The Shallows

A couple of months ago I managed to get my grubby little hands on a copy of The Shallows debut EP Nostalgia Ain’t What It Used To Be and it was love at first listen. Having previously heard The Shallows perform live, it should have come as no surprise that this was going to be a EP full of beauty and magic, but after listening to it from start to finish, I can honestly say I was left speechless.

I am a huge fan of Adam Tatana’s divinely unique voice and when its paired with the soulful sound of Monica Leung, my goose-bumps tend to protest very loudly at having to work so freakin hard (excuse the strong language but its their words not mine).

Tatana has written some of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard and it takes several listens to fully appreciate the full deliciousness that Nostalgia Ain’t What It Used To Be brings with it. Being a band of 11 must create some headaches, (like who brings the salt and vinegar crisps to band practice) but it also allows the creation of a rich, deeply layered sound that you just sink into, surrounded on all sides by aural magnificence.

I have sat here for at least a minute and a half trying to describe this EP but I cannot… due in large part to the fact that I keep getting distracted by this ant that is carrying a grain of sugar across my desk and also because I have never heard anything quite The Shallows before. I love the lushness of “Lullaby”, the funky bass beat of “The Air” and this wonderful feeling of melancholy in “Next Time Thing”.

Nostalgia Ain’t What It Used To Be is an EP best savoured slowly and goes well with either chicken or fish.

This is an incredible EP that should be part of any music collection and you will kick yourself for not having gotten it sooner.
Review Score: 9/10 - the AU review

It was with great anticipation that I watched The Shallows squeeze 11 musicians onto the Manhattan’s stage and when they launched into “Next Time Thing” I could not contain the goose bumps as the ran riot up and down the back of my neck.

I am a huge fan of Adam Tatana’s voice and every time I hear him sing I just feel like closing my eyes and drifting off into this magical place that can only be reached through the wonder of music. When he started to sing “Lullaby” I struggled to remember that there were other people in the room and went and plonked myself down on the floor right in front of the stage. It is a moment I will not forget easily.

The Shallows are a hugely talented ensemble that play with all the confidence of seasoned veterans and carried off some very complex songs with ease. It would have been very easy to get bogged down with the combination of so many varied and diverse instruments, but The Shallows proved there is no substitute for both talent and passion and sailed through their set with seeming ease.

“Higher” will always be one of my favourites, but when the band finished up with “Death To Mankind” I was just speechless…… WOW

A truly tremendous night that will go down as a highlight of my year.

I could go on and on about how great are but seriously, if you haven’t heard these guys before, do yourselves a favour and go get their EP Nostalgia Ain’t What It Used To Be you wont regret it….. I bet my dolls house on it. - the AU review

Independent
Comprised of students studying at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, local indie 11-piece The Shallows treat themselves as a collective, and, as such, each individual brings a different musical taste and style to recently released debut EP Nostalgia Ain’t What It Used To Be.
Blending the sensitivity of classical instrumentation and the sensibility of rock into something far greater than post-rock, this mixed bag of treats and curios works its magic over a suite of five tracks, encouraging listeners to happily sit mesmerized for 27 minutes of glimmering sonic twilight and translucently tingling ambi-organic pearly- dewdrops droppery.
While frontman Adam Tatana’s throaty Robert Plant-meets-Jack White (with a little John Lennon sprinkled in for good measure) vocals may take some getting used to for more discerning listeners, the beauteous wash of sonically cinematic sound is immediately engaging, making for a dystopian aural experience with is both blissfully narcotic and nightmarishly grounding.
A brilliantly varied first effort, this wonderfully complex EP warrants multiple listens, with each press of the repeat button unveiling a new noise hidden beneath the multitude of finely crafted layers making up each of the individual five tracks.
_JENNIFER PETERSON-WARD - Xpress Magazine