Julandrew

“This husband and wife music team, recording out of Austin, Texas, are truly talented indie artists who are no strangers to writing catchy tunes with great melodic hooks. The album’s raw, organic blend of acoustic guitars, drums and vocal harmonies are just plain fun makes you want to listen to it over and over. Go, Julandrew!” –Kristian Gabriel - Kristian Gabriel Films

By Mike Rubin

As Jualndrew composer and co-songwriter Andrew Oikle recalls his many memories of living in Somerville, another pop influenced song can be heard in the background from his cell phone.

Oikle, and wife and fellow songwriter Julie Handy, once devoted natives of Somerville, who moved to Austin, Texas two years ago for a change of scenery, will make their triumphant return home this weekend, where they're expected to perform in front of close to 100 friends at Bull McCabe's located right in the center of Union Square at 366A Somerville Ave on Sunday night. Showtime is tentatively slated for a 9pm start.

"We're definitely looking forward to return to Somerville, catch up with some old friends, and play in front of a great crowd," said Oikle from his Austin, Texas home. "It's definitely an exciting time right now, and we can't wait for it to happen. We've been working hard, composing some new material, and we're very happy with the material. We can't wait for people to hear it."

A former native of the area during the early to mid-2000s, Oikle emerged as a rising star in the local music circuit, performing in various bands on guitar and drums, while touring throughout New England. One band included the Johnny Come Latelies, which generated a buzz from artists at both the local and national levels.

"It was definitely a great time in our lives," recalled Oikle. "The area was full of musicians and artists, and we made a lot of friends while we were here. Most of them we still keep in touch on a regular basis, and we hope to see them at the show."

After performing in a wide variety of musical projects in the area, Oikle and Handy were married in the summer of 2007. Shortly following their wedding, the duo decided to leave their quaint Bow Street residence for the warmer pastures of Austin, Texas.

"We wanted to go to someplace that was warmer during the winter time," said Oikle. "We were getting kind of tired of shoveling snow, and braving the cold temperatures of Boston, so we thought (Austin, Texas) would be a great choice."

With Austin's thriving music scene and artistic music community, Oikle has managed to generate some notoriety in the area, performing occasionally in small venues while continuing to write songs at a record pace.

"The weather down here is quite nice," said Oikle. "The winters aren't as harsh and there's some culture here, but we do miss our friends and the places we used to hang out in the area."

During their two-year stay in Texas, Oikle and Handy have been writing a collection of catchy-pop tunes that have raised some eyebrows among artists both locally and nationally. After writing a series of songs, the band adopted the name "Julandrew" named appropriately for both Julie and Andrew.

While Oikle has composed the majority of the musical arrangements, Handy has been able to write some compelling lyrics along with some ear-catching melodies on vocals.

"(Julie) is just amazing on vocals," said Oikle. "She sings with a lot of passion, and she's just great. They're very catchy and they fit very well around the musical arrangements."

As for the band's sound, one could compare their songs to the subtle, smooth arrangements of Belle and Sebastian; while it's heavier material could be directed to the early 90s sounds of the Pixies, Belly and Throwing Muses.

In addition to their scheduled show at Bull McCabe's on Sunday, the band is also scheduled to perform at Sally O'Brien's, also on Somerville Avenue, for an early 7pm show.

As for the band itself, Oikle and Handy are expected to pull together up to a six piece band, which includes several trumpets, a drummer, a guitarist, a keyboardist and a bassist. Some will make the journey from Texas while others reside in the Somerville area.

Guitarist, Ryan Duffie, also a former Somerville resident, will accompany the band at both shows.

"I met Julie about 4 years ago while I was living in Sullivan Square in Charlestown," said Duffie. " Even then, we bonded mostly on artistic and musical grounds. I met Andrew in Union Square about a year later through Julie. After moving to Austin in June and just hanging out in their back yard, drinking beers, and talking music and messing around with their instruments, we decided to play these songs in their livingroom. We've been doing that ever since."

For more information regarding the show and the band's sound, check out the band's web site at http://www.julandrew.com
- Somerville News