Ali Welford discovers an album of sonic expansion and lyrical flair
Transgressive Records
Released: 26.08.22
Conveying her authentic self has never been an issue for Australian artist Julian Jacklin, whose unflinching lyrical flair culminated in one of the most devastating singer-songwriter albums of recent times in 2019’s Crushing.
Mulling the time and effort invested in maintaining connections as opposed to the desolation of them falling apart, PRE PLEASURE nevertheless supplies its own sequence of gut-punches – not least when betraying the same emotional scars worn so nakedly on its predecessor. As such, while the magical string-laden closer End Of A Friendship stands testament to Jacklin’s sonic expansion, it’s the hymnal Too In Love To Die which strikes the most potent note; masterfully conveying early-relationship fear and insecurity from somebody only too aware they’ve been down this road before.