David Julca first came onto my radar in a live performance with his first band, the New Republic, in a dingy English pub in Panama City in 2006. What grabbed my attention in the live setting, even more so than on the band's studio recordings, was his jaw-dropping voice - sheer power and grace on par with Brandon Boyd of Incubus. Hearing how he slid up and rested on an impossibly high note the way a jogger cuts through the clear spring air, I could tell he didn't need the benefit of studio magic like so many big name singers.
Now Julca, a Peruvian who grew up in Panama and is now based in Colombus, Ohio, has a self-produced solo album, an easygoing rock affair with shades of jazz and pop. The songs unfold lazily behind tight melodies and mazy guitar solos. There are occasional feats of strength from Julca's pipes, but I can see why the vocal pyrotechnics do not run rampant: there's no point in belting just for the sake of belting.
Como Se Extraña is clearly a product of Julca's life and experiences. The title track and "Meet Me In Panama" are autobiographical songs about a kid forging an identity in three different home countries. "Si Te Vas" and "Complicado" - probably my favorite cut on the album so far - are tasteful reductions on relationships and breakups. Julca's songwriting does seem a bit more inventive in Spanish than in English, though "Meet Me In Panama" has a cracking opener: "I don't really know if anyone has written a song for you."
The New Republic album is also worth a listen, but it was clear to me that the band’s musical identity was still up in the air. Highlights include "In My Life," "Everything If Anything," and the politically tinged "Action," where a tribute to Panamanian singer Ruben Blades shows the band’s musical conscience.
The easiest part of Julca's style to appreciate remains his singing. It's just so pure, so effortless - the kind of skill that, as with height in basketball, you just can't teach.
Youtube Link: "In My Life" music video from the New Republic, with David Julca singing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7qhqKtF3qw&feature=PlayList&p=C41A281375848945&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=40
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