Julius C is more than OK, OK

Julius C is more than OK,OK

By Tom Walsh

The songs on the new CD OK,OK by NYC's Julius C are upbeat, fun and strangely addictive. The whole CD is hook laden, sometimes leaning toward melodramatic on some of the songs but not overly so. There are so many twists and turns through different genres that by the end of the song you‘re not really sure where to categorize them…so don‘t even try. Are they rock, pop, disco with a rock undertone? You will probably beat your head against the wall trying to put these guys in a specific genre….it just doesn’t work.

Expertly produced, this CD dives into love, loss and everyday life that people on many different levels can relate to, dance to and sing along to. Sometimes poppy and sometimes rocking, OK, OK is a refreshing change of pace from the norm of today’s music. ‘Don‘t Want Anybody‘ is a song that starts out with a decent amount of distorted guitar and fast drums that give way to what sounds like single keys being played on a piano and then back again, and it doesn’t stop with just that song.

Seventies guitar rock, snippets of modern pop and even disco abound on this album. The songwriting is complex in that not one song sticks to just one genre, but with a lot going on it‘s still easy for the listener to get a grasp of what‘s going on in the song. If I had to make up a genre for the sound? I would call it ‘soundtrack to life’ music. Sometimes harder, sometimes easier but always interesting.

Just one listen to the solid, rock like vocals, the cute plinking piano and the bouncy, almost buoyant songs on this album had me hooked.

I’m not sure what their formula is for writing songs…..or if they even have a formula, but somehow, someway it works.

If you want something a little bit different…..a little bit left of center, check out OK,OK by Julius C.

Upcoming Julius C shows

Nov 19th

Undergrounds Cafe @ Binghampton University

Dec. 10th

Rockwood Music Hall

Stage 2