James Arden checks out the garage rockers latest album.
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The Naked and Famous have topped the charts in their homeland, New Zealand, gained the NME award for best up-and-coming act and already embarked on a UK tour ahead of the release of this their debut album [1]. Passive Me, Aggressive You has been built up as playing like the first MGMT record; yet, for all the similarity, there is a great deal more to enjoy in this offering than is afforded by the comparison.
In fairness, the album is fuelled by heavy synth pumping and bass riffs that are akin to the American band (especially in sample singles ‘Young Blood’ and ‘Punching in a Dream’), but the album is much more striking than the material delivered by the forefather group. Overall, there is a wide coverage of the pop spectrum: the album benefitting from swings between synth electro to acoustic rock. The band may have amply capitalised on the niche comparison with a number of electro tracks, but here they have instantly expanded and detailed their diverse capabilities.
Therefore, opener ‘All Of This’ is more reminiscent of a more up-beat The XX than MGMT. Its broken guitar plucks and riffs over a drum beat and softer synths make for a perfect introduction to the band. The feistier side of the group is noted in subsequent ‘Punching’ and ‘Frayed’ whilst ‘No Way’ uses a mix of acoustic and electric guitar and shifting drum beats to reflect the changing sentiments across the song. ‘The Sun’ again demonstrates a delicacy and melancholy that the group should explore further in future material.
Such a wide catalogue of emotions and beats are somehow managed here. Indeed, whilst the album may benefit from more direction toward the latter part, it is not a problem that hinders the listen, as it shows the depth of 80s rock that has provided a base for this album’s influence. Credit should be given to lead Alisa Xayalith, whose haunting vocals are key to the haunting and memorable aspects of a great many of the individual tracks. The talent is carefully matched by Thom Powers in ‘Girls Like You’ and in both ‘All of This’ and ‘Frayed’ the contrasting leads create a real space of talent that is quite unique. It is much more than the warbling that plagued sections of the MGMT debut. In addition, the lyrical aspect of the album is rather thought-provoking and deeper than surface; such a rarity in main-stream pop that it is a welcome bonus for a listener.
As such, the only problem for the band will be to shrug off the shadow of MGMT, and develop their own sound independent of this frame. If they are able to define an image that is more focussed than Passive Me, Aggressive You, then their solidification should be secure. The band has displayed a capacity to be much more than a party starting throw away: there are darker elements, softer moments and club synths all together. Definitely an album of the year already.
★★★★☆
If you like it, try: MGMT, The XX, Nine Inch Nails, Passion Pit.
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