Julia Jacklin - Pre Pleasure

Yes, Pre Pleasure is Julia Jacklin's third studio album, released in 2022. It follows her debut Don't Let the Kids Win (2016) and her critically acclaimed second album Crushing (2019), which significantly expanded her international profile. Each album has shown a progression in Jacklin's songwriting confidence and arrangement ambition.

Pre Pleasure examines intimacy, family relationships, faith, identity, pleasure, and bodily autonomy through direct, reflective lyrics. The album's songs approach these subjects with the candor and specificity that became a hallmark of Jacklin's songwriting on Crushing. The opening track 'Lydia' explores physical autonomy through the frame of a gynecological exam, while other songs address religion, desire, and self-knowledge.

Pre Pleasure was released on Polyvinyl Record Co. in the United States and on Liberation Records in Australia, Julia Jacklin's home country. The album was produced by Marcus Paquin, whose previous engineering and production credits include work with Arcade Fire, The National, and Local Natives. Paquin's production gave the album a fuller, more textured sound than Jacklin's earlier releases.

Pre Pleasure is rooted in indie rock and singer-songwriter traditions, with arrangements that move from intimate acoustic passages to fuller band-driven textures. Julia Jacklin's music is frequently compared to the work of artists like Sharon Van Etten, Angel Olsen, Phoebe Bridgers, and Adrianne Lenker. Her Australian identity also connects her to a broader scene of contemporary Australian songwriters including Courtney Barnett and Mitski.