Julie Kember’s album Million Lives resonates with truth. Her voice has a seasoned wisdom in it, a break that betrays some pain, a lightness that shows she’s still full of optimism about what’s to come. She’s more than a singer, she’s a storyteller who wears her heart on her sleeve with this stunning collection of songs.
Julie has taken home country music awards, but elements of rock and blues add flavour for listeners like myself who don’t always warm to the genre. It’s that voice though that really captivated me from the first notes of the opening track “Lived a Million Lives.” Upbeat numbers like “Ain’t No Love Affair,” “Can’t Go Back,” and “Long Way Round take us to an outback honky-tonk bar. But it’s the more reflective moments, tracks like “Order You Now,” “Mary Go Round,” and “Can I Wear Your Dress” that show Julie’s quiet power. She’s so compelling in these moments where the material is just a little rawer and more emotional.
A proud Western Australian, Julie will officially launch Million Lives with a show at The Aardvark in Fremantle on April 25. Million Lives is out now.
Image used with permission from Firestarter Music