The Brink

Already stars in their native Australia, The Jezabels look to breaking into European and U.S. markets with their second album, The Brink. Produced by veteran producer Dan Grech-Marguerat, whose work with Radiohead and Lana Del Rey shows he can work both the artsy and pop ends of the spectrum, the album balances synths and guitar-based grandeur that’s all punctuated by the loud assault of vocalist Hayley Mary; she uses more of her upper range than ever to denote the urgency here. Between guitarist Samuel Lockwood’s U2-like shimmers and keyboardist Heather Shannon’s Depeche Mode–style synths, the band has often been compared to The Killers for their flexibility at working their sound for small clubs and potentially arenas. The album’s best songs—“The End,” “Time to Dance,” “Look of Love," and “Got Velvet”—show Mary leading by sultry example. She can play both fantasy partner and headstrong leader who’s aware that her faults only make her seem approachable in a world where the illusion is what makes a band great.