Project Description

NAKED GIANTS
“The Shadow”
(Album Review)

21st August, 2020

Reviewer – James Bryan

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Praise for NAKED GIANTS

“A one-of-a-kind band.”  – Paste Magazine 

“Naked Giants might just be your new favorite band (we promise!).” – Alternative Press

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Naked Giants are a 3 piece rock band who burst onto the scene in 2014 and have been releasing catchy and infectious rock and roll tunes ever since, culminating in their most recent effort, The Shadow. Blending together a variety of styles ranging from stoner rock all the way to indie and pop, Naked Giants prove with their latest effort that they aren’t afraid to branch out and progress their sound for the better. Let’s dive in and take a look at what makes The Shadow so great.

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Walk Of Doom:

Opening track “Walk Of Doom” wastes no time in establishing the energetic and upbeat nature of the album, immediately grabbing the listeners attention with tribal drumming and a frenetic and catchy guitar riff. It’s hard not to smile and nod your head at the fun and playful energy displayed throughout this track, which is complemented by vocalist Grant Mullen and Gianni Aiello’s eclectic and varied vocal style, mixing clean singing with anthemic and purposeful shouts. As a much shorter number clocking in at under 2 minutes, “Walk of Doom” serves as an excellent opener for the album and gives the listener a taste of what’s in store throughout the rest of the album.

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High School (Don’t Like Them):

“High School (Don’t Like Them)” continues the energy and momentum, kicking off with an infectious guitar riff that conjures up images of a high school student buying their first guitar; a blissful escape from the difficulties and pressures of being in school. The catchy chorus where Mullen repeats the line “You know I don’t like them” playfully highlights the struggle of trying to fit in and find a sense of identity during the school years, a struggle relatable to almost all of us. It is around this point that Naked Giants psychedelic and stoner rock influence also becomes apparent, as an excellent breakdown ensues, immersing the listener in guitars drenched in reverb and an outstanding guitar solo that smoothly blends back into the chorus right after hitting its climax.

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Take A Chance:

Naked Giants reach an absurd new level of catchiness with “Take A Chance”, which slams the listener with a groovy and addicting riff paired with a driving bass line. If there’s one thing to fault about The Shadow, it’s that at times, you just wish the songs would go on a little longer and “Take A Chance” is an example of one such song; when the song picks up the pace and appears to be building up to a satisfying crescendo, it ends. That being said, the stellar main riff coupled with the excellent harmonised vocals ensure that despite its short length, “Take A Chance” is an album highlight. It is also around this point that it also becomes apparent that Naked Giants have perfected the art of crafting tracks that incite the listener to sing along; I found myself enthusiastically humming along to the chorus of “Take A Chance” as I made my morning coffee. “Take A Chance”, much like most of The Shadow gets in your head and simply doesn’t leave.

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Turns Blue:

Just when you think you have their sound figured out, Naked Giants throw another curveball in the form of “Turns Blue”, which dials back the energy significantly in favour of a darker and more poignant sound. One can really feel the sense of longing as Mullen sings “I know I belong with you… whenever I’m with you, everything turns blue”. An excellent and emotive bass line coupled with minimalistic drumming from Henry LaVallee completes the picture and combines to create a surprisingly captivating and atmospheric experience that stands out amongst the more upbeat rock and roll numbers on the album. Also a highlight are the beautiful guitar melodies which appear throughout the verse, evoking a sense of sadness but also providing a sweetness and innocence to the sound. Another great track, “Turns Blue” proves that Naked Giants aren’t just a one trick pony and are capable of dialing back the pace in favour of a more ambient and expressive sound.

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(God Damn!) What I Am:

“(God Damn!) What I Am” explores pop rock territory with a simple but effective vocal hook and a fairly repetitive chorus. Sandwiched between the more somber “Turns Blue” and following track “The Ripper”, “(God Damn!) What I Am” feels slightly forgettable, bringing less emotional depth than its surrounding tracks whilst also not quite hitting the mark as a more rock driven number. A brief guitar solo after the second chorus provides some much needed energy and variation, pairing nicely with the bubbly chorus. The cheery lyrics are easy to enjoy and sing along to and Mullen and Aiello harmonise excellently throughout the song, however “(God Damn!) What I Am” suffers slightly from being too simple and repetitive. Overall, “(God Damn!) What I Am” is an enjoyable track, however is outshone by some of the more interesting musical ideas explored on The Shadow.

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The Ripper:

“The Ripper” provides an escape into a psychedelic and spacey soundscape, combining beautiful vocals with dreamy guitar melodies. The clean and vulnerable vocal style employed here is a highlight and pairs well with Mullen’s soft acoustic guitar work. The lyrics paint an interesting picture, with lines such as “How will you know when the ripping’s done?” and “Wash me away till my colours gone” providing a darker undertone to the relatively placid and calm instrumentation. The psychedelic sound explored here is helped by the excellent production, which provides plenty of space for all of the layered instruments to breathe, and everything including the bass cuts through clearly. The atmospheric and immersive sound of “The Ripper” creates a unique contrast with the grunge and rock and roll songs on the album, proving that Naked Giants aren’t afraid to branch out and progress their sound.

