Our debut album, "Long Gone and Nearly There," was released 5/27/08 by Philadelphia-based Transit of Venus Records, distributed by Redeye. Also available via iTunes, eMusic, Amazon. Here are some early reviews:
from All Music Guide --
Julie Ocean -- Long Gone and Nearly There – (Transit of Venus)
The target audience for this Washington D.C. pop combo doesn't need to be told that Julie Ocean isn't a female solo artist: they already have the Undertones' classic 1981 single of the same name memorized. They're also well familiar with the quartet's previous work, particularly singer/guitarist Jim Spellman's stint in much-beloved alterna-popsters Velocity Girl and fellow singer/guitarist Terry Banks' string of cult favorite twee-pop acts, including Glo-Worm, the Saturday People and Tree Fort Angst. Happily, Long Gone and Nearly There isn't a throwback, either to the mid-'90s indiepop scene or to the '80s UK records (like "Julie Ocean" itself) that directly inspired so many of those bands.
These ten songs are utterly timeless: the bracing, jangly rush of the barely two-minute opener "Ten Lonely Words" could have been recorded at any point from 1965 onwards. Crucially, however, there is no sense of retro kitsch even on the most overtly backwards-looking tracks here: "Number 1 Song" and "My Revenge" are pure sweet-tooth power pop, right down to the falsetto harmonies and the fakeout endings, but Julie Ocean are no Flamin Groovies-style genre copycats. "Here Comes Danny" is so overstuffed with clever turns of lyrical phrase, ear-grabbing production tricks and good old-fashioned hooks that its five minutes whiz past in a seeming blink, but what's most impressive about Long Gone and Nearly There is that nearly every other track on the album manages the same trick in less than three minutes flat.
Julie Ocean understand that brevity is the soul of pop, and that a perfectly constructed two-minute pop song is half as effective at twice the length. When the album's over just barely 25 minutes after it began, the only logical response is to start the whole thing over again.
-- Stewart Mason, All Music Guide
from ClickyClicky --
Review: Julie Ocean | Long Gone And Nearly There
The very idea of Julie Ocean -- that is, roughly, Velocity Girl + Glo-worm + Swiz = awesome rock band -- is so enticing that the contrarian in us almost hoped that it didn't work. But the relatively new quartet succeeds marvelously, as evidenced by the exuberant and winsome indie pop on Long Gone And Nearly There. The band's sunny sounds most obviously reference predecessor Velocity Girl, whose immensely powerful second single "My Forgotten Favorite" (which easily places among our 10 favorite songs) gave way to more traditional pop efforts further along the arc of the '90s act's career. The guitar tremelo that opens and closes Julie Ocean's anthemic "Here Comes Danny" in particular reminds us of Velocity Girl. Under the gloss, smile and "woo oohs" of "Looking At Me/Looking At Your" and "My Revenge" pulses the caffeinated energy -- and certainly the conciseness -- of mighty late '80s hardcore act Swiz, which counted among its members Julie Ocean drummer Alex Daniels.
But the overarching element of Julie Ocean's music -- broad, bright melodies delivered with an irresistible guitar-pop fizz -- overshadows the vestigial artifacts of those predecessors. While nothing on Long Gone And Nearly There is overdone, just about everything leaves you wanting more. The set carries only two songs over three minutes in length, and the whole of the record's 10 tracks transpires in less than a half an hour, so you will be restarting Long Gone about as often as you would flip a vinyl record.
We estimate conservatively that we've listened to this record 40 times since receiving it, and we have little doubt that our experience won't be unique once Long Gone And Nearly There hits racks next month. Philadelphia's Transit Of Venus label releases the record May 27.
from The Big Takeover -- Number 12 in Top 40
Julie Ocean
Long Gone and Nearly There
Transit of Venus
We could tell you that this foursome is led by early '90s D.C. indie-pop sovereigns, guitarist/singers Jim Spellman (High Back Chairs, Velocity Girl) and our own Terry Banks (St. Christopher, Tree Fort Angst, Saturday People, Glo-Worm with Pam Berry of Shins-song fame). We could note they took their name from a 1981 U.K. 41 Undertones Positive Touch hit. A mag is supposed to give info and context—especially about its own writers.
