This article was originally published on beingtheremag.com, an independent music and film magazine that ran from 2004 to 2007. It is presented here as part of the Being There Magazine archive.
By Adam Anklewicz | Being There Magazine, March/April 2007
Artist: Julie Doiron | Label: Jagjaguwar (US)/Endearing (Canada)
Julie Doiron started her career as the bassist for CanCon grunge legends Eric’s Trip. Over the seven albums since their demise, Doiron has moved away from grunge, keeping the lo-fi sound that seems to match her off-key voice perfectly. Woke Myself Up is the first post-Eric’s Trip record to feature a collaboration between all four original members – Doiron, Rick White, Chris Thompson and Mark Gaudet. White recorded this album and the listener can see his immediate influence on the record. Woke Myself Up can easily be compared to White’s recent The Rick White Album, though rarely can one compare it to any of Eric’s Trip work. White approaches his own records with a rich texture filled with layered acoustic guitars, while Doiron goes for a more simplistic approach of a quiet and lone acoustic guitar with her soft voice. Together, they combine the two on this record, adding something special to Doiron’s catalogue.
“I Left Town” is a simple but beautiful waltz that is a perfect example of Doiron’s solo work. Doiron’s voice has a lilt to it with a large sense of fun while singing about the mundane, which seems to be her forte. Singing, “So I left town at 1:30 in the morning to see you and I drove through the rain and through the snow. The snow disappeared and everything cleared and things then grew dark all around me, and although I was tired, I stayed pretty calm ’cause I knew that soon I would be in your arms.” While the lyrics might put you to sleep, she matches it with a quaint melody that seems to seep charm.
Woke Myself Up is best with the full band, and follows suit from her best record Julie Doiron and The Wooden Stars. “Yer Kids” could fit in perfectly on a Gentleman Reg record, as the band provides a great indie-rock backing to Doiron’s simple voice. With the staggering guitar work that will remind anyone of Gentleman Reg’s recent album Darby and Joan, Doiron suddenly fits in with those with whom she frequently shares the stage with. “No More” is a very repetitive and catchy song where Doiron’s double-tracked vocals prove that her weak voice can be an asset.
“Don’t Wannabe – Liked By You” could have fallen directly off of Eric’s Trip’s classic record, Love Tara. The band put together a weepy grunge song that truly showcases why Eric’s Trip were among the best of the east coast’s ‘90s offerings.
Woke Myself Up is perhaps Doiron’s best work to date, and though one must be warned of her weak voice, the songs fit well with it and this simple record truly captures her at her best.