Having spent a number of years steadily rising through the ranks of the independent music scene, Seattle’s Naked Giants have today unleashed their long-awaited second album, The Shadow.
The group first gave fans word of the new album back in June, following up from their Green Fuzz EP with the socially-distanced film clip for “Turns Blue”. A masterful response to the times, the group’s 11-track LP has been on the way for only a few months now, with the trio raising excitement with the release of a handful of singles.
The most recent of these, “(God Damn!) What I Am”, sees Naked Giants at their most raw. With grunge-inspired garage rock dripping from every single second of track, and boasting a chorus that seems almost tailor-made to be screamed by their legions of followers at a show, it’s arguably the most powerful track that the group have created to date.
Produced by Chris Funk of The Decemberists, and mixed by Adam Lee of Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, the outfit undoubtedly wear their influences on their sleeve with this three-minute cut, musically drawing inspiration from the likes of Devo, while the lyrics feel somewhat reminiscent of The White Stripes’ rowdier numbers.
Appearing on The Shadow (which is out today), Naked Giants explained that their new record features some more mature themes than previous, though tracks like “(God Damn!) What I Am” prove that none of the fun of their music has been traded out.
“In the years since our previous album SLUFF was recorded, we have toured around the world, honed our musical skills and found our own little place in the music industry,” the group explain, “But we have also seen our share of shadows, and it is through acknowledging these shadows that we grow the most.
“Each song on The Shadow examines an aspect of this growth through a different musical lens, adding up to a series of rock and roll vignettes of light, shadow, anxiety and responsibility.”
A testament to what makes Naked Giants one of the most infectious and enjoyable rock outfits on the scene, be sure to check out The Shadow for more exuberant cuts such as this.
Naked Giants’ new album The Shadow is out today.
