| The Naked And Famous — In Rolling Waves (2013) |
The Naked And Famous — In Rolling Waves
:: New Zealand group with a sound informed by indie electronic, post-punk, and melodic pop.
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Album release: September 13, 2013 (NZ/Aus); 17 (US); 16 (rest)
Record Label: Fiction Records
Duration: 55:37
Tracks:
01. A Stillness 5:22
02. Hearts Like Ours 4:32
03. Waltz 5:12
04. Rolling Waves 3:39
05. The Mess 4:06
06. Grow Old 6:36
07. Golden Girl 2:12
08. I Kill Giants 4:12
09. What We Want 4:19
10. We Are Leaving 4:39
11. To Move With Purpose 5:03
12. A Small Reunion 5:45
℗ 2013 Universal Music Australia Pty Ltd.
Current members:
◊ Aaron Short (born Aaron Philip Short) — keys (2008–present)
◊ Alisa Xayalith — vocals, keyboards (2008–present)
◊ Thom Powers (born Thomas Brading Powers) — vocals, guitars (2008–present)
◊ David Beadle (born David William Henry Beadle) — bass (2009–present)
◊ Jesse Wood (born Jesse Peter Wood) — drums (2009–present)
Past members:
◊ Ben Knapp — bass (2008–2009)
◊ Jordan Clark — drums (2008–2009)
CREDITS:
◊ David Beadle Group Member
◊ Andrew Bulbrook String Arrangements, Violin
◊ Billy Bush Engineer
◊ Eric Byers Cello
◊ John Catlin Mixing
◊ Benjamin Jacobson Violin
◊ Joel Kefali Artwork
◊ Joe LaPorta Mastering
◊ Max McEligott Composer
◊ Justin Meldal-Johnsen Producer
◊ Jonathan Moeerschel Viola
◊ Alan Moulder Mixing
◊ Thom Powers Composer, Group Member, Producer, String Arrangements
◊ Daniel Schwerkolt Assistant Engineer
◊ Aaron Short Composer, Group Member, Producer
◊ Jesse Wood Group Member
◊ Alisa Xzyalith Composer, Group Member
≠ New Zealand band The Naked and Famous returns with their album In Rolling Waves on September 13. The album follows Passive Me, Aggressive You which included single ‘Punching In A Dream’ and smash hit ‘Young Blood’.
≠ Description: 2013 album from the New Zealand Alt-Rock quintet. Beyond a life hard-wired to Pop culture via the 24 hour news feed, The Naked And Famous elicit a romantic connection inspired by the golden era of Alternative Rock; a shared response to a teenage soundtrack of epic, emotionally charged mid-’90s music. By June 2012, the New Zealand quintet had played to more than 600,000 people in 24 countries, but the band chose to hit pause and embark on a second album. The resulting album, In Rolling Waves, delivers darkly nuanced, intricately rocking electro gems once again born in bedroom studio sessions.
Charts:
Chart (2013): Peak position:
≠ Australian Albums (ARIA) #12
≠ Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) #33
≠ German Albums (Media Control) #96
≠ Irish Albums (IRMA) #68
≠ New Zealand Albums (RIANZ) #4
≠ Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) #34
≠ UK Albums (OCC) #53
≠ US Billboard 200 #48
Website: http://thenakedandfamous.com/
Tumblr: http://tnaf.tumblr.com/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/tnafofficial/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/tnaf
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/tnafofficial/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tnaf/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tnafofficial
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/in-rolling-waves/id677269632
Discography:
≠ This Machine; EP, 05 May 2008
≠ No Light; EP, 05 Sep 2008
≠ Passive Me, Aggressive You; 06 Sep 2010
≠ Passive Me, Aggressive You (Remixes & B-Sides); 17 May 2013
≠ One Temporary Escape (Live Film); 25 May 2013
≠ In Rolling Waves; 16 Sep 2013
REVIEW
By Kyle Ryan September 17, 2013; Rating: B
≠ Electronic-rock quintet The Naked And Famous was a sensation in its native New Zealand seemingly right away; its 2010 full-length, Passive Me, Aggressive You, debuted at No. 1 in its home country and racked up a slew of awards there over the next year. The band established itself elsewhere in part by licensing its songs to a barrage of TV shows, movies, and video games, to where it seemed The Naked And Famous was the most ubiquitous band whose name no one knew. People figured it out, and Passive Me, Aggressive You went on to sell 500,000 copies worldwide.