But what this sounds like is a gang of college-age kids on espresso! 10 songs in 25 minutes—four of them shorter than two minutes—are sleeve clues to this breathless up-tempo thick guitar pop. But it doesn't tell you it's also cleanly recorded, loud, brash, and endlessly sugar-melodic. Long Gone hasn't time to wallow in salad days nostalgia; it drags a lost art form to the present, shot full of Brit greats like TV21 (especially!!!) and similar primo 1980 work by the So Far Away Chords, Setting Sons Jam, "What Do You Know" Buzzcocks, and yes Hypnotized Undertones. (Not Positive Touch!) Add in thicker C86 bands like Razorcuts, Wedding Present, and Primitives, and you have the best record of this type since The Rifles No Love Lost (think "Local Boy").
This crackin' pop jumps out of speakers with verve, confidence, and tunes a plenty; just for the superb "Complications" (track 7!?!)), Long Gone is the bomb, and there's nine more backing it up. Talk about short but sweet: get in, do your business, get out… and rock!
-- Jack Rabid
from Aquarium Drunkard --
Julie Ocean :: Long Gone And Nearly There
I seem to go out of my way annually to crown a power-pop champion for the year. Someone whose subversion or reverential recreation of the genre is so willfully brilliant and fun that I have to listen to the record over and over. In 2006 it was Devin Davis, last year it was Georgie James, in 2008 it's Julie Ocean.
But despite this being a debut album, the people involved aren't surprising. With a pedigree that includes members of Velocity Girl, the High-Back Chairs and the Saturday People, Julie Ocean is one more cog in an incestuous indie-rock machination of bands that have made a living out of co-opting and vividly and uniquely recreating some seriously classic rock and roll tropes: surf music, harmonies, three-minutes and less running time, jangly and crisp guitars. Long Gone and Nearly There follows in the best tradition of albums like The Ramones and, in more recent times, Is This It, hitting with force, quickly and succinctly, leaving the listener ready to hit play again at the end. The album blitzes by - 10 songs in 25 minutes - without a wasted note.
The first four songs roll by at an amazing clip - "1 Song" and "My Revenge" being the two standouts. The former even contains a lick of guitar that immediately recalls a faster version of Matthew Sweet's "I've Been Waiting." The latter is possibly the record's most perfectly condensed moment: background harmonies, shimmering guitars, a glorious chorus, a pace that never slackens from note one. It even follows that grand tradition of juxtaposing ridiculously up-tempo music with somewhat bitter lyrics. "Just a little bit of sugar," as Julie Andrews sang.
The proof of Long Gone's brilliance lays in track five - the one song on the album that really stretches out. A little over five minutes long, it's the type of song that normally drags a record like this down. In the midsts of brilliant, short, punchy gems comes the long form song. But "Here Comes Danny" defies expectations - it's the epitome of the other tracks' perfection extended out to five minutes. I had to double check the time when I began writing this. "Here Comes Danny" has been one of my favorite tracks on this album since I first listened to it, but I was honestly shocked to find out how long it is. It doesn't feel anywhere close to that - with its guitar solo and megaphone-shouted background chorus, it's completely engaging. A record full of songs like this would begin to wear on listeners, but placed within the shorter pieces, it only reinforces just how sharp Julie Ocean is.
The back half of the album soars as well. "Bright Idea" hums along at punk speed with its "ahhhh" undergirding. The other true standout, "There's a Place (In the Back of My Mind)," sounds like a lost Buddy Holly track, and this is the one misstep in the album. This song should have been the final song on the record. Instead, the album ends on the breakneck "Looking at Me/Looking at You," a fine song in its own right, but it leaves the album more open ended. This is a quibble over sequencing, which isn't a major complaint at all, but I feel like ending the album on the former track would've even further pushed listeners to want to hit the play button again immediately upon its finish.
