Album Review: The Preatures - Girlhood

Girlhood, the latest album from The Preatures, is full of songs about growing up in Sydney as a young woman.

The contradictions of being a woman in this day and age are not only expressed lyrically, but are reflected sonically through the contrast of strong, powerful tracks like The First Night and Lip Balm, and slower, softer ballads Magick, Your Fan and Cherry Ripe. On these tracks, frontwoman Isabella "Izzi" Manfredi is more vulnerable and exposed than ever before, her voice floating over emotive instrumentals, and delivering some of her best songwriting to date.

The rest of the band - producer and guitarist Jack Moffitt, drummer Luke Davison and bassist Thomas Champion - inject the new album with a palpable energy.

Opener Girlhood is undoubtedly the album highlight - catchy and driving with a killer guitar solo. "Whatever makes me a modern girl. Nothing makes me a modern girl" Manfredi sings on the track - possibly influenced by Sleater-Kinney's Modern Girl?

She also sings in the Indigenous Darug language of Sydney on pop rock track Yanada and as the daughter of an Italian immigrant, connects to her roots, singing in Italian on album closer Something New.

Girlhood is a well-executed album with a strong concept.