« ATJF Jukebox: Hospitality | Main | Denver/Boulder: Shows this week | 8.31.2009 - 9.6.2009 »

August 28, 2009

ATJF Jukebox: Julianna Barwick

photo by Devon Banks

Julianna Barwick is also gracing our ATJ Fest stage this Sunday evening. Her supremely serene music, made almost entirely of vocal layers, looped and stretched into infinity. By the time their build is finished, the sound is something akin to ambient devotional music. It's a novel sound, that's intensely comforting nonetheless. It's recently been soothing the Pitchfork boys through some hectic "decade-in-music" narrative construction.

Below, Julianna lays down some of her favorite songs, and what they might portend for the future of her own music. (She seems fairly content, though, so don't expect any confrontational punk any time soon...)

Joe Jackson - "Steppin' Out"
(Solid Gold 1982)

JK: If all someone knew about you was the music you make (and that's pretty accurate for me, actually) it might surprise them to hear you were a fan of smooth 80s radio pop. Do you want to make music that communicates ideas as directly as "Steppin' Out" does some day? Do you feel like you already do?

JB: This particular song is sort of a vague memory from my childhood. I remember hearing it in the car, or wherever. I've always loved it- the piano/xylophone combo really gets me- it has always made me think of a city at night.

I think one day I'll make a record of more straight-ahead songs- with clearer messages- I don't think my songs now are too literal, in any way. They're all kind of visceral and emotive sound.

JK: Do you feel "young, but old before your time"?

JB: I'm feeling less young these days, but don't think of myself as an 'old soul' or anything. I'm steadfastly in the present in a good way.

Joanna Newsom - "Sawdust & Diamonds"
(live in Philadelphia, PA, 11.16.06)

JK: Lyrically, Joanna Newsom can be extremely dense, are you more into what she sings in this song, or the sound of her singing it? (The combination of both, being the cop out answer, I'll note...)

JB: Well, that's a head-scratcher.. I AM into both- but I can say that what drew me in initially, and still does every time, is the sound of the song, the chord changes, it's just achingly beautiful. There are a few songs that bring me to the verge of tears and this is definitely one of them.

Now, I noticed her lyrics second, but I think most people would agree that they're staggering. Such unbelievable imagery. I saw her play last year at BAM and she performed all of Y's And most of Milk-Eyed Mender with some friends on various instruments, and then with the Brooklyn Philharmonic. I think that's when I really fell in love with her work, and I couldn't believe that she was performing these epic, 10 minute long songs.

JK: As a music fan, how deep into lyrics do you get?

JB: I don't usually pay much attention to lyrics, I'm not really a liner notes reader most of the time. But they can hold a lot of significance for me occasionally.

Ambrosian Boys Choir - "Suo Gan" (from the Empire of the Sun soundtrack)

JK: This one makes a lot of sense in relation to the sort of music you're currently making. Is your style at least partly born of the impulse to conjure a full choir just from recording by yourself?

JB: I think so, a little. I don't think that was ever the intention, but I really love to make the songs, with layers and layers and parts. My brain really responds well to it and it makes me feel really good. I love the intensity of emotion that's created by layering the same thing over and over again, with effects. It's a throwback to the joy singing a cappella in a cavernous, echoing church, or even the right parking garage gave me as a kid.

JK: Would you ever be interested in arranging for multiple voices that weren't your own?

JB: Yes, totally. I've daydreamed about it a time or two. I can't imagine the joy that would come from writing and arranging a choral piece and then seeing it and hearing it manifested in a human way. I think that would be the ultimate in some way.

Julianna Barwick - "Bode"

JK: What's interesting to me about your songs, is that even though the elements pile on and build as they move forward, it's almost the opposite of a lot of current pop music in that rather than working towards a big cathartic moment, the more layers added just combine towards a deeper serene calm. Are they calm and enveloping by design?

JB: I don't think I intentionally make calm, peaceful, or pretty music- but it kind of comes out that way, maybe because I feel pretty peaceful and good most of the time. I think it would be difficult for me to make an angry or scary song.. it's just not in me at the moment.

JK: Do you think you might add more discordant, sinister, or tense tones and textures into future recordings?

JB: I am interested in exploring different sounds, different moods. I've always wondered what it would be like to try and make a song that feels the same as 'Pluto' by Bjork, for example. It's a bit out of my personality range currently. To be honest I kind of never know how something is going to sound until I do it, so who knows? Maye I'll come up with some darker stuff some day.

--

Julianna Barwick hits the stage around 9 PM, this Sunday. Brooklyn Vegan has a handy overview of the entire event here. Tickets for all three days available here.

Posted by Jeff Klingman at August 28, 2009 01:40 PM

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.merryswankster.com/movabletype/mt-tb.cgi/2160

Comments

Post a comment