It’s been a busy year and a bit for Springwood’s Julia Jacklin. The thrill of touring an excellent debut album, shooting videos for a quartet of hits and delivering one of the most popular triple j cover versions ever (a downtempo take on The Strokes’ ‘Someday’) might go to a lesser pop star’s head.
Not Julia’s. You get the impression that Jacklin is as ‘normal’ as ever; aware that she possesses a standout voice but quite unaware of its power to induce tears or draw out that sense of longing or desire for something that you’d long since suppressed.
The excesses of rock life were seemingly embraced more wholeheartedly by support Cosima Jaala, singlehandedly representing her band Jaala. A promising artsy-indie-folk opening suggested Little Dragon were high on the influence list, before Jaala put down her guitar for a turn towards the industrial. So far, so interesting, but the audience lost interest around the time it all descended into screaming and rambling.
This wayward interlude emphasised Jacklin’s understated control, honed via classical lessons when she was a kid. It’s not just beautiful in tone, but in delivery. No Australian Idol histrionics here, but an occasional semi-yodel to confirm that she could totally go full Mariah if that was her style (it’s not).
Besides, there’s no need to overegg it with delicate writing that gets straight to the point. “My heart is heavy when you’re high / So, for me, why won’t you try?” she pleads to an addicted partner on ‘Pool Party’. Likewise, “Guess I was not made for your life” becomes a devastating realisation on ‘L.A. Dream’.
A good chunk of country music is rooted in the mountains – be they Blue Ridge or just plain Blue – and Jacklin’s sound is no different. Yet, her hometown being barely 90 minutes out of the city, Jacklin’s is a very modern, relatable type of country music.
‘Hay Plain’ must be the sweetest (only?) song to reference the Western Distributor. Elsewhere she sings about sadness brought on by an episode of Dancing With The Stars, and on ‘Don’t Let The Kids Win’ of quarter-life angst: “We’re gonna keep on getting older / It’s going to keep on feeling strange”.
She’s unassuming and untouchable – a true talent.
Julia Jacklin played the Metro Theatre on Thursday May 25.
