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My Anti-Aircraft Friend

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My Anti-Aircraft Friend
A woman playing guitar behind an amplifier exploding in color
Studio album by
Julie
ReleasedSeptember 13, 2024 (2024-09-13)
RecordedDecember 2022 – 2024
Studio
  • EastWest
  • Panoramic House
  • Secret Hand
  • Palomino Sound
  • Octopus Beak
Genre
Length39:16
LabelAtlantic
Producer
  • Julie
  • Sonny DiPerri
Julie chronology
Pushing Daisies
(2021) 		My Anti-Aircraft Friend
(2024)
Singles from My Anti-Aircraft Friend
  1. "Catalogue"
    Released: September 29, 2023
  2. "Clairbourne Practice"
    Released: July 10, 2024
  3. "Very Little Effort"
    Released: August 21, 2024

My Anti-Aircraft Friend is the debut studio album by the American shoegaze band Julie, released on September 13, 2024, by Atlantic Records. Recorded with producer Sonny DiPerri in between the band's tours at various recording studios across California, it is a shoegaze, grunge, indie rock, alternative rock and nu gaze album whose songs feature distorted soundscapes, dynamic arrangements alternating in speed and intensity, and vocal interplay. Its lyrics explore unhealthy relationships, mental health, identity, anxiety, insecurities, uncertainty, and "existential angst".

My Anti-Aircraft Friend was well-received by critics, who praised Julie's songwriting and performances. The album was supported by three singles, "Catalogue", "Clairbourne Practice", and "Very Little Effort". Julie embarked on headlining tours of North America, Australia and Europe in support of the album and will perform at various festivals in 2025.

Background and recording

[edit]

Julie was formed by guitarist and vocalist Keyan Pourzand, bassist and vocalist Alexandria Elizabeth, and drummer Dillon Lee. Pourzand and Lee met whilst attending El Toro High School in Lake Forest, Orange County, bonding over their shared interest in music and bands like Sonic Youth and The Breeders.[1] They recruited Elizabeth, whom they knew from mutual friends, soon after. Julie first rehearsed together in May 2019, with their first show taking place at a friend's backyard three months later.[2] In April 2020, Julie released their debut single "Flutter" through the Amuseio label.[3] The song was an unexpected viral success, garnering more than 30 million streams on Spotify by 2024. Around the time of its release, the members of Julie relocated to Los Angeles, where Elizabeth and Pourzand attended the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc).[1] After releasing their debut extended play (EP) Pushing Daisies in August 2021, the band signed with Atlantic Records and released their major label debut single "Pg.4 A Picture of Three Hedges/Through Your Window" in August 2022.[3]

Julie spent two years writing My Anti-Aircraft Friend,[1] although some of its songs date back to 2019.[4] Recording sessions commenced in December 2022,[4] after Pourzand and Elizabeth both dropped out of SCI-Arc to focus on Julie.[1] The band worked in a non-linear fashion, writing and recording material at various recording studios in California in between tours.[2][4] The band's contract with Atlantic gave them complete freedom,[2] and the lack of external pressures allowed them to focus solely on the album, although their perfectionism and insistence on handling all artwork themselves would protract its conception.[1] Recording took place at EastWest, Panoramic House, Secret Hand, Palomino Sound and Octopus Beak.[5] Working with producer Sonny DiPerri, the band recorded their songs live, rehearsing extensively beforehand and adjusting their tones before and during recording.[6]

Composition and lyrics

[edit]

My Anti-Aircraft Friend has been described as shoegaze,[7][8][9][N 1] grunge,[7][10] indie rock,[1][4] alternative rock,[11][12] and nu gaze.[12][13] Kelsey McClure of Dork described its sound as "experimental alternative".[7] Backed by raw, live-sounding production,[10] its songs feature fuzzy, distorted soundscapes,[11][14] dynamic arrangements alternating in speed and intensity,[9][10][11] and vocal interplay.[14] Danielle Chelosky of Stereogum respectively described Elizabeth and Pourzand's vocals as an "expressive soprano" and "aloof drawl".[9] John Wohlmacher of Beats Per Minute believed the album's musical direction was heavily inspired by alternative acts from 1989 to 1993 and listed Eric’s Trip, Sonic Youth, early My Bloody Valentine and Nirvana as "reference points".[10] David Renshaw of The Fader identified Unwound as a "major influence" on "Tenebrist" and "Very Little Effort".[1] Jonathan Garrett of NME found its emphasis on rhythm and overall "egalitarian musical approach" contrasted with other contemporary shoegaze and nu gaze acts.[2] The album's mixing places the bass above the guitar at points, providing not so much a "counterpoint [...] as a contrapuntal bludgeoning", according to Pitchfork's Matthew Schnipper.[11] Lyrically, the album's songs are themed around unhealthy relationships,[1][10] mental health, identity,[1] anxiety, insecurities, uncertainty,[10] and "existential angst".[7] Chelosky said the lyrics detail "malaise, envy, and vague evils" and "often [come off] as threats",[9] whilst Consequence's Paolo Ragusa described them as impressionistic.[15]

