Julie Doiron & the Wooden Stars

iTunes Review

On her own, Julie Doiron plays an intimate folk music that threatens to disappear in the corner of the room. A former member of the indie-rock band Eric’s Trip, Doiron has rarely sounded comfortable in the company of strangers — or other band members for that matter. Her music requires a calm, steady quiet. So it’s with a bit of shock that her collaboration with the Ottawa-based Wooden Stars comes together so naturally. The band never comes close to overpowering her and her unassuming persona blends right in with the smooth haze cast over the appropriately titled “The Longest Winter,” where she warms up with mildly amplified electric guitars and a beat that nearly brings things to a crawl. “Dance Music” isn’t exactly as its title implies, though it does pick up the pace, much like “The Best Thing for Me” where there’s an actual jab to the instrumentation. Doiron isn’t for everyone. But for those who enjoy hunkering down and sitting patiently, her music provides a meditational pull.