YouTube star hits big time with third album release

Casey Musarra - Sports Editor
Thursday, April 15th, 2010

In her third album, YouTube sensation Julia Nunes brings a new spin to her original tracks with her EP “I Think You Know.” The five-song album, which she recorded with Pomplamoose, the American indie and jazz duo of Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn, mixes Nunes’ vocal talent with a mixture of instruments, ranging from the glockenspiel to a cardboard box.

“I Think You Know” brings a new twist to indie music, heavily featuring vocal percussion on most tracks. Though often confused for having a boyish tone, Nunes’ crisp, sultry sound balances well with the

percussion-dominated songs. Despite being more of an alto, Nunes presents a solid range on the album.

Nunes, typically known for her skills on the ukulele, wrote all of the tracks, performed lead vocals and harmonies and played guitar and beatboxed on the album.

While Nunes’ previous albums predominantly featured her singing the melody and harmonies, “I Think You Know” stands out because of Dawn and Nunes’ beautiful blend.

In Nunes’ previous albums, many of the tracks sounded similar and heavily featured the guitar and ukulele. “I Think You Know” features five completely different tunes, ranging from upbeat to serious. Regardless of the tone, each track has brilliant lyrics, especially for a 21-year-old singer-songwriter.

Nunes uses a masterful play on words in her song “Grown a Pair.” “Put your hands where I can see them / ’Cause I don’t trust a single person in this room / I’ve grown a paranoia that will certainly destroy / If you stick around and watch me fall to my doom.”

The album also comes with a pick, a poster of Nunes and a DVD of behind-the-scenes footage. With all of this, Nunes fans will get to know the YouTube starlet on a deeper level.