Reviewed by Joe Montague

Let’s hope that singer – songwriter Julie Hardy’s EP Clementine grows into an album, because this is a really good collection of songs, performed and written by an artist who has completely reinvented herself and who has done so in spectacular fashion. This writer first got to know Julie Hardy about six years ago after the release of her Jazz album and that was a good outing as well, but it appears that New York City based Ms. Hardy’s light is about to shine more brightly on the Pop music scene.  The feel of these songs is somewhere between Sara Bareilles (“Love Song”) and Canada’s Meaghan Smith, who earlier this year was the recipient of Canada’s most prestigious music award the Juno and in her case, for Best New Artist and on “Up Here,” there are reminders of Sarah McLachlan. That is pretty good company for Julie Hardy and the songs on Clementine give us every reason to believe that she can achieve the same success as the three aforementioned artists.  

Julie Hardy turns in one of the most heartfelt performances with the songs on Clementine, as it opens innocently enough with the vintage sounding “Crying My Whole Heart Out,” a song that begins quietly and segues into thundering and edgy bass guitar riffs by Mike MacAllister, which are juxtaposed to Julie Hardy’s quieter lament, “You’ve taken the best of me.”

“How Can I Not Love You,” has the crackling sound of an old record playing through the speaker of a phonograph, as Ms. Hardy coos “I guess I’ll always love you / How can you deny me?” With a ukulele as her only accompaniment, Julie Hardy does her best to convince another that someday she will win and he will fall in love with her.

The mood changes, with the pretty song “I Love The Way.” It is about the feel of a heart melting when her lover calls her “Baby, Baby,” when he loves her and then the feeling of being left for another. The mixed feelings of knowing that you will be okay and yet if we can make up just one more time or maybe it is time to move on. “I Love The Way,” shares the same staccato tempo as the song that follows it “Little Bit.” This song should become an instant fan favorite and it is easy to imagine women across America singing along to this song.  Julie Hardy’s vocals are warm, up-tempo and prompt the question; Julie why have you been hiding this sound all these years? As she does on all the songs that feature piano, Julie Hardy accompanies herself and is joined for this song by bassist Bob Hart and drummer Jared Schonig.

“Little Bit,” along with “I Love The Way,” are the jewels on a recording that shines from start to finish and Music Directors at radio stations across the country would be wise to add “Little Bit,” to their rotation, because Julie Hardy is going to sell a lot of singles of this song. This is not a song of lament and nor is it wistful, Julie Hardy sings “Little Bit,” with the confidence of a woman who knows what she wants and who she wants. It is both a confession of love and yet it is a statement of, ‘I am a good catch. Open up your eyes and look at the woman standing in front of you.’  The song is not a tear jerker, nor is it syrupy, it is an anthem and Julie Hardy sings “Little Bit,” boldly.

You can listen to the album Clementine on Judy Hardy's website

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