Syndey’s Julia Jacklin charms and soars in the nearly 6 minutes of bliss that comprise her new single “Hay Plain.”
Some “Album of the Year” contenders are just obvious from first listen… and this is one of them. Don’t Let The Kids Win is an incredibly personal record that speaks loudly for itself in declarations of feelings that burst forth, uninhibited. It’s about coming to terms with the hard parts of life and learning to find a way to keep going. Together, the collection of songs sways with sadness, much like a country album from many years ago that is in a painfully romantic slow dance with modern indie rock. Julia’s lilt is the pleasantly drifting glue that binds it all together.
Her newest single, “Hay Plain,” is a weary journey worth taking. It’s patient, heavily plodding through a sticky mess of heartache with courage and as much conviction as one could hope for in the toils of a breakup. Julia uses her supple voice to float to the hope of escaping a former love and melt back into the swirling wall of instrumentation that amasses as the song progresses. Paced with a slight unpredictably that appropriately mirrors its own tale of love, the tune builds and releases with a massive reward and a soft resolution. The enchanting grip of “Hay Plain” is strong enough to land it near the top of my favorite songs of 2016.
Don’t Let The Kids Win is out October 7th on Polyvinyl Records. You can (and should) pre-order it here.
