Prisoner, your debut full-length album, comes out later this year. How are things in the Jezabels camp in the run-up to the release?
Things are pretty busy at the moment. We haven't stopped recording and rehearsing since we were last in the UK, so we’ve had no time to think. Generally everyone is just really excited and hoping we have made a good album!
You formed at the University of Sydney in the late 2000’s. What was it that drew you together to form a band?
Heather and I had been writing folky songs together since high school, and when we got to uni we wanted to find a band. When we met the guys, we entered the 2007 Sydney University band competition and came second. From then on, our music transformed to what it is now.
Your music has a rich fullness to it; it is at once driving and tender. How would you describe your sound to someone who had never heard you play?
I like what you said actually, 'driving and tender'. I guess it's a combination of four very different musical tastes and personalities, both feminine and masculine. For a while there we were using the term ‘gothic pop’ as a bit of a joke. But in many ways I think it's accurate, if you talk more in terms of literary gothic, like Radcliffe or Shelly, rather than makeup-wearing goth. Though there might be a bit of both in there, if you look hard enough.
In the past you’ve been compared to the likes of The Cranberries, Fleetwood Mac and Arcade Fire. I myself can hear a shared approach to music-making with Kyla La Grange. What do you make of these comparisons?
They're all very flattering. They’re certainly bands we have a lot of respect for. A lot of the time we get compared to people we've never heard of, which is funny.
Despite having three EPs under your belt, you only released your debut UK single – Hurt Me – earlier this year. What sort of reaction did you receive?
It’s hard to say from all the way down under, but I think we were just really amazed to be able to come over and play to full rooms. We're generally amazed when that happens!
Your first three EPs were linked by the themes of gender and romance, and this was apparent in the lyrics, artwork and song titles (some of which were used as titles for subsequent EPs). What inspired this grand over-arching approach to music making? Will the saga be continued on the new album, or have you tackled writing from a different angle?
When we released our first EP we were considering doing an album, but didn't really feel ready. We wanted to do another EP and the trilogy idea had an epic fantasy/sci-fi vibe that we all liked. I guess you could see it as a flaw or a strength, but I am certainly obsessed with gender and romance as inspiration for lyrics. So yes, it does continue into the album in that way. But the album is definitely a stand-alone release. Hopefully it will feel fresh to listeners too.
When writing, do you draw influence from your personal experiences, other musicians or do you look further afield for inspiration?
I guess a bit of everything. There are certainly real emotions in there. For me personally, though, when writing the lyrics I like to distance myself from the song a bit by way of a fictional narrative or character. It makes it easier to write. There’s a bit more personal stuff on the album, though.
On your last EP, Dark Storm, you used new techniques in the studio including an eBow and “weird percussion instruments” to simulate thunder. Have you experimented more with instrumentation on the new LP?
Haha. Some weird percussive instruments do make an appearance at times, among more conventional ones. We've used a pretty good mix of old and new sounds and voices, I think.
You’ve played at many festivals, including Brighton’s Great Escape and Austin’s South by Southwest. Which has been your favourite and why? How does performing at a festival compare to an ‘ordinary’ gig in a sweaty venue?
Always love an intimate gig. Brighton was a bit less hectic than SxSW so I'd have to say I enjoyed that, but it’s all fun and amazing for us.
And finally, do you have anything else you’d like to add. A message for your UK fans perhaps?
I am more excited to come to Scotland than any other country! My dad grew up in Glasgow and used to sing old Celtic folk tunes to me. I think that Celtic love of melody has had a bearing on the path I've chosen, so in many ways it feels like I’m coming home.
ES
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