Long Gone and Nearly There arrives just in time for summer and to truly throw down the gauntlet for power-pop in 2008. If you're going to step to this album, you've got some mighty large and catchy shoes to fill.
Download:
MP3: Julie Ocean :: My Revenge
MP3: Julie Ocean :: Bright Idea
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from Pop Matters --
Julie Ocean -- Long Gone and Nearly There -- (Transit Of Venus)
US release date: 27 May 2008
UK release date: 2 June 2008
Tight, sugary and saturated with bubbly pop. Think Fountains Of Wayne, Sloan or Velvet Crush and a song such as "Ten Lonely Words" becomes crystal clear in a delightfully brisk two minutes. The co-vocalists and guitarists Jim Spellman and Terry Banks have great harmonies that bring to mind The Hollies or Dave Clark Five on the bouncy, chipper "Number 1 Song" and the equally tight, catchy "My Revenge".
Meanwhile, things slow down slightly with the infectious "At the Appointed Hour" with more classic Brit-pop flavoring. This band sounds like they would be perfect if paired up with Bishop Allen on tour or Weezer's support act judging by how well the lengthy, slow burner "Here Comes Danny" comes off. Another little nugget and perhaps the album's sleeper pick is the somewhat roots-y "Complications".
And if there was any doubts about the band's chops, they keep the momentum going with another Kinks-meets-Elvis Costello jewel entitled "There's a Place (In the Back of My Mind)". Oddly enough, this is the type of band who will hopefully stay in the back of one's mind for a long time.
from Jersey Beat --
JULIE OCEAN - Long Gone & Nearly There (Transit Of Venus)
Fans of good old American power-pop will embrace this Washington, DC combo's debut full-length, a cornucopia of jangly guitars, giddy backup vocals, and big happy hooks. Singer/guitarists Jim Spellman and Terry Banks spent time in shoegaze-popsters Velocity Girl and twee-pop innovators Glo-Worm respectively, while the rest of the band hails from the artsy wing of D.C. post-hardcore scene (Swiz, Severin, Sweetbelly Freakdown.)
Given those indier-than-thou roots, you'd expect the band's surfy sugarcoated pop tunes to be delivered with at least a hint of affectation or ironic distance; but if it's there, I'm not hearing it. There's a bit of Beatles pastiche to be sure, and bubblegum backup vocals that recall the Weezer of "Buddy Holly" or mid-Nineties era Superdrag; "1 Song" has the anthemic shoulda-been-a-monster-hit vibe of classic Raspberries.
But there's no jive, no fooling around, no "look at me" guitar solos or monster drums clogging up the bandwidth - just catchy, clever, extremely hummable power-pop, coming from four guys who have all been through the indie rock wringer, and come out the other side happily sounding like kids again. (Long Gone & Nearly There will be released on May 13; catch a sample at myspace.com/julieoceandc.)
from Dagger --
Julie Ocean -- LONG GONE AND NEARLY THERE- (TRANSIT OF VENUS)
It's pretty much a given that any band that Terry Banks is in, I'm bound to like it. He knocked the socks off the indie crowd with his first band Tree Fort Angst, then did some fine work in St. Christopher and Glo-Worm, and more recently, The Saturday People (with Archie from Velocity Girl). In Julie Ocean he has another V.G. alum in their drummer Jim Spellman (he plays guitar in Julie Ocean) while the rhythm section of drummer Alex Daniels and Hunter Bennett have done time in Swiz and Weatherhead respectively.
Now that introductions are out of the way I'm happy to announce that Julie Ocean kicks ass! Mixing up a tasty stew of 60's garage, indie rock and bubblegum the songs hit you like an Ali one-two punch with the wiry opener "Ten Lonely Words" leading the pack right into the should-be-a-hit "Number 1 Song" (no pun intended) which then segues into the bashing "My Revenge. "Here Comes Danny" should be a top 10 hit and the final 1:40 of the closer, "Looking at Me/Looking at You", couldnlt have ended this set more perfectly, all sweaty and panting.
