Despite being in one of the music capitals of the world, Vanderbilt’s contributions to both the national and local music scene have been minimal. But on Nov. 2, Vanderbilt students were treated to a show by the band Naked at the Pub, witnessing a Vandy alum, lead guitarist Paul Sarlo, in his venture into the dog-eat-dog world of alt-rock/punk, a market oversaturated with pedestrian Green Day knock offs and misconceived angst-filled teenagers.
Naked is composed of four brothers out of Indiana, where the band is based, along with Sarlo, who hails from Tennessee. Still yet to hit the ground running, the band is searching for a niche and sound to settle into. And while not yet widely recognized, its debut has been valiant and its shows raucous. From casual listening, the band seems to be drawing upon “Emergency and I” era Dismemberment Plan guitar riffs fused with more popish influence from the current successes of alt-rock bands.
Naked’s most recent release, “Peep Show,” dives feet first into the flood of indistinguishable releases from alt-rockers trying to make it big. However, that’s not to say it is not a valiant attempt. The first track of six, “Turn Me Up,” is the most promising, featuring a sound resembling that of the Hives or the Vines, with the lead vocalist introducing a somewhat more reserved and less tentative soundscape that unfortunately dissolves soon after.
The next five songs of the album are fairly similar. While not necessarily poor tracks, the Naked five seem indefatigable in their attempt to rise to the crest of the wave created by bands such as Green Day and Blink 182. The point at which it becomes something of an annoyance is on track three, “Lost Memories,” where lead vocalist Dan Huther speaks over choppy guitar, stating, “If you have ever been in love, I mean truly in love, then you’ll know its one of the greatest things you can ever experience.” The lyrics disintegrate into an immature rant on a failed relationship, inevitably leading to that oh-so-emo line, “You don’t know the pain I know.”
For Blink 182 fans, Naked could be a nice addition to their collection, but one must ask if there is any more room for such bands, especially as the go-to genre for teens searching for an accessible sound with angry overtones has moved to such unprolific emo bands as Panic! At the Disco.
While this reviewer’s biases inevitably find little ebullience from this genre, I do recognize that Naked’s effort has more to offer than many of the more predominant bands in its genre. However, this currently will not be enough to gain any recognition. Yet in such early stages of development, there is room for growth and the possibility of the discovery of a more unique angle (even Radiohead’s debut was mediocre on their terms, though it pains me to use that name in this review).
Such a tirade is not an indictment of Sarlo, who cuts against the grain by taking risks many Vanderbilt students refuse to take both willingly and financially. This defiance of social expectations should be venerated by the community. And while this latest release by Naked may not be the most ingenious, its accessibility hopefully will set a foundation upon which the band, along with the Vanderbilt musical community, can stake its fortune.
