Halfway through the Jezabels' set, I realized the source of my deja vu. I was Buffy. TT the Bear's was the Bronze. And as Hayley Mary sultrily sang, "I want to be with you all of my days, on hallowed ground," Angel lurked in the shadows of the bar.
Like Bif Naked or K's Choice, the Jezabels would've done well on the Bronze stage, their music perfectly reflecting themes of that beloved show: powerful women, painful relationships, existential contemplation. In fact, the dark imagery and dramatic language in the Jezabels' music feel out of place in today's indie scene. When today's buzzy bands favor quirky instrumentation or lo-fi production, the Jezabels' polished sobriety fits better in 2001 than 2011.
Fortunately, in a live setting, the Jezabels temper their drama with lighthearted banter and smiles, hinting at self-awareness. In fact, Mary admits that, "We do think it’s funny how dramatic our songs are, and I think you could misconstrue how seriously we take ourselves." These songs are ephemeral musings on life and love that don't necessarily reflect the songwriters' personalities.
With Mary's match-stick figure, pixie cut, all-black attire, and perfectly applied red lipstick, she has the potential for a sensual, dramatic stage persona. Sure, she could be the next Karen O (admittedly, I thought "Dark Storm" was a Yeah Yeah Yeah's song the first dozen times I heard it). But for now, as they continue to pick up fans in these smaller venues, I appreciate the humble "thank you"s and the set pauses to give a t-shirt to a fan or to ask if we have cockatoos in the States.
Before the TT's show, we sat down with guitarist Sam Lockwood for a brief interview. Check it out here.
Set list:
01. Cherry Pie
02. Easy to Love
03. Old Little Girls
04. Long Highway
05. Trudy
06. Sahara Mahala
07. Mace Spray
08. Hurt Me
09. Violent Dream
10. Dark Storm
11. She's So Hard (encore)
