Melbourne, Australia
March 14, 2019
webstream (sound quality: Ex-, Triple J Radio webcast)
02 Leadlight
03 Motherland
04 Don't Know How to
Keep Loving You
05 When the Family Flies In
06 Don't Let the Kids Win
07 Good Guy
08 You Were Right
09 Pool Party
10 Head Alone
11 Pressure to Party
05 When the Family Flies In
06 Don't Let the Kids Win
07 Good Guy
08 You Were Right
09 Pool Party
10 Head Alone
11 Pressure to Party
*sample Julia Jacklin & band's live talent here*
(for me, this is the definitive version of "Head Alone")
KEXP Studios
Seattle, WA
Aug. 12, 2019
webstream (sound quality: Ex-)
01 Don't Know How to
Keep Loving You
02 Head Alone
03 Turn Me Down
04 Pressure to Party
05 LA Dream (KUTX 2017)
06 Head Alone (AB Session 2019)
07 Comfort (RNZ Live 2019)
08 Pressure to Party (RNZ Live 2019)
09 Eastwick (Sideshow Alley 2017)
ROB SEZ: This was supposed to be a different post, about an up-and-coming group that just released a new album — accompanied by LOTS of indie hype. I really wanted to buy into the hoopla. I bought the new album, listened attentively several times, and ... was singularly unimpressed. By contrast, Australian artist Julia Jacklin has been in heavy rotation at my house for many weeks now. Jacklin's music has everything I found lacking in the unnamed group's recent long player: an identifiable personality, impressive musical chops, loads of charm, and plenty of food for thought in the lyrics. Her 2019 album Crushing (AllMusic rating: 4.5 stars out of 5) and 2022's PRE PLEASURE (AllMusic rating: 4 stars out of 5) have rewarded me richly during their frequent spins. This post offers a hometown show that coincided with the release of Jacklin's second album as well as a 2019 live set for KEXP radio, augmented by other live (mostly acoustic) recordings from 2017 and 2019. Special thanks to Triple J Radio, KEXP, and the others for sharing. Please enjoy.
FLAC lossless captures, lossy sources
thank you
ReplyDeleteCheers, Chuck!
Deletemight as well tell us who the unnamed band is . . .
ReplyDeleteAlvvays. Blue Rev, the new album, is h-y-p-e on a platter. To be fair, I think the band had too much time to overdub and tweak it since they recorded it a good while ago, and were waiting until the worst of the pandemic was over to release the album and tour behind it. I would like to hear the demos or album rough mixes. I read a review on a substantive music site that compared the new album to one of the first two Big Star albums ... which is SO absurd. It's nowhere close to that good...
DeleteRob, I agree re the new Alvvays record. I liked where they were headed on the first two, especially the second. And "Archie, Marry Me" from the first is a power pop classic. This new one reminds me of too many "cool" bands from the early 90s who buried their melodies and vocals beneath a wall of crap. A shame because Molly Rankin has expressed a love for some better older stuff, "Black and White" included. Unfortunately, she chose the wrong era for inspiration. It's probably an unpopular opinion, but I feel the first two Teenage Fanclub records sucked. When ranking his albums a few years ago, Norman Blake placed both Grand Prix and Songs of Northern Britain ahead of Bandwagonesque, which is on the money. Folks need to stop believing the hype and listen with their ears.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Rankin is a good singer, and the band is capable. And I *wanted* to like the new album!
DeleteBeing at the Fillmore in Philly in 2019 when Jacklin and her band played "Don't Know How to Keep Loving You" was a treat to behold. A long song that builds with purpose and, as a result, doesn't get tedious. There's a clip of them on YouTube performing it on World Cafe Live. What knocks me out is the restraint of the drummer, which dramatically adds to the overall effect. Brilliant stuff. Sadly, we missed Jacklin this time around. She postponed the Philly show due to throat issues, and my nurse wife couldn't get off work for the makeup date. These days, I hate to go alone and tell my wife about the good time she missed (though I may do it next week for Dori Freeman at Cafe Wha?). Long haul but my favorite singer.
ReplyDeleteEnvious! Would love to see her live, but work and geography make it very unlikely. Her drummer is amazing and, really, the whole band she's got right now. It was fun to prep this post just to watch them playing live...
DeleteThanks for the Julia Jacklin share great work regards
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure, Rhodb.
Delete