Newcomer Juliet's debut CD "Random Order" has already spawned a string of hit dance singles with "Avalon" and "Ride the Pain." After messing around with saccharine-sweet corporate-created girl groups, Juliet realized that was not her true voice. She is darker and deeper. And finally, she connected with music producer extraordinaire Jacques Lu Cont/Stuart Price to create this full-length album. The overall sound is definitely electronic, dark and alternative; alternative in the sense of a noticeable 80s new wave influence.
Juliet's voice has that sultry rocker quality that oozes cool, harkening back to the early work of rock goddess Chrissie Hynde of Pretenders fame. "Where do we go now?
It doesn't matter when it's only a matter of time" echoes through the ending of "Avalon" as dark chords wash over; fading into "Nu Taboo" - a funky cat-like workout steeped in blips, bleeps and late night city street searching. Next comes a true peak, "Ride The Pain" - a seething dance workout that obliterates and destroys everything in its wake as Juliet screams "I haven't seen or heard enough till I've looked under every rock."
Juliet sits comfortably between rocker and dance artist, bringing Industrial influences into 2005. "Puppet" is another rocker with a raw guitar combined with ear-tickling electronics and Juliet's dominatrix style vocals "Next time I'll work you like a puppet, love you like velvet." Maybe this sounds strange, but the harpsichord breakdown rocks- hard. "On the Dancefloor" rides a 80s-style dance beat and lives up to its name in getting a dance vibe in effect. No need to wait for remixes on this one; it's ready out of the gate. "Waiting" follows with a dreamy guitar-driven sound where Juliet sounds a little like Joni Mitchell and makes this mellow track another highlight of the album.
Juliet breaks out her dominant voice again in "New Shoes" as she goes between sweet and rough, crooning "I'll find my way home, not to worry about me..." "Would You Mind" starts up another dance vibe with a delicious new wave bassline where she distances herself- "Would you mind? I'd rather you go on without me... I don't know what I've been looking waiting for, but I know where I've been." Next follows a supremely delicate song, "Untied," where she whispers fetchingly "I had a dream, a fairy tale for two, can I find grace? Just wanted to love someone, doesn't matter who, just wanted to love someone, somebody like you." This low-key, intimate song provides another high point, as well as compelling lyrics and electronic styling similar to The Postal Service.
The CD wraps up with "Pot of Gold" where Juliet sings "I just wanted you to know everything's gonna be alright.... It took a while for me to see what's going on, it took a while for me to see it had all gone...wrong.... There's a pot of gold on the other side." A lazy beat carries this number till the end, and the entire CD has been a series of ups and downs that sounds better and better with each listen. There is no weak point anywhere on this CD. Juliet's performance and lyrics are perfection. Jacques Lu Cont's musical production is brilliant and perfectly complements the entire project. This is a sublime electronic CD washed in style, and substance. With "Random Order" Juliet and Jacques have created a milestone for singer/songwriter's in the electronic tradition.
