JUNE JONES Announces new album Leafcutter out February 19, 2021 Shares new single & video ‘Therapy’

A prolific artist and singular voice in the world of Australian music, June Jones today announces her sophomore album Leafcutter set for release on February 19, 2021 on Emotion Punk Records / Remote Control Records. Alongside the announcement comes her new track & video ‘Therapy’, as premiered via Triple R and The FADER respectively. “Combining angular post-punk with immediate, indelible pop songwriting, “Therapy” finds Jones seeking human connection but finding only things: scented candles, dresses, a calculator, a clock.” says  The FADER on the video premiere.

On the track ‘Therapy’ June says, “I wrote ‘Therapy’ after wandering the aisles of K-Mart, looking for some kind of object that would fill the void in my soul that day. In fact, I wrote the song using a pen and notepad that I had just bought there. I wanted to describe the experience of retail therapy in a way that is familiar to me. Growing up a child of consumer capitalism, I have a deep attachment to objects, things, stuff. The song is a reflection on the shopping centre as a place that, for better or worse, can help us find something to momentarily ease our pain. Ironically, I suspect that a lot of the wounds that we are all trying to heal are products of capitalism itself. Alienation from work and society, tenuous access to healthcare, depression, anxiety, sensory overload, exhaustion, and a lack of existential meaning are all common experiences under Western capitalism. I wasn’t trying to write a critique of capitalism with this song, but I also don’t think it’s possible for a piece of art to be apolitical. Musically, I wanted it to be big, beautiful, punchy, and slightly overwhelming.”

About the video, directed by Triana Hernandez, June adds. “We shot the video in my front room at the start of the year, shortly before the pandemic arrived in so-called Australia. I worked with director Triana Hernandez and cinematographer Dyllan Corbett. The two other people in the video are my mum, Tracey, and my dad, Robert. In the clip, my mum removes my makeup and brushes my hair, while my dad removes most of the objects from the background, save for a few candles and plants. Triana and I discussed what kind of things would be in the room, and I put together a selection of items of personal significance in my life, including instruments that I used to make the album, the four records I’ve put out before this one, a butterfly card given to me by my grandma, a selection of plants, medication, books, and other miscellanea. We shot the video at double speed, and it took us a few takes to get the rhythm and timing of the actions right, but my parents were very patient and generous with their time on the day.”

June’s solo debut, 2019’s Diana, received 3RRR Album of the Week and led to a national tour with Seeker Lover Keeper as well as shows with international acts Cate Le Bon, Hand Habits and Colin Self. Despite this being June’s first self-produced record, Leafcutter feels in many ways like a logical sequel to her previous releases, which include two albums with Two Steps on the Water, the self-proclaimed “emotion punk” band she fronted from 2014 to 2018. Like her past albums, Leafcutter is a collection of songs exploring different aspects of her experience as “a deeply emotional trans woman, a lesbian with ADHD,” and her signature vocals – dynamic in their ability to move between syrupy cool and impassioned exclamation – are present as ever at the forefront of this record.

Pre-save / pre-order June Jones – Leafcutter: junejones.lnk.to/leafcutter