IN MID-March, superb Australian alt.folk singer-songwriter Julia Jacklin was just one show from finishing a 12-month world tour for her second album, Crushing, when Scott Morrison, Australia’s prime minister, announced the country would be restricting large gatherings due to the ‘rona.
Within a week state borders had shut, and the three-month planned gap in Julia’s touring schedule has turned indefinite.
Kicking her heels after half a decade of touring pretty much non-stop, Julia put pen to paper and plectrum to string and has recorded a brace of tracks for Sub Pop’s Singles Club.
You can watch the video for the lovely, lazy harmonies of the (mostly lower case) A-side “to Perth, before the border closes” below.
Julia says of the new track – and it’s honeyed lyrical hook: “I’ve moved around a lot the last five years; chasing things, love, work, something new, whatever and there’s always this fear that I’m leaving good things behind just to go somewhere else and be lonely.
“Whispering ‘everything changes’ to myself helps get me to sleep at night.
“I started writing this song in Melbourne and finished it in Perth. It was like a little song bridge between the two cities to make the change easier.”
The B-side “CRY”, is a stream of consciousness number, reportedly inspired by Dolly Parton. It features lush harmonies from the band on these recordings: Perth friends Jennifer Aslett, Christ Wright and Jacob Diamond.
The singles are available to Singles Club subscribers as limited-edition 7” singles (subscriptions are nearly sold-out!), and are available now at all digital music services.
Follow Julia at her website, on Facebook, on Twitter and on Instagram.
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