We recently featured the Julie July Band for their high spiritual quotient and adventurous, cinematic nature with the philosophically astute single, Seven Cities of Gold, so when we heard that Julie July was back with Til the Sun Goes Down, we were curious to say the least, and couldn’t wait to listen and share our experience.
Drawing us in with a rhythmic cowbell and electric guitar soundscape, expanding with toms and a bassline, Til the Sun Goes Down opens with intrigue and dimensionality. The opus evolves with textured drums and an astral guitar melody to invite us further into Julie July‘s conceptual universe before she sings, “We stand at the headland looking over the sea, and there in the distance leagues away the shining and the glimmer of the orient…”
In essence, the lyrics describe a quiet moment of reflection. Julie July envisages standing on a headland whilst looking out at the sea. She notices distant lights and beauty, suggesting dreams and possibilities that seem far away. The metaphorical depth is outstanding as always, and we are captivated by the cinematic approach to songwriting.
Til the Sun Goes Down reflects on the passage of time. The “end of the road” feels distant, which symbolizes life’s long journey. The town represents notions of comfort and routine, which kept Julie (and humanity) from leaving before. Yet now, a new opportunity appears, “a path to the stars”, symbolizing hope and ambition for the individual and the collective.
There is a sense of patience and anticipation within the prose. The repeated hook “wait till the Sun Goes Down” suggests waiting for the right moment to pursue our dreams. Shadows and fading light emphasize feelings of change and transition. Overall, the lyrics fuse nostalgia with the excitement of conscious new beginnings – there is a gnostic ancient futurism that seems to manifest with Julie July‘s brand of songwriting, and needless to say, we are in awe.
We learn that Til the Sun Goes Down is taken from the Julie July Band‘s third album, Wonderland (Aurora Folk Records), which features Julie July on vocals, of course, with Steve Rezillo on electric guitar and vocals, Caley Groves on acoustic guitar and vocals, Dik Cadbury on bass, guitars and vocals, Carol Lee Sampson on keyboards and vocals, and Mick Candler on drums and percussion, whilst Catherine Harper plays cello, and Dan Neville performs violin and viola!
Naturally, we are hypnotized by the philosophical journey that the Julie July Band takes us on, and we have added Til the Sun Goes Down to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream the entirety of Wonderland!