"Clairbourne Practice"
"Clairbourne Practice" decipts two people who are unable to make each other happy.[1] The song features stop-start dynamics between speed and harmony[11] and duelling vocals from Pourzand and Elizabeth,[10] "saying the same thing and still not hearing each other".[16]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

My Anti-Aircraft Friend opens with "Catalogue", a "grunge-pop" song[17] that drew stylistic comparisons to Sonic Youth.[8][10][12] Elizabeth said the song is about "the never ending cycle of just wanting to get somewhere and never actually enjoying the process".[18] Following a brief interlude, the song turns into "squall of feedback", building anticipation before abruptly ending.[11] "Tenebrist" features unusual tempo changes and was compared to Deftones and Eric's Trip by Wohlmacher.[10] Ondarock's Claudio Lancia compared its "half-hearted singing" to Dinosaur Jr.[12] "Very Little Effort" opens with a bass solo by Elizabeth,[11] and its initial "low-energy ethos" subsequently devolves into feedback and distortion.[19] Wohlmacher described its lyrical and vocal dynamics as a "harsh observation of toxic domestic life" comparable to Sonic Youth's 1995 album Washing Machine.[10] "Clairbourne Practice" features stop-start dynamics between speed and harmony[11] and duelling vocals,[10] intended by Julie to represent "two voices conflicting [...] saying the same thing and still not hearing each other".[16] Renshaw viewed the song as decipting two people unable to make each other happy.[1] The song ends with "thrash[ing] and halt[ing]" guitars[9] and an distorted message for "troubled students".[20] John Bungley of Mojo compared the dynamics of "Knob" to Slint.[8]

"Feminine Adornments", sung solely by Elizabeth, takes its name from a quote in Giles Deleuze and Félix Guattari's 1972 book Anti-Oedipus.[21] She intended the song as a "sing-along" about self-confidence and self-doubt.[1] "I'll Cook My Own Meals" features ominous, "detached intonations" from Pourzand that are subsequently "drowned out by [a] wave of menacing, aggressive guitars", per Chelosky.[9] "Piano Instrumental" alternates between slow and fast rhythms respectively led by Pourzand and Elizabeth,[9] and features structural "anti-climaxes".[10] Composed from various ideas the members of Julie had,[4] the album closer "Stuck in a Car with Angels" slowly builds up tension as it progresses[9] and moves from a ballad at the start to a "loud grunge anthem" by its end.[10]

Release and promotion

[edit]
Julie performing in Boston in October 2024

On September 29, 2023, Julie released "Catalogue" as the lead single from My Anti-Aircraft Friend.[17] The band was still working on the album at the time.[18] On July 10, 2024, Julie announced the album and its release date and released its second single "Clairbourne Practice", alongside a music video directed by the band and Lizzie Klein.[22] On August 21, they released the album's third and final single, "Very Little Effort".[23] The album was released through Atlantic Records on September 13, 2024.[16] The album's cover artwork was drawn by Lee,[1] and features his character Macy, who appears in other Julie-related artworks.[21] According to Renshaw, the cover decipts a woman playing guitar with her back turned to an amplifier "erupting with color".[1]

Between July 22–30, 2024, Julie toured as support for Faye Webster. The band played three shows with Hello Mary before supporting Alex G on his tour of North America during August 2024.[24][25] Following the album's release, Julie embarked on a headlining tour with They Are Gutting a Body of Water, Frost Children, and Her New Knife from October 8 to November 13, 2024.[24] In February 2025, the band toured Australia, where they played two headline shows and performed at the Laneway Festival.[26] On February 24, the band commenced their debut headlining tour of Europe, which ran until March 21, 2025.[27] On April 11, Julie performed at Coachella.[28] In June, they will perform at the Manchester edition of Outbreak,[29] and at Primavera Sound,[30] followed by appearences at the Lollapalooza and Outside Lands festivals in July and August of that year.[31][32]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Beats Per Minute76%[10]
Dork[7]
Mojo[8]
Ondarock7.5/10[12]
Pitchfork8.1/10[11]
Sputnikmusic4.0/5[33]
Tom Hull – on the WebB+ ((1-star Honorable Mention))[34]

