The Jezabels

Samuel Lockwood, Heather Shannon, Hayley Mary and Nick Kaloper

‘We’re not a female band or a male band.’

How many bands are able to claim that they are genderless, completely neutral? Not many. Though the Jezabels’ are one of the few, there’s Hayley Mary (vocals) and Heather Shannon (keys) along with Samuel Lockwood (guitar) and Nick Kaloper (rhythm). 

As Heather talks about her role in the band, images spring to mind – The Runaways, The Divinyls.  Whether it be the tight corsets or school uniforms associated with these bands respectively, it’s just so great that the Jezabels are able to transcend that entire stigma.

‘When you look back in history at bands with female front women, generally the band are all males and they’re the standout. I like that I’m a non-descript instrument person, people don’t have to think about my gender which is really empowering.’

Two guys and two girls – it’s the perfect equation; a rare achievement that finds itself among the ranks of yin and yang, sally and harry, honey and soy. Though on a more serious note, this is what makes the Jezabels’ music relatable to a wider audience.

Having just returned from a host of shows overseas the band is coming closer to knowing what its like to be a world wide phenomenon, though this doesn’t make it any less overwhelming.

‘I guess when you’re ambitious and hardworking and you’re willing to put the time in then something good will come of it though I never thought about the repercussion. Once you get to that place its like oh my god, holy shit. It’s really blowing up now, getting more and more scary.’

But you wouldn’t know be able to tell. Exhausting at times the band delivers raw energy and emotion every time. Whether it’s to thousands at Ireland’s Electric Picnic Festival or a roomful of students at Sydney Uni’s Manning Bar... 

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Ernest Ellis & the Panamas

Ernest Ellis’ music is what it is – and what you take from it.

‘It’s something I really love and I feel bound too – I wouldn’t know what to do without it. Kings Canyon is a true indicator of where I’m at and where we’re at.’

Great Sky.

Only three times in my life has a song been as affecting. The first was I'll be your lover from Paul Kelly – that man is inspirational. Then as a teenager there was Sebastian Tellier’s la Ritournelle and more recently, Nick Cave’s Into My Arms. 

Whether it’s my infatuation with the track, or it’s vast, overwhelming sound I can’t help but ask Ellis the meaning behind Great Sky.

I’m a little unnerved as he chuckles down the line,

'You write songs and you forget who that person was that wrote it – you write it at a certain place in time and the lyric comes about real quick, a song like that comes out of nowhere… your mind works in different ways.’

I can see his point. Talking about the mechanics of a song, or even art takes away from it’s charm to begin with, the way it means something different for every person – and besides, he can’t remember the reasons behind it’s conception to begin with. 

Maybe that’s a good thing.

If you’re wondering why this song, or this album means so much to me – I’m not sure. But I’ll tell you this, it’s real and as Ellis relates, that’s something that can’t be taken for granted these days,

'To be honest with you there’s no great music without pain, there’s no great art without it and I hate this whole thing ‘ oh yeah we’re just guys playing with our guitars, having a good time.’– It’s fucking bullshit, they’re not real artists…

You look at the National, Lou Reed or Iggy Pop and there’s pain burning in their faces, that’s the reason they write good records there’s no pretension and that’s what makes people as a listener feel a deep connect to those songs.’

It’s safe to say this is something I agree with, especially if you remember my rant about cookie-cutter musicians and the line ‘Lady Gaga is merely a reincarnation of Madonna with the added interest of raw meat.’ It's all the same.

‘You hear Fleet Foxes, or Bon Iver and there’s so much emotion in that and reality – they’re real people singing those tunes, then there are people who find another idea that other people have made and it becomes homogenised…

A lot of the time it’s about what other people want – that’s not what it should be about, you’ve got to make music that’s honest to yourself otherwise it’s an amalgam of other things, its not real.'

More than anything, real emotions make real music. And as a record, Kings Canyon reaches highs, lows, all that in between. Songs like Sons and Daugters and Great Sky are a little more upbeat whereas there’s great depth and depression to Blackhole and Oceans…. 

‘We wanted to put songs on there that flowed thematically and sonically. They say art imitates life and if you’re a proper songwriter, or artist its impossible not to be influenced by what happens around you – you take that everywhere you go...

It was a tough period in a lot of ways but at the same time we feel that the record has a lot of optimism in a way, it was a cathartic process… the record goes from a really elated to really depressed sound and lyric – I’m proud of the fact that it’s honest.’

The best things are natural, unforced – left as they are and to be honest Kings Canyon is the kind of music I live for as a journalist because there’s something to talk about – it’s thought provoking. 

Kings Canyon is released tomorrow, you know what I think - Itunes & JB.

The Seabellies

the seabellies are kyle, trent, steph, edward, antony and sean

2010 saw the Seabellies release their stunning debut album By Limbo Lake. Hitting the road the Seabellies began a string of tours late last year, finally wrapping up earlier this month. We were able to ask the band a few questions before they buckle down to work on album number two…

If Limbo Lake was to exist, and who’s to say it doesn’t, I imagine it would be a place brimming with blind hope, passion and well, a little desperation .

As a concept itself, limbo is ultimately a midpoint – it is neither here nor there. Reflecting this, every element of the Seabellie's sound serves to engender this same sense of surreal.

I can honestly say I’ve played this record countless times, finding or feeling something different with each listen. Some of the tracks to look out for include Young Cubs, Board the Apartment and my personal favourite Trans Ending. 

How did your band name, The Seabellies come into being?

The name Seabellies came about through a short story that Trent wrote during his Uni days. It has a bit of a morbid underlay but the story was about a man that he found washed up on a beach when he was younger, the story was entitled “The Seabelly”  which later morphed into the band name.

By Limbo Lake’s sound is lush, layered and at times has almost orchestral elements (Ices: Death and Love)- what goes into creating the perfect mix?

Lots and lots of time and experimentation. Six minds can create a tangle of creative chaos but in the end it irons out into a result that we all agree on and love, which can take a while but we always get there. We try to put in as much variety in our sound to create songs that keep opening up to the listener on repeated listens.

You’ve just wrapped up an impressive set of tours across the country for By Limbo Lake, what’s the best thing about playing live?

The energy and excitement you feel from the crowd, nothing beats a full room of fans singing along to the songs. 

Are there any particular gigs or memories that stand out?

Just recently we played at the Sydney Good Vibrations Festival which was pretty cool. It’s bin a while since we were on a big stage like that so it was fun to have a bit more room to move than usual.

I’m a little in love with all your film clips - in particular the narrative, beauty and desperation of Trans Ending. How do these concepts come about?

The concept to the Trans Ending film clip was developed by Sydney director Tom Noakes. We usually have a rough idea of what we want to be conveyed in the clip in terms of mood and theme. This is pitched to various directors who come back with their treatments and we chose the one that closely resembles our initial vision for the song.

What’s in store for the rest of the year?

We’re all on our way over to Europe to travel for a few months which may coincide  with a few European showcases. Of late we have been busy demoing tracks to a new album of which we plan to record later in the year, then back on the road for more shows to tie it all together.

Given your pick, if The Seabellies could take to the stage with any artists (alive or dead) who would they be?

Any of the following would be an absolute dream come true- Radiohead, Coldplay, Band of Horses, Midlake, The Shins, Mew, The Dears and Doves.

By Limbo Lake is available at all music stores (the album art is great too), and you can also have preview and buy from Itunes.