Julie Only

Seely's debut on the international music scene was a difficult one. In early 1996, the Atlanta quartet released its first album, PARENTHA SEE, on a small local label, Third Eye. When the influential UK indie Too Pure signed the band, Third Eye didn't allow the larger label to buy and reissue the album. Undaunted, Too Pure put Seely in the studio with noted avant-pop producer John McEntire to simply re-record the entire album, which it then released as JULIE ONLY.
Simply put, JULIE ONLY sounds remarkably like mid-period Stereolab, circa MARS AUDIAC QUINTET. Perhaps it's the involvement of McEntire, who has produced several Stereolab albums, but the musical resemblance is uncanny. This is not a bad thing, as Stereolab is a fine band, and Seely's take on that familiar sound--warm, droning synths, mantra-like guitar, submerged and deadpan female vocals--is just original and interesting enough not to be dismissed. A promising debut.|