The Jezabels "Synthia" (2016)

Synthia
release date: Feb. 12, 2016
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]
producer: Lachlan Mitchell
label: Dine Alone Records - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 2. "My Love Is My Disease" - 4. "Unnatural" - 7. "Pleasure Drive"

3rd full-length studio album by Australian band The Jezabels is a slight turn towards a more dreampop and art pop universe with less focus on indie pop as they were labeled with The Brink from 2014. Actually, it's closer to the style of the 2011 debut The Prisoner, which is a bit of a shame. I really liked their initial eps being all more rock-shaped than the debut, and thus: this one too. But Synthia is clearly better than the debut, as it's better produced and generally has a higher standard of quality to it. Only, I think it lacks great songs.
Despite reaching number #4 on the national album charts list - two positions lower than the band's first two albums - the album has generated more than mere positive reviews. Both allmusic.com and Sputnikmusic see this as the band's best, British The Guardian calls it 'an opus' - in fact only the Australian edition of Rolling Stone hands it 3,5 / 5 stars.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, SputnikMusic 4,5 / 5, The Guardian 5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

The Jezabels "The Brink" (2014)

The Brink
release date: Jan. 31, 2014
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,35]
producer: Dan Grech-Marguerat
label: Play It Again Sam - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "The Brink" - 3. "Look of Love" (4 / 5) - 5. "Angels of Fire" - 6. "No Country" - 7. "The End" (4 / 5) - 10. "All You Need"

2nd full-length studio album by The Jezabels sounds like a fine improvement from the debut, which seemed more like a record label decision in need of a full length album from a band with only singles and eps on the cv. More than two years on its way, this is already more like a band shining through with something to offer. To my regret, I found that the band sounded a bit too much like Lana Del Rey on the debut album, which in essence made them appear a bit astray in relation to their sound on the preceding ep and single releases, but here they mostly just sound like themselves (again) with hints to late Siouxsie and the Banshees and U2 - if any. Although, the album may not end up on the top of my year-best list, it's really a fine and recommendable release altogether.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, SputnikMusic 3,5 / 5 stars ]

The Jezabels "Prisoner" (2011)

Prisoner [debut]
release date: Sep. 16, 2011
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,72]
producer: Lachlan Mitchell
label: Play It Again Sam - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 2. "Endless Summer" (3,5 / 5) (live) - 3. "Long Highway" - 4. "Trycolour" - 5. "Rosebud" - 6. "City Girl" - 13. "Catch Me"

Studio album debut by The Jezabels. The style is unchanged from their 2009 and 2010 eps but the band may just be better at releasing singles and eps 'cause this is a bit inconsistent as it makes room for both strong and mediocre tracks. On the weaker tracks vocalist Hayley Mary sounds like a copy of Lana Del Rey, and sometimes I just hear too much U2 in some of the songs. Having said that, it's still interesting indie pop and dream pop, although, I prefer the sound on some of their previous releases.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]

The Jezabels "Dark Storm" (2010) (ep)

Dark Storm, ep
release date: Oct. 1, 2010
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5]

Tracklist: 1. "Dark Storm" - 2. "Mace Spray" (3 / 5) - 3. "Sahara Mahala" (3 / 5) - 4. "A Little Piece" (2,5 / 5) - 5. "She's So Hard" (3 / 5)

3rd 5-track ep by The Jezabels. The music is still interesting, although just a few tracks are worth it all. It's strange how the band just keeps releasing eps. The first full-length studio album The Prisoner was released in Sep. 2011.

The Jezabels She's so Hard (2009) (ep)

She's so Hard, ep
release date: Nov. 2, 2009
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

Tracklist: 1. "Hurt Me" - 2. "Easy to Love" (4 / 5) - 3. "Violent Dream" (3 / 5) - 4. "Into the Ink" (3 / 5) - 5. "The Man Is Dead"

2nd 5-track ep by Australian indie pop, dream pop band The Jezabels. This betters the band's debut ep from Feb. 2009 by having better and more interesting compositions. Also, here the title track doesn't appear on the ep but a track on the ep Dark Storm (2010) is in fact titled "She's so Hard".

The Jezabels "The Man Is Dead" (2009) (ep)

The Man Is Dead, ep
release date: Feb. 7, 2009
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5]

Tracklist: 1. "Disco Biscuit Love" - 2. "Be a Star" (2,5 / 5) - 3. "Electric Lover" (3 / 5) - 4. "Old Little Girls" (2,5 / 5) - 5. "Unmarked Helicopters" (2,5 / 5)

Album debut by Australian indie pop, dream pop band The Jezabels is a 5-track ep. The band consists of Hayley Mary on vocals, Sam Lockwood on guitar, Nik Kaloper on drums, and with Heather Shannon on keyboards. This is an uneven but promising debut, I think. Funny how the title track isn't on the ep, but appears as a track on the band's second ep She's so Hard (2009).