Eclectic Sydney trio Shady Nasty drop long-awaited debut album TREK
Diet Coke, fried rice, gang signs, stocked car fridges, “a case of Monster cans on the back seat”, pedal to the metal to shake off the daily grind – Shady Nasty’s debut longplayer, Trek, produced by The Presets’ Kim Moyes, captures the essence of Australian suburbia.
Trek’s album cover features a sudsy black whip – mid-wash – and was shot in the backyard of guitarist/vocalist Kevin Stathis’ family home in Campsie. These Sydney revheads first met in high school, playing jazz, and excel at creating sonic experiments that proudly defy classification – nothing’s off limits.
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Of the hypnotic, cymbal-bashing opener G-Shock, Kevin has said: “It’s like, ‘I had the shittest day, at least I can drive my Skyline at 400km/h down Canterbury Road.’” Inspired by one of his close friends tying the knot, Caredbrah (as in: “I always knew you cared brah”) is an ode to lifelong friendship backed by skittish beats.
The heavily AutoTuned I.D.W.L. (I Don’t Wanna Lose) explores the burden of familial expectation (“I go hard as the family’s disgrace”). “Let me close my eyes/ And go back…” – closer 2008 longs for simpler times, when iPods, landlines and knowing all your neighbours were de rigueur.
Deadpan spoken-word, tuneful singing, witty lyrics (eg. “Nautica, Hilfiger/ He’ll figure it out”), complex free-jazz drum patterns, five-string bass lines, metallic guitar loops – this trio sounds like no other band on the planet. Shady Nasty are on the rise, that much is “clear as fuark”.
LABEL: INDEPENDENT
RELEASE: 21 FEBRUARY
They have announced an upcoming TREK tour in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in late April-May with tickets on sale now. Grab tickets here.
