I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day (03.09, Jagjaguwar)
Byline: French-Canadian troubadour wakes herself up and drops the most uplifting, endearing album of her career.
For: Mary Timony, Laura Gibson, Cat Power
Most of Julie Doiron's post-Eric Trip's output has been a pretty somewhat somber affair. Her intimate little songs have always exhibited a sense of emotionally fragility. This, of course, is not a weakness in the realm of singer songwriters, but it is a dangerous line to toe; the line between melodrama and earnestness is a razors edge. A few things help Julie Doiron's case: First, her adorable French-Canadian accent and the fact that she releases quite a few french only tracks, suggest a vintage Edith Piath quality. Second, her output is varied enough from album to album that the blue albums suggest an actual spell of melancholy and not a schtick. Just in time for Spring, I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day takes her signature simple song structure and replaces gentle finger picking with power chords. All of the songs are perfect for driving around at night with the windows rolled down (as cliched as that is). The upturn in music signals an upturn in lyrical content, her lyrics are simple reflections on relationships, crushes, the nice feeling of relaxing after a hard days work, and bike riding. The songs work because the songwriting is so approachable, proving that the human experience does not need to be couched in vague metaphors and cryptic non-sequiters, a simple love poem can work, even when your 36. Ms. Doiron has quite the track record, from recording splits (as well as laudable admiration) from indie-rock luminaries such as Okkervil River, Phil Elverum (Mount Eeire), Herman Dune...and a speculated team up with Chad Vangaalen! Heres hoping that goes through. If this album doesn't make it into my end of best of list, it's album art sure will. CUUUUUUUTTTE!!!!
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