By Annabelle Mirhashemi
Staff Writer
After listening to “In Rolling Waves,” I can easily say that The Naked and Famous left me absolutely awestruck. Expecting the normal indie, festive music that this group usually produces, I was pleasantly surprised to hear a new version of The Naked and Famous take on the public.
After the release of The Naked and Famous’s new album, this group proved that not only can they perform and create fun, danceable music, but they can also successfully present moving and strongly emotional music. The Naked and Famous did not fail to impress one bit with their new album “In Rolling Waves.”
The Naked and Famous, originally from New Zealand, released their first album way back in 2010, where they debuted their hit song “Young Blood”. As an electronic-rock quintet, the average Naked and Famous song would be a colorful mix of acoustic guitar, fast beats, and very focused around the sound of the effervescent synths.
In comparison to older albums by this group, like “Passive Me, Aggressive You,” The Naked and Famous’s new album adds up to be a nice change from the radiant, light-hearted group we used to know. With breathtaking use of piano and violin, and prominent acoustic guitar, the music explores deeper, more touching territory.
Many of the songs have a similar structure: first, they start with quiet vocals, and/or a piano solo and slow drum beats. Adding layers of sound, instruments, vocals, and beats, the band does a amazing job of a mysterious buildup to an incredibly dramatic climax where there’s a bunch of mixed music all together creating a beautiful disarray of sounds.
In the track Grow Old, the very beginning features a magnificent piano solo and slow beats. Then Thom Powers comes in with airy vocals, and near the middle of the song guitar and drums work together to create a heavier beat and a moving, heartfelt part of the song. At the very end, it burns out and the bass sounds are gone, leaving the work with just Power’s voice ending the song on a melancholy note.
Then, there are songs like Waltz or To Move With a Purpose that contrast the album with their faster beats that actually seem like they are going somewhere. Waltz highlights a harmony between Powers and Alisa Xayalith in the very beginning and holds a certain mood of frustration.
To Move With a Purpose features awesome rock influences with the electric guitar and amazing undertones. The chord progressions near the end fit perfectly with one another and the song maintains a steady push and pull making it all the more sentimental. It ends with a solid pull back of emotion at the end, making the audience feel a sense satisfaction with this extraordinary piece of music.
The track Hearts Like Ours demonstrates a totally different genre of music put into the album. Sounding very much like an old 80’s love song that would be played at a drive-in movie theater of some sort, Hearts Like Ours takes on both fast and slow beats. In some parts, it sounds very much like the old Naked and Famous–energetic and jubilant, then contrasts this mood with depressing piano parts.
All in all, The Naked and Famous did a magnificent job with their new album and especially with the transition from their old style to their new style: passionate, heart-wrenching, and so chaotic and perfect.
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