Julien Baker
Sprained Ankle
6131 Records [2015]
Fire Drill Album Review: Julien Baker’s debut record is one that you need to sit a little closer to the speakers for or turn the dial up a few notches on your headphones because Sprained Ankle is a quiet piece of art that is easy to miss if you are not paying attention. The young Memphis artist has stormed into 2015 with this delicate as a bird recording that snatches your ears immediately with her vulnerability, composure and tone. Her building panic and turmoil on “Something” is enough for anyone to buy into her album as she sings “I know you left, I would go / I still never knew ya / I knew you were gone months ago / I can’t think of anyone else.” The just over thirty-minute record keeps it simple and does not change its approach which showcases Baker’s singer/songwriter talents but offers little musical diversity, so it is really all about the lyrics. That may turn some listeners away but I believe it opens the door for something even more special on Baker’s next outing and leaves room for growth in her art that is for sure to take her places.
Julien Baker Facebook
6131 Records
– Reviewed by Thomas Wilde
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