Julie Feeney
Pages
Angela Macari O’Looney
This has to be one of the most indulgent and wonderful CD’s I’ve ever heard. Arrangements are absolute masterpieces, melodies hauntingly beautiful and you are treated to a cross between Enya and Annie Lennox to bring you into a kind of Alice and Wonderland world that is hard to pull yourself away from, it’s so fantastic and inspiring
Love is a tricky thing
A beautiful orchestral intro takes you into this song. This musical phrase is repeated during the chorus and uses simple enough notation, but definitely is the making of this number. Julie’s slightly cynical look at love is surrounded by a plucky plethora of strings and wonderful instruments too numerous to identify.
My favourite line in this piece is; or do you still want a kind of adjustable love, that doesn’t infuse and consume your being.
I think we’d all like a design-your-own relationship and even though her melody line is catchy and sweet, her concepts and philosophies are quite accurate.
Impossibly beautiful
The title of this song pretty much describes the song itself. Julie harmonizes to her own voice which is light and airy. There are at least three layers of backing vocals (her own), recorded here and the verse is done minus instruments, to be gradually framed by parts of the orchestra, then eventually in the chorus there’s a sense of fullness with all joining in.
This is gorgeous and has a choppy feel to it. By the end of the song you’re singing the chorus, because it’s so appealing and simple; you’re impossibly beautiful, is that cos I’m waiting? Is that cos I’m looking or is it just cos you are? Julie remixed the vocals in this number and a few others on the album.
Grace is almost prayer like, with a sad melody line and is slow. I like the way in the second chorus, Julie begins the first line with the last word from the first chorus; Grace. It somehow continues the thread of thought and the sense of depth. A song from way back when comes to my mind when I hear this number; The windmills of your mind.
The inclusion of harp (Aisling Ennis) in this piece creates a heavenly feel and dreamy orchestral notes only prove more heavenly!
A lonely trombone takes you into track three Valentine’s Song. This is a moody piece, with dramatic vocals and close harmony, which creates big chords. Trumpet and other delectable instruments surround each line for the rest of it.
Brass section is delightful in One more tune. The lyrics seem to describe an elderly couple, who snap at each other but are still sentimental even though contrary. Julie’s phrasing in the verses lends to the atmosphere and the chorus is catchy. A lovely trumpet riff also helps the effect greatly!
In Myth the orchestral arrangement is outstanding, where mischievous plucked notes on strings keep the verse mysterious sounding. I definitely think of an Annie Lennox number on hearing the mad-hatter style Ha ha, ssshh in the chorus. Celli here played by Ben Rogerson and Richard Angell and double bass; Mercedes Carroll are fabulous and I love the way the dynamics build up, to die down again.
Described on My Space as Alternative/Classical/Pop, Julie’s music definitely can’t be pigeon-holed into a genre as such. It’s a concoction of beautiful notation, with witty lyrics. Her debut album 13 Songs won the Choice Music Award in 2006 and like Pages was a work of genius where she performed all of the singing, played most of the instruments, producing and directing each facet of her masterpiece.
She has done just about everything including conducting the Liverpool Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, performing all over the globe as a choral singer and has taught music education to primary, secondary and university levels.
Mr. Roving Eye guy is a parody-styled number, which describes a man who sounds to me very like Mr. Pernickety from the Mr. Men series. It’s quite a sad truth that is a symptom of 21st century culture, where people search for the perfect partner and get so fussy that they end up never finding love and this funny ditty tells it so well; He found flaws with every girl he’d meet. She had big hands or funny feet.
The chorus is made up entirely of oohs and is addictive. You can’t help but sing along!
A riff on French horn that’s constantly playing throughout the song is what makes this track one of my favourites on this album.
Stay has quite a soothing quality.
Life’s nudge begins with plucked strings, to become a delightful concerto type piece and has an Enya feel to it.
Monster has fast moving Cello throughout, excellent percussion and Julie uses a play of words in the chorus; You remember that you knew what was in the beautiful tree before it you shook, the beautiful tree before it you shook shook.
Nothing to declare is just a sad and simple love song and the last track Knock Knock has yet another dreamy melody line and though deep, it has lovely lyrics; You’ve got dreams to remember you’ve got to believe. You’re Cinderella remember and your knight is here. You might need to shine up that shiny armour or maybe you won’t need to shine it at all.
In the booklet that accompanies Pages Julie tells the story of the long road she travelled to create it. She says she’s a perfectionist and this is quite clear when you hear the result of all her hard work.
The Artwork on the album depicts her feet in dainty red ankle boots. It also shows a picture of her looking up at a colourful playhouse, with jigsaw pieces painted on. But the piece de resistance is when you open up the booklet and see Julie wearing a dress made of her manuscripts, with a gold ribbon laced in corset mode at the back. A little eccentric?
Then again, most geniuses are!
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