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Staff
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Last Active 01-03-23 11:21 pm
Joined 06-03-16
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| | Neek's 1st Listen: Julien Baker's "Turn Out..." | | 1 |  | Julien Baker
Turn Out The Lights
Over
Okay yeah this is already fucking beautiful. Greater emphasis on strings and piano is all I could’ve asked for so if this gorgeous intro has anything to say about the rest of the album, I think I’m already convinced. 8.5+/10 | | 2 | | Julien Baker
Turn Out The Lights
Appointments
Holy shit that transition was nice. I’m already really impressed with the cinematic aspect of this album. It’s definitely more widescreen but it still sounds intimate. I forgot how much I missed her voice. Oh fuck, I don’t know if this album is safe for me to listen to in this mindset, but here I go. The lyrics are already destroying me. This is so full sounding, kinda the opposite of her first in some ways but I think it’s an expansion rather than a contradiction of it. If this doesn’t slingshot her into success then I have no faith in humanity. Those backing vocals sound so good. Yknow, I really had no doubt that she would be able to really accomplish something beautiful with a budget and a larger vision. This is all I could ever want. 9-/10 | | 3 | | Julien Baker
Turn Out The Lights
Turn Out the Lights
This one reminds me more of Sprained Ankle, with some added depth to the soundscape. It’s very much in the same style with the simple guitar and vocals, the atmosphere is just thicker. Man I’m really feeling her vocals, there’s no doubt in my mind that she’s hurting through them as much as I am right now. This electric climactic thing is a bit unexpected… I’m not sure exactly how I feel about it but I think that once I get used to it I’ll be sold. 8+/10 | | 4 | | Julien Baker
Turn Out The Lights
Shadowboxing
Mmmmmmm that’s pretty. I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of the sounds she makes with her guitar. I like the piano backing, I really hope we get to hear more of those strings we got in the intro. Sounds like she jammed a lot of The Swell Season before making this if ya know what I mean. Nah, jk I’m really trying to place an influence for this because it sounds so familiar but it’s so unique sounding at the same time. It’s just… really really deep sounding folk music. And it’s absolutely fucking lovely. There are those goddamn strings! Come to daddy jesus fuck. I can’t wait to really get into these lyrics on the next couple listens and just cry horribly and forever. “Tell me you loved me” jesus christ ouch. Another winner here yah. 9-/10 | | 5 | | Julien Baker
Turn Out The Lights
Sour Breath
Aight yeah let’s do this. I know I said I’d never get sick of her guitar and I never will, but like, it’d be cool if not every song opening with just that. But what do I know right? Yeah this is lovely so far. I feel like there’s so much more going on here than her first album, even if there isn’t. This is one of the less ambitious tracks so far but I really like the gentle build of the music throughout the song… Aight let’s go. Is this that processed stuff Freddie was talking about? Because that was pretty fucking great if you ask me. 8.5-/10 | | 6 | | Julien Baker
Turn Out The Lights
Televangelist
Great fucking name for a song, reminds me of the television dialogue at the end of her last album. So far the track is reminding me of that song too. Cool to hear a more piano-based song here, even if so far it isn’t anything groundbreaking. Is she playing the piano here too? Because if so she’s even more talented than I previously thought because it’s gorgeous. I feel like there’s no strong direction to this song… like I don’t even know if there’s been a chorus yet. It just kinda keeps walking along the dark night road without anything to distract itself. It just keeps going and going. I love it. That organ is great too fuck. Such a great fucking song. Can wait to lose my mind to it. 9-/10 | | 7 | | Julien Baker
Turn Out The Lights
Everything that Helps You Sleep
It seems we have ventured into the piano side of this album. I’m not complaining though, especially if this is as nice as its always going to sound. Her vocals are sooooooo good. Like so good. Like way better than her first album good. Like better than Adele good. Like why isn’t she the voice of this generation yet good. That good. Give her a Grammy already fuck. The strings ughhhhhh yeah fuck me. They add so much here. I don’t think there’s going to be one song on here that isn’t great. So far there’s only one I don’t love and that could potentially change. Is this my favorite yet? I can’t tell anymore, these ratings don’t mean anything anymore. 9+/10 | | 8 | | Julien Baker
Turn Out The Lights
Happy to Be Here
Okay, I’m pulling up the lyrics for the rest of the album now. This is another Sprained Ankle type song, just going and going until she breaks. “If it makes me feel better, how bad could it be?” Amen, sister. Man that guitar sound is really thick. Like, don’t hate me but that sound wouldn’t sound out of place on a Coldplay album and I mean that as a compliment. You know the one I mean. This is just a great song, even if it doesn’t stand out as much out to me as the others. That cry at the end is heartbreaking. 8.5-/10 | | 9 | | Julien Baker
Turn Out The Lights
Hurt Less
Still getting used to that piano sound on a Julien Baker album even if it fits her so damn well. Ugh the way it flies in after the first verse, AND THE STRINGS TOO UGH STRINGS I WANT THEM ALL, is so nice fuck. Ugh I didn’t like those backing vocals there what. Who is that dude? Everything is great though so I’m gonna try to ignore that. She doesn’t need anyone else but her singing. The strings are so fucking nice shit. It occurs to me that those vocals might have been heard and just sounded weird asf but they still sounded weird asf so I don’t feel bad. Everything about this besides that is so damn good though, what. Holy fuck that concluded verse was so perfect. 9-/10 | | 10 | | Julien Baker
Turn Out The Lights
Even
God we’re getting close to the end, why does it have to almost be over? I wish all folk music sounded this good, this is like the summation of everything I look for in a folk album. Beautiful vocals, stark instrumentation, but lush atmosphere. It’s so nice. I like the slight string accents going through this, it pairs nicely with the guitars. I’m feeling this so hard and I’m not even listening to the lyrics that much. Is it weird I got a bit of a Hayley Williams vibe there for a second? This song is so pretty. Fuck it, it’s an average Julien Baker song which means it’s a 8.5-/10 | | 11 | | Julien Baker
Turn Out The Lights
Claws in Your Back
Oh man this is a bit different. Longest song on the album is also the last, just as it should be. I could get lost just in the depth to the sound of her voice here. Oh shit I felt that hard. This is kind of terrifying sounding actually. There’s a lot going on here even though at its core its just a piano ballad. I wish every album had an atmosphere this deep, so deep you could drown in it. Yes, fuck it, I think this is my favorite one so far. Maybe my favorite Julien song ever. I’m already sure and I’m only halfway. I’m just listening at this point. I’m lost in it and idk how to get out. Holy fuck it’s just getting better. I don’t think the human voice has ever brought me closer to tears than her performance on that song, especially the end. I’m going to go to bed and cry now. 10-/10 | |
neekafat
10.27.17 | This might be a 5/5 just for that last song | Slex
10.27.17 | I'll take any shoutout I can get ayy
Still hate that final note lol | BlushfulHippocrene
10.27.17 | ! < 3 Love you, Neeka.
