Review: Jack Gaby’s Dressed Up for Nandos

Jack Gaby
Dressed Up for Nandos
Independent

Jack Gaby’s latest single, Dressed Up for Nandos, is a track bursting with the inner conflict and tension that comes from navigating personal ambition. At the song’s core, Gaby explores the question we all ask ourselves: is the grass really greener on the other side?

The subject matter of Dressed Up for Nandos might be full of turmoil that sparks difficult listening; however, Gaby’s haunting sound wins again with a steady pulse that gets you dancing. He reminds us that you can feel lost and still spin around the room to shake it all out. Loving and supportive friends are also important. The electric singer-songwriter Stella Donnelly, as well as Marcel Tussie and Julia Wallace, provide the backing to Gaby’s unrest.

There’s another layer of mystery sitting inside Gaby’s lyrics. It’s unclear if he is wrestling with himself or if he’s sizing his existence up against someone he aspires to be. He reflects on the size of Naarm (where he now lives) over Boorloo (his hometown). He scolds himself for not having the focus required to achieve the success he envisions.

Ultimately, Gaby is asking how much is truly enough? He sings, “How do you find a life that’s big enough?/ How do you find a life that’s big?” and “I feel like I’m in the dark/ You see light wherever you are.”

The grass is greener on the other side. It’s also dry. In some places it might be muddy. We just have to step out of our comfort zones to find out and remember to not be so hard on ourselves.

KAVI GUPPTA