Julia, Julia makes a heart-wrenching ultimatum on dreamlike 'Do It Or Don't'

Photo by Scott Montoya

Best known as one-third of louder than love firebrands The Coathangers, Julia Kugel is embarking on a new solo project under the dichotomous alias Julia, Julia. Dialing back the confrontational ferocity that defines her contributions to The Coathangers' arsenal, Kugel explores fresh territory on latest single "Do It Or Don't," a dreamlike track embodying the expansive apathy that remains in the vacuum of dissipated affection and the personal fortitude necessary to move oneself forward.

Reverberating rhythms bounce with slow-motion elasticity as ethereal chords comingle to craft an acquiescent waltz spinning with the heartbreaking beauty of a ballet dancer with tears in their eyes, obligated to perform one last time for a once rapturous audience now too distracted to notice. More than simply a straightforward ballad about the quiet death of romance, "Do It Or Don't" reflects on the duality of an ultimatum made simultaneously to an estranged other and to oneself, an indifferent standoff ending not with a bang but with the cold lethality of a simple shrug. 

Exploring conflict in this way reveals a striking depth in Kugel's songwriting, delivered in a plainspoken and sparsely poetic manner that, much like the incendiary stylings of The Coathangers, refuses to mince words when faced with discord. But rather than bristle at the opposition, "Do It Or Don't" acknowledges the fact that destiny is what you make of it; a future resigned to exist as a marionette, spinning on strings of a disaffected puppeteer or finding the strength live a life unburdened by the constraints of involuntary obligation.

Julia, Julia's Derealization releases September 30 on Suicide Squeeze and promises to reveal a brilliant new dimension to one of alternative rock's most recognizable voices. Pre-order the album here and follow Julia Kugel on Instagram.