Australian Singer-Songwriter Julia Jacklin, Opinions on Blood Orange

Julia

While Australian singer-songwriter  Julia Jacklin's voice has a soft vibrato and sweet tone, her lyrics are laced with a dry sense of humor and unflinching honesty. Jim and Greg talk to Julia about her new album, the pressure to appear perfect on social media and how as a performer and woman she sets boundaries to stay sane. She also gives a live performance at the Goose Island Tap Room in Chicago. Plus, Jim and Greg review the new record from singer, songwriter and producer Blood Orange.

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Julia Jacklin

Julia Jacklin is a 28-year-old singer, songwriter and guitarist hailing from Sydney, Australia. She released her second album earlier in 2019 called Crushing, which Jim and Greg both greatly enjoyed. Her musical style is a blend of pop, folk and rock, packed full of beautiful and honest lyrics. Some of the themes she explores in her music are social perception, anxiety, boundaries, insecurity and reclaiming your own power. Jim and Greg talk to her at the Goose Island Tap Room about her record and musical career, and she also gives a live performance.

Angel's Pulse Blood Orange

blood orange

Dev Haynes has been recording as Blood Orange since 2008, and has released a number of critically acclaimed projects, including Freetown Sound and Negro Swan. Angel’s Pulse is the latest release from soulful British singer, songwriter and producer. Comprised mainly of tracks produced all over the world featuring a variety of guests (from Project Pat to Kelsey Lu), Jim thinks that, upon first listen, Angel’s Pulse "seems a little scattered"... as if "your Spotify skipped ahead to another artist." According to Jim, "to Blood Orange, genre doesn't exist." But in every track, despite the sound, Jim notes that "soul is a common denominator." Greg agrees that Angel's Pulse has an all over the map approach, consisting of songs like Tuesday Feeling that reminds him of Stevie Wonder or Gold Teeth that beckons to lo-fi  Southern Hip Hop. Greg adds that he's just glad to get more music from the artist.

Jim

In honor of the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 landing on the moon, Jim honors his space-obsessed five year old self by playing Pink Floyd's "Moonhead." He recalls watching the landing on television as a child, but admits only hearing this song recently- despite decades of Pink Floyd fandom. The improvised track was never included on a Pink Floyd album- it was performed live on the BBC during the Apollo 11 mission. As Jim points out, "The Floyd" were far from superstars at this point. Dark Side of The Moon was still years off in the future. But in the UK they did enjoy cult renown as an interesting outfit obsessed with space thanks to songs like "Astronomy Domine," "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" and "Interstellar Overdrive."

Ultimately, there's good reason "Moonhead" didn't become better known- the 12-minute instrumental was upstaged by David Bowie's "Space Oddity," which premiered on the same BBC program.

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