by Dominic Acito (@mycamgrlromance)
Julia Jacklin’s songwriting can be so intimate and direct that it can be, at times, discomforting for the listener. It’s not a case of too much personal detail, but because she gives voice to many of our own unspoken thoughts. We mistakenly assume we’re alone in our feelings, but when Jacklin hits an emotional nerve, we’re reminded that many of our suppressed thoughts are universal. Fans of hers may be surprised when reminded that this is just her third album of solo material. Her first two albums and a fistful of singles packed in a great deal of emotional storytelling. Her lyrics are powerful enough to stand alone on the page without music. PRE PLEASURE is one of those albums that rewards you for buying the vinyl each time you reread the lyrics.
There is a noticeable shift in sound on PRE PLEASURE from previous releases as Jacklin trades her butterscotch blonde Telecaster for the piano, which when accompanied by her resonant voice, gives the recordings a warmth that can be felt by the heart as it traces her vocal melodies. The opening song, “Lydia Wears a Cross,” might be the closest glimpse we will have of the songwriting process for PRE PLEASURE. A drum machine sets the rhythm and sparse piano chords ring out as Jacklin’s voice pivots around a captivating melody. It weaves a narrative balancing the weight of religion against the mundaneness of high school assemblies. At the same time it mourns the loss of a more innocent time when we felt more in step with our Catholic School peers. Our loss of faith isn’t as bad as our loss of community - “I’d be a believer if it was all just song and dance”.
The song “Ignore Tenderness” is a lyrical stand out. It’s one of those Jacklin songs that is so emotionally evocative that it verges on discomfort. She muses on the conflicting expectations of intimacy – her excitement derailed by conflicting ideologies regarding power structure. Jacklin’s voice smooths over the discordant advice we get and questions why intimacy and eroticism are presented to us as opposing ideas. It tells us to view ourselves as “…brave / a little leaf catching a wave, strong but willing to be saved”.
It wouldn’t be a Julia Jacklin album without a visit to the airport, the perfect setting for reflection on one’s journey, one’s origin realizing that most of life is being between places. “Too In Love To Die” is the rare love song from Julia Jacklin, but she still manages to infuse her signature brand of melancholy. This song seems to echo the first track, where she feels certain that the all powerful god she learned about in Catholic school would not allow someone to die in a plane crash and interrupt something as powerful as love.
“End of a Friendship” serves a sendoff to a friendship and the album. Bathed in beautiful instrumentation, this track enlists the help of a string section led by cello, serving as a cinematic end to the album. The songs of PRE PLEASURE are a melodious, lyrical expedition in the valley between what we want and what is expected of us, serving as a reminder that meeting someone else’s expectations, might not be what we want.