New Albums
Noble folk-pop: Julia Jacklin, Misty Boyce, Amanda Shires
Australian folk diva Julia Jacklin weaves fine singer/songwriter fabric. photo
© Nick Mckk/Transgressive/Pias/dpa
Julia Jacklin’s songwriter music was once called “Australicana”. Still suits the Melbourne singer’s sound quite well. “Pre Pleasure” could bring her a breakthrough.
That’s often the case with musical influences. With the third studio album by Australian singer Julia Jacklin, you could come across Fleetwood Mac, Cat Power or Angel Olsen, who is about the same age.
But: “A lot of great pop music like Celine Dion, Robyn and Luther Vandross”, with great feelings and great production – she had heard that before with delight, says Jacklin in the notes to the new record “Pre Pleasure”.
A Canadian Las Vegas diva, a Swedish disco-pop singer and a US soul crooner. Anyone who met Jacklin with their albums “Don’t Let the Kids Win” (2016) and “Crushing” (2019) need not worry. Because “Pre Pleasure” is again fine, slightly shy singer-songwriter stuff. Ultimately, Jacklin had to find her bearings after the past two years, and the bombast pop energy bars helped her with that.
She recorded her album, which could mark her departure from the narrow indie niche, in Montreal with co-producer Marcus Paquin (The National) and other Canadian musicians. The result are gossamer songs like “Love, Try Not To Let Go”, reminiscent of the Fleetwood Mac of the mid-1970s, or the slightly rougher guitar pop songs “I Was Neon” and “Be Careful With Yourself”.
Jacklin’s sound was once described as “Australicana” in the magazine “plattentests.de”, as Australian Americana. The original neologism also fits their mature music quite well. Melbourne meets Montreal: “Pre Pleasure” combines good things from two worlds.
Misty Boyce between folk and psychedelia
Anyone who is enthusiastic about Jacklin’s music (and also about the singer-songwriter icon Aimee Mann) will also find what they are looking for in the US singer Misty Boyce. Their album “Genesis” combines soft pop (“Bros”, “I Do”) with sometimes more gripping guitar rock tracks like “Charades”. Boyce has already played alongside Sara Bareilles or Sting, here she presents herself as a very independent musician between folk, charming LoFi sounds and psychedelia.
Amanda Shires loves the dramatic
While Jacklin and Boyce’s albums are sparsely produced, Amanda Shires’ Americana rock-pop leans toward the dramatic on “Take It Like A Man.” Not dissimilar to Angel Olsen’s acclaimed new work, this extensively explores country and folk history from Dolly Parton to Emmylou Harris. The emotional voice of the 40-year-old Shires is half the battle on this record as well, her husband Jason Isball’s great guitar playing does the rest.
Julia Jacklin’s album “Pre Pleasure” will be out on Friday (8/26) on Transgressive/Pias. Misty Boyce’s album “Genesis” will be out on 8/5/8. was released by Make My Day Records/Indigo. The album “Take It Like A Man” by Amanda Shires will be released on CD/Vinyl on Friday (26.8.) by ATO Records/Pias/Rough Trade.