Julia Othmer
Los Angeles, California, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2010 | SELF
Music
Press
Perhaps the best way to explain it would be if Nora Jones, Tom Waits, Billy Holiday and Lyle Lovett had a musical orgy and let you watch behind a curtain of burning lace and a whiskey waterfall. I’ll bring the unfiltered cigarettes, you bring your soul. - Out of Print Magazine
Even in its quietest moments, storms of powerful emotions always seem to be brewing on Sound, the spellbinding and stylish second album from singer/songwriter Julia Othmer. Shelter is found in its spacious environs, often lushly furnished with a rich array of textures, transcendent melodies, varied instrumentation and full vocals that come in overlapping waves.
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The dark aesthetics and shifting dynamics of Sound make it a record that reaches for the sky, while at the same time manufacturing scenes of grounded isolation and emptiness. A track like “Whether” is representative of Sound as a whole, making a cabaret out of swirling vocals and thick carpets of sumptuous piano. Sound sounds so good. - Elmore Magazine
“Sound” is a self-made record with a big-label sound. It is rich in space and soaring dynamics and rife with layers and textures and melodies and grooves. - Kansas City Star
instantly anthemic - San Diego Troubadour
...always-fab... - A.D. Amorosi
“a stunning debut … a potent cocktail of relevance and intimacy that will win you over almost immediately… one of music’s hidden secrets…”
- Mark Fisher
"Her songwriting is top-notch and she never seems to hold anything back which in this day and age is quite admirable."
- J-Sin
I like this woman. I mean, I really like this woman. She has a voice that can only be described as Macy Gray meets Alicia Keys with a dash of Alanis Morrissette thrown into the mix. “Oasis Motel” is one soulful release and definitely worth seeking out if you’re a fan of any of the artists previously mentioned. After listening to songs like “Hey, Hey”, “Darling” and the reggae tinged “Intention” you’ll be hooked as well. A mix of jazz, rock and pop that just oozes with soul. “ 3 and a ½ stars (out of 4)
- J. R. Oliver
i love the group!!!!!!!!!!!!! the sound is awesome!
- Ian, Talent Buyer
Aloha from Hawaii. Your music is amazing. It is a perfect fit for our playlists. - Michael McCartney, Program Director
She's got Joss-Stone musicianship with a Madonna persona... fiercely passionate - Christine Estima
Othmer [has] a sensual brand of rhythmic, passionate, soaring rock. - Jason Richards
... loaded with hooks and is very well-performed by this singer/pianist in an earthy, expressive voice akin to a Sarah McLachlan or Alicia Keys. - Jonathan Takiff
Space pop: singer-songwriter Julia Othmer’s “Mission Control” is a constant on our CD player at the moment. - Michael Harrington
Discography
"SOUND" - April 2019
"oasis motel" - Feb 2006
Songs from "oasis motel" have been played on over 85 terrestial radio stations across the US and licensed for such shows as "Army Wives," "DeGrassi: The Next Generation," "The Lying Game," "Party of Five [DVD Release]," and ABC's "Big Shots."
Photos
Bio
“SOUND” is Julia Othmer's newest album. Set in cinematic soundscapes, the songs are “rich in space and soaring dynamics and rife with layers and textures and melodies and grooves” (Tim Finn, KC Star). The album travels sonically from the exultant disco rock anthem “Hungry Days (Make Me Feel)” to the vulnerable and delicate “Homeward” - from the haunting surf guitar of “Purple and Gray” to the sublime vocal orchestration of “Whoever Says.” Othmer’s evocative and transcendent lyrics are a guide along the way. “I focused on writing with space around the words, with openness. There’s room for the listener to have their own interpretations, to make the songs theirs. Find their own way through it.”
Integral to SOUND is producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist, James T. Lundie. “I heard his work. It was epic and honest,” says Othmer. “I had to meet him. So I knocked on his door in London and kept asking him to collaborate until he said yes.” And collaborate they did.
Fueled by a remarkably successful fan-funded campaign, Othmer and Lundie created SOUND during a period of reclusion and focus. “We had this great gift of support and no sense of limitations. We decided we weren’t going to stop until we made something that both of us were proud of. No caveats. No concessions. No compromise.”
Working in their LA studio for over two years, they performed almost every role themselves, except for a few notable guests, including their pit bull, Mary. Othmer explains, “James and I explore making music out of all kinds of things – kitchen gadgets, seed pods from the garden, anything and everything. Mary is always with us in the studio; it was inevitable she would end up on the recordings. Listen close - you can hear her vocalizing in my backing vocals.”
Hailed as "a piano-playing siren making a mark with her fiery, passionate performances," (NXNE Festival Guide), Othmer is a captivating and dynamic performer. She has a warm rapport with her audiences and a strong connection with her loyal and ever-growing fan base. “I get to write and play songs because people come out to concerts and support live music. I don’t take that for granted.”
Originally from Kansas City, Othmer attended Columbia University in New York before moving to Philadelphia where she began performing live. She came to Los Angeles to record her debut album, “Oasis Motel,” with producer Michael Blum (Roger Daltrey, Madonna). Her songs have been featured on shows like Witches of East End, Switched at Birth, Army Wives, The Lying Game, and DeGrassi: The Next Generation.
Othmer has performed alongside icons Sarah McLachlan, Emmylou Harris, and Heart. She has also shared the stage with Amanda Palmer, Lisa Loeb, Minnie Driver, Regina Spektor, Amos Lee, and John Waite, and most recently opened for The Alarm on their UK tour.
Band Members
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