After the dissolution of the enormously popular Torgas Valley Reds, Barry Peak (ex-Backwater) began playing solo shows around Belfast, opening up at punk rock shows with an acoustic set that saw his songwriting take a new, melancholic direction.
Joined frequently by Niall Harden on banjo, guitar and drums, the two played for around a year as a duo with friends like Tanya Mellotte of Skibunny (formerly Barry's bandmate in Go Commando) helping out when they could. In April 2007 the two were joined by some friends from the Belfast rock-post-rock group Tracer AMC, and became Julip.
Some reviews:
Comprising three-fifths of the incomparable Tracer AMC and the twin-songwriting forces of Barry Peak and Niall Harden, Julip take their gigging bow with heady, authoritative ease.
Their introspective, folk-pinned sonic soup would sate the appetite of fans of Tim Kinsella's various guises, such is their languid appeal and the undoubted depth of songwriting at play.
'Foxes' has a slouchy groove that builds a head of steam and boasts some big rock moments, but it's with the closing strum of self-confessed pop song 'Jonny & Jenny' that they really strike gold.
A charismatic debut performance of no small promise and one that should make Julip future favourites in local gigging circles.
David McLaughlin (Culture Northern Ireland)
Notes are peeling off the walls, falling down upon the heads of the audience like drops of sweat coming off the roof. Julip seem to be stripping sounds out of their instruments, reeling out cascades of notes and harmonies that are greedily scoffed up by the on-lookers. There is a sweetness to their alt.country, almost Wilco-ish sound that will delight any who are fortunate enough to hear them.
Steven Rainey (Alternative Ulster)
Since the dissolution of the notorious Torgas Valley Reds (and formerly Backwater, and Go Commando… ah the man's just a scene legend), and despite a smattering of solo gigs in the interim, Barry Peak has been A Man Without A Band. This afternoon, however, he is whole again. A meeting of minds & musical sensibilities has resulted in Julip, consisting of Barry, long time compatriot Niall Harden, and three of the guys from notable-in-themselves instrumental abstract dreamweavers Tracer AMC. And it is a glorious communion indeed. This is their first live appearance and right from the offset they exceeded already high expectations by a considerable measure. Swelling atmospheric guitar weaves between Barry's plaintive but heartfelt vocal in a way which recalls Doves at the top of their game, Keith Winter's hypnotic shuffle-drumming underpinning events with a reserved grace. Confessing as much between songs, Barry looks outwardly very happy to be leading a full musical incarnation once again, and if they continue further past these formative steps, then the local music community should certainly be as well.
noclarity.org
First up was the early Common Grounds show by three-fifths of Julip which was low-key, intimate and really lovely. The bigger band utilises the rhythm section from Tracer AMC but tonight's trio is Barry Peak on acoustic guitar and vocals, Johnny Ashe from Tracer on guitar and Niall Harden on various guitars. If you haven't encountered them yet their sound is centred around the post-Backwater/ Torgas Valley Reds songs of Barry which have a more countrified, downbeat feel to them. This new line-up colours these in with plenty of guitar trickery. It has a slight country folk feel, and a healthy touch of shoegaze style bliss-out, and it is all good! Some great new songs here too (check the myspace) with only the overlooked 'Appalachia' surviving from the past.
http://slow-thrills.blogspot.com/
if you don't have myspace, contact
[email protected] or [email protected] for booking, info, whatever.
