We Speak Music
Meels Delivers Masterful Album ‘Tales From A Bird’ Bedroom’
Meels’ debut album, Tales From A Bird’s Bedroom, is a striking testament to her profound songwriting abilities and remarkable vocal talent. This collection of songs not only introduces her as a fresh voice in indie folk but also solidifies her presence as a deeply introspective and emotionally resonant artist. With themes rooted in nostalgia, nature, and human connections, Meels crafts an album that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable.
The album’s narrative unfolds with wisdom and introspection, guiding listeners through a lush sonic landscape that feels immersive and intimate. From the first notes of the opener “December 5th,” Meels sets the stage for an experience that is as much about the journey as it is about the destination. Her evocative storytelling is complemented by lush melodies and a soundscape that is at once expansive and inviting, pulling the listener into a world that is richly textured and emotionally charged.
A standout track on the album, “Boyle Park,” captures the essence of Meels’ artistry. This tender indie-folk anthem serves as a window into her personal journey of self-discovery and growth, with captivating harmonies and sweeping melodic lines that linger long after the song ends. Meels’ vocals are a highlight throughout the album, weaving effortlessly through intricate narratives with a grace and clarity that adds depth to each track. Her voice, both emotive and ethereal, is the perfect vessel for the album’s themes, resonating with authenticity and a charm that is hard to resist.
The album’s closer, “The Ruling,” leaves a haunting impression, showcasing Meels’ ability to convey complex emotions with subtlety and grace. This track, like the rest of the album, is a testament to her artistic maturity and the promise she holds as an emerging artist. Meels demonstrates a rare ability to convey emotion through music with clarity and grace, making Tales From A Bird’s Bedroom a standout in the indie folk genre.
Meels’ journey from the lush landscapes of Mill Valley, California, to the Clive Davis Institute at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts has clearly shaped her into a compelling voice in indie folk. Her music is infused with the charm of her small-town roots, resonating with authenticity and sincerity. Tracks like “Time to Rise,” which has found a place in popular culture through its feature on ABC’s “Grown-ish,” highlight her ability to capture the spirit of the times, while songs like “Royal Flush” and “December 5th” continue to captivate audiences, earning her a growing following on platforms like Spotify.
With Tales From A Bird’s Bedroom, Meels positions herself as an artist to watch, blending indie-folk with a unique voice that is both captivating and deeply resonant. Her debut album is more than just a collection of songs—it’s a profound narrative journey that leaves a lasting impact, securing her place as one of indie folk’s most promising new talents.
We Speak Music
Acclaimed US singer-songwriter Juliet Lloyd to tour the UK for the first time this summer.
Shortly after releasing her sophomore album in 2007, US-based singer-songwriter Juliet Lloyd walked away from music completely for more than 10 years, feeling burned out and unhappy with her career progression like so many other independent artists. After going through a divorce in 2019 and in the midst of a global pandemic, she found herself pulled back toward the siren call of songwriting and again making the leap to pursue it full time. Her latest album ‘Carnival’, released in 2024, is in many ways the culmination of those decisions, and the reintroduction of an artist who now has the wisdom of experience.
There’s an unmistakable urgency you can feel when a song is written and performed from a place of complete honesty. That feeling permeates ‘Carnival’. “I’ve always been envious of writers who say they write songs because they have to, because they had these things they just had to get out of themselves,” Juliet says. “I had never really felt that way until this album. I’ve become someone who writes because they have to.”
Stylistically, ‘Carnival’ draws on a range of influences from Laurel Canyon-era singer/songwriters, to Lilith Fair rockers, to confessional country/folk balladeers, to indie pop. The central theme of the record and that of its title track is not being too precious about any one experience or decision. Take them for what they are, live in the moment, and move on when they’re done. It acknowledges also that memory can be subjective, and ambiguous—was an experience ultimately a good thing or a bad thing? And whose memory can you rely on to determine the answer to that question?
‘Carnival’ doesn’t just deal with the complexities of ending relationships, it also deals with all the feelings that come with moving on. The album’snine songs feature evocative storytelling that reveals a simple truth: when the carnival inevitably leaves town, you’re left with an empty parking lot. And how you remember, it is a choice. As Juliet sings in the title track, “If only there was a way you could bottle up that feeling / and you’d drink it in / when the days are short and you long.”
Across her 20+ year career, Juliet has been admittedly stylistically non-monogamous. Her first full-length album, ‘All Dressed Up’, was released in 2005 and was heavily jazz-influenced- a label that she rejected at the time. “I am a piano player and a woman, so I was immediately compared to Norah Jones—and I bristled at that,” Juliet says. “Listening back now, I can totally see that it was true, and it of course wasn’t a bad thing.” Her follow-up release ‘Leave the Light On,’ came out two years later and featured a slick piano-pop production that led to five of its songs being placed on reality TV shows on MTV and VH1. Coming back after her 10-year break from writing and recording, Juliet released ‘High Road’, a collection of five Americana/soul-tinged songs produced by Jim Ebert (Meredith Brooks, Shai) that earned her widespread recognition and songwriting awards both in her home region of DC as well as nationally.
Now with her first ever UK tour scheduled for July 2025, Juliet has also dropped a completely brand-new single ‘Wild Again’, which like ‘Carnival’, was written with and produced by Todd Wright (Lucy Woodward, Butch Walker, Toby Lightman). ‘Wild Again’, however, charts yet another new step in Juliet’s journey.
“Carnival’, is full of deeply personal songs that are drawn from my real-life experiences and relationships. Coming out of that album cycle, I was feeling a little exhausted by my own navel-gazing and I was craving inspiration elsewhere. So, a lot of the songs I’m writing now are an evolution of sorts – focused more on external stimuli and finding the personal stories and humanity in that. Wild Again is a perfect example of this,” she explains.
The idea for ‘Wild Again’ was born out of a NY Times podcast Juliet listened to about the real-life efforts to return the whale that played Willy in the iconic movie ‘Free Willy’ back into the wild.
“It’s an insane, heartbreaking story that asks all kinds of thorny questions about human responsibility and humility and what’s the “right” thing to do and is that the same as the “kind” thing to do. There was a line that one of the trainers said in the podcast, explaining that they were trying to “train him to be wild again.” The complete absurdity of that statement hit me in the moment, and I immediately started jotting down lyrical ideas”, Juliet says.
Catch Juliet Lloyd on her UK tour this July:
1st July: The Folklore Rooms / Brighton
2nd July: The Hyde Tavern / Winchester
3rd July: Hen and Chicken / Bristol (CRH Music promotions)
4th July: Artisan Tap Hartshill / Stoke-on-Trent
5th July: Waggon & Horses, Nottingham
6th July: Cafe#9 / Sheffield
7th July: Hyde Park Book Club / Leeds
10th July: FortyFive Vinyl Café / York
11th July: The Muddy Puddle / London
13th July: The Wrotham Arms / Broadstairs

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