Universal Republic Records Publicity Contact: Angela Burke 212.830.0895 angela.burke@umusic.com Album: Passive Me, Aggressive You Release Date: 3/15/11
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE NAKED AND FAMOUS TO CONCLUDE LANDMARK YEAR AT KROQ ALMOST ACOUSTIC XMAS ANNOUNCES 2012 SPRING TOUR BAND DOMINATES NEW ZEALAND MUSIC AWARDS NEW YORK, NY, November 17, 2011 — It's been quite the year for New Zealand electro rock phenom THE NAKED AND FAMOUS (TNAF), and they're closing it out with a bevy of high profile U.S. tour dates supporting their UNIVERSAL REPUBLIC RECORDS debut, PASSIVE ME, AGGRESSIVE YOU. The next slew of dates commences on Tuesday November 29 at Jillians in Albany, NY and includes a stop at KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas in Los Angeles on December 11 (http://player.vimeo.com/video/32178740). The band will also embark on a 2012 U.S. headlining tour next spring that will pass through venues like L.A.’s Wiltern Theatre and New York’s Terminal 5. Tickets for the tour are on sale now. Recently, the band swept the New Zealand Music Awards, snagging "Album of the Year" for PASSIVE ME, AGGRESSIVE YOU, "Single of the Year" for "Young Blood", Best Group, Breakthrough Artist of the Year, and "Best Alternative Album" in a record breaking haul. However, TNAF's rock dominance doesn't stop in their home country. In fact, it extends worldwide. The group enchanted crowds at Lollapalooza in Chicago, the iTunes Festival in London, Rock am Ring in Germany, Fuji Rock in Japan, Treasure Island Music Festival in San Francisco, Glastonbury and the Reading Festival in England as well as festivals throughout Europe and Australasia. KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas promises to be the climax to a banner year for the group in the U.S. After experiencing the group's irresistible live show, tastemakers continue to laud TNAF. Paste Magazine named the group the "success story" of the Treasure Island Festival, while Time Out Chicago claimed one gig was "packed with downtown Chicago movers and shakers." Billboard, Nylon, Glamour, AOL, The Chicago Tribune and countless other outlets have featured the group. Don't miss them when they come to your town. Confirmed tour dates are below. Upcoming U.S. Tour Dates: DATE CITY 11/29 Albany, NY 11/30 Providence, RI 12/1 Norfolk, VA 12/2 Grand Prairie, TX 12/4 Tulsa, OK 12/6 Kansas City, MO 12/7 Las Vegas, NV 12/8 Oakland, CA 12/10 San Diego, CA 12/11 Universal City, CA
VENUE Jillians Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel Constant Convocation Center Verizon Theatre Cain's Ballroom Midland Theatre The Joint The New Parish Valley View Casino Center Gibson Amphitheatre (KROQ Almost Acoustic
XMAS) 12/15
Santa Ana, CA
The Galaxy Theatre
12/16 12/17 12/18
Santa Barbara, CA Mammoth, CA San Francisco, CA
Soho Restaurant & Music Club Mammoth Mountain, Canyon Lounge The Independent
3/21 3/23 3/24 3/25 3/27 3/28 3/30 3/31 4/1 4/2 4/4 4/5 4/6 4/7 4/9 4/10 4/12 4/13 4/14 4/15 4/18
Los Angeles, CA Austin, TX Houston, TX New Orleans, LA Orlando, FL St. Petersburg, FL Miami, FL Athens, GA Carrboro, NC Richmond, VA New York, NY Toronto, ON Pontiac, MI Columbus, OH Indianapolis, IN Nashville, TN St. Louis, MO Milwuakee, WI Madison, WI Chicago, IL Denver, CO
The Wiltern Stubbs Waller Creek Amphitheater House of Blues Houston House of Blues New Orleans The Plaza Live State Theatre Grand Central 40 Watt Club Cats Cradle The National Terminal 5 Sound Academy Crofoot Ballroom The LC Pavilion The Vogue Mercy Lounge Gargoyle Club Turner Hall Ballroom Majestic Theatre Vic Theatre Ogden Theatre
About Universal Republic Records A division of Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company, Universal Republic is home to a diverse array of superstar artists such as 3 Doors Down, Amy Winehouse, Colbie Caillat, Eddie Vedder, Enrique Iglesias, Florence + the Machine, Godsmack, Hinder, Owl City, SuperHeavy, The Rolling Stones, The Voice(Javier Colon, Dia Frampton), among many others. It is comprised of innovative imprints and digital business ventures. It is comprised of Republic Nashville Records(The Band Perry), and is in partnerships with Aware Records(Mat Kearney), Big Machine(Taylor Swift), Brushfire(Jack Johnson, G Love), Cash Money(Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj) Lava Records(Jesse J, Black Veil Brides), SRC(Akon, Melanie Fiona, Shontelle), Tuff Gong(Damien Marley, Stephen Marley) among others.
