I listened to "Build Me Up Buttercup", and now I'm listening to "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" by Julia Nunes. I would actually like her singing if there wasn't so much suppressed laughter. It's too bad too, because I'd consider buying her album. Yeah, end of the latter video, and I'm actually sorta pissed because I wanted to hear another rendition of the song, and it's really just an advertisement for their gigs.
I enjoy seeing somebody having so much fun, so a little suppressed laughter doesn't bother me. I find it charming.
I am predisposed toward thinking highly of her because it due to her that at the advanced age of 44 I finally found an instrument that even I can play (kinda-sorta). I ran across Jake Shimabukuro's version of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" on ukulele (check it out, you'll be amazed) and saw that it wasn't just for hula music anymore. Then I ran across Julia and what I saw was somebody having a hell of a lot of
FUN doing simple accompaniments. I invested $30 in a real cheapo soprano ukulele and after a month of banging around on it was sufficiently encouraged with my progress and the fun I was having with it to go buy a much better concert size, which fit my hands a lot better. Eight months after that I got myself a very nice Pono tenor size, and last month a tenor electric. I keep one (or two) in the truck with me and usually manage to get in anywhere between 30 minutes to three hours a day banging on it at work, teaching myself to play while seated in my truck.
As you probably know, each year we have a JREF get-together at Mars Man's place up in Nagano. MM is a good enthusiastic guitar player and music lover and the barbecue/drinkfest usually ends up with guitars coming out and people playing and singing. After the 2009 gathering I was determined to get in on the action for 2010, so when immediately after the 2009 shindig I ran across Julia and another guy going by GUGUG I decided to give the ukulele a try....inspired by the fun they were having....and secretly set about learning the instrument and working up a few songs. So for the 2010 meet I got to sit in with MM and play along and had a blast.
I can't begin to tell you what a great companion the instrument has become to me both at work and at home and how much pure fun I've had with it. And since Julia was a very strong inspiration for taking it up you can understand why I am so strongly predisposed toward liking her.
I must admit I wasn't all that interested in downloading an album, though. However, last week I decided to spend the four or five dollars for her most recent five song EP and I must say I have been really impressed with it. It is much better than I thought it would be. I liked it so well that within a few days I got her "I Wrote These" album and have been listening to both of them quite a bit at work. The videos give you a good basic idea what she is about, but the production values on the albums (done in studio, not in front of a webcam) are much better. If you have a few bucks to spare and think you might want to give her a shot, consider the EP as a good sampler.
She has well over 100,000 subscribers on YouTube and as you can see also does quite a few shows all over the country. So I believe it is understandable if she lists upcoming gigs at the end of her videos. I certainly don't see a problem with it. When the song ends just click out. She has opened for and performed with Ben Folds, appeared at Bonnaroo the last two years, and has done one or two tours of clubs in England. And it all started from just doing a couple of videos to share with a few friends on YouTube.
Julia is still young and I believe her talents are going to develop quite a bit in the coming years and I look forward to watching as it happens. I sort of like that her success so far came about unsought and that she just sort of accidentally backed into the success and popularity she has achieved. The old expression goes, "Some people are born to greatness. Others have greatness thrust upon them." I believe that time will prove her to be an example of both. I doubt she will ever be a big star with gold records and radio play, but that is hardly the only defining measure of a successful music career. Lots of folks manage to make a living and have some fun and spread some joy as working musicians at a level below that.