Devotion
is a stunning artistic about-face from revered Melbourne songwriter
Laura Jean. Loved for her piercing, intimate, folk-based albums such as
2014’s Laura Jean and 2011’s A fool who'll, Laura has worked with
producer John Lee (Beaches, Lost Animal) to create an enveloping, deep
pop album like nothing she has done before.
Laura's last self-titled album, recorded in the UK with John Parish
(Perfume Genius, Aldous Harding, PJ Harvey) and featuring Jenny Hval on
backing vocals, was a critical smash in Australia, shortlisted for the
Australian Music Prize and nominated for two Age Music Victoria Awards.
The album lead to Australian and New Zealand tours with Aldous Harding
and Marlon Williams, plus shows with Julianna Barwick, Jessica Pratt and
more.
But soon Laura found herself tinkering with a 90s Kawai keyboard,
enjoying its built-in drum rhythms and moody synth sounds. Laura began a
series of shows performing with nothing but the keyboard, as the idea
for her next album grew and developed.
Devotion is an album about teenage obsession, coastal child- hood and
vivid memory - universal themes filtered through Laura’s razor sharp
lyrical focus. Initial influences for the record took in R’n’B, 80s adult contemporary pop and 70s disco, but the end result
is transformed into something wholly other, full of depth, resonance and
mystery.
Played entirely by Laura, John Lee and drummer Dave Williams (Augie March), Devotion is both contemporary and timeless.
About the album, Laura says: “Devotion is about how a lonely coastal
childhood filters into a contemporary adult life built hundreds of miles
away. I wrote this album for my mum, middle sister and myself as we
were at that time - eccentric, romantically-unfulfilled teens and a
stressed out single mum trying to have a love life. In those times we
needed to hear songs that were loving and uplifting, about the reality
of intimacy, longing, romantic risk and reward. The album is narrated by
me in the present, a detached adult figure far away from home, but
still driven by an inner fantasy world that is set on the beach where I
grew up.”
released June 8, 2018