribute compilations including Just Like Heaven (a tribute to the Cure), Dig for Fire (a tribute to the Pixies), and Cinnamon Girl (a tribute to Neil Young). Near The Sun is Julie’s first solo full-length release. She counts Aimee Mann, Beth Orton, and Neil Young among her influences, and their impact is not hard to discern on Near the Sun. Julie’s lo-fi, guitar-driven pop recalls the likes of Ida, Anna Ternheim, Caithlin de Marrais, and Mirah, but bears her own distinctive indie sensibility and style. Julie recorded, mixed, and produced all the tracks on Near The Sun, and plays most of the instruments as well... though she is joined on bass, cello, and upright bass by Cyrille Catois and on drums by Andreas Dahlbäck (drummer & producer for Anna Ternheim). Mastering was done by Sean Glonek (Tanya Donelly, They Might Be Giants, Jill Sobule, Matthew Sweet).

Spontaneity was key in the creation of this album as evidenced by tracks such as ‘Innocence.’ “I composed it and wrote the lyrics in under an hour, and recorded it very quickly right after,” she reveals. “... I guess this song is what represents me the most.” The swell of the cello under her honest, melancholy lyrics turn this stand-out track from simple to understatedly sophisticated. “Most of the tracks were first takes,” Julie notes, which manifests itself in a sense of both immediacy and intimacy throughout the album. The undeniably catchy track ‘Living in a Movie,’ replete with irresistible hand-claps, seems sent straight from the soundtrack to a film by Michel Gondry or Sofia Coppola. A sweet and somehow cinematic tune that demonstrates Julie’s capability to craft pop songs at once familiar and dream-like, deceptively minimal, ‘Living in a Movie’ is just one of the songs off Near the Sun that compels repeated listens.

Though her contributions to the ALR compilations were noteworthy in their own right, this collection of original material bears testimony to Julie Peel’s own dynamic pop sensibilities.

"Simultaneously rich and sweet" - Wears The Trousers

"Listened to Julie and was blown away" - Craig Stewart (SXSW)

"Julie Peel defies the typical expectations" - FensePost