More Info
Julia Jacklin returns with The Gem, her fourth album and first for 4AD, and it feels like a record made very much on her own terms. After spending years touring and making records at a pretty relentless pace, Jacklin had some time to step back and make this one at home in Melbourne, working with producer Robert Muinos and a small group of friends. The album takes its name from a little bar in Collingwood where Jacklin first started feeling at home after moving to Melbourne from Sydney, and where the record was eventually made in a converted hotel room above the pub. There’s something fitting about that setting because The Gem seems to be all about finding your feet again.
Musically, it’s a warm, loose indie-rock record, with guitars, bass and drums giving the songs plenty of space to breathe. The first single, “Get Away From Me (I Think I’ll Love You Soon)”, has a breezy, jangly feel that nods towards the ’80s Melbourne guitar sound, but there’s plenty more going on across the ten tracks. “Brand New”, “God Sometimes”, “The Hardest Thing” and “Angel Vision” all have that familiar Jacklin knack for turning complicated feelings into very direct, conversational songs, while “Walk On Me” stretches out to become the longest track on the album.
The thread running through the record is the tension between wanting to love and be loved while still wanting to remain free, which gives the songs a nice push and pull between intimacy and independence. It’s also a record that took its time: what was initially supposed to be a quick couple of weeks in the studio ended up becoming nearly a year of tinkering and figuring things out. The result feels less like Jacklin trying to make a big statement and more like a songwriter following her instincts and seeing where they lead.
There’s a nice sense of community running through The Gem too, with friends Jacob Diamond, Mimi Gilbert and Jess Elwood forming the core band and The Maes appearing on the closing “I Wish”. A very Melbourne record in that sense — made in a pub, surrounded by friends, with bands playing downstairs and the occasional interruption from the real world. After Pre Pleasure, The Gem sounds like Jacklin giving herself a bit of room to breathe, while still doing what she does best: writing sharp, honest songs about love, uncertainty and trying to work out where you belong.