Jen Cloher’s taut, terse brand of rock is charged with the static tension that comes with being an eternal misfit; they have spoken truth to power with the shrewd eye that only an outsider can possess. On their latest single ‘Annabelle’, Cloher paints a harrowing portrait of the protagonist who is undone by her need to win at all costs. On a deeper level the song questions white feminism’s centring in modern discourse – a movement that has viewed gender equality as the accumulation of individual power rather than the liberation of all people from oppressive systems.
The surprise release comes ahead of Cloher’s upcoming national tour which takes in seven dates across June and July beginning with Sydney’s VIVID. Once again pairing up with producer Tom Healy (Marlon Williams/ Tiny Ruins) ‘Annabelle’ begins as a slow-burn before building to a deranged, fuzzed out wall of sound. The accompanying clip is Cloher’s directorial debut and a stunning example of their incisive wit.
I Am The River, The River Is Me is the acclaimed songwriter and performer’s fifth album which made Double J, Rolling Stone, The Guardian and NME’s top ten albums of 2023. They were also nominated for an ARIA, AIR and Double J Award, shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize and won the Music Victoria Award for Best Artist.