Julia Jacklin is back with a superb new song and video for “Lydia Wears A Cross,” the first single from the singer/songwriter’s upcoming new album PRE PLEASURE. A slow-burner of grumbling guitars and her own radiant cries the new song slices deep thanks to its autobiographical slant. In support of her new album, Julia Jacklin has announced tour dates with two Los Angeles concert dates. Julia Jacklin will headline the Fonda Theatre in Hollywood on Oct. 7, as well as perform at the This Ain’t No Picnic festival, Aug. 27-28 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
In “Lydia Wears A Cross,” Jacklin casts a few melancholic glances back at adolescence. Which was a time that she concedes saw her juggling a few big questions about life and religion in the guise of an obsession with the musical Jesus Christ Superstar and her time served at Catholic school. “I’d be a believer / If it was all just song and dance / I’d be a believer / If I thought we had a chance,” she murmurs desperately.
Like Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker, Jacklin’s tellings of growing up in devoutly religious circles reveal as much hypocrisy as they do confusion — especially as a child. The tale of the titular Lydia hones in on the devotion so easily given by some and the void left in others who have trouble surrendering themselves to it.
The music video for the new song, directed by Jacklin herself and shot by Nick Mckk, is no less stark or stunning. But despite looking like maybe the inspiration for a Wes Anderson flick — down to Jacklin’s yellow rain jacket and every gorgeous, boldly colored wide shot — both the video and song relish the melancholy.
There’s almost a loving isolation, a disconnected tenderness, that courses through scenes of Jacklin wandering alone inside a lighthouse. But as the song ends, surging like the tide via those same noisy riffs and Jacklin’s clarion vocals, shots of the artist running up the beachside touch on some whispered triumph.
“The song is about a lot of things but mainly being a seven-year-old Jesus Christ Superstar fanatic attending Catholic school trying to figure out which way is up,” said of the single. “The music video was filmed by my constant collaborator and friend Nick Mckk at Splitpoint lighthouse. I played a show close by recently and asked on stage if anyone could let me film inside. Someone in the crowd knew a guy and that was it. The rest was filmed in the streets of Northcote, Melbourne.”
Julia Jacklin’s new album PRE PLEASURE is out August 26, pre-order it here. She will also be going on tour with a stop at the festival This Ain’t No Picnic on August 27-28 and again on October 7 in Los Angeles at The Fonda Theatre. Visit Julia Jacklin’s website, Twitter, and Instagram to stay updated on new releases and tour announcements.
Watch the video for Julia Jacklin’s new single “Lydia Wears A Cross” below!
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08/26 – Stanford, CA @ Frost Amphitheater – Here and There Festival
08/27 – Pasadena, CA @ This Ain’t No Picnic Festival
09/09 – Austin, TX @ Mohawk #
09/10 – Dallas, TX @ The Studio at The Factory #
09/12 – Nashville, TN @ The Basement East #
09/13 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West #
09/15 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club #
09/16 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel #
09/17 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts #
09/18 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club #
09/20 – Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre $
09/21 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre $
09/22 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Calvin University $
09/23 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall $
09/24 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line $
09/26 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater $
09/27 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge $
09/29 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom $
09/30 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile $
10/02 – Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall $
10/04 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore $
10/05 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern $
10/07 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre $
10/08 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom $
w/ Kara Jackson
$ w/ Katy Kirby
UK & European Tour Dates:
11/03 – Dublin, Ireland @ Vicar Street &
11/05 – Glasgow, Scotland @ SWG3 TV Studio &
11/06 – Manchester, UK @ The Ritz &
11/07 – Birmingham, UK @ The Mill &
11/09 – Bristol, UK @ SWX &
11/10 – Brighton, UK @ Chalk &
11/11 – London, UK @ Roundhouse &
11/13 – Paris, France @ La Maroquinerie &
11/14 – Antwerp, Belgium @ Trix Club &
11/15 – Cologne, Germany @ Club Bahnhof Ehrenfeld &
11/17 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso &
11/18 – Hamburg, Germany @ Knust &
11/20 – Oslo, Norway @ Parkteatret &
11/21 – Stockholm, Sweden @ Slaktkyrkan &
11/22 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Dr Koncerthuset &
11/24 – Berlin, Germany @ Columbia Theatre &
11/25 – Munich, Germany @ Strom &
11/26 – Zurich, Switzerland @ Plaza &
11/27 – Milan, Italy @ Magnolia &
11/29 – Barcelona, Spain @ Apolo &
11/30 – Madrid, Spain @ SalaMon &
12/01 – Lisbon, Portugal @ Lav &
& w/ Erin Rae
