Tired of your Spotify playlists? The Purbalite is here to help with our Essential Listening series.
Julia Jacklin’s 2019 album Crushing illustrates the path to self-discovery following the end of unhealthy relationships.
The first song on the album, “Body,” details the experience of freeing oneself from a toxic relationship. The slow style of the song emphasizes Jacklin’s lyrics, which focus on the subject getting her life back.
“Don’t Know How to Keep Loving You” also describes a failed relationship and the subject’s attempt to find herself afterward. Jacklin sings, “Who will I be / Now that you’re no longer next to me?” The emotion that Jacklin puts into her vocals makes the song extraordinarily impactful and real.
Different from the majority of the album, “Pressure To Party” is significantly more upbeat, though the lyrics are still as heartfelt and raw as in the slower songs. “Pressure To Party” offers an inside look at the subject’s worries and fears, as Jacklin describes the “pressure” to hold herself together in various ways.
Most of the songs on Crushing use repeated lyrics to end the song, which creates the opportunity for Jacklin to demonstrate her vocal skills. This is an effective way to leave listeners impressed and ready to hear more. A prime example of this is in the song “Turn Me Down.”
The overall theme of the album is the journey to finding oneself again after difficult relationships and experiences. Jacklin easily tells this tale of self-discovery through heartfelt lyrics and breathtaking vocals.
Crushing is a necessary and impactful listening experience that deserves more recognition.