≠ While The Naked And Famous recorded Passive Me, Aggressive You at band members’ homes and a local studio, the band decamped to Laurel Canyon this summer to record In Rolling Waves. The “Laurel Canyon sound” couldn’t have less in common with the group’s style, and thankfully The Naked And Famous didn’t dally with the folky mellowness that typifies it. In Rolling Waves follows the precedent of Passive Me, Aggressive You into moodier territory, with fewer outright rockers (“Hearts Like Ours,” “The Mess,” “I Kill Giants,” “What We Want”) in favor of longer songs that take their time to build and release (“Rolling Waves,” “Grow Old,” “We Are Leaving,” “A Small Reunion”). “Longer” being the operative word; more than five of the album’s 12 tracks go beyond the five-minute mark (“Grow Old” clocks in at 6:36), and another five last more than four minutes.
≠ The Naked And Famous seems to be using its success as an opportunity to stretch out a bit, and for the most part it works. “Rolling Waves,” probably the album’s most rock-oriented song, tumbles like its namesake, with chiming guitars that swell into a distorted three-chord wash of sound as singer-keyboardist Alisa Xayalith stretches out “like rolling waves” into five syllables. Album-closer “A Small Reunion” builds to a string-laden crescendo.
≠ “Grow Old” simmers to a similar crescendo before powering down again for its final minute, then segues into the brief, but similarly restrained “Golden Girl.” Their nearly nine-minute combined running time makes the album sag at its midpoint, until “I Kill Giants” picks it back up again with its big hooks, stuttering keyboards, and three-note chorus. Those are In Rolling Waves’ best moments, because the slow build and release of some of the other tracks can feel repetitious, even if the band executes it well.
≠ More immediately ingratiating songs like “I Kill Giants” and “Hearts Like Ours” (the album’s first single) would seem to guarantee The Naked And Famous’ ascent into stardom, but In Rolling Waves requires a bit more patience on the whole. That’s actually a good sign; the band doesn’t seem to feel beholden to making a breakthrough — and In Rolling Waves may provide it regardless. (http://www.avclub.com/)
Also:
Kate Hutchinson; theguardian.com, Thursday 12 September 2013 22.15 BST; Rating: ****
◊ http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/sep/12/naked-and-famous-in-rolling-waves-review
By Andy Baber | 15 September 2013 | Rating: ***½
◊ http://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/naked-famous-rolling-waves
Review by Matt Collar; Rating: ****
≠ New Zealand's the Naked and Famous made a big neon-colored splash in 2010 with their full-length debut album, Passive Me Aggressive You. That album showcased the group's catchy, dance-oriented sound that mixed gigantic analog synths with the group's dual male/female lead vocals from guitarist Thom Powers and keyboardist Alisa Xayalith. The group's 2013 sophomore effort, In Rolling Waves, still features Powers and Xayalith, but finds the band experimenting with a more moody, somewhat serious tone that makes room for some welcome acoustic guitar. Part of this move toward a more organic sound was purportedly due to the bandmembers' desire to record an album they could more easily play live. Which isn't to say the keyboards are gone. On the contrary, there are still plenty of fuzzy, old-school synthesizers all over the album. ≠ The acoustic moments simply add yet another tonal color to the band's palette, which is clearly expanding. Working with engineer Billy Bush, Powers and keyboardist Aaron Short took on the production duties, as did Justin Meldal-Johnsen (Beck, Paramore), who lent his sophisticated, pop-oriented ears to two tracks. One of those tracks, "I Kill Giants," is particularly epic in proportion and cinematic in its emotional momentum. In minor contrast to the band's previous effort, the moments of pared-down instrumentation here seem to offer a necessary respite from the intensity, providing necessary moments of calm as we anticipate the next joyous sonic wave. (www.allmusic.com)
Awards and nominations:
Year: Organisation: Nominated work: Award: Result:
:: 2010 APRA Silver Scroll:
≠ "Young Blood" Won
New Zealand Music Awards:
≠ Passive Me, Aggressive You Critics' Choice Prize Nominated
:: 2011 New Zealand Music Awards:
≠ Passive Me, Aggressive You MAINZ Best Producers Won
≠ Passive Me, Aggressive You MAINZ Best Engineers Won
≠ Passive Me, Aggressive You Album of the Year Won
≠ Passive Me, Aggressive You Best Alternative Album Won
≠ "Young Blood" Single of the Year Won
≠ The Naked and Famous Best Group Won
≠ The Naked and Famous Breakthrough Artist Won
≠ The Naked and Famous People's Choice Award Nominated
:: 2011 Taite Music Prize: ≠ Passive Me, Aggressive You Nominated ________________________________________________________________
| The Naked And Famous — In Rolling Waves (2013) |
The Naked And Famous — In Rolling Waves
:: New Zealand group with a sound informed by indie electronic, post-punk, and melodic pop.
