Hopelessly devoted to tunes Not content with just releasing glorious albums, Laura Jean has signed up for a degree in psychology and legal studies. She also tells Carley Hall her family are both her biggest fans and her harshest critics.
ith an album about to be borne
W
I found the sounds and rhythms on it were really evocative to
into this world and some inter-
my past. And then these ideas just sprung up in my head.
esting live shows coming up,
“Writing songs is how I process my world. I have breaks
one would think Laura Jean would be in the
from it but the tension builds up and comes to me in big
throes of preparation. Instead, the Melbourne
waves of work, then I spend the next few years refining those
chanteuse is at home tackling her degree
initial ideas into something relatable to the rest of the world.”
in psychology and legal studies. For what
Subject matter aside, writing about her past wasn’t
overall purpose Jean is not entirely sure of at
the only challenge in recording Devotion. Having first
this stage, but her field of study is hardly sur-
penned most of the songs in 2015, Jean said they eventually
prising given the intimate, psychoanalytical
melded into the current shape with some help from producer
nature of her lyrics to date.
John Lee.
“I really just wanted to study and learn
“I wanted the songs to be as immediately effective and
more,” Jean reasons. “I’ve just started, but I’m
affecting as they could, so I worked on the songs for quite a
really enjoying it. You’re in there with all sorts
few years just so I could refine the structure and make the lyr-
of people from different backgrounds and
ics all fit,” Jean explains. “That part was challenging, because
you’re there with the common goal of want-
sometimes the songs just wouldn’t budge and I had to play
ing to learn more.”
them over and over.
Jean’s raw and rugged lyrics teamed
“It was a real puzzle for a while and finally John said, ‘Can
with her folk-pop stylings have been the
you leave me alone with it for a couple of days?’, which was
backbone of her career since the release of
really hard for me. He said he just needed to let go and give
2003 EP The Hunter’s Ode. With her latest,
it what it needed — which was really simple bass guitars, a lot
Devotion, she’s five albums deep and tow-
of reverb — and it was perfect. From there it was just a matter
ing an impressive musical CV behind her that
of keeping that energy without overcooking it or undercook-
includes shortlistings for the Australian Music
ing it.”
Prize and nominations for The Age Music Vic-
Looking back over a musical career that has been wisely
toria Awards. The new album brought with it
and carefully curated, and with the knowledge that there will
an edgier keyboard-pop that Jean says even-
be more songs to come, Jean is refreshingly gracious in her
tually wrapped around the subject matter
estimation, where so many others can be quick to point out
well: her family and, in particular, growing up
the negatives.
with her mother and sister along the coast.
“I feel a lot of empathy for myself as a younger person try-
Does writing for such close loved ones pres-
ing to achieve these things,” she offers, “and I think it’s such
ent its challenges?
a huge body of work and time that it’s hard for me to neatly
“It’s often my family that I write for, so
sum it up.
in a weird way they often really love it,” Jean
“But the main feelings are pride and I’m incredulous that
laughs. “But when they don’t, wow! I showed
I’ve devoted my life to something that is quite crazy; like, it’s a
something to my dad and he said, ‘Nah it’s
kind of crazy thing to devote your life to in a material sense.
not there yet.’ My friends and family are the
You’re always poor and always struggling, but what it gives
ones that I aim to please; they know when
you in return is so invaluable — a community and a [sense
you’re being real and when you’re not, and
of] belonging.”
they know what you’re capable of. “It was a delightfully difficult album to write,” she continues. “The songs came in a wave and my friend gave me this keyboard that he found on the street, and as I played it
Devotion (Chapter) is out now. Laura Jean tours from 28 Jul.
THE MUSIC
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MUSIC
Beyond the Pale Heather Baron-Gracie of Pale Waves sits down with Cyclone to discuss life as the new queen of goth-pop, musical soulmates, The Cure and an upcoming Aussie Tour.
M
anchester’s Pale Waves are known for their black garb — frontwoman Heather BaronGracie especially striking with her big raven hair. But, broody undercurrents aside, Britain’s hottest new band are not necessarily goth. Indeed, they dig the glimmer of classic pop far too much. “I think people give us that label because of our image, but I see us as dark pop music,” Baron-Gracie says of the ‘goth’ descriptor. “We’re heavily influenced by the ‘80s era, and musicians from that time, but we love modern pop music. So I feel like we take inspiration from the past and the present and then sort of combine them both.” In fact, by putting the jangle and a groove into emotive synth-rock, Pale Waves could be a Mancunian Paramore. Pale Waves formed in 2014 out of Baron-Gracie’s friendship with drummer
The kids go hard