I have to say that this is my favorite record that any of these folks have been involved in (and that's saying a lot as I previously mentioned how big a fan I am of their prior bands) and best of all, the 10 songs blur by in less than half an hour (for those of us with kids and short attentions spans!). Julie Ocean has given me my perfect amount of sugar intake today. www.transitofvenusmusic.com
from BabySue Zine --
Julie Ocean - Long Gone and Nearly There (CD, Transit of Venus, Pop)
Nice, bright, hummable pop that sounds instantly familiar. We loved the opening line of the press release that accompanied this disc: "Just because a CD will hold 80 minutes of music doesn't mean it should." We sure as hell agree with that statement (!) This is a very short album that lasts just over 25 minutes...but in terms of quality, it beats the heck out of many albums that are twice or three times as long.
Julie Ocean is the quartet consisting of Jim Spellman (guitar, vocals), Terry Banks (guitar, vocals), Hunter Bennett (bass), and Alex Daniels (drums). Folks may remember Spellman as a prior member of the 1990s band Velocity Girl.
Long Gone and Nearly There features ten direct, upbeat, catchy guitar tunes that sound something like a cross between The Undertones and The Beach Boys. While this band's music may be too happy and accessible for underground noise snobs, pop fans are likely to get a mighty big charge out of this album. Groovy tracks include "Ten Lonely Words," "My Revenge," "Complications," and "Looking At Me/Looking At You." (Rating: 5)
from The Big Takeover.com --
Julie Ocean – Long Gone and Nearly There (Transit of Venus)
The latest release from the great Transit of Venus label is by a wonderfully named (after a great UNDERTONES song) group from DC consisting of JIM SPELLMAN (formerly of VELOCITY GIRL and HIGH BACK CHAIRS) on guitar and vocals, TERRY BANKS (formerly of GLO-WORM and also on guitars and vocals), ALEX DANIELS (formerly of SWIZ and SEVERIN) on drums and HUNTER BENNETT (formerly of the post-GOVERNMENT ISSUE outfit WEATHERHEAD) on bass.
Regardless of the members' impressive pedigrees, however, this is simply a fusion of early '90s indie-rock and power-pop that works really well. Occupying the ground between groups like THE WEDDING PRESENT, early GUIDED BY VOICES and SEBADOH on one hand and say, WEEZER, early CHEAP TRICK and even DESCENDENTS and DAG NASTY on occasion (Daniels' drumming recalls BILL STEVENSON of Descendents and the vocals on some tracks hint at PETER CORTNER circa Dag Nasty's Field Day at times), there are ten songs in twenty-five minutes. Any fan of the aforementioned bands and any early '90s indie-rock with bite will enjoy this.
from Left Of The Dial --
Julie Ocean/Long Gone and Nearly There: Transit of Venus
With a surging, insistent, freshly buzzed pop undertow, hitched to harmonies bouncing in their heads, the oddly named Julie Ocean (wait, wait, an Undertones song hiccups in nostalgia land) reveal short saucy songs that bridge the Buzzcocks with early Teenage Fanclub: fuzzy, well-aimed gusto also makes it all quite spirited too, not rendered inert by all the buttery oohs and ahs. In fact, the whole project is a hybrid, mutant pop baby of hardcore legends Swiz (recall the acerbic line: "you make me feel so old!") and Velocity Girl, so admittedly, my prejudice is jet blue contrail high, since Swiz stayed at my house back in the late 1980s, and I saw the last Velocity Girl show in NYC.
