Jezabels
Prisoner
(Self-Released)
‘Record labels – who needs ‘em?’
That may as well be the catch-cry trumpeting from the album art of the Jezabels’ rather excellent debut album. It also happens to be the fourth set of recordings the Sydney-based quartet have released themselves, entirely free of corporate intrusion. Having built a steady following on the back of these releases (and their famed, blistering live shows), the band are quite possibly the most coveted band in the country to release an album while not even in Australia (they're playing in Holland tonight, FYI). Everything The Jezabels do, they do very well; from the arching drama of frontwoman Hayley Mary’s multi-octave wail through to the powerful finesse of Nik Kaloper’s drumming, the band have managed to create an impressive landscape all their own; they just don’t sound like many other rock bands.
This much is obvious from the moment opener ‘Long Highway’ struts into the room, all gothic Cyndi Lauper and alt-rock magic. I could gush about Hayley Mary's voice all day. It's a wonderful, full-bodied thing capable of all kinds of spine-tingling feats, particularly in the upper octaves. Swooping between her regular and spacewoman registers is one of Mary's trademarks, something she's been developing with increasing success since the band's inception. Such a feat requires a huge level of fearlessness -- there is nothing Hayley does vocally on this album that could remotely be considered 'safe'. It's a rare thing that can't be boxed in, full of drama and spiked with feeling that evokes Kate Bush and Dolores O'Riordan in equal measure, yet remains gloriously unique. 'Horsehead' is a fantastic example; with the swelling, subdued brood of the verse, the listener has no idea of the fiery escalation coming at chorus time. Such a trick is slightly berserk and completely wonderful.
The band shines when they’re not only showing off their formidable lead singer but their own skills as well. The rhythmic tug-of-war of ‘Nobody Nowhere’ and the gloriously rich instrumentation of ‘City Girl’ are just two of an endless set of such highlights that pop up in unexpected places, demonstrating the full breadth of the quartet's ability to mesh as a unit. And it’s not for nothing that Jezabels are spending half their year globetrotting; this is a "world-ready" sound, akin to say, Silverchair’s ‘Emotion Sickness’ spread over an entire record.
The Jezabels don’t need speed or gimmicks to impress, but rather a focus on sturdy harmonic material (pianist Heather Shannon’s considerable contribution to their aesthetic should not be ignored) and the ability to infuse it with a power and conviction in the live arena that few bands can match. For an independent band who still refuse to sign with anyone, and micromanage everything from their press to their artwork, Prisoner is a remarkable achievement in every sense.
Jonno Seidler
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