Perhaps the most interesting aspect about The Brink is how unconventionally predictable it sounds. In other words, The Brink is the kind of album you would have expected the Sydney four-piece to release as their debut. Instead, their first album Prisoner was a bleaker, more sombre offering that raised more than a few eyebrows.
This time around, however, their collection is much more striking and traditionally poppy. By hearkening back to their older sound – in particular, their The Man Is Dead / She’s So Hard EP era – The Brink demonstrates the Sydney quartet returning to their roots.
The 11 tracks spanning The Brink contain more vivacious, get-up-and-dance energies to them – a clear contrast to the more downtrodden songs found on the likes of the aforementioned Prisoner or even Dark Storm.
Thankfully, this is still very much a Jezabels sounding album, mostly due to Hayley Mary’s extraordinarily soaring voice that’s especially evident during the likes of ‘Time To Dance’ and the chorus of lead single, ‘The End’. Heather Shannon once again makes her presence known on keys and is the driving force behind the masterful ‘Beat To Beat’, a number which makes use of more vibrant, traditional synth hooks.
One can’t help but wonder if this bait and switch was somewhat intentional? It’s an interesting tactic, a shift that almost lends the band a sense of security during the release of a potential sophomore slump. Regardless of what brought on the change, it works. One can’t criticise the album for how it sounds, because it sounds just like The Jezabels.
Listen to ‘The End’ from The Brink here:
