Introducing Juliette and the New Romantiques

After announcing in mid-January on Juliette and The Licks’ MySpace page blog that the “Licks are no more. It is the end of our run … For now,” this week Lewis announced the new band’s name, along with new shows and a new Web page.

Lewis explained her new album, Terra Incognita, which is set for release this spring and was produced by Mars Volta guitarist Omar Rodriguez Lopez, called for a new name for her band.

“Because this album is so sonically different than anything I’ve done before and captures many flavors of my emotional life and voice, it needed an entirely new name,” she said of Juliette and the New Romantiques.

Lewis wrote most of the 11 tracks on the new album – which the blog post notes is “coming soon” – along with her friend guitarist Chris Watson. Rich Costey, who has worked with Nine Inch Nails and Muse, mixed the LP.

Lewis, who made an appearance at Pollstar’s 2007 Concert Industry Awards show as one of the presenters, described Terra Incognita as “my version of whatever soul is.” She goes on to say, “I let the haunted woman come through – the tormented blues soul singer – as well as my full-throttle rock voice.”

Later this month Lewis and her band have plans to show off the new tunes by playing this year’s South by Southwest Festival at Emo’s in Austin, Texas, March 18 as well as a spot at San Diego IndieFest at North Park in San Diego, March 28.

In June the band heads for Germany to perform in the Rock & Ring AM Festival at Nurburg Ring in Nurburg June 5-6.

Lewis wrapped up her blog post by saying:

“Terra Incognita means unknown territory and I wanted – needed – to go there. Not everybody wants to. But I got no one to answer to, so why not feed the muse? It’s all about this love of expression and an audience who’s willing to take the journey into my mythical sonic forest of dreams, where romance and tragedy are next to heaven.”

Hmmm. Yeah, whatever that means!

Check out Juliette and the New Romantiques’ MySpace page as well as new tunes by the band here. 

To read the Lewis’ full blog post click here.