THE NAKED AND FAMOUS' PASSIVE ME AGGRESSIVE YOU - ALBUM REVIEW
From the sunny land of New Zealand comes The Naked and Famous, with the most spectacular debut album I have heard in a long time. "Passive Me, Aggressive You" could not have come at a better time, however summer anthemy the songs undoubtedly project (which makes sense as New Zealand's summer has just begun) it's still very much perfectly in tune with our fresh autumnal breeze, or their fresh summer clarity. Either way, we need to soak up their sunshine one way or another, no one needs Seasonal Affective Disorder. And this album is a darn sight cheaper than a Light Therapy Unit.
The Naked and Famous' first single, the jangley sound of hope, "Young Blood" reached number one in the New Zealand charts upon it's release in September, which welcomes the spread of their PMA towards Britain. They then broke through to the screen with "Punching A Dream" that appears in Kevin Williamson's vampire teen drama The Vampire Diaries, with a familiar loop (reminding us of a similar MGMT hit synth) used as a foundation to build on their positivity and uplifting sensitive vocals.
From energetic tracks like "Spank" and "A Wolf in Geek's Clothing", to whispering blankets of calm from "The Sun" and "The Ends", The Naked and Famous give you the wholesome experience a good album should. "No Way" wouldn't be out of place at the end of a One Tree Hill episode, where they wind in a close to emotional stories that have built through the episode. Regular viewers will know this is the time the writers aim to draw out the most tears, joyful and woeful, but in this instance, The Naked and Famous will not let you step anywhere near the woeful.
"The Eyes" is a monumental track, as if shoegaze had an energetic upgrade, after watching some feel-good 80s montages. This music could coax anyone out of a coma, or at least fill their comatose state with dreams of unicorns and John Cusack in romantic and liberating 80s montages.
If you want a good album to daydream to, this is something you need in your life.