It is Julien playing the piano throughout the album, as far as I'm aware, and the male backing vocals on Hurt Less are Matt Gilliam from Forrister (her other band). I love them quite a bit, but I understand how it might feel a little out of place.
"The strings ughhhhhh yeah fuck me." :')) | Slex
10.27.17 | The strings in even are sooooooxbxjs good fuck | BlushfulHippocrene
10.27.17 | Beautiful. One of her best vocal performances, too, it's so bitter. | Slex
10.27.17 | Agreed, I think her voice is even better on this album, just astonishing really | BlushfulHippocrene
10.27.17 | Definitely. Probably as a result of how much she's been touring, and as far as I'm aware she's quit smoking since Sprained Ankle, too. | Trebor.
10.27.17 | The closer gives me goosebumps | Trebor.
10.27.17 | Turn Out The Lights live was uggggghhhhhhhhhhh | Dewinged
10.27.17 | I have to agree on the closer. My fave track along with t/t. | Slex
10.27.17 | Happy To Be Here is definitely my favorite currently | Slex
10.27.17 | The way that her voice curdles and shrinks on 'earned it' when she sings 'it's no good if the pain doesn't make you feel like you earned it' is the single best moment of her discog so far | BlushfulHippocrene
10.27.17 | I'm so glad you pointed that out, Freddie, I'd never be able to articulate it that well. "curdles and shrinks" is the perfect way to describe it... | Slex
10.27.17 | I appreciate the compliment! I'm starting to feel like TOTL has a multitude of brilliant/stunning little moments as opposed to SA's fireworks
| bgillesp
10.27.17 | Gonna be jamming this today for sure | Sowing
10.27.17 | Who is she comparable to and would I fall in love with her? | BlushfulHippocrene
10.27.17 | Elliott Smith and Elena Tonra (Daughter), perhaps, though unlike her last album this is a tad more piano-driven, so those comparisons mightn't be as pertinent. You'd at least like this, though, I imagine. It's very pretty. | Slex
10.27.17 | She sounds to me like Elliot Smith, Ben Howard, and old Laura Stevenson mixed together | ZombieToyDuck
10.27.17 | I'm listening to this now and I'm really enjoying it BUT I found that ending of sour breath super jarring. I think it kinda killed the flow that it had going. | ZombieToyDuck
10.27.17 | that closer though damn | neekafat
10.27.17 | That's what freddie was saying haha
Yeah I think the only song I wasn't totally sold on on first listen was the t/t but it was still great | Drifter
10.27.17 | I’m going to go to go to bed and cry now | neekafat
10.27.17 | Same even tho I just woke up | neekafat
10.31.17 | Final rates, ended up giving it a tentative 5 because fml
Turn Out the Lights: 9.5 (8.86)
Over: 8.5
Appointments: 9
Turn Out the Lights: 8.5
Shadowboxing: 9
Sour Breath: 8.5
Televangelist: 9
Everything That Helps You Sleep: 9
Happy to Be Here: 8.5
Hurt Less: 9
Even: 8.5
Claws in Your Back: 10 | BlushfulHippocrene
10.31.17 | Nice Neeka! :3 I'd go...
Over/Appointments: 10
Turn Out the Lights: 7
Shadowboxing: 9
Sour Breath: 9.5
Televangelist: 9.5
Everything That Helps You Sleep: 9
Happy to Be Here: 8
Hurt Less: 9
Even: 9.5
Claws In Your Back: 10 | neekafat
11.01.17 | Ooof, Turn Out the Lights didn't do much for you huh? Def agree it was the weakest track but it grew on me quite a bit!
What does Even do for you? | BlushfulHippocrene
11.03.17 | I think Even's one of her best vocal performances. I think it's perhaps one of the more distinct songs on the album, too: it's almost venomous amongst all these prettier sounding songs, and it provides a perfect contrast to Hurt Less and Claws. | neekafat
11.03.17 | I'll have to give that one another listen then (: |
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