Yesterday, Julien Baker, a 21-year-old singer-songwriter from Memphis, Tennessee, released “Appointments,” the first single off her sophomore album, Turn Out the Lights.
“Appointments” does not disappoint as the follow-up to Baker’s 2015 debut album, Sprained Ankle. Baker’s characteristic haunting electric guitar part drives the song forward with a slow and steady pace, while her wispy voice and often self-deprecating lyrics address topics and feelings rarely found in music today (such as mental health in the case of this single).
While self-deprecating lyrics may seem strange as an abstract idea, if you take a listen it should be pretty easy to figure out why they are a huge part of Baker’s appeal. Her music has a raw and brutal honesty that is magnetic, and the vulnerability that Baker reveals allows for a certain level of intimacy to be established between the artist and the listener. Through this connection, Baker is able to commiserate with her listeners, but at the same time, she provides them with hope by showing them that they are never truly alone.
Turn Out the Lights is set to be released on October 27th.
Check out “Appointments” below:
Honey Bee Music 