Like Arya Stark without the training of an assassin, Julia Kugel is a musician with many faces: She leads The Coathangers, Soft Palms, the all-star squad Julia & the Squeezettes, and her own solo project, Julia, Julia. Her ambition is particularly remarkable given that, when I’ve touched base with her over the course of 2025, humility seemed to be her ostensible calling card. And it is on Sugaring a Strawberry, even if she’s releasing it through the seemingly self-focused moniker. Her second album as Julia, Julia magically resolves the inherent contradiction of the trendy term “mindfulness”: How can a practice intended to integrate one’s self with the outside world be reconciled with the fact that it is by definition a selfish exercise?
Let’s clarify: In a modern-day gathering of…

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us

« »