THE NAKED AND FAMOUS is: thom powers - vocals, guitar alisa xayalith - vocals, keys aaron short - synth/electronics jesse wood - drums david beadle - bass
www.thenakedandfamous.com www.facebook.com/tnafofficial www.twitter.com/tnafofficial For More information THE NAKED AND FAMOUS please contact: Angela Burke at Universal Republic Records Publicity 212-830-0895 / angela.burke@umusic.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE NAKED AND FAMOUS RESUME U.S. INVASION WITH MORE TOUR DATES DEBUT SINGLE "YOUNG BLOOD" PASSES 100K U.S. SALES NEW YORK, NY, June 14, 2011 — THE NAKED AND FAMOUS (TNAF) will continue to captivate North America this summer with a more dates in support of their UNIVERSAL REPUBLIC RECORDS debut, PASSIVE ME, AGGRESSIVE YOU, including an appearance at LOLLAPALOOZA on August 5th in Chicago, IL. These shows follow their first-ever U.S. tour which brought packed crowds to their feet at SXSW and in every nook and cranny of the country. THE NAKED AND FAMOUS have already won the hearts of critics and audiences alike via their wickedly enthralling electro pop. Their debut single "Young Blood”, an Itunes Single of the Week in March, has now amassed over 100,000 Soundscan sales, while album PASSIVE ME, AGGRESSIVE YOU has scanned over 20,000 US sales since its March release. The unforgettable video for "Young Blood" has passed five million views on YouTube, illuminating the band's vibrant sound and spirit. ”Young Blood” has also made its way into the pop culture zeitgeist, featuring in network shows Gossip Girl and Chuck as well as Disney’s Prom movie. Tweeting fans of the song range from Perez Hilton to Nine Inch Nails and A Perfect Circle guitarist, Danny Lohner. The critical acclaim still mounts. In their music issue, Nylon Magazine sums up the band's enigmatic style best, "Think 'Time to Pretend'-era MGMT with accents and a darker sense of humor." Interview Magazine writes, "The band's songs are like candy for the sugar-addicted: once you hear one, you're hard-pressed to ignore the rest," and Alternative Press named them "a band you need to know in 2011." Further press praise has come from Glamour, Filter, LA Weekly, Billboard Magazine, and more. PASSIVE ME, AGGRESSIVE YOU made a big splash on the digital landscape when it officially dropped March 15. It debuted on the iTunes Top 10 Albums Chart and it hit #2 on the Alternative Album Chart. This is all merely the start of their U.S. takeover. Confirmed tour dates are below. Upcoming U.S. Tour Dates: DATE CITY 6/16 Boston, MA 6/18 Washington, DC 8/2 Los Angeles, CA 8/5 Chicago, IL 8/7 New York, NY 8/11 Boston, MA 8/13 Brooklyn, NY 8/14 East Hampton, NY 10/28 Asheville, NC
VENUE WFNX Radio Festival Rock’n’Roll Hotel Henry Fonda Music Box Lollapalooza Central Park Summer Stage Brighton Music Hall Music Hall of Williamsburg Music To Know Festival MOOGFEST 2011
THE NAKED AND FAMOUS is:
thom powers - vocals, guitar alisa xayalith - vocals, keys aaron short - synth/electronics jesse wood - drums david beadle - bass About Universal Republic Records Universal Republic Records, launched in 1995 by Monte and Avery Lipman, has quickly evolved into one of the most successful new labels of the last decade. A division of Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company, Universal Republic is home to a diverse array of superstar artists as well as innovative imprints and digital business ventures. It is comprised of Universal Republic and Republic Nashville Records, and is in partnerships with Big Machine, Cash Money, Lava Records, Downtown Records, and Simmons Records among others. The company’s roster boasts such chart-topping artists as Taylor Swift, The Rolling Stones, Enrique Iglesias, Amy Winehouse, Colbie Caillat, Florence + the Machine, Hinder, 3 Doors Down, Owl City, Godsmack, Jack Johnson, and Damian Marley among many others.
