polaroids of androids

May 19, 2008

Naked On The Vague
The Blood Pressure Sessions

8.1

The post-apocalyptic sounds of Naked On The Vague - delivered by what sound like self-assembled, junkyard instruments - communicate the frustration and uncertainty of a bleak future. Their dark punk sound is created through a clattering of rhythms, laid over a wide spectrum of unpredictable soundscapes and warmly covered with dreary vocals.

The continual shift of direction - sometimes smoothly and sometimes not-so - and unpredictable nature of this music is for the most part a delight to the ears. The completely original collage of jumbled sounds and head pounding rhythm accompaniments that Naked On The Vague have employed could easily be passed off as a rough first draft and describe as incomplete. Hidden under this mess however, is an album that is glued together with a fantastic attention to detail and is overflowing with creativity.

The band won't set the world on fire with their lyrical content, with tracks like All Aboard and The Horse, He's Sick featuring little more than a repeated chant. The vocals definitely play second fiddle to the disjointed musical chaos that the band obviously focus their attention on and often is used as a non-vocal way of communicating an idea. In this respect they position themselves amongst the conflicting layers of noise and rhythm that form as the main crux of each song.

One of the key attributes that makes this such an enjoyable record - and something that oozes out of every square inch - is just how well Naked On The Vague have musically summarised the style and ethic of the Sydney DIY scene. Other groups that form as the key pillars of the local 'warehouse community' (Say Cheese And Die, The Thaw etc) have produced music formed around the same similar ethos, but never with such depth and attention to detail.

While there are one or two moments where the ambition doesn't quite match the result, this record - best enjoyed with noise canceling headphones in a dark, cold room - is incredibly rewarding if you give it enough time.

Words by Jonny