The Naked and Famous — Recover (7/24/20)
There was something very special about The Naked and Famous when they broke onto the indie-pop scene in 2010. The L.A. via New Zealand band’s breakthrough hit “Young Blood” burst with a euphoric and freeing energy and has become an anthem for youthhood.
Their 2013 sophomore took on a bit of a darker sound and aesthetic and seemed to get a little less fanfare. While the album as a whole gets less attention it does hold the successful single “Hearts Like Ours.” Similar to “Young Blood,” the song explodes with a feeling that urges curiosity and a lust for life. It doesn’t hold the anthemic fuzz-pop chorus of “Young Blood” and will never reach the same heights of popularity but after all these years it’s the one I find myself returning to the most.
Vocalists Alisa Xayalith and Thom Powers had been in a relationship since the band’s beginnings and that relationship came to an end sometime between their second and third albums. So, that made 2016’s Simple Forms their breakup album. In all my time as a fan I never actually did look into their personal lives and so when I got into the album I had no idea of the circumstances behind it.
It was their shortest album yet with ten tracks that had the band diving into the synth-pop style of a group like CHVRCHES more than ever before. It was far from perfect but they did give me two new favourites with the tormented “Backslide” and the shimmering and expansive “Laid Low.”
Xayalith and Powers had a band behind them throughout this whole time but they find themselves alone for their latest. I see this album as the beginning of a new era for the band as they move through their 30s. Both members are in their own relationships and this album has them turning their focus towards hope and healing rather than heartbreak and loneliness.
Fans were given “Sunseeker” as the lead single back in November. There’s a trace of their older work in some of the subtle guitar and synth additions but the music feels much lighter. It suits the comfortable lyrics about someone (or something) appearing in your life that you didn’t know you needed. For Xayalith, it’s about her dog, Ginger, who came into her life unexpectedly. She gave Ginger the nickname ‘Sunseeker’ because she would always find her basking in patches of sunlight.
It doesn’t hit with the intensity of any of their previous lead singles but it is a charmingly innocent and loving song that proves quite heartwarming.
They save the intensity for the second single. Two weeks into the New Year we were given “Bury Us,” a song much more in the vein of what I’ve come to expect from TNAF. My favourite songs from them manage to create these vibrant and immersive musical landscapes with big, all-encompassing hooks. It’s how they’ve ripped into me in the past with songs like “Young Blood,” “Punching In A Dream,” “Hearts Like Ours,” “I Kill Giants,” “Laid Low,” and “Backslide.”
“Bury Us” has joined that list of favourites. It’s about having the courage to dive back into love after heartbreak. The way they hit you with the blissful hook is sure to inspire. It’s everything I want in a TNAF song and is a fantastic addition to any pick-me-up playlist you may require.
“Come As You Are” arrived as the third single as we headed into the Spring. It’s very much along the lines of “Sunseeker.” It’s an anthem of inclusivity, encouraging you to “come as you are.” It’s warm and textured and there’s enough grit to the production to give the lovey-dovey hook a real solid base. While I love the band’s more explosive side, this song is amazingly relevant during these tumultuous times and it oozes with positivity and acceptance.
They take a different approach with the somber fourth single “Death.” As much as they inspire with the three previous singles, the tragic emotion that comes from this cuts deeper. Powers takes reign on vocals and it’s always a pleasure to hear him take the lead. It’s probably my favourite performance from him since “Girls Like You.”
The song is a gutting reminder of our mortality; the chorus a repeating reminder that “there will be a last time that we see each other.” It’s hard to hear but it makes for one of the most emotional listens of the year; a song that encourages you to stay close to your loved ones because you never know what will happen. The bridge/outro has Powers and Xayalith splitting duties for one of the album’s most cutting lyrics.
The party will still be going
But we have to leave
I believe that was it for the pre-release singles. Two songs that showed their light and positive approach, one that featured their in-your-face pop, and another that delved into the darkest parts of their songwriting. I was pretty pleased heading into the album.
There’s nothing better to be found than what the singles presented though. “Death” and “Bury Us” take the cake as the album’s most impactful songs and I expect to have both on my Top 100 songs of the year. And that’s great. If an album can give me two songs that make it into my Top 100 then I’m pretty stoked.
It would be great though if there was a deep cut I could connect with, but unfortunately, there's nothing of the sort to be found.
While two of the four singles pushed this light and positive sound, there are only a couple others that follow suit. The opening title track is one of the lightest songs I’ve heard from them. It’s actually quite heavy lyrically. Xayalith sings about her mother who passed away from cancer when Xayalith was only seven years old.
The overarching message aims to provide some hope though and the shouted chorus (sounds like Xayalith and Powers are singing into the mic from across the room) has a sweet and endearing quality to it that distracts from the hurt in the words.
“Count on You” takes a soft approach before swelling into an acoustic-led chorus. It’s Xayalith and Power’s song to each other as they split verses and ask if they can count on each other in times of need.
Nothing hits with the same excitability of “Bury Us” but “Everybody Knows” and “Monument” show some energy. The former sounds the closest to what we got off of Simple Forms with its squealing synth guitar licks (or whatever that sound comes from). It’s a bouncy and fun hook that speaks on the push and pull of relationships with the ones we love.
The latter is far less playful, Xayalith tackling feelings of removing herself from an unhealthy relationship. Synth-waves roll over the chorus with more great guitar work but there’s not much else about it that keeps me interested.
There are a few songs that float between the heavy-handed pop and the breezy positivity jams. “Easy” has a bit of a tropical house feel to it and is a refreshing tune that also looks at making the decision to call an end to a relationship.
“Well-Rehearsed” is a soft stomper that looks at the idea of losing faith or belief in something you once believed in. I see it as changing the ways that are engrained in you, that have been “well-rehearsed.” It’s such a slow-moving song that doesn’t land on any significant emotion for me but I think it’s a relevant song for the changing times we find ourselves in.
“Muscle Memory” is an instrumental extension of “Well-Rehearsed” but they make the odd choice of placing it three songs later in the tracklist. Powers says of the song: “…like grief; arriving without warning or explanation, this song is a wordless echo.”
That leaves us with the final three. They each lean towards the somber aspects of TNAF’s music.
“The Sound of My Voice” is special in that Powers wrote it with the help of Frightened Rabbit’s Scott Hutchison. Hutchison tragically took his own life in 2018 and this song deals with those very ideations. It was written in 2014 following the end of Powers and Xayalith’s romantic relationship. Powers was in a state of heavy depression and he turned to Hutchison, someone who knew all too well about the struggle.
It’s a rather soft and stagnant sort of song but Powers’ smooth delivery is easy to get lost in. And it finishes on a hopeful note with the addition of Xayalith’s vocals acting as a light at the end of the tunnel. Hutchison had suggested they find a way to bring a positive spin to the song but they couldn’t think of anything when they initially wrote it. It wasn’t until after Hutchison’s passing that Powers had Xayalith’s part added and they were able to honour Hutchison’s idea.
The synth-fueled “(An)aesthetic” has a bubbly softness to it. It was inspired after a near-death situation for Powers. What started as food poisoning turned into sepsis, a potentially life-threatening illness caused by the body’s own response to infection which can lead to organ failure. The song has him showing gratitude to someone who seems to have been quite the support system during that time.
Xayalith takes the lead again for the closing “Coming Back To Me.” Light keys follow a crawling pace before one final surge of synth and guitar towards the end. I try to be a thoughtful listener but ultimately I’m in it for the feeling and a heartfelt slow-burn like this just doesn’t do it for me. It sounds like Xayalith has found herself again and this song is putting the bow on an album that screams new beginnings.