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Unpeeled:

“Unpeeled” continues the psychedelic sound with distant sounding vocals and a tense sounding guitar riff. The lead guitar riff creates a somewhat  dark and imposing mood, building up throughout the whole song towards a climactic ending. Aiello’s bass playing here is superb, keeping a solid chugging rhythm and tying the sound together.  The instrumentation is coupled with equally ominous lyricism with lines such as “I can see right through your eyes… through the window late at night” provoking imagery of being watched by some unknown force. Unfortunately, “Unpeeled” feels slightly lacking in length. Just as the song hits its peak with an awesome distorted guitar riff and an excellent stoner rock solo, things come to an abrupt end. As most of the song builds up to this one moment, it would have been nice for it to be explored for a little longer. Nevertheless, “Unpeeled” remains an enjoyable track and its sudden ending transitions perfectly into the next track “Television”.

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Television:

“Television” quickly secures its position as one of the best songs on the album, with an anthemic chorus and an addictive blend of rock and pop elements. Henry LaVallee’s drumming is particularly effective, creating an upbeat and energetic rhythm that is hard not to nod your head to. Grant Mullen’s guitar work is also in fine form and at its most impressive here, with some excellent tremolo picking on display as he shreds through a blisteringly fast solo and high octane riffs. “Television”, whilst not pushing the boundaries as much  in terms of experimentation, serves as an outstanding rock anthem and feels like Naked Giants at their most natural and comfortable – crafting simple yet infectious melodies and vocal hooks that get stuck in your head long after the song finishes its run time.

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Better Not Waste My Time:

“Better Not Waste My Time” explores a funky rock and roll groove, with a much slower and more rhythmic sound. The slower tempo is a nice change of pace, shifting the focus more towards the vocals and bass. “Better Not Waste My Time” shows Naked Giants at their most pissed off and sassy; the off kilter guitar strumming coupled with the vocal line “Well I better not waste my time on you” makes for one of the more badass moments on the album. The track makes excellent use of layering and depth with regards to the production, employing various guitar screeches and sound effects throughout that evoke a feeling of controlled chaos. Aiello’s bass playing is also a highlight here, lending weight and power to every note and giving the track a monolithic and gargantuan feel. Wrapping up the package is the slow yet precise and purposeful drumming of LaVallee, who serves as an excellent backbone for the song and provides some of his best fills here. The heavy riffing and LaVallee’s stellar drumming combine to great effect, making one feel like they are slowly marching forwards with the strength of an army behind them.

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The Shadow:

Naked Giants really hit their stride with “The Shadow”, throwing tempo changes, huge riffs and introspective lyricism into a rock and roll blender. One definitely gets the sense that the entire album has been building up to this one point, and it absolutely delivers. “The Shadow” shows off Naked Giants musical prowess better than any other. Slower, heavy grooves? Check. Fast, energetic and rock and roll riffs? Check. Awesome guitar solos that make you want to bang your head? Check. Interesting and introspective lyrics? Check. “The Shadow” has it all, and then some. Right off the bat you’re slammed in the face by a super distorted guitar riff that’s so simple yet so effective you almost wonder how nobody had ever thought of it before. Then you notice the lyrics, which are excellent here, delving into the issue of confronting the darkest part of yourself, and learning to accept your flaws. This is backed perfectly by the instrumentation, which provides a heavy and ominous atmosphere and is a great representation of the struggle of confronting your inner demons. Definitely an album highlight, “The Shadow” shows Naked Giants at the peak of their abilities, and is an absolute must listen.

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Song For When You Sleep:

Wrapping things up on a much calmer note, “Song For When You Sleep” provides a moving end to the musical journey that the listener undergoes throughout The Shadow. This track encapsulates Naked Giants ability to create an immersive and captivating experience, with beautiful melodies and soothing vocals wrapping themselves around you, inviting you to relax and let your worries drift away. The harmonised vocals are great and pair perfectly with the clean guitars to create a surprisingly hypnotic and dreamy soundscape. Definitely living up to its name, “Song For When You Sleep” meanders along at a slow but perfectly fitting pace, slowly introducing new melodies that culminate in a beautiful crescendo. It’s hard not to smile as the last few notes ring out and leave you with a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction – the journey is complete, and what a journey it was.

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The Shadow  is out August 21st

NAKED GIANTS
‘The Shadow’
Track Listing: 

1. Walk Of Doom 
2. High School (Don’t Like Them) 
3. Take A Chance 
4. Turns Blue 
5. (God Damn!) What I Am 
6. The Ripper 
7. Unpeeled 
8. Television 
9. Better Not Waste My Time 
10. The Shadow 
11. Song For When You Sleep 

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Check out NAKED GIANTS below
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AMNPLIFY – DB