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Album release: September 13, 2013 (NZ/Aus); 17 (US); 16 (rest)
Record Label: Fiction Records
Duration: 55:37
Tracks:
01. A Stillness 5:22
02. Hearts Like Ours 4:32
03. Waltz 5:12
04. Rolling Waves 3:39
05. The Mess 4:06
06. Grow Old 6:36
07. Golden Girl 2:12
08. I Kill Giants 4:12
09. What We Want 4:19
10. We Are Leaving 4:39
11. To Move With Purpose 5:03
12. A Small Reunion 5:45
℗ 2013 Universal Music Australia Pty Ltd.
Current members:
◊ Aaron Short (born Aaron Philip Short) — keys (2008–present)
◊ Alisa Xayalith — vocals, keyboards (2008–present)
◊ Thom Powers (born Thomas Brading Powers) — vocals, guitars (2008–present)
◊ David Beadle (born David William Henry Beadle) — bass (2009–present)
◊ Jesse Wood (born Jesse Peter Wood) — drums (2009–present)
Past members:
◊ Ben Knapp — bass (2008–2009)
◊ Jordan Clark — drums (2008–2009)
CREDITS:
◊ David Beadle Group Member
◊ Andrew Bulbrook String Arrangements, Violin
◊ Billy Bush Engineer
◊ Eric Byers Cello
◊ John Catlin Mixing
◊ Benjamin Jacobson Violin
◊ Joel Kefali Artwork
◊ Joe LaPorta Mastering
◊ Max McEligott Composer
◊ Justin Meldal-Johnsen Producer
◊ Jonathan Moeerschel Viola
◊ Alan Moulder Mixing
◊ Thom Powers Composer, Group Member, Producer, String Arrangements
◊ Daniel Schwerkolt Assistant Engineer
◊ Aaron Short Composer, Group Member, Producer
◊ Jesse Wood Group Member
◊ Alisa Xzyalith Composer, Group Member
≠ New Zealand band The Naked and Famous returns with their album In Rolling Waves on September 13. The album follows Passive Me, Aggressive You which included single ‘Punching In A Dream’ and smash hit ‘Young Blood’.
≠ Description: 2013 album from the New Zealand Alt-Rock quintet. Beyond a life hard-wired to Pop culture via the 24 hour news feed, The Naked And Famous elicit a romantic connection inspired by the golden era of Alternative Rock; a shared response to a teenage soundtrack of epic, emotionally charged mid-’90s music. By June 2012, the New Zealand quintet had played to more than 600,000 people in 24 countries, but the band chose to hit pause and embark on a second album. The resulting album, In Rolling Waves, delivers darkly nuanced, intricately rocking electro gems once again born in bedroom studio sessions.
Charts:
Chart (2013): Peak position:
≠ Australian Albums (ARIA) #12
≠ Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) #33
≠ German Albums (Media Control) #96
≠ Irish Albums (IRMA) #68
≠ New Zealand Albums (RIANZ) #4
≠ Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) #34
≠ UK Albums (OCC) #53
≠ US Billboard 200 #48
Website: http://thenakedandfamous.com/
Tumblr: http://tnaf.tumblr.com/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/tnafofficial/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/tnaf
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/tnafofficial/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tnaf/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tnafofficial
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/in-rolling-waves/id677269632
Discography:
≠ This Machine; EP, 05 May 2008
≠ No Light; EP, 05 Sep 2008
≠ Passive Me, Aggressive You; 06 Sep 2010
≠ Passive Me, Aggressive You (Remixes & B-Sides); 17 May 2013
≠ One Temporary Escape (Live Film); 25 May 2013
≠ In Rolling Waves; 16 Sep 2013
REVIEW
By Kyle Ryan September 17, 2013; Rating: B
≠ Electronic-rock quintet The Naked And Famous was a sensation in its native New Zealand seemingly right away; its 2010 full-length, Passive Me, Aggressive You, debuted at No. 1 in its home country and racked up a slew of awards there over the next year. The band established itself elsewhere in part by licensing its songs to a barrage of TV shows, movies, and video games, to where it seemed The Naked And Famous was the most ubiquitous band whose name no one knew. People figured it out, and Passive Me, Aggressive You went on to sell 500,000 copies worldwide.
