Unlike many acts who bill themselves as a cross between pop, folk, rock, and soul, Julia King has synthesized these genres into something cohesive and trained. Moreover, it’s undeniably her, representing a ‘Julia’ state of mind more than anything. Each influence is easily detectable if you perk an ear up for it on ‘Cannonball’, the latest tune from King while on the lead-up to her full-length album release come 2019. Careful arranging, a passionate performance, and rich production brings the tune wholly together into a captivating piece of work that is just as fiery as its name would infer.
What might be most immediately ensnaring about the tune is King’s vocals. Clearly a powerhouse singer, King can belt it out as well as any notable rocker might, but she is adept at carrying her vocals in a way that build into an impressive, emotive crescendo. Letting everything go full throttle, as many do, just doesn’t tell a story as soulfully or as powerfully as she does here by embracing dynamics. She is a more-than-capable frontwoman and a stellar songwriter, enveloping listeners in a steady rise of emotion as she tells a story of self-liberation. She’s cutting the ties with some loose weight as airy, ethereal guitars longingly swoon amidst a swirl of percussion, finally letting it all go with some grit on the song’s bridge. It’s a well-crafted number and a heartfelt performance—a slam dunk for the singer-songwriter.
https://soundcloud.com/msjuliaking/cannonball
Words by: Jonathan Frahm (@jfrahm_)