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Julia Macklin doesn't seem all that wild, except perhaps in the way she allows her creativity to make acoustic guitars and her solo voice sound ethereal even as she keeps her feet firmly planted on the ground. There's a dreamlike feel to her music, but she's not going to fly off to the heavens at any minute. Her music is lyrical, not New Age.

"Send Me Dreaming," the opening track, sets the mood. It does sound dreamy, but it's actually a song about the end of a relationship. Chris Cunningham, who has worked with Susan McKeown and Marina Bellica, among others, and serves as the album's producer, joins Macklin on guitars. Bellica hangs out for backing vocals; the way her voice intertwines with Macklin's merely boosts the haunting quality of the number. It's follow-up, "Say Goodbye," also a song about a break up, seems to follow in the footsteps of "Send Me Dreaming," but it's not too close a resemblance.
Macklin's voice sounds more thoughtful as she's joined again by Cunningham (this time he plays numerous instruments, including keyboards and mandolin) and Bellica. It's a gentle song, but it's carefully holding back a harsher bite. Macklin isn't all dreamy starshine, although she does like to play with rhythms and time signatures, as comes across quite pleasantly on "Follow Me." Her music may be offbeat - in the very best sense of the word.

Some of that rougher side comes across on "Tea with the Dead" and "Who Said Anything." The latter song begins with a short blast of drums and electric guitar from Ethan Eubanks. Its rhythm brings back memories of Annie Haslam and Renaissance. While Macklin's voice doesn't possess Haslam's range, she does have the emotional expression. Macklin, who was born in Wisconsin but raised on Long Island, previously performed pieces by various classical composers
(including Handel, Bach, and Mozart) with the Brooklyn Philharmonic. Her classical training clearly comes across with her rhythms and her vocal lilts. "Tea with the Dead," probably one of the more unusual tracks in terms of rhythm, starts with electric guitar and a slight sigh from Macklin before she starts in on a former love. Again, there are fragments of Haslam, but any Renaissance-sounding influences are updated for the 21st century. Her voice hits its higher notes on the chorus, its silvery shimmers leaving haunting echoes as she pleads with this love to give her a sign. "It's you who must speak first for my heart is broken/stolen on your dying day."

Most of the tracks on Half Wild seem to deal with break-ups, lost love, and loneliness. However, they're not depressing. On "Mine," she sings "I fell out of love, out of love - never to be seen again," but the number isn't down beat. There's a bit of optimism hiding out there, as she states on "So Much Sky": "Today's ok but I really like tomorrow - a question filled with possibility." The final song, a cover of "Eleanor Rigby," another song about lonely people, is austere and curious. The vocals are gentle, and the guitars are acoustic. It's a strong attempt to make a well-known song her own.

Macklin's own material consists of strong lyrics and musical rhythms that help make them feel like poetry. There's little distance between the singer and her songs; Macklin is close-up and personal with her audience in terms of musical emotion. She's definitely a performer to watch.

For more information visit www.juliamacklin.com