The Naked and Famous
Passive Me, Aggressive You

Preamble: I don't believe I have the right tools to review this album, because musically I am a nostalgist, a slightly bilious antiquarian who looks suspiciously at any album recorded after 1980. Yet these characters (discovered after accidentally intercepting a Definition by the good Lao...) have somehow captured me. It might be because I discovered them last summer, when everything in my life changed within a few months as if swept by a gust of fresh air. And that's more or less the impression this album gave me: fresh, straightforward, genuine. Let it be clear that we are not facing a masterpiece or a miracle, just a work that works.

They are New Zealanders, there are five of them, they self-produce, and I've been informed that they make indie-rock, indietronica, pop-punk, and the like (stuff utterly unknown to me...); indeed, they present themselves, at least in photos, with that slightly dandy-casual and slightly posh attitude of certain indie groups. Anyway, they go all out with keyboards, programming and electronic drums, guitars filled with cascading effects and distortions. Finally, there's the beautiful voice of Alisa Xayalith (she's not a Star Trek character, she actually exists) to etch their short but energetic compositions, bursting like fireworks, sparkling like neon lights.

The opening beats of All Of This, the debut opener from 2010, seem like a direct rip from Take On Me by a-ha, but the piece immediately lets us understand what the group offers: fast rhythms, 80s callbacks, good vocal structures supported also by the second voice, that of guitarist Tom Powers. There are a handful of more representative tracks, also released as singles. Among these, Punching In A Dream (I'm told it was part of a Fifa 2000 soundtrack; can you confirm?): driven by a captivating rhythm, a bright drum machine, waves of synths, and well-crafted vocals, as a pop song it makes quite an impression, also because the rhythm is a sheer pleasure. Young Blood is their first hit, which caused a bit of a stir at home; same ingredients but mixed less effectively and overall forgettable. Much better is the concluding Girls Like You, another single, with a powerful but well-dosed build-up of drums (programmed first, then played), keyboards, and guitar; good lyrics and choruses too.

Amid the hits, there are more or less successful compositions that nonetheless testify to a remarkable refinement in sound and arrangements. Frayed unfolds between hypnotic riffs and powerful bass and guitar breaks distorted, The Sun is a syncopated lullaby with an intriguing play of overdubbed vocals. Eyes (one of my favourites), is simple in its square rhythm, but the sharp hits of the electronic pads so Eighties and the guitar embroidery on the distorted bass create a dynamic, urban, and futuristic atmosphere, at the same time swirling and melancholic. No Way sounds a bit like The Killers but is listenable, while the subsequent Spank, Jilted Lovers and A Wolf In Geek's Clothing seem more original; sharp, dirty, distorted in an industrial sound that clashes with Alisa's heavenly voice, with atmospheres reminiscent of the group's early EPs, dated 2008. Among the three, the second certainly stands out, dramatic, intense and at times unsettling. After the sweet lullaby of The Ends, the album closes with the previously mentioned Girls Like You, whose soft instrumental coda bids farewell to the listener.

Perhaps because it accidentally fell into my hands at a very special moment for me, but it took me very little time to grow fond of this little disc. Also for this reason, my judgment is very subjective, more the result of a punctum than a studium, unlike how I usually approach things. But even judging coldly, The Naked & Famous pass the test. They are simply talented people, and I got confirmation last November when I saw them live in Segrate. They are fun, intense, they have fun and entertain, there's nothing more to say. That night they also played songs from their new album, released last September and in some ways inferior to this predecessor.

I like to think that somehow this album did me good. Beyond this observation that has nothing to do with music, it deserves a listen, who knows, you might enjoy it too.