www.thenakedandfamous.com www.facebook.com/tnafofficial www.twitter.com/tnafofficial For More information THE NAKED AND FAMOUS please contact: Angela Burke at Universal Republic Records Publicity 212-830-0895 / angela.burke@umusic.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE NAKED AND FAMOUS EXPAND U.S. TOUR DEBUT ALBUM, PASSIVE ME, AGGRESSIVE YOU, LANDS ON ITUNES TOP 10 ALBUMS CHART
NEW YORK, NY, April 1, 2011 — New Zealand's most infectious musical export, THE NAKED AND FAMOUS (TNAF) have added two dates to their first ever U.S. tour. Both shows, April 8 and April 9, will be at the esteemed Echoplex in Los Angeles, CA and properly commence this jaunt. The tour comes hot on the heels of the band's incendiary performances at SXSW, and the quintet are ready to introduce audiences all over North America to their ecstatic electro pop sound. THE NAKED AND FAMOUS will hit the road in support of their critically acclaimed UNIVERSAL REPUBLIC RECORDS debut, PASSIVE ME, AGGRESSIVE YOU. Their tour kicks off with two sold out shows at Los Angeles’ Echoplex before they join British band Foals and Brooklyn's Freelance Whales on a national tour. PASSIVE ME, AGGRESSIVE YOU made a big splash on the digital landscape when it officially dropped March 15. It debuted on the iTunes Top 10 Albums Chart and it hit #2 on the Alternative Album Chart. However, THE NAKED AND FAMOUS have only begun to hypnotize U.S. audiences. Confirmed tour dates are below. Upcoming U.S. Tour Dates: DATE CITY FRI 4/8 LOS ANGELES, CA FRI 4/9 LOS ANGELES, CA MON 4/11 SEATTLE, WA TUE 4/12 PORTLAND, OR SAN FRANCISCO, THU 4/14 CA FRI 4/15 SAN DIEGO, CA TUE 4/19 HOUSTON, TX WED 4/20 DALLAS, TX THU 4/21 AUSTIN, TX FRI 4/22 KANSAS CITY, MO SAT 4/23 ST. LOUIS, MO TUE 4/26 CHICAGO, IL WED 4/27 COLUMBUS, OH FRI 4/29 CLEVELAND, OH SAT 4/30 TORONTO, ON SUN 5/1 MONTREAL, PQ MON 5/2 BOSTON, MA WED 5/4 NEW YORK, NY THU 5/5 PHILADELPHIA, PA FRI 5/6 WASHINGTON, DC SAT 5/7 BALTIMORE, MD SUN 5/8 PROVIDENCE, RI
VENUE Echoplex – SOLD OUT Echoplex – SOLD OUT Showbox Wonder Ballroom Great American Music Hall House of Blues Fitzgeralds Granada La Zona Rosa Beaumont Firebird Metro Outland Beachland Phoenix National Paradise Webster TLA 930 Club Ottobar The Met
THE NAKED AND FAMOUS is: thom powers - vocals, guitar alisa xayalith - vocals, keys aaron short - synth/electronics jesse wood - drums david beadle - bass About Universal Republic Records: Universal Republic Records is a division of Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company, with wholly owned record operations or licensees in 77 countries. One of several labels that comprise Universal Motown Republic Group, Republic Records was formed in 1995 by President, CEO of the label, Monte Lipman, and his brother, President of Universal Republic, Avery Lipman, conceptualized around their kitchen table. Today, the label is responsible for numerous breakthrough and mainstream chart topping artists, including a diverse array of groundbreaking imprints and ventures encompassing new and established platinum and multiplatinum acts such Taylor Swift, Enrique Iglesias, Amy Winehouse, Colbie Caillat, Florence + The Machine, Hinder, 3 Doors Down, Owl City, Anberlin, Godsmack, Jack Johnson, Damian Marley and others.
