• News

• All

Sep 14, 2017 By Christopher Roberts Julien Baker

Singer/songwriter Julien Baker is releasing her new album, Turn Out the Lights, on October 27 via Matador, her first for the label. Previously she shared its first single, “Appointments,” (which was our #1 Song of the Week). Now the song has a video. Sophia Peer directed the clip, which starts with Baker singing the song in an empty cabin, with a single candle. Slowly modern dancers show up and when Baker leaves the cabin they follow her, perhaps representing her inner demons. Watch the powerful video below, followed by her upcoming tour dates.

Baker had this to say about the video in a press release: “Making the ‘Appointments’ video was an incredibly special experience because I got the pleasure of collaborating with artists I admire and to see them apply their creativity and talent to something I made. I’ve known Christina McKinney [choreographer], as well as a few of the dancers, since I was a kid. I’ve always been fascinated with how that art form works in tandem with music; it was amazing to see the vision that Christina had for the song, how she interpreted the sounds as movement, and then to see how Sophia chose to portray and capture it all.

“It felt very full circle to return to Memphis to work on this, I’m so proud of Memphis and wanted to show off the immense artistry that I see there. Not only were Christina and many of the characters in the video friends, but the crew also included many people I have known and worked with for years. All the scenes and locations are also central to Memphis, I think Sophia did such a good job of preserving the intimate feel of the video by shooting it with people/in locations that had significance to me, and I’m so thankful. The most gratifying part of making music is its ability to be shared and belong to more people than myself, and it was very meaningful to make something with and for other people, to take something as personal as this song and invite others in, allow them to contribute their ‘thing,’ whatever it may be.”

Turn Out the Lights was recorded at the Ardent Studios in Baker’s hometown of Memphis, TN. Baker wrote and produced the album, which was mixed by Craig Silvey (The National, Arcade Fire, Florence & the Machine). It is Baker’s sophomore full-length, the follow-up to Sprained Ankle, which was released by 6131 Records in 2015.

A press release describes the album like this: “Turn Out the Lights expands upon the sound and vision of Sprained Ankle while retaining the haunting, confessional songwriting style for which she has become known. Throughout the album, she reflects on experiences of her own and those closest to her, exploring the internal conflicts that wrestle inside us all: how we deal and cope with our struggles, and how it all impacts both ourselves and our relationships of all kinds. The result is a deeply empathetic album that embraces the grays and complex truths of humanity and mental health.”

Baker announced back in January that she had signed to Matador after interest from most of the important American indie labels. Matador previously released a new Baker 7-inch and shared both its A-side, “Funeral Pyre,” and B-side, “Distant Solar System,” an unreleased track from the Sprained Ankle sessions.

Read our 2016 interview with Baker and our 2015 Artist Survey interview with her.

Julien Baker Tour Dates:

09/20 Chicago, IL @ Amnesty International & Sofar Sounds Give A Home show
09/21 Champaign, IL @ The Pygmalion Festival 2017
10/10 Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium#
10/12 Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade +
10/13 Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River Ballroom +
10/14 Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle +
10/15 Charlottesville, VA @ Jefferson Theater +
10/17 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club +
10/18 Millvale, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre +
10/20 Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre +
10/21 Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center
10/22 Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall +
10/24 Toronto, ON @ Opera House +
10/25 Montreal, QC @ Theatre Fairmount +
10/27 New York, NY @ Town Hall +
10/28 Somerville, MA @ Somerville Theatre + (SOLD OUT)
10/29 Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer +
11/03 The Hague, NL @ Crossing Border Festival
11/04 Utrecht, NL @ Ekko
11/06 Bristol, UK @ The Lantern
11/07 Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
11/08 Glasgow, UK @ CCA
11/09 Dublin, IE @ Whelans
11/10 London, UK @ Union Chapel (SOLD OUT)
11/12 Brussels, BE @ Autumn Falls
11/13 Paris, FR @ Les Etoiles
11/14 Berlin, DE @ Heimathafen Neukolln
11/15 Hamburg, DE @ Uebel & Gefahrlich
11/16 Düsseldorf, DE @ New Fall Festival
11/17 Madrid, ES @ El Sol
11/18 Braga, PT @ Theatro Circo
11/19 Barcelona, ES @ La De Apolo
11/29 Knoxville, TN @ Bijou Theatre*
11/30 Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works*
12/01 Memphis, TN @ 1884 Lounge*
12/02 St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall +
12/04 Boulder, CO @ Fox Theatre +
12/06 Missoula, MT @ Top Hat Lounge +
12/07 Spokane, WA @ The Bartlett +
12/08 Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre +
12/09 Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre +
12/10 Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater +
12/12 San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore +
12/14 Los Angeles, CA @ Palace Theatre +
12/15 San Diego, CA @ The Irenic +
12/16 Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom +
12/18 Austin, TX @ Emo’s +
12/19 Houston, TX @ The Heights Theater +
12/20 Dallas, TX @ The Kessler Theater +

# supporting Jason Isbell
* David Bazan supports
+ Half Waif supports

Support Under the Radar on Patreon.