Julie Doiron is a household name in New Brunswick. A veritable powerhouse of Canadian music, she dug her roots in Eric’s Trip — the first Canadian band to be signed to the SubPop Records, the same label that made Nirvana famous during the grunge heydays of the 90’s. She was also instrumental in establishing Sappyfest, the small, yet influential festival that counts itself as one of Canada’s best kept musical secrets and has been host to countless local and international acts outside of the mainstream. Her resume also boasts a Juno Award, for Julie Doiron and the Wooden Stars, as well as collaborations with The Tragically Hip, Gord Downie himself, Daniel Romano and more.
Her most current project is a heavy-tinged and reflective rock outfit called Julie & the Wrong Guys. Along side indie folk rocker, Eamon McGrath and members of the hardcore band, Cancerbats, Julie & The Wrong Guys take on themes of loneliness, struggle and loss. Their songs start loud, in a guitar driven surge that groans through the bones into an immediate attack — counterbalancing Dorion’s sweet jangly vocals with brute force riffs and a chugging restlessness that propels the music endlessly forward. The juxtaposition of affecting and melodic vocals with charging guitar and drums serves to drive home the emotive quality of their lyrics while underlying their bittersweet nature.
So far they have released three cuts of their self-titled LP, set to be released for the 8th of September on Dine Alone Records.
In an interview with Noisey, Dorion states: “I love everything about playing with the Wrong Guys! I feel strong and supported in this group with the freedom to play as loud or heavy as I want. It’s super fun for me, and these guys always have my back. It’s the best!”
The pun is inevitable; Julie & The Wrong Guys feel right at home together.