When Newcastle’s Surf Trash first formed as a trio in 2017, brothers Andy and Nick Scott said the group was rounded out by the addition of “their high best mate” Lachlan Jackson. If ever you needed a fitting introduction to the Newcastle outfit, that was it.
At the time, the teenaged trio’s self-deprecating name felt fitting for their unique brand of music. Scrappy and punchy, yet loose and modest, their sound was hard to define, with names like Iggy & The Stooges, Jet, The Sunnyboys, and DZ Deathrays informing their output, and similar sonics of contemporaries like Skegss clouding their categorisation.
To casual observers, it felt as though Surf Trash could be destined to simply live out the endless summer that their name implied for the rest of their musical lives. Frankly, that very likely could have been an attractive concept for the young group.
But making it look easy is hard work, and Surf Trash certainly rolled up their sleeves from the beginning. Even down to their initial creative process, there was a concerted effort not to labour on ideas for too long. If they didn’t catch fire in the first half hour, then they were soon abandoned in pursuit of something that captured their immediate attention.
The approach clearly worked, however, and it didn’t take long for their immersive sound to resonate with audiences. Anthemic singles like ‘Summer’, ‘All My Problems’, ‘Over My Shoulder’, and the Busy Doing Nothing EP captured the attention of the vital markets – the triple j crowd, the live audience, and the notoriously fickle streamer.
They might have claimed that they were Busy Doing Nothing, but they were hard at work laying down the foundation for something special – all it took was a bit of patience, and that hard work they were so used to.
Even a global pandemic couldn’t stop them, and while they might have been somewhat restricted in regards to their usual activities, the creativity continued unabated. Some fans might argue the first one is always the best when it comes to a band’s music, but Surf Trash tapped into the magic of creation, coming out the other side with new music which had its foot in both worlds; their youthful past and the sharpening focus of their future.
But how can a group maintain that youthful energy and attitude while maintaining a progressive approach to their craft and allowing evolution to affect their music? Well, therein lies the beauty of Surf Trash.
By 2023, it was clear that things were starting to take off for the band. They’d released their aptly-titled Under The Radar EP early that year, with their music arriving tighter, bolder, and even more confident than previous efforts. The positive reception it generated gave the band the validation to take on their next move and make their debut full-length.
With the addition of lifelong brother Patrick Russell on guitar, the newly-expanded quartet were entering their most exciting era to date. Working at Sonora Studios in New South Wales’ Central Coast, Andy Scott took on production duties alongside Jack Nigro to craft an album that was the sound of a band at their peak.
Alongside the cathartic singalongs of cuts like ‘Healin The Feelin’, ‘Spice It Up’, and ‘Hello Again’, and the slick riffage of tunes like ‘Cellar’ and ‘Restless’, it’s a peek behind the curtain into what makes the group tick. More reflective numbers like ‘Old Place By The Moon’ and ‘Psycho System’ showcase an accomplished songwriting style which sees the band adding more vibrant colours to their palette, shading within the lines their earlier EPs laid out.
It’s not a record that sees them ‘growing up’ (they still maintain that youthful energy, that sense of fun, and the same sort of urgency that accompanied their earliest work), rather it’s an album which triumphantly carves their name into the wall of Aussie music. It’s a record which says, “We’re Surf Trash, and we matter.”
If you look back at Surf Trash’s early days, the chances are pretty good that the band themselves didn’t expect things to go further than their own rehearsal room. After all, when you make up a band name after a few surfing sessions, and then pick up your instruments to blow off steam, there’s rarely any thought of the future.
But Surf Trash are the unlikely heroes. They’re the ones who realised this music was worth sharing with the world and who endeavoured to capture that spark borne from the immediacy of creation. Who could’ve predicted they’d take these tunes out of Newcastle and the Croatian Wickham Sports Club? Around Australia? Into bold new territories like North America?
That, however, is exactly how the Surf Trash story has unfolded. From finishing school and juggling part time jobs alongside the band, to releasing numerous singles and EPs while bringing their raucous live shows around Australia, the US, and Canada, it’s been a whirlwind trip for the young lads, but one they certainly wouldn’t change.
At the core to it all is their irresistible energy, their ever-evolving songwriting, and that infectious sound that is impossible to ignore. And as Surf Trash make it perfectly clear, you can’t beat the sound.
