Melbourne’s Jess Locke has gifted us with one final track before her third album hits shelves. Question your inner demons with Little Bit Evil and its chilling music video.
Melbourne talent Jess Locke pens tracks that you can latch onto. To label her as guitar-driven indie pop would be accurate but also incomplete. With Locke, the instrumentation, production, and even visuals all serve a specific track’s narrative.
Over the last year we’ve heard compelling singles Dead & Gone, Destroy Everything, Fool, and Halo from the artist, but today she’s treating us to one more from the forthcoming album Don’t Ask Yourself Why. This final single is titled Little Bit Evil, and its music video stares down the cavernous joys of iniquity.
Little Bit Evil doesn’t pander to its listener. The songwriting and music video are both equally raw, etching a scar into your conscience. Locke stares down the camera, appearing motionless, strumming a chord progression that’s gutsy, melancholic, and awfully fitting for a song about wanting to be evil. The acoustic is produced to sound dirtier than a drain, reminiscent of Nirvana.
“This song wanted to be a dirty acoustic guitar-based ’90s rock song, and so it was”, the artist explains, allowing the track to transcend her usual dreamy tones.
Wearing a blood-red dress, Locke asks the listener, “Don’t you ever tire of being an upstanding citizen?”, surrounded by a band decked out in skeletal face paint. It’s a striking visual moment, as well as a brain tickler. Is it better to admit you’re a little bit evil, or is ignorance bliss? You’ll be left to ponder the question at hand to the sound of heavy drums, a punchy bassline, and a deceptively simple melody.
Locke admits that she “wanted to get a children’s choir to sing the outro” but ended up layering her own vocals to mimic the effect. The result was self-admittedly“brilliant”, and we reckon it sounds eerier than a kids choir ever could.
Little Bit Evil is the final single from Locke’s upcoming third album Don’t Ask Yourself Why, which comes out tomorrow. If you’ve loved Little Bit Evil then expect 11 more tracks with just as much emotional punch – according to Locke, the album is about inviting contemplation from its listeners. On the title, Locke explains “I mean the phrase ironically, because really, I do want you to ask why”.
Don’t Ask Yourself Why is out Friday March 26th via Dot Dash Recordings. Pre-order your copy here.
Tour dates
Fri 23 April – Volta, Ballarat
Sat 1 May – Major Tom’s, Kyneton
Sun 2 May – The Bridge, Castlemaine – Free
Thu 27 May – The Lansdowne, Sydney
Fri 4 June – Tanswells, Beechworth
Fri 11 June – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