www.thenakedandfamous.com www.facebook.com/tnafofficial www.twitter.com/tnafofficial For More information THE NAKED AND FAMOUS please contact: Angela Burke at Universal Republic Records Publicity 212-830-0895 / angela.burke@umusic.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE NAKED AND FAMOUS TO RELEASE "PASSIVE ME, AGGRESSIVE YOU" IN STORES 3/15/2011 BAND TO PLAY SXSW 2011 AND EMBARK ON FIRST U.S. TOUR CURRENT SINGLE "YOUNG BLOOD" ON RADIO NOW!!! NEW YORK, NY, January 20, 2011 — Critical darlings and international sensation THE NAKED AND FAMOUS (TNAF) are set to drop their debut album, PASSIVE ME AGGRESSIVE YOU, via Universal Republic Records on March 15, 2011 in stores everywhere. The band has announced performances at SXSW 2011 in March and will commence its first North American tour alongside British band Foals and Brooklyn’s Freelance Whales kicking off on April 10 in Vancouver, Canada BC. Their first single, "Young Blood," originally released as a seven inch on the ultra-hip Neon Gold label, and now available on digital platforms, serves as the perfect gateway into the New Zealand quintet's exquisite dream pop, oscillating between a calculatedly energetic beat, glitch-y rhythms, and airy synths underneath the gorgeous dual vocals of Alisa Xayalith and Thom Powers. After a live in session U.S. debut on KCRW's tastemaker radio show, "Morning Becomes Eclectic," "Young Blood" has begun its journey across college (currently Top 10 at CMJ), alternative and modern rock airwaves entrancing listeners everywhere. THE NAKED AND FAMOUS have quickly become firmly entrenched in the international pop culture consciousness. PASSIVE ME AGGRESSIVE YOU earned a tri fecta of number ones in New Zealand. It debuted at #1 on the New Zealand album charts, "Young Blood" was a #1 single, and the album was voted critics #1 album of 2010 by The New Zealand Herald. In the UK, the band was one of 15 chosen on the BBC's coveted "Sounds of 2011" list and NME’s Ones To Watch list for 2011." That fervor surrounding THE NAKED AND FAMOUS has spread to the United States instantly. PASSIVE ME AGGRESSIVE YOU was #15 on MySpace's "Best Albums of 2010" list, and the site announced, "This is likely to be the only album here that will turn up on your Best of 2011 list, too." LA Weekly writes, "TNAF has all the right ingredients”, while Filter Magazine says, "Expect great things to come from this band." Universal Republic Records COO Avery Lipman paid attention to the band's impact in New Zealand and was transfixed by their unique sound. He comments, "I followed the rise of THE NAKED AND FAMOUS overseas, and I was so intrigued by their style. Delving deeper into the music, I was automatically inspired to work with them. I wanted to bring them to the United States in a big way, and there's a lot on the horizon for Republic and the band together." Powers and his band mates can't wait for listeners to dive into PASSIVE ME, AGGRESSIVE YOU. “Being discovered by music fans all over the world has been a surreal experience but in all honesty - we are an 'album band'. That's always been the pinnacle of what we're about and why we do this. Being able to release our album in the States is a real privilege.” With a performance at SXSW scheduled and "Young Blood" on the radio, everybody will be able to enjoy THE NAKED AND FAMOUS gorgeous pop music soon as the band plans to make their U.S tour debut in April 2011.
