tag:www.juliamessenger.com,2005:/blogs/can-anyone-learn-to-sing?p=3Julia Messenger Blog Posts2022-08-30T10:19:12+10:00Julia Messengerfalsetag:www.juliamessenger.com,2005:Post/70488902022-08-30T10:19:12+10:002023-10-17T01:51:32+11:00Review of Molly McKew's debut EP "I Couldn't Grasp It" by Julia Messenger<p>Melbourne guitarist and singer Molly McKew’s debut EP “I Couldn’t Grasp It” turns grief, lost love and pain into a thing of cathartic beauty. The songs invite you to drift in their tidal sway, with floating harmonies and atmospheric guitar weaving the listener into the intimate world of the artist. The idiosyncratic dreamy sequence is both experimental and beautiful. Her impressionistic approach on “I Thought Love was Supposed to Fade” builds an effective picture of sadness and human inadequacy. “With absence, with pain, I beg to wash it all away… I feel your absence on my skin everyday”. An unusual choice of harmonies throughout creates a sonic inquiry into the nature of loneliness. As is common in McKew’s writing, there is an eclectic use of poetry and melodies that seems to work, with echos of Diane Cluck, although McKew’s work feels much more rounded, dreamy, melodic. McKew’s lyrics are fragmented and opaque “I want to be blankness…I want to run away from me” she sings in the aptly titled “I Can’t See My Eyes”. The listener feels a deep sadness in Mckew’s writing, perhaps a collective sadness of the trauma we have all faced in the last two years, perhaps a sadness that is unique to McKew. Time will tell. I look forward to more from this artist.</p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://mollymckew.bandcamp.com/releases" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/3043/0dd10a0507d9492ec806878bae793310b62a65b2/original/screen-shot-2022-08-30-at-10-21-53-am.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a><br> </p>
<p>Julia Messenger is a singer, songwriter, music producer, vocal coach and therapist, and music reveiwer. </p>
<p>This blog has permission to be re-posted in it's entirety - crediting Julia Messenger as the reviewer. </p>Julia Messengertag:www.juliamessenger.com,2005:Post/48166932017-08-17T15:06:23+10:002021-04-15T09:19:19+10:00My Life in Music<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Rku8FG8otjU" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/Rku8FG8otjU/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rku8FG8otjU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="270" width="480" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>For as long as I can remember being creative in the performing arts has always been up there aligned with my biggest passions.</strong> When I was very young I thought I wanted to be a dancer, but then when the categories of ‘Song and Dance’ came along it was clear to my ballet teacher and friends that I was a five year old busting to sing (or shout in tune as I did back then!) </span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="color:#000000;">Fast forward to my teenage years and I discovered I truly had a voice. My older sister’s and I would sing together in 3 part harmonies for family and friends – we got so popular that we ended up performing around our hometown of Melbourne in Australia. We sang covers of Andrew Sisters, Aretha Franklin and our own originals. The passion for songwriting had started… </span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="color:#000000;">As there was nothing much else I knew to do with my life, I studied singing at the Conservatorium of Music in Melbourne. The technique was Opera and I topped my class in my final year. The Victorian State Opera had reserved a spot for me, but <strong>I had other plans… </strong></span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="color:#000000;">During my Uni years I supported myself singing in Jazz bands around Melbourne. I had a regular gig at the Rainbow Hotel and the Night Cat. <strong>But I wanted to do original music too...</strong></span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="color:#000000;">I joined an all girl band called “Ruby Fruit Jungle” and we toured the world. This band and this<a contents=" life of touring opened my eyes to a world of possibilities" data-link-label="JazzAlbum" data-link-type="page" href="/jazzalbum" target="_blank"><strong> life of touring opened my eyes to a world of possibilities</strong></a> to do with my music, my life and existence. We supported Sinead O’Connor and Afro Celt Sound System in Ireland, frequented the UK, Asia and the rest of Europe. Robert Plant came to one of our gigs in Hong Kong and we partied with him afterwards. Meanwhile my passion as a songwriter continued and I wrote many songs for this outfit. </span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>But I wanted to branch out – be autonomous, create my own rules, my own sound.</strong> I stayed on in Germany after a tour once as I had been asked to work with the legendary Klaus Schulze. He is quoted as calling my voice “murder!”. I think that’s a compliment. For those who don’t know, Klaus Schulze was from Tangerine Dream and Alphaville – the first band to be signed to Richard Branson’s UK label Virgin Records. Kraut Rock is what they call it. My most popular recording with <a contents="Klaus Schulze is My Ty She." data-link-label="Music" data-link-type="page" href="/music" target="_blank">Klaus Schulze is My Ty She.