If Reckless Coast felt any nerves recording their debut EP, they don’t show. Naked & Famous is a confident rock release that declares this band from Meeanjin/Brisbane have arrived.
Many acts ease listeners into their EPs by putting familiar songs up first, but not Reckless Coast. The opening track “Runnin’” is brand new, and utterly irresistible. From the vocal intro, I was in. Inspired by a Matthew McConaughey speech, it’s got a Foo Fighters energy that makes it feel accessible from the first listen.
The track provides a natural segue to “Bad Habits,” the first single I heard from this EP. It’s a natural fit for this release, bold and dripping in swagger. “Dying Town” shows Reckless Coast at their most angsty and most poetic. “Burn Street” is another familiar single that still sounds so fresh. I’d forgotten how much I loved this nostalgic tribute to sharehouse living. “Burn Street” is an affectionate number, but a rock act can’t stay in that space for too long. So it’s only fitting that they put the finger up with this EP’s final track, “People Piss Me Off.” As we all slog through the working week, I’ll bet I’m not the only one this track resonates with!
“Naked & Famous is the perfect representation of what we are as a band,” Reckless Coast said in a statement. “It’s an authentic and unapologetic take on rock that unites both retro and indie-rock lovers. Each track has a personality of its own to create a diverse, yet sonically cohesive work. For so long now the rock genre has been diluted with worn-out clichéd approaches both sonically and visually. Naked & Famous proves that it can be done differently.”
After recently wrapping up an East Coast tour, Reckless Coast will continue celebrating the release of Naked & Famous with a show at Hunting Ground Studios in Jagera Country/Moorooka, where they recorded this EP, this Friday, June 7. Pay what you can afford tickets are on sale now from Eventbrite.
Images used with permission from Reckless Coast