Broken Girl

Album review

Jagjaguwar's reissue of Julie Doiron's Broken Girl adds the four-song single Dog Love, Pt. 2 from 1993 and three-song single Nora from 1994 to the album's original running order. When she recorded those two singles she was still a member of Eric's Trip. 1995's Broken Girl was her first post-split record and it a very good one. The songs are all memorable and the melodies are very strong. Doiron's sweet voice, the hushed nature of the recording (most of the songs are just her vocals and guitar) and the melancholy of the subject matter combine to make this the kind of record that sounds really good on an autumn day, preferably one where the cool breeze carries with it the smell of burning leaves. Like Lou Barlow, Doiron makes the very personal sound universal on songs like "Taller Beauty" and "Soon Coming Closer" by opening up her fragile heart and bravely letting us take a peek. The record is a very fine debut made even better with the addition of the single tracks. Unlike the album, the songs feature amateurly played drums but carry the same intimate and brokenhearted feeling. Songs like "Five" and "Dance Music" wouldn't sound out of place on a Spinanes or Lois record. And that is high praise indeed. Fans of Doiron, which should be anyone who likes smart, emotionally honest without being too messy about it music, will be thrilled that this impossible to find material is now readily available. [This release contains bonus tracks.]
© Tim Sendra /TiVo