My Anti-Aircraft Friend was well-received by critics.[35][36] Upon release, Stereogum listed it as their "Album of the Week", with Chelosky calling it "the result of a young band whose vision is fully fleshed and passionately executed."[9] Garrett of NME praised its uncompromising nature, deeming it "a welcome anomaly among major label releases in 2024."[2] Josh Moore of Pigeons & Planes called it a "meticulously crafted" record that refines Julie's sound and "tears away at any confusion of who [the band] is, freeing them of unfitting labels".[14] Rolling Stone's Jon Dolan highlighted the "shy, distracted passion" of Pourzand and Elizabeth's vocal performances.[37] Bungey of Mojo praised the album's songwriting and called Lee's drumming "heroic throughout".[8]

Sputnikmusic's Artificialbox stated that My Anti-Aircraft Friend "[cements] Julie in the canon of gen z rock icons."[33] Wohlmacher of Beats Per Minute felt that Julie presented a musical and thematical "counter-position to [the] Zoomer lifestyle" contrasting with their influences and considered it a promising debut album, although he found its production and dynamics lacking compared to Pushing Daisies.[10] Pitchfork's Schnipper acknowledged that the album was not wholly original in conception—with Julie arriving amongst other bands inspired by 1990s music—but considered the band to be above their peers as they had "figured out how to absorb their influences while iterating their way into innovation".[11] Racket's Austin Gerth deemed the album "most remarkable" for its lack of major label compromise and concluded it was a "classic debut-as-advertisement-for-the-show".[38] Tom Hull said the album "Fills a niche".[34]

Ones to Watch ranked My Anti-Aircraft Friend as the 23rd best album of 2024,[39] whilst LAist listed it as one of the best albums from the SoCal area that year.[40] NME listed it as one of the "20 Best Debut Albums of 2024".[13] Pitchfork ranked the album 19th on its list of the "30 Best Rock Albums of 2024",[41] whilst Rolling Stone ranked it at number 35 on its list of the "50 Best Indie Rock Albums of 2024".[37] Pitchfork also listed "Clairbourne Practice" as the 34th greatest song of 2024;[20] Consequence ranked "Very Little Effort" at number 141 on its equivalent list.[42]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Julie.[5]

My Anti-Aircraft Friend track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Catalogue"3:14
2."Tenebrist"3:35
3."Very Little Effort"4:16
4."Clairbourne Practice"3:08
5."Knob"5:03
6."Thread, Stitch"4:20
7."Feminine Adornments"4:13
8."I'll Cook My Own Meals"3:16
9."Piano Instrumental"4:30
10."Stuck in a Car with Angels"3:40
Total length:39:16

Notes

  • All tracks are stylized in all lowercase.
  • "I'll Cook My Own Meals" is stylized as "ill cook my own meals".

Personnel

[edit]

