JULIE DEXTER / “Look Who’s Got Ya Back”
I love Julie Dexter. She’s one of those rare popular musicians who is both very talented and very independent. With her obvious good looks and her knack for writing and singing a memorable hook, Julie could’ve chosen to go the major label route: she could be one of many shaking her thing-thing on our collective TV screens, hoping that something she said, sang or did would make her one of the latest winners in the perennial pop music sweepstakes. Instead, like precious few others that come to mind (Fertile Ground and Peven Everett to name two) Julie forgoes her major label potential in order to self-record, self-produce and self-distribute music motivated not by dreams of fortune and fame but by her desire to communicate truth and beauty. I like the entire Conscious album—it’s the kind of music that sounds equally wonderful whether you’re feeling every word or whether you’re going about your daily doings, listening only subconsciously—but several songs stand out. The title track is a extended rumination on what it means to be young, Black and aware in our modern times: “Trust,” Julie reminds us, “Is a fragile situation.” “Look Who’s Got Ya Back” is familiar and unspectacular but paradoxically, very, very beautiful—like a family get-together or a conversation with an old friend. It reminds us that we don’t always have to be blown away by something to be blown away by something…if you know what I mean. “Like Ours” is a welcome bonus: a previously hard-to-find three-year-old collaboration with Thomas Naim (of the Brazil-obsessed Parisian duo Tom & Joyce). Anyone whose ever loved from afar will dig this one. “Rain Song” might not be the best song of the album, but it’s my favorite. The languorous unfolding of the melody is the ideal showcase for Julie’s clear, pitch-perfect voice. Julie isn’t one of those American Idol-style over-singers; as such, she doesn’t wail and shriek her way through every lyric. She doesn’t have to.
This entry was posted on Sunday, January 15th, 2006 at 1:43 am and is filed under Contemporary. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
7 Responses to “JULIE DEXTER / “Look Who’s Got Ya Back””
January 15th, 2006 at 3:06 am
ah … cool to see Julie Dexter getting her due here. she is indeed in an elite class of independent nu soul singers … agree with the Fertile Ground analogy … amel larrieux also comes to mind, tho’ she may not be so independent, but soulful nonetheless (think “You Will Rise” with Sweetback)… if you get a chance take a listen to Julie Dexter on “The Plan” which came out on Main Squeeze a bit ago … every time I put that record on it still sounds fresh to me … IG Culture produced i believe …. peace.
January 15th, 2006 at 12:56 pm
Ahhhh, Julie Dexter…I love the texture of her voice and the phrasing of her delivery. Ms. Honeysoul introduced me to the artist and I haven’t stopped paying her Conscious CD since I got it. I love her sound. Thanks for highlighting her.
January 16th, 2006 at 7:48 am
I’ve been a Julie Dexter fan for many years. Her “Peace of Mind” CD was an instant, atmospheric classic for me. Her warm, delicate vocals immediately and magically sooth. The title track and the song “Burning” exude rare sensuality. There aren’t many tunes on here, but I considered each a polished gem.
That said, I was mildly disappointed with her next CD, Dexterity. Little grabbed me the same way; more tracks missed than hit me. “I Dream,” “How Long,” and “Moving On” recaptured the magic of the first CD, but much of the rest seemed crammed with words or suffering a lackluster hook.
I certainly haven’t given up on this pearl, though. A friend speaks highly of the CD you’ve reviewed, and so do you.
Having read your critique, I plan to explore her latest and may invest. If there’s more of the chill vibe from album #1, and less of the poetic frenzy of album #2, I’m sure I’ll love it.
January 17th, 2006 at 10:56 am
I agree with viqifrench, the Peace of Mind EP had me sold on Julie. I like her follow ups but nothing resonated like that EP. It’s truly extraordinary. “Never Will I marry” from the Perrier Jazz Vocalists comp is probably my favorite song by her though while “Look Who’s Got your Back” is probably my fav from Conscious. Great selection.
January 17th, 2006 at 3:43 pm
Thanks. I usually don’t comment on folks I don’t know about. But, in this case, with what you presented here, I’m sold. I tuned in to the BOL Jukebox and the songs ‘Like Ours’ and ‘Conscious’ are BEAUTIFUL — lyrically and musically. I don’t know why, but it sounds like Chante Moore is singing the background vocals on Conscious. Then I hear ‘Look Who’s Got Ya Back’ and am completely sold. I had to listen to it twice to take it all in. Who’da thunk that you guys would slip in a spiritual/inspirational song mixed with a 70’s style hook.
‘Makes Me Wanna Holla’ was a treat as well. The Reggae treatment was nice and shows her as a scat artist as well. I take it that she has the same obscurity of promotion like her bretheren Omar Lye-Fook (another Jamaican-born, UK Soul & Jazz artist).
January 19th, 2006 at 10:04 pm
I just want to give big ups to this site. Reading the reviews and comments left on this site totally make me realize about how much of a featherweight I am when it comes to music.
I wanted to comment on the Julie Dexter selections though. Like many others on this site I suppose, I heard the songs and had to express my feelings about them.
The song “Like ours” is beautiful, I felt like she has a powerful voice in the softer sense. Not many high notes or exaggerated notes like you hear from so many of the powerful R&B songstresses and crooners, but she has that old Billie Holiday effect on me where she literally raises the goosebumps on my arms and just sends me into euphoria.
I was definitely straddling the fence on whether or not to buy her album, but no longer, this one is definitely getting copped.
Anyway, Julie lives in Atlanta and it seems everyone I know has run across her, but I have yet to meet her or see her perform. Hopefully if I ever see her I can tell her about the site(even though she may already know or you guys may already know her)and spread the gospel about this site like I have spreading it to everyone I know.
The site is amazing.
Maybe you guys could cover Dwele next?
February 13th, 2007 at 10:27 am
Wow!! Julie Dexter she really got something different there. she is a bright light shinning and I’m really feeling her sound. Where have they been hiding her!
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