I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that within two years most of you will have heard of Julie Gribble. She meets the criteria that a lot of record producers and TV folks are looking for: she can sing, play guitar, write her own music, and do all of it reasonably well. She also happens to be young, female, and stunningly good looking. Having been featured in Nickelodeon shows, in a Lifetime movie, and as musical guest on "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" last week won't hurt either.
Gribble's vocals are a mixture between Aimee Mann, Natalie Merchant, and Mindy Smith, and musically, she travels the same ground, wandering from folk pop to adult alternative and occasionally into the borders of Americana. "Little Bit Lonely" is easily interpreted by the title alone, while "Hard To Say" depicts a wistful parting of the ways.
"So Obvious" is a driving rocker, with a Lisa Loeb vocal feel to it. "Bartender Please" is full of pathos and lends itself to a country folk, almost mournful, style. "Simple Grace" speaks of the double edged sword of wanting to feel loved and wanting to be right:
If there is a taste of warmth in any way
Will you savor the last sip or cry while they run away
You know you've had too much
You're loving every minute or two
'Cause the moment always goes and
You're left with only you.
Working with former Tonic producer Dan Lavery, Gribble has crafted an album of songs dealing with raw feeling, angst, and ambition. She has high hopes for the listener to understand her, and she almost pulls it off.
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