So, even if "Number 1 Song" come a little to close to the lyrically bright, hammy side of Marshall Crenshaw, the interwoven guitar fabric and steady beat luckily lays down a different kind of indie rock tension. I prefer the almost Queers-esque (think the last few bubblegum records) of "Ten Lonely Words," which rushes by in under two minutes, like thin sliced haiku plastic punk. "My Revenge" kicks into gear with the same propelling, concise manner, revealing a world in which the little things matter — stars, secrets, and postcards never sent. It's a lyrical rush of longing and bitterness that doesn't cause too much dysfunction, just a pressing need to get back into the world and live again. "At The Appointed Hour" blows by in shambling, restless quickness too, reminding me of a different cultural currency, perhaps Wedding Present lite.
"Here Comes Danny" is the long, and lone, conceptual undertaking, unveiling a world of foreign movies, sappy poems, and friends, like Danny looking cute in his brand new suit. He willingly bends, he sings, but doesn't want to break, as the song churns out a solid and engaging wall of roar pop. To switch gears, the dizzying retro "Bright Idea" feels like the British Invasion reworked through a digital jukebox on trucker speed pills, as does the early Beatles stab of "There's A Place (In The Back of My Mind)," with the bouncy hand claps and gyrating skinny hips. For a slightly punk enmeshment, go to "Ebb & Flow," with its hard tuft of Buzzcocks beat and guitar wrangle, topped with an ice cream voice. If you are a fan of Dirtnap records (Marked Men and Busy Signals), but want something less edgy and manic, try this for an equal kind of high.
from ALTERNATIVE PRESS --
Julie Ocean -- Long Gone and Nearly There
With big, round guitar hooks, Evan Dando-esque vocal inflections backed by woo-woo harmonies and tight little two-minute songs, Julie Ocean's debut is a leap back to the power-pop past. Featuring former Velocity Girl drummer Jim Spellman on lead vocals and guitar and produced by Geoff Sanoff (Fountains of Wayne, Luna), this 25-minute sugar nip comes by its lineage honestly, swirling through the formula with no small sense of joy… the simple confidence and chirp of the whole thing helps it land nicely and with warm returns. -- Jeff Leven
from RockSellOut:
Julie Ocean: Long Gone and Nearly There
Am I the only person on the planet who's a sucker for nostalgic references in either band names or album titles?! Maybe this stuff is entirely in my head, but after listening to the new album from D.C.'s Julie Ocean I'd highly doubt it…these lads have definitely sprinkled a little Undertones on their breakfast cereal as teens.
As for who these guys are and where they came from: Jim Spellman played in Velocity Girl and The High Back Chairs. Terry Banks played in The Saturday People, Tree Fort Angst and Glo-Worm. Alex Daniels played in Swiz, Severin and Sweetbelly Freakdown. Hunter Bennett played in Weatherhead.
I'm somewhat bummed their isn't a video or another song to share from the band's debut on Transit of Venus, Long Gone and Nearly There. I don't think the song we've been cleared to share is the best representation of the album. While I do like it indeed, I wouldn't selected another slice had I been entitled. The band has posted a few other songs on their Myspace to stream though, so all is not lost. The album was produced by Geoff Sanoff (Fountains of Wayne, Luna, The Secret Machines.)
American power-pop fans: Click here to pre-order a copy.
from Polaroid/Italy --
L'estate sull'oceano
Sono affezionato al mio vecchio iPod, nonostante abbia una memoria di soli 2 giga. Dato il poco spazio, mi sono abituato a fare un ricambio di playlist quasi tutte le settimane o poco più, usandolo soprattutto per ascoltare le novità. Pochi dischi sopravvivono a molte rotazioni. Ma di recente uno mi ha fatto pensare che dovrò trovare il modo di tenerlo su fino all'estate: Long Gone and Nearly There dei Julie Ocean, perfetto per la prossima stagione, la strada la spiaggia gli amici e tutto il resto che già sapete.