≠ While The Naked And Famous recorded Passive Me, Aggressive You at band members’ homes and a local studio, the band decamped to Laurel Canyon this summer to record In Rolling Waves. The “Laurel Canyon sound” couldn’t have less in common with the group’s style, and thankfully The Naked And Famous didn’t dally with the folky mellowness that typifies it. In Rolling Waves follows the precedent of Passive Me, Aggressive You into moodier territory, with fewer outright rockers (“Hearts Like Ours,” “The Mess,” “I Kill Giants,” “What We Want”) in favor of longer songs that take their time to build and release (“Rolling Waves,” “Grow Old,” “We Are Leaving,” “A Small Reunion”). “Longer” being the operative word; more than five of the album’s 12 tracks go beyond the five-minute mark (“Grow Old” clocks in at 6:36), and another five last more than four minutes.
≠ The Naked And Famous seems to be using its success as an opportunity to stretch out a bit, and for the most part it works. “Rolling Waves,” probably the album’s most rock-oriented song, tumbles like its namesake, with chiming guitars that swell into a distorted three-chord wash of sound as singer-keyboardist Alisa Xayalith stretches out “like rolling waves” into five syllables. Album-closer “A Small Reunion” builds to a string-laden crescendo.
≠ “Grow Old” simmers to a similar crescendo before powering down again for its final minute, then segues into the brief, but similarly restrained “Golden Girl.” Their nearly nine-minute combined running time makes the album sag at its midpoint, until “I Kill Giants” picks it back up again with its big hooks, stuttering keyboards, and three-note chorus. Those are In Rolling Waves’ best moments, because the slow build and release of some of the other tracks can feel repetitious, even if the band executes it well.
≠ More immediately ingratiating songs like “I Kill Giants” and “Hearts Like Ours” (the album’s first single) would seem to guarantee The Naked And Famous’ ascent into stardom, but In Rolling Waves requires a bit more patience on the whole. That’s actually a good sign; the band doesn’t seem to feel beholden to making a breakthrough — and In Rolling Waves may provide it regardless. (http://www.avclub.com/)
Also:
Kate Hutchinson; theguardian.com, Thursday 12 September 2013 22.15 BST; Rating: ****
◊ http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/sep/12/naked-and-famous-in-rolling-waves-review
By Andy Baber | 15 September 2013 | Rating: ***½
◊ http://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/naked-famous-rolling-waves
Review by Matt Collar; Rating: ****
≠ New Zealand's the Naked and Famous made a big neon-colored splash in 2010 with their full-length debut album, Passive Me Aggressive You. That album showcased the group's catchy, dance-oriented sound that mixed gigantic analog synths with the group's dual male/female lead vocals from guitarist Thom Powers and keyboardist Alisa Xayalith. The group's 2013 sophomore effort, In Rolling Waves, still features Powers and Xayalith, but finds the band experimenting with a more moody, somewhat serious tone that makes room for some welcome acoustic guitar. Part of this move toward a more organic sound was purportedly due to the bandmembers' desire to record an album they could more easily play live. Which isn't to say the keyboards are gone. On the contrary, there are still plenty of fuzzy, old-school synthesizers all over the album. ≠ The acoustic moments simply add yet another tonal color to the band's palette, which is clearly expanding. Working with engineer Billy Bush, Powers and keyboardist Aaron Short took on the production duties, as did Justin Meldal-Johnsen (Beck, Paramore), who lent his sophisticated, pop-oriented ears to two tracks. One of those tracks, "I Kill Giants," is particularly epic in proportion and cinematic in its emotional momentum. In minor contrast to the band's previous effort, the moments of pared-down instrumentation here seem to offer a necessary respite from the intensity, providing necessary moments of calm as we anticipate the next joyous sonic wave. (www.allmusic.com)
Awards and nominations:
Year: Organisation: Nominated work: Award: Result:
:: 2010 APRA Silver Scroll:
≠ "Young Blood" Won
New Zealand Music Awards:
≠ Passive Me, Aggressive You Critics' Choice Prize Nominated
:: 2011 New Zealand Music Awards:
≠ Passive Me, Aggressive You MAINZ Best Producers Won
≠ Passive Me, Aggressive You MAINZ Best Engineers Won
≠ Passive Me, Aggressive You Album of the Year Won
≠ Passive Me, Aggressive You Best Alternative Album Won
≠ "Young Blood" Single of the Year Won
≠ The Naked and Famous Best Group Won
≠ The Naked and Famous Breakthrough Artist Won
≠ The Naked and Famous People's Choice Award Nominated
:: 2011 Taite Music Prize: ≠ Passive Me, Aggressive You Nominated ________________________________________________________________