Adapted from liner notes.[5]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ In contemporary interviews, the members of Julie rejected the band's categorization as shoegaze, stating that whilst their association with the label played a role in their initial success, it had become limiting.[1][2] When asked by The Fader what they wanted My Anti-Aircraft Friend to instead be described as, they offered the terms "beauty," "melancholy" and "destruction".[1]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Renshaw, David (September 16, 2024). "Gen F: julie's noise rock is unbeholden to the past". The Fader. Archived from the original on September 16, 2024. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Garrett, Jonathan (September 23, 2024). "For high-flying nu-gazers Julie, the sky's the limit | The Cover". NME. Archived from the original on March 14, 2025. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Donelson, Marcy (n.d.). "julie Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 13, 2025. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d e Harrison, Dan (September 13, 2024). "julie: "Sometimes, lack of experience can translate to the purest form of authenticity"". Dork. Archived from the original on September 13, 2024. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Julie (2024). My Anti-Aircraft Friend (booklet). Atlantic Records. 756786 08414.
  6. ^ Carter, Daisy (September 11, 2024). "Get To Know… julie". DIY. Archived from the original on April 4, 2025. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d e McClure, Kelsey (September 13, 2024). "julie – my anti-aircraft friend". Dork. Archived from the original on September 24, 2024. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d e Bungey, John (December 2024). "Filter Albums Extra". Mojo. No. 373. Bauer Media Group. p. 94. ISSN 1351-0193.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i Chelosky, Danielle (September 10, 2024). "Album Of The Week: julie 'my anti-aircraft friend'". Stereogum. Archived from the original on September 10, 2024. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Wohlmacher, John (September 23, 2024). "Album Review: julie – my anti-aircraft friend". Beats Per Minute. Archived from the original on February 7, 2025. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Schnipper, Matthew (September 16, 2024). "julie: my anti-aircraft friend". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on December 31, 2024. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  12. ^ a b c d e Lancia, Claudio (December 28, 2024). "julie - My Anti-Aircraft Friend". OndaRock (in Italian). Archived from the original on December 28, 2024. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  13. ^ a b Rigotti, Alex (December 9, 2024). "The 20 Best Debut Albums of 2024". NME. Archived from the original on December 9, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  14. ^ a b c Moore, Josh (January 29, 2025). "25 Artists to Watch in 2025". Pigeons & Planes. Complex Networks. Archived from the original on January 31, 2025. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  15. ^ Ragusa, Paolo (October 1, 2024). "Staff Picks: Favorite Albums of September 2024". Consequence. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  16. ^ a b c Krueger, Jonah (July 10, 2024). "julie announce debut album my anti-aircraft friend, drop "clairbourne practice"". Consequence. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  17. ^ a b Breihan, Tom (September 29, 2023). "julie Share New Song "catalogue": Listen". Stereogum. Archived from the original on December 13, 2024. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  18. ^ a b Velasquez, Juan (October 4, 2023). "Meet Julie, the L.A. Art Rock Trio Who Embrace the Sweet and Unsettling". Teen Vogue. Archived from the original on January 23, 2025. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  19. ^ Taylor, Phil (August 23, 2024). "The Neu Bulletin (Lutalo, julie, Hope Tala, and more!)". DIY. Archived from the original on March 16, 2025. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  20. ^ a b Corcoran, Nina (December 2, 2024). "The 100 Best Songs of 2024". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on December 2, 2024. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  21. ^ a b Kamara, Tal (September 22, 2024). "julie's Startlingly Self-Sufficient Vision". Office Magazine. Archived from the original on October 7, 2024. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  22. ^ Sacher, Andrew (July 10, 2024). "julie announce debut album 'my anti-aircraft friend,' share new song & video". BrooklynVegan. Archived from the original on July 17, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  23. ^ Breihan, Tom (August 21, 2024). "julie Share New Song "very little effort": Listen". Stereogum. Archived from the original on August 21, 2024. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  24. ^ a b Hatfield, Amanda (July 16, 2024). "julie announce fall tour with They Are Gutting a Body of Water, Frost Children & Her New Knife". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  25. ^ Paul, Larisha (January 19, 2024). "Alex G Announces 2024 North American Tour After Inking Deal With RCA". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 23, 2025. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  26. ^ Australia tour:
  27. ^ "julie have booked a European tour in support of their debut album 'My Anti-Aircraft Friend'". Dork. October 8, 2024. Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  28. ^ Redfern, Mark (November 20, 2024). "Coachella 2025 Lineup: Lady Gaga, Green Day, Post Malone, Beth Gibbons, Japanese Breakfast, and More". Under the Radar. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  29. ^ Carter, Daisy (November 27, 2024). "Outbreak Festival announces 2025 lineups for London and Manchester editions". DIY. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  30. ^ Sacher, Andrew (November 13, 2024). "Primavera Sound reveals daily lineups for 2025 edition with Charli, Chappell, Sabrina & more". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  31. ^ "Lollapalooza announces 2025 daily lineups & single day tickets". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  32. ^ Breihan, Tom (March 25, 2025). "Tyler, The Creator, Doja Cat, & Hozier Headlining Outside Lands 2025". Stereogum. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  33. ^ a b Artificialbox (September 15, 2024). "Review: Julie - my anti-aircraft friend". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  34. ^ a b Hull, Tom (September 17, 2024). "Music Week". Tom Hull – on the Web. Archived from the original on November 18, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
  35. ^ Enis, Eli (December 17, 2024). "The Best Shoegaze Songs Of 2024". Stereogum. Archived from the original on January 17, 2025. Retrieved April 2, 2025. While certainly well-regarded among fans and critics (Julie's my anti-aircraft friend, especially),
  36. ^ Lancia, Claudio (n.d.). "julie - Biografia :". OndaRock (in Italian). Retrieved April 2, 2025. "My Anti-Aircraft Friend", released in September 2024, which immediately meets the acclaim of the public and critics, receiving excellent reviews in the international specialized press.
  37. ^ a b Dolan, Jon (December 21, 2024). "The 50 Best Indie Rock Albums of 2024". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 21, 2024. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  38. ^ Gerth, Austin (October 16, 2024). "'Mysterious' Shoegazers Julie Slice Through the Hype at the Fine Line". Racket. Archived from the original on November 11, 2024. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  39. ^ Kenna, Abby (December 27, 2024). "The 25 Best Albums of 2024, According to OnesToWatch Staff". Ones to Watch. Archived from the original on April 4, 2025. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  40. ^ "Our non-exhaustive list of great music out of SoCal in 2024". LAist. December 22, 2024. Archived from the original on January 6, 2025. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  41. ^ Bloom, Madison (December 4, 2024). "The 30 Best Rock Albums of 2024". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on March 6, 2025. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  42. ^ Ragusa, Paolo (December 9, 2024). "200 Best Songs of 2024". Consequence. Archived from the original on December 9, 2024. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
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