The three months of December, January & February are typically short on new releases, much less quality releases, so it's a period when I troll international charts for something new to absorb. I start with Australia, then I will hit the UK, Canada, German, and Scandinavian charts in no particular order. The ARIA charts presented several new options, but The Jezabels were the only selection I made this time. For some reason, I've been on a female-fronted run recently (just check the last few posts) and this band is the fourth of six (that's right, two more to go).
"Prisoner" is their first full-length release following three EP's in previous years. They actually had some domestic success at college radio with their very first song...
Nope, I must have missed it, but there is a demo version of it and three other tunes on this deluxe version of "Prisoner." I will note that the demos have a cleaner sound and sort of reminded me of Heart just a tad. The new portion of the record is a wall of sound, big production, power chords...very twenty-something years ago. Lots of New Wave influence for me with Siouxsie & the Banshees leading the way. I also jotted down 4 Non Blondes, the Cure, Icehouse and the Motels throughout the spins. I know, it's all over the board, which is why I will anxiously await another release to see which direction they finally choose. Tell me which of the above listed groups the newest featured single recalls for you...
Believe me, the band is working hard to break outside their native Australia. They are touring hard, in Canada now with a brief left-coast swing that includes a sold out date at the Troubadour in LA a couple of weeks from now. Proof somebody is getting it. This summer they are doing the festival scene across the entire northern hemisphere, hopping from continent to continent. Domestic stops will include NY's Governor's Ball and Chicago's Lollapalooza.
For many of my American readers, remember you heard them here first...
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