Hello reader,
Welcome back.
Today, we’re going to delve into Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers. The Australian rock band was formed in Canberra in 2019 when band members Anna Ryan (they/them; vocals/guitar), Scarlett McKahey (she/her; guitar/vocals), Jaida Stephenson (she/her; bass), and Neve van Boxsel (she/her; drums) were 15-year-old high school students. Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers released their debut EP, Pretty Good For A Girl Band (2022), and it won “Best Independent Punk Album/EP” at the AIR Awards. The following year, the band released their debut full-length album, I Love You, in 2023. They’ve opened for rock stalwarts Foo Fighters and Pearl Jam in both Australia and the US. I wasn’t as familiar with their work as others may be, but from the first single I heard from their newest album, I knew I had to review the album here on SWT.
And that album, stylized GLORY, is out via Community Records in AU/NZ and via Mom + Pop Records (everywhere else) on Friday, November 7th, for your listening pleasure. The band enlisted Grammy-winning Producer Catherine Marks (boygenius, PJ Harvey, The Editors, Foals, The Killers, and more).
From the album’s press release, “GLORY is music to strut to. It’s part Skins, part 90s teen movie soundtrack. It’s the sound of getting the bus home after a night out, mascara smeared and battery on 1%. It’s bubble grunge, if that’s a thing. It’s about knowing your worth and not being afraid to take up space. It’s screeching, screaming, rumbling, fun, and fierce. It’s an adrenaline shot to the arm, a Jagerbomb at the bar, the conspiratorial eye roll you share with a girlfriend when a loser guy is talking. It’s Cher Horowitz exclaiming, “Ugh, as if!” in Clueless. Set to bright, punchy, turn-the-volume-up indie-rock, the ten tracks on GLORY traverse confidence, disgust, infatuation, and power.”
And now for some hype for your ears and eyes via Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers YouTube channel:
There’s so much going on at balcony level during the video for the song, “BALCONY”:
(All credits and rights to Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers)
The adventurous, defiant video for the anthemic song, “MOTHER”:
(All credits and rights to Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers)
The vintage computers, Dalmatians, and more in the video for the song, “UNSCARRED”:
(All credits and rights to Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers)
The video for the song, “Bait” which features a lot of arm flalling dancing:
(All credits and rights to Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers)
The current music-making era is witnessing a renaissance of bands led by uterus having humans, and it’s a joy to behold as there’s so much quality in the music and musicianship. And GLORY fits in that mold. It is a raucous album from start to finish. One that is full of energy, power, and defiance that is apparent not only in the songwriting and vocals but also in the song melodies that often complement the energy. The album grabs your attention and doesn’t let go in the best ways. Kudos to the songcrafting. And the vocals. And the musicianship on each and every song throughout the album. Kudos to the recording process and producer for capturing Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers performing at such a high level, almost like being at a live show. And I love that. And you will too.
There are slower moments too, like “TALKING,” which slows the melody down at the start but still packs plenty of frenetic energy and earworm-worthy harmonies within the song. Another slower beat is featured in the song “DAYLIGHT,” which boasts sweet, thoughtful lyrics about relationships and love in general. Overall, listener, you will dig this album, and it will leave you wanting more.
GLORY gets 4 out of 5 Scum Drops from me. There’s a lot to like about this album as a whole, as well as its individual songs. There are some ear-worthy moments, some standout tracks and songs you’ll definitely add to your playlists. This album seems to find the band at their collective best, yet. Kudos to all involved. All things considered, it falls well within the 4 Scum Drops rating range compared to all new releases this year.
I’ll always advocate that you take the time to listen to every album in its entirety. The listening process with GLORY will take less than half an hour from start to finish. Along the way, you’ll discover your own favorite songs without the influence or bias of others. After several listens, I found the songs highlighted in bold font below to be my favorite songs on this album.
The tracklist for GLORY (song length)
- WATCHING ME LEAVE (2:29)
- BALCONY (3:25)
- TURN AROUND (2:11)
- TALKING (2:44)
- DAYLIGHT (3:31)
- MINE (2:10)
- MOTHER (4:05)
- BAIT (2:12)
- UNSCARRED (3:01)
- WONDERFUL (3:22)
Total runtime: 29:10
For more information on Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, including but not limited to their touring, visit their website, follow them on social media on Instagram and Facebook, and listen to their music on Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube.
Thank you for reading and supporting good music.
Until next time,
Alex
Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site: scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions!
Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com