</a></span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="color:#000000;">I have been lucky enough in my career to have sparked the interest of many notable figures – including Henning Schmitz from Kraftwerk. One of our tracks together was mentioned in the New York Times as being one of the most popular played in Cafes and bars... </span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="color:#000000;">I love collaboration with other musicians. I love producing. I love doing things on my own too. People often connect with me to ask if I will work with them, and if I like what they do and feel I can contribute I will often say yes. </span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="color:#000000;">My first solo album was signed to a label called Varese Saraband in LA. A press quote for that album that took off was that I was<a contents=" the new “Queen of Chill”." data-link-label="Jazz Album" data-link-type="page" href="/jazz-album" target="_blank"> </a><a contents="the new “Queen of Chill”" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://juliamessenger.com/jazzalbum" target="_blank">the new “Queen of Chill”</a><a contents="the new “Queen of Chill”." data-link-label="Jazz Album" data-link-type="page" href="/jazz-album" target="_self">.</a> I guess I helped create a European sound for the American market, in a genre that wasn’t yet popular in the States – but is now, of course - everywhere! </span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="color:#000000;">I’ve done a load since, and am always working and performing. A lot of my live music passion in the past few years has been in the field of Jazz. People get confused by that, but to me it’s all a musical and seamlessly ties in. </span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="color:#000000;">I guess my point is, is that music in whatever capacity has always made me feel like I am part of the world. </span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="color:#000000;">But perhaps even more importantly than any of this, is that YOU, the listener, makes all of this matter. </span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="color:#000000;">I look forward to many more challenging and worthwhile experiences along this musical journey. Here’s to hoping that you are part of that journey. </span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="color:#000000;">If you’d like to hear the most recent addition of that journey,<a contents=" click here to listen to my most recent Jazz album: “Live at Bennetts Lane.”" data-link-label="Jazz Album" data-link-type="page" href="/jazz-album" target="_self"> </a><a contents="click here to listen to my most recent Jazz album: “Live at Bennetts Lane.”&nbsp;" data-link-label="Jazz Album" data-link-type="page" href="/jazz-album" target="_self">click here to listen to my most recent Jazz album: “Live at Bennetts Lane.”</a></span></span></p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><span style="color:#000000;">Thank you for being a listener and for making it all matter.</span></span></p>
<p>Julia </p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>Stop Press: Julia's single 'FLY BIRD' has been officially released on April 15. This single is already receiving airplay in Europe, having been picked up by a record label in Holland 'Streetheat'. It deals with the complexities of being in a relationship break down, and the need to set your spirit and the spirit of the one you love free - hence, 'Fly Bird'...</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong><em><a contents="You can listen on streaming devices here." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://linktr.ee/juliamessenger" target="_blank">You can listen on streaming devices here.</a></em></strong></span></p>Julia Messengertag:www.juliamessenger.com,2005:Post/47831542017-07-18T22:02:00+10:002022-05-10T05:40:29+10:00Dream On Electro Goodness <a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KqORyNvUwAY/WW32aNdTfpI/AAAAAAAAAIw/WDoQ3w-Ho-kubJiaCc5ACbHUPnvG-RxKACLcBGAs/s1600/Juliemessenger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KqORyNvUwAY/WW32aNdTfpI/AAAAAAAAAIw/WDoQ3w-Ho-kubJiaCc5ACbHUPnvG-RxKACLcBGAs/s200/Juliemessenger.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="200" width="200" /></a>A selection of Dreamy Electro Goodness creates this Spotify playlist. Some old favourites of mine including Sia's <i>Breathe Me</i> along with Mandalay's <i>Deep Love</i> off their album <i>Instinct</i>. I've also included a couple of 'fresh finds' including Biig Piig's <i>24K</i> and <i>Honeycola</i> by Ben Stevenson which is a beautiful track with dreamy vocals taking us on an electro journey. And as I love to share my own music for you guys, I'm including <i>You are a Space in my Heart</i> that I recorded in Dusseldorf with the fabulous Lutz Boddenberg and <i>For the Love of You</i> with the wonderful PFL. Any suggestions for future playlists would be most welcome! Please email me through my website: <a href="http://www.juliamessenger.com/">www.juliamessenger.com</a> Oh! And don't forget to press 'FOLLOW' on my playlist if you'd like to hear more music finds like this!<br><br><div style="text-align: center;"><br></div><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/user/1238100971/playlist/2AS5P1d83502GoEbnX2Qho" width="300"></iframe>Julia Messenger