Introducing: The Big Scary Four Seasons

Posted: 26 November, 2010

At the beginning of this year, prolific Melbourne duo Big Scary announced an ambitious plan: to record an ep for each season. Inspired by Melbourne's schizophrenic weather and the natural world, Big Scary –– the partnership of multi-instrumentalist and singer Tom Iansek and drummer Jo Syme –– set about translating all those feelings into sounds.

'We thought it would be more interesting than jumping straight into our first album,' Tom told Triple J, who have nominated Big Scary for their Unearthed Artist of the Year award, recently. 'There's been less creative pressure, and we've enjoyed the challenge of writing to each season. It's also helped us learn a lot about our writing and has widened our audience heading into album No. 1.'

The Big Scary Four Seasons is out now. Pick up a copy from iTunes by clicking the buy buttons in the player above, or by clicking here. You can also pick up a physical copy, including a limited edition 12" vinyl, from the Big Scary Shop.

With the Autumn, Winter and Spring eps, Big Scary showed themselves capable of translating the vagaries and glories of each season –– the flurry of rich colour in autumn, the quiet bleakness of winter, the renewal of spring –– into utterly compelling music, as full of heart as it is free of pretension, showcasing a depth and a range, not to mention a touch and humility, matched by few of their contemporaries.

Big Scary released each of the three eps as super limited editions that quickly sold out. Now, those three eps, together with the as-yet-unreleased summer tracks, are coming together on The Big Scary Four Seasons, a compendium of all four eps, and a terrific introduction to Big Scary's vital, dexterous sound. But don't just take our word for it: have a listen to The Big Scary Four Seasons  in the player above.

From the fuzzed out rock'n'roll of Tuesday is Rent Day, to the sublime, resonant drones of Summer, to the gorgeous rainy day ballad Microwave Pizza, The Big Scary Four Seasons shows a fearless band completely unafraid to try their hand.

The album is filled with highlights: the stirring radio hit Autumn (watch the video below); the haunting, spare Winter; the spiralling, powerful Hamilton. It's a major statement from a remarkable new talent, and a fitting end to a huge year that has seen the band tour relentlessly, pick up heavy national air play, and play supports with the likes of Florence and the Machine, Editors, Little Red and Midlake, as well as headline their own sold-out shows.  

The indefatigable twosome have a huge summer ahead of them, with spots at the Falls, Southbound and Peats Ridge Festivals. (For full dates, head over to the Big Scary Myspace.) If that's not enough, Tom and Jo are continuing to work on their next lp at Jo's parents' place, which has a nice piano. This as-yet-untitled lp is due for release in October of 2011. Stay tuned.

Pete : 26 November, 2010

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