Based in the Catskill Mountains of New York, The Nude Party is a lively psych-rock band who, surprisingly, live up to their name. The band has its origins at Appalachian State University in North Carolina, where the tightly-knit group of six became close as can be–something that shows in their music. The band quickly became known for their live shows around campus, where they would often play nude to equally clothed crowds; so when it came time to name their band, an obvious frontrunner came to mind. The bands self-titled full length debut, The Nude Party, released July 6th, 2018, builds off of their EP Hot Tub (2016). In The Nude Party, the band not only benefits from better recording quality that comes from the backing of their new label, New West Records, but also have clearly made strides in creating a more defined style.
The sextet, who more commonly refer to themselves as a brotherhood rather than a band, are heavily influenced by classic rock of the 60’s. This is obvious throughout The Nude Party, which is characterized by its easy-going guitar riffs and simple choruses. The album gets off to a great start with the first track “Water On Mars.” The song’s catchy lyrics, and exotic, groovy vocals make it an instant sing-along classic. The third track on the album, “Chevrolet Van,” implements piano into the classic rock vibe, and it was pulled off impeccably. The ability for The Nude Party to stack so many sounds on top of each with ease is something that the band says is a result of their devoted friendship. On the sixth track of the album, “Records,” The Nude Party shows its versatility as it gets away from the upbeat, fast-paced songs that make up the front half of the record. Even in this slow song, however, The Nude Party is still able to deliver an amusing, catchy chorus that begs the listener to sing along–”I don’t need your love / I just need my records.” Drawing from southwestern influences on top of classic rock, the eighth track on The Nude Party, “Gringo Che,” is yet another standout. With energizing vocals, a phenomenal guitar solo, and an upbeat story of Che Guevara, what’s not to love? After another southwestern themed song (“Wild Coyote”) comes what is presumably the most complete track of the album, “Astral Man.” Through the first three minutes of the five-and-a-half minute song, carefree guitar and restrained vocals pull the listener in, while the rest of the track is made up of a full band breakdown that could turn any frown upside-down.
While the young band is certainly on the right track, The Nude Party is not an album that will win them any awards for originality. The Nude Party has shown off their ability to write catchy songs, tell stories through lyrics, and produce vastly deep compositions that make a wiggle of the hips inevitable, but have not yet created a sound that is distinctly their own. Keeping in mind that the band is young and has more ideas flowing around than they could possibly express in a single album, it is not surprising that their first full length is slightly scattered. However, with as much passion and imagination as The Nude Party possess, it would come as a shock if the group had not become more settled on a defined, unique style by the time their next album arrives.
The Nude Party’s six person presence allows them to layer sounds beautifully. Each member is exceedingly skilled within their specialty instruments, making The Nude Party an endlessly rewarding record for successive run throughs. Each time a track is played, listeners are bound to pick up something new from the immensely deep instrumentals that they missed on the previous listen. While there is certainly room for improvement, the debut full length from The Nude Party is a phenomenal album full of instrumentals and lyrics that will make you want to dance, whether you’re clothed or not.
Recommended If You Like: Cage The Elephant, Ron Gallo, Twin Peaks, Ty Segall, Grapetooth
Recommended Tracks: 1 (Water On Mars), 3 (Chevrolet Van), 6 (Records), 7 (Live Like Me), 8 (Gringo Che), 9 (Wild Coyote), 10 (Astral Man)
Do Not Play: None
Written by Quinn Leyda on 11/15/2018