Pitchfork

Some artists doesn't push the envelope-- instead they draft warm, simple, thoughtful letters, slip them in that envelope, seal it with a kiss, and send it to you on a rainy day. That's pretty much what Julie Doiron's been doing for years now on records that sound instantly comforting and familiar, like your favorite pair of mittens every time you bust them out for the first winter snow.

But enough with the precious metaphors! On to the hard-hitting news: on January 23, Ms. Doiron and Jagjaguwar Records sign, seal, and deliver Doiron's seventh and latest unpretentious full-length opus, Woke Myself Up.

Produced by Rick White-- who played with Doiron in Sub Pop-signed early-90s college rock favorites Eric's Trip-- the ten tracks on Doiron's Woke Myself Up buzz, hum, and murmur with the same timeless topical matter as those of many singers before her, no doubt-- love and regret and such-- but we can expect JD to tread these oft-trodden paths with a refreshingly warmth and clarity that have always been hallmarks of her work.

Bonus! Jagjaguwar have kindly shared an exclusive Doiron track with Pitchfork that won't appear on the new disc. Here she covers Paul Simon's "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard", foregoing the snap and zest of the original and slowing it down for a quiet, contemplative evening around the fire.

Doiron also has a quaint, charming, low-budget video for Woke Myself Up's closing track, "Me and My Friend", linked below.

This Saturday, December 9, Doiron will play with Jason Molina and Ghost Bees at St. Matthews United Church in Halifax, Nova Scotia. That same day, she'll also play at Halifax's Stage 9 with her band Shotgun and Jaybird. Shotgun and Jaybird will also perform on January 19 at the Stereophonic Festival in Sackville, New Brunswick.

Woke Myself Up:

01 I Woke Myself Up
02 You Look So Alive
03 Swan Pond
04 Yer Kids
05 I Left Town
06 No More
07 Dont Wanna Be / Liked by You
08 Dark Horse
09 The Wrong Guy
10 Me and My Friend