As she gears up to release her highly-anticipated sophomore LP and first for Matador Records, Turn Out the Lights, on Oct. 27, ambient, indie rocker Julien Baker continues to be an unstoppable force, touring the world, sharing the stage with big names like Death Cab for Cutie, Conor Oberst, The Decemberists, Belle & Sebastian, and, just this week, Jason Isbell, and generally riding high on the well-deserved buzz surrounding her incredible, 2015 solo debut, Sprained Ankle.
The Memphis native cultivated her solo career while living in the area to attend MTSU (she’s since moved home), fronting the group Forrister before achieving widespread acclaim as a solo artist. With her raw, emotional, earnest, wise-beyond-her-years, and deconstructionist sound, pulling from elements of emo, punk, and indie rock, though with its minimalist approach, often tagged as folk, Julien has crafted a honest, widespread, and resonant style and nuanced perspective that has made her one of the most exciting new artists in the world- a journey that we’ve been thrilled to witness over the last few years.
Sandwiched amidst a run that includes supporting spots for the likes of Ben Folds, Cold War Kids, and Paramore, Baker announced her biggest Nashville headliner to date a few months back, Nov. 30 at Marathon Music Works with support from the one and only David Bazan (grab tickets here). Leading up to that show as well as her new LP, she subsequently unveiled gut-wrenching, complex, and beautiful lead single “Appointments,” which we’ve been listening to nonstop ever since.
As Turn Out the Lights fast approaches, Julien has just given us another taste in the form of the album’s title track and accompanying video, which, as expected, is another breathtaking, gorgeous, emotionally resonant, sad, and dazzlingly earnest composition, able to exude raw, relatable emotion in a way few other artists alive can claim. A one of a kind songwriter and one of the most gifted talents of our generation, Julien Baker is gearing up to release what’s sure to be an instant classic, which, from what we’ve heard so far, sounds like it’ll build on her already perfect debut to explore another nuanced and deeply personal musical chapter.
Get ready to feel all of the feels, and watch “Turn Out the Lights” below.
More from Julien Baker | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify