Having been tucked away in a London studio to put the finishing touches on a brand new album, award-winning Sydney four-piece The Jezabels have emerged to give fans the first taste of their new material.

The lead single from The Jezabels’ forthcoming second studio album, due early 2014, has just been released online while getting its radio premiere today in Australia via Triple J and simultaneously on BBC6.

Titled ‘The End’, the new single features all of the Sydney quartet’s sonic signatures, from Heather Shannon’s wash of keys bedded against the tumbling rhythms of drummer Nik Kaloper.

Meanwhile, Sam Lockwood’s circling guitar shapes are pushed to the front of the mix beside Hayley Mary’s distinctive vocals as she swoops into a titular chorus of “Is this the end of a life worth living/is this the end of a heart worth giving” against a strident backing that’s far more yearning than those downtrodden words suggest.

Speaking to Triple J host Lindsay ‘The Doctor’ McDougall this afternoon, Mary describes how ‘The End’ is about raising existential questions.

“I think everyone gets down at times,” she said. “Maybe it’s not [about] the end of your life – it might be a job or a relationship – and you ask yourself ‘is this the end of what I believe in?’ And then you kind of go: ‘OR is it a new beginning?'”

The track is more in the anthemic vein of ‘Endless Summer’ (or something by fellow international successes The Temper Trap) than the band’s moodier work like ‘Mace Spray’ or the title track to The Jezabels’ ARIA/AIR/AMP-winning debut album. Prisoner debuting at #2 upon its release in September 2011 before going on to earn the band the $30,000 Australian Music Prize, a Fine Arts ARIA, and the Best Independent Artist gong at the 2012 AIR Awards.

For Prisoner’s follow-up, The Jezabels have been working in a London studio with producer Dan Grech-Marguerat, whose eclectic CV includes work for Moby, Sicssor Sisters, Lana Del Rey, Keane, The Vaccines, and The Kooks, with the as-yet unnamed sophomore effort due early next year.

The Jezabels first relocated to the UK following wrapping up a sold out 2012 Australian tour that concluded with a show at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion in front of 5,500 fans.

Following international touring from their London base – including festivals at Pukkelpop, Lollapalooza, Osheaga, Bumbershoot, T In The Park, Fun Fun Fun Fest, and many more – The Jezabels will return to tour Australia next February as part of the Laneway 2014 lineup, alongside a strong female-centric bill that includes Haim, Savages, Adalita, CHVRCHES, Warpaint, Daughter, and more.

“That’s basically the first time we come back and play new album songs,” The Jezabels’ Hayley Mary tells Triple J. “And I think our album’s coming out around then too.”

Before their heroic return next year, The Jezabels hit the road next month, with a massive support slot opening for British music legends Depeche Mode across nine dates of their 2013 UK tour, broken up by a sold out show at London’s The Scala.

Laneway 2014 Lineup

Savages
Adalita
Autre Ne Veut
Cashmere Cat
Cass McCombs
CHVRCHES
Cloud Control**
Danny Brown
Daughter
Dick Diver
Drenge
Earl Sweatshirt
Four Tet
Frightened Rabbit
Haim**
Jagwar Ma
Jamie XX
King Krule
Kurt Vile
Kirin J Callinan
Lorde**
Mount Kimbie
Mt Warning
Parquet Courts
Run The Jewels (El-P & Killer Mike)
Scenic
The Growl
The Jezabels
Unknown Mortal Orchestra**
Vance Joy
Warpaint
XXYYXX
Youth Lagoon

**Exclusive to Laneway 2014, no sideshows.

Laneway 2014 Dates & Venues

Brisbane: Friday 31st January – RNA, Fortitude Valley
Melbourne: Saturday 1st February – Footscray Community Arts Centre/River’s Edge
Sydney: Sunday 2nd February – Sydney College Of The Arts, Rozelle
Adelaide: Friday 7th February – Harts Mill, Port Adelaide
Perth: Saturday 8th February – Esplanade Park and West End, Fremantle

Tickets and info at http://lanewayfestival.com/

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