NYC indie-folk artist Julia Greenberg presents ‘Sometimes The Sea’, a reflective piece born from a moment of sudden clarity and a desire for external perspective. The second offering from her ‘Born Sentimental’ EP, forthcoming via New Jersey’s Magic Door Record Label, it is about overcoming personal blues, viewed through the comforting lens of friendship and musical camaraderie.
Offering a temporary cure for that slipping away feeling, ‘Sometimes the Sea’ is framed as a conversation between two close friends about the compounding burdens of growing older. “The twilight of their mothers, those sweet bitter days at the ending of their summers—it’s all just heartbreak, it’s only a matter of degree.” The baroque accordion melodies flowing across this literary folk rock number hint at some measure of transcendence in the face of finitude.
“I knew two things as I set out to write this song. One, that it would be called ‘Sometimes the Sea’ because I was at the beach, and I had that moment when you get a glimpse of the ocean on a clear day, and it just shocks the darkness out of you,” says Julia Greenberg.
“Two, I knew that it would be a conversation between me and my best friend Maud, and that she would be the narrator. I was perhaps feeling a bit weary of my own voice, and since she’s a brilliant writer, I figured she could tell the story of my blues and endlessly tiresome introspection with some humor and perspective. When I listen to the song, sometimes it feels like she wrote it.”
Co-produced by Bob Perry (Winter Hours) and Julia Greenberg, this EP was recorded live at Chrometop Studios, engineered by Bob Perry. and mastered by Ray Ketchem (Guided by Voices, Elk City, Gramercy Arms, Luna, Crash Harmony) at Magic Door Recording Studio in Montclair, NJ.
Greenberg adds, “Jeremy Chatzky (bass), Will Holshouser (accordion) and I were in a band together in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, and we’ve played on and off together in various projects for decades. The recording of this song, which we did live in the studio, really captures our comfort with feeling our way through a song together. On that freaking accordion solo before the third verse, it’s as if Will summoned a symphony through those bellows!”
April saw the release of ‘Leaves’, which feels hopeful despite being written amidst the quiet wreckage of personal loss. Mastering the art of letting go, she offers a poignant reminder that some seasons simply cannot be held captive. The video — directed by Julia Greenberg and edited by Nico Greenberg with Yumiko Takagi as director or photography — captures a small-town schoolhouse that is “frozen in time”, this setting serving as a poignant monument to the people and milestones we’ve moved on from.
The music pulses with the hard-earned intimacy of four musicians shaped by years on the road together, their songs carrying the marks of constant movement, shared trust, and a collective creative spirit forged across countless Northeastern miles. It blends the dust and edge of alternative country with the sharp lyricism and melodic elegance of classic American songwriting, creating something strikingly human — tender, weathered, and unguardedly sincere.
A chanteuse, theater composer and filmmaker with roots in NYC’s vibrant music scene, Greenberg has released two albums of original music – ‘Past Your Eyes’ and ‘Greenland’ – both produced by James Mastro (The Bongos, Mott the Hoople, Ian Hunter, Patti Smith, John Cale). Her her music has been featured on ‘This American Life’ (including the ever-popular Dr. Phil episode, in which Phil Collins evaluates a breakup song she co-wrote), and Ronnie Spector also recorded one of her songs.
Greenberg’s award-winning documentary ‘Dory Previn: On My Way to Where’ can now be watched on PBS, having had its world premiere at the SXSW Film & TV Festival in 2024. Prior to directing the film, Julia became the foremost interpreter of Previn’s music, performing her work around the country at venues such as Joe’s Pub, Mass MoCA, the 92nd Street Y, the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, and on WFMU and WNYC radio. She is also the archivist for Previn’s estate.
Apart from co-writing the hit off-Broadway rock opera ‘People Are Wrong!’ with Robin Goldwasser, she composed the music for the off-Broadway play ‘Cavedweller’ with “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” composer Stephen Trask. In her spare time, she is a health justice advocate and co-curates the music program at the Rock Valley Schoolhouse in the Catskills.
‘Sometimes The Sea’ is out now, available from digital platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon and Bandcamp. Released via Magic Door Record Label on June 11, the ‘Born Sentimental’ EP is now available for pre-order.
CREDITS
Music & lyrics for all songs written by Julia Greenberg
Jeremy Chatzky – upright bass
Will Holshouser – accordion
Tricia Scotti – backing vocals
Julia Greenberg – acoustic guitar
Bob Perry – electric guitar
Paul Moschella – drums
Stephanie Seymour – percussion
Recorded at Chrometop Studios
Co-produced by Bob Perry and Julia Greenberg
Engineered by Bob Perry
Mastered by Ray Ketchem at Magic Door Recording
Cover artwork by Jamil Azam
Artist photos by Yumiko Takagi
Released by Magic Door Record Label
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR