Project Description

The Jezabels – Synthia (Album Review)

From appearing at Groovin’ in the Moo and Splendour in the Grass in 2011 to performing alongside the likes of Australian music heavyweights Jebediah and John Butler Trio, alternative-rock group, The Jezabels have certainly done the hard yards to earn their place in the industry. Their first two studio albums, Prisoner and The Brink were highly praised by both fans and critics alike, with the former winning both the Australian Music Prize and ARIA Award for Best Independent Release.

The Jezabels are renowned for creating music that pushes the envelope as they examine an underlying theme of feminism in their lyrics. In this regard, their latest album, Synthia is no different. However, it also challenges listeners to not only hear the songs they produce so skilfully but take the message within and interpret it in their own way. As drummer, Nik Kaloper said in a recent interview with AMNplify, We’ve always been pretty keen for people to make up their own ideas regarding what the songs are about. Sometimes we don’t even know, to be frank.”

All ten tracks featured on Synthia are, in my opinion, pure perfection – both lyrically and musically. There is no doubting that current singles Pleasure Drive and Come Alive are destined to be hits, but it is the as yet unreleased tracks that really got my attention.

In A Message From My Mothers Passed and Smile, The Jezabels are at their storytelling best. The former opens with the lyrics: “A message came for me today/the voice was soft and wise/If you go out alone today/just watch your back my child” whilst the latter takes on society’s need for women to always offer a smile, no matter how they are feeling (“Don’t tell me to smile/when for all you know/I just buried my mother”).

Lead singer Hayley Mary holds nothing back on any of these tracks but it is in Stamina that we get to see a somewhat softer side to her vocals.  A great way to round out a stellar album.

The Jezabels just keep getting better with each new release and Synthia is their best yet. If you have yet to discover the magic of their music, consider this your opportunity to do so.

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