Quartetto di Washington, i Julie Ocean non sono certo dei novellini. Il cuore della formazione, infatti, arriva dai Velocity Girl, storica band che nella prima metà dei Novanta pubblicò tre album per Sub Pop. Nel resto dell'albero genealogico si trovano gruppi come Saturday People e Glo-Worm, o etichette come Slumberland, K e Dischord. E se i Velocity Girl prendevano il nome dai primissimi Primal Scream, "Julie Ocean" è un omaggio agli Undertones.
La formula musicale di Long Gone and Nearly There rimanda al migliore sound da college radio dei bei tempi (Lemonheads, Guided By Voices, tanto per fare qualche citazione), pieno di chitarre veloci e cori solari, ritmi spigliati da battimani immediato, rumore e melodie equilibrati a meraviglia dentro dieci canzoni in venticinque minuti.
Forse si avverte un po' la mancanza di certe dinamiche tra voci femminili e maschili, come nei Velocity Girl, ma Jim Spellman e Terry Banks, tra falsetti e sha-la-la da Beach Boys, sono perfettamente in parte. Il disco è prodotto da Geoff Sanoff, che non a caso ha già lavorato con Fountains of Wayne e Luna.
Qui si può ascoltare l'intero album in streaming, ma comprarlo costa appena 13 dollari, spese incluse. Sarà il mio primo acquisto per l'estate che arriva.
from Quick Before It Melts:
Julie Ocean, Long Gone and Nearly There --
There's something to be said about efficient, sensible pop songs.
They're usually sharp, to the point,and infinitely catchy. So, when I plucked Julie Ocean's Long Gone and Nearly There out of my mailbox the other day, and flipped the CD case over to examine the back, I figured I'd be in for a power pop pleasure trip, as the longest track of the 10 songs was 5:04, and the shortest clocking in at 1:36.
Julie Ocean are not a girl named Julie, but a full-fledged band featuring Jim Spellman, from 90s Sub Pop signing Velocity Girl. His roots, and those of band mates Terry Banks, Hunter Bennett , and Alex Daniels are rooted firmly in the 80s and 90s D.C. music scene they all had a hand in, coupled with a healthy dose of Beatles inspired 60s pop and 70s based melodies via The Jam and The Undertones (from whom the band takes its name).
As the summer sun approaches, and the temptation to drive at full speed with the top down becomes too hard to resist, Long Gone and Nearly There is the perfect soundtrack to get you from point A to point anywhere you want to go. So if you want to go for a ride in style, email me at contests at quick before it melts dot com for your chance to own your very own copy of Julie Ocean's debut. Contest closes Friday, May 23, 11:59 pm.
> Julie Ocean "Number 1 Song"
from ClickyClicky:
One of the bigger records of the year to date is Julie Ocean's immaculate indie pop gem Long Gone And Nearly There. The D.C.-based act's debut long-player isn't due in stores until May 27, but as of today it is available on ITunes and EMusic. Readers may recall we reviewed the record here in early April, at which time we said -- among other things -- that "the relatively new quartet succeeds marvelously, as evidenced by the exuberant and winsome indie pop..." Through the magic of multiple publicists working the record -- which is being released by Philadelphia powerpop label Transit Of Venus -- we've got a copy to give away and we're giving it away right now. The first reader to email us (our email is in the sidebar) with the phrase "Ghost In The Mirror" in the subject line will receive a brand spanking new copy of the CD from us in the mail next week. It's that simple.
We'll update this item as soon as there is a winner. If you're itching to see Julie Ocean -- which incidentally features former members of Velocity Girl, Glo-worm and Swiz -- ply their pop in a live performance, the band has two live engagements booked: a CD release show at Iota in Arlington, Virginia on the 6th; and a gig with Half Japanese at Rock And Roll Hotel in D.C. July 11. If you want to try before you buy -- or try before you win -- here once again is the MP3 for the infectious toe-tapper "Number 1 Song" below.
> Julie Ocean -- "Number 1 Song" -- Long Gone And Nearly There
from PreFixMag:
Julie Ocean debut album on the way:
2008 is shaping up to be a good year for Velocity Girl aficionados. Former VG singer Sarah Shannon released her Burt Bacharach-meets-Carole King opus City Morning Song in February, and now Velocity Girl drummer Jim Spellman's new band, Julie Ocean, is set to drop its debut album, Long Gone and Nearly There, on May 27.
