If you want a holiday from the mundane then cue up Big Scary's latest album, 'Daisy', and you'll soon be dancing to bombastic, synth-driven rhythms that seem both a million miles away from and a natural progression of the band's sound.
Written by Jo Syme and Tom Iansek through the 2019-20 summer, 'Daisy' is the first Big Scary album recorded in the duo's studio – an experience that allowed them a world of freedom and creativity."It's a beautiful space, full of sunlight, and we designed it to be versatile with a control room upstairs and a station downstairs to hit record from," Jo says.
"It was just Tom and I, full-time tracking ourselves and writing together in a good workflow as we could pop downstairs to record hand claps or a cowbell. We could act quickly, which kept our energy levels high."
The experience gave Jo the confidence to get more hands-on through the songwriting process.
"In the past we'd jam and get the shape of the songs, I'd do the drums and then I'd leave Tom to finish them," Jo says, "but this was more collaborative than before, and it was empowering to take ownership of what the songs needed."
After a five-year break from recording together while Jo focused on their label, Pieater, and Tom's other projects No Mono and #1 Dads took his priority, Big Scary came back with a fresh approach, creating an energetic and fun collection of songs that click together perfectly.
"In working across our label, I've seen bands who love to embrace being silly and it stuck with me to allow silliness to be a part of music making," Jo says.
"It was with that in mind that we created these kind of fun, rock eisteddfod type of songs. So, when it came to deciding on songs for the album, we had this group all written on one synth called a Juno and because of that sound they created a similar mood to one another and felt like a family."
While the rhythms and rolls of the album get you bopping, the lyrics explore complex reflections on human interaction. "The songs where I was thinking of friends, family, and relationships were the ones that got finished and felt truthful," Jo says.
"We tended to look at the inspiration of interpersonal relationships and trying to be honest about them. The uncomfortable realities like if you're in love it's not always perfect, that love comes and goes, how it works, and sticking through that."
While many of 'Daisy''s playful sounds are a departure from the duo's previous albums, it's a gentler song that Jo recommends. "Tom and my favourite song is 'Love To Love'," she says.
"We didn't put it out as a single, because it wasn't anyone else's banger. It's not as bombastic as some of the other tracks, but to me it's the special little heart of the album and I love playing it."
The next step for Big Scary, if border restrictions lift, is taking the album on tour. "We're trying to do the shows as a two-piece and have been getting that up to scratch, working out tech and making decisions on which parts are most essential," Jo says. "It's refreshing to figure it out.
"Maybe we'll fail and decide it's not good enough and call some friends last minute, but I hope it works out and I feel like now is the time to try those things while we play weird capacities and different venues. It's rare to get a clean slate to go and take a different step in production, but it's hard to know until we have an audience to feed off."
And, technically, the band won't be touring as a two-piece as there will be at least three on stage at each show. "On the tour I'll be 6.5 – 7 months pregnant," Jo reveals.
"I'm really looking forward to performing and drumming while pregnant – how many times do you see that? But, it's also another challenge as it could also be another curveball if I start to get short of breath."
Big Scary 2021 Tour Dates
Sat 28 Aug - Nine Lives Festival @ The Tivoli (Brisbane)Sun 29 Aug - Princess Theatre (Brisbane)
Thu 2 Sep - The Espy (Melbourne)
Fri 3 Sep - The Night Cat (Melbourne)* sold out
Sat 4 Sep - Theatre Royal (Castlemaine)