The band's name, which comes from a song title by the Undertones, is a hint to its contents. Anyone enamored of classic late-'70s power pop a la 20/20, the Shoes, et al, should have their hearts lifted by Julie Ocean's fizzy pop hooks and sharp, concise (10 songs in 25 minutes--take that, Ramones!) songcraft.
Those who follow the release schedules of labels like Parasol and Not Lame religiously should prepare themselves for the power-pop album of the year. "But will they tour?" we hear you cry. Fingers crossed, friends...
from Atlas and The Anchor --
New CD: Julie Ocean - "long gone and nearly there"
I have been excited about this cd since I read about it last year when they just had songs posted on their Myspace. Now their debut, "Long Gone and Nearly There" will be released on the Transit Of Venus label on May 29th.
Julie Ocean, includes ex-members of Velocity Girl (remember them 90's alternative fans?), Glo-Worm, Severin and even as far back as the D.C. hardcore band Goverment Issue. With that in mind, this D.C. band really sounds nothing like their punk past, although they have created a sound that mixes The Shins' love of the 60's, The Undertones and The Jam from the 70's with the energy and spirit of The Decendents and Dag Nasty from the 80's. The second song on the album, "Number 1 Song" is a perfect example of this and a great introduction to this great new band. You can download the mp3 of "Number 1 Song" here: http://www.toolshed-media.com/ts/julie-ocean-1-song.mp3 (right click to download)
Hear more songs here: www.myspace.com/julieoceandc and then order their cd here: http://www.transitofvenusmusic.com/
from ChartAttack Canada --
Julie Ocean Are Long Gone And Nearly There
Washington, D.C. indie poppers Julie Ocean will release their Long Gone And Nearly There debut on May 27 through Transit Of Venus Music.
The 10-song album was produced by Geoff Sanoff (Fountains Of Wayne, Secret Machines). You can check out "Ten Lonely Words" and "My Revenge" on the band's MySpace page.
Julie Ocean formed after Terry Banks (vocals, guitar) and Hunter Bennett (bass) started jamming together. Guitarist/vocalist Jim Spellman, formerly of D.C. indie rockers Velocity Girl, answered an ad the two put in their local paper when the band were called Friendship Flowershop. Alex Daniels was later added on drums and the band changed their name to Julie Ocean, the title of a song by Northern Ireland's The Undertones. Their members previously played in bands The Saturday People, The High Back Chairs, Weatherhead, Glo-Worm, Severin, Tree Fort Angst, Sweetbelly Freakdown and Swiz.
from Downtown Money Waster --
Julie Ocean -- Long Gone and Nearly There
Catchy, poppy, and full of hooks. Julie Ocean's Long Gone and Nearly There is a pleasant mix of popular song writing mixed with a punk charm. Recorded in Virginia and New York City the LP squashes ten songs into 25 minutes. This is along the same lines as the Old 97's, or the Buzzcocks hammering out quick tunes. If you were into the latter, then Julie Ocean would also be a good fit.
The record has a splash of gimmicks with, "Number 1 Song," a tale pondering the possibilities of cashing in on hit single, and while remaining lyrically intellectual. It arrives just in time for the summer season. Weekday drives along the beach, early evening barbeques, and midnight hookups. The Miles Davis might be saved for the late evening, but this Julie Ocean record will do for the partying before the lip locking.
The album kicks off with "Ten Lonely Words," which showcases melody driven vocals straight out of the gate. The track clocks in less than two minutes. The first half of the recording follows suit, before opening up with "Here Comes Danny." Beatles influenced traits are evident in "There's A Place," before closing with "Looking At Me/Looking At You
from RocknBlog.com --
Mon tube de l'été : Number 1 Song par Julie Ocean