Upcoming U.S. Tour Dates: DATE CITY FRI 4/8 LOS ANGELES, CA MON 4/11 SEATTLE, WA TUE 4/12 PORTLAND, OR SAN FRANCISCO, THU 4/14 CA FRI 4/15 SAN DIEGO, CA TUE 4/19 HOUSTON, TX WED 4/20 DALLAS, TX THU 4/21 AUSTIN, TX FRI 4/22 KANSAS CITY, MO SAT 4/23 ST. LOUIS, MO TUE 4/26 CHICAGO, IL WED 4/27 COLUMBUS, OH FRI 4/29 CLEVELAND, OH SAT 4/30 TORONTO, ON SUN 5/1 MONTREAL, PQ MON 5/2 BOSTON, MA WED 5/4 NEW YORK, NY THU 5/5 PHILADELPHIA, PA FRI 5/6 WASHINGTON, DC SAT 5/7 BALTIMORE, MD SUN 5/8 PROVIDENCE, RI
VENUE Echoplex Showbox Wonder Ballroom Great American Music Hall House of Blues Fitzgeralds Granada La Zona Rosa Beaumont Firebird Metro Outland Beachland Phoenix National Paradise Webster TLA 930 Club Ottobar The Met
THE NAKED AND FAMOUS is: thom powers - vocals, guitar alisa xayalith - vocals, keys aaron short - synth/electronics jesse wood - drums david beadle - bass About Universal Republic Records: Universal Republic Records is a division of Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company, with wholly owned record operations or licensees in 77 countries. One of several labels that comprise Universal Motown Republic Group, Republic Records was formed in 1995 by President, CEO of the label, Monte Lipman, and his brother, President of Universal Republic, Avery Lipman, conceptualized around their kitchen table. Today, the label is responsible for numerous breakthrough and mainstream chart topping artists, including a diverse array of groundbreaking imprints and ventures encompassing new and established platinum and multiplatinum acts such Taylor Swift, Enrique Iglesias, Amy Winehouse, Colbie Caillat, Florence + The Machine, Hinder, 3 Doors Down, Owl City, Anberlin, Godsmack, Jack Johnson, Damian Marley and others.
www.thenakedandfamous.com www.facebook.com/tnafofficial www.twitter.com/tnafofficial For More information THE NAKED AND FAMOUS please contact: Angela Burke at Universal Republic Records Publicity 212-830-0895 / angela.burke@umusic.com
THE NAKED AND FAMOUS U.S. Press Quotes “Embracing heavy guitars strings, and harder rock sounds TNAF impressively succeeds using hypnotic vocals, dreamy synths, heavy percussion and catchy riffs to create a more than mustsee performance…expect great things to come from this band.” - FILTER MAGAZINE “TNAF has all the right ingredients…they could be a force to be reckoned with.” - LA WEEKLY “TNAF collages the different genres into a sound that’s both sweet and new, wise and old. But always a dance riot. TNAF is on its way to dethroning MGMT as the go-to dancepop sound for the digital age.” - MTV IGGY
“…the quintet owned the crowd with their contagious energy right away. Pinning down the followers with their upbeat electro hit, "Punching in a Dream", The Naked and Famous wowed new listeners and mesmerized fans with their live performance.” (at LA’s Echoplex) - FILTER MAGAZINE “The band's songs are like candy for the sugar-addicted: once you hear one, you're hard-pressed to ignore the rest.” - INTERVIEW MAGAZINE “The Naked and Famous’ meld of chilled-out instrumentation and frenetic vocals sounds worn and wide-eyed at the same time, and that combination could take these indie newcomers very far.” – Billboard Magazine “Pimping for a Saturday Night Out, The Naked and Famous ‘Young Blood’.” - Alexandra Patsavas from GLAMOUR MAGAZINE “Band You Need to Know in 2011” - ALTERNATIVE PRESS “We're not quite sure WHAT is going on in New Zealand, but they are making some AMAZING music lately! From Kids Of 88, whom we posted about this week, to Zowie, Kimbra, Ladyhawke and, now, The Naked And Famous. We are LOVING Kiwi music! Once again, this act is giving us and MGMT vibe - back when MGMT was good!” - PEREZ HILTON
Auckland’s five-piece delivered exquisite dream pop, oscillating between the calculatedly energetic beat, glitzy rhythms, and airy synthesizers underneath. – The Sacramento Press “[TNAF’s Lollapalooza set] super hooky… while artier moments may boost their credibility, by gosh the neon-clad teens in the crowd freaked out for the pop nuggets.” – TIME OUT CHICAGO “The biggest thing to happen to New Zealand since Peter Jackson’s makeover…” - San Francisco Chronicle “An excellent concert from the promising Kiwis!”
- The Orange County Register
“The very best of the fest (SXSW)” - Nylon Magazine “’Punching in a Dream’ infected the crowd with the dancey vibes that would become the standard for the rest of the night, showcasing the interplay between lead vocalists Alisa Xayalith and Thom Powers…” – Philadelphia Weekly “It may be too early to declare an official Song of the Summer, but in the early going, there has been a clear front-runner, and that song is “Young Blood by New Zealand’s The Naked and Famous, driven as it is by irresitably soaring vocals and a hook-laden chorus.” -Buzzine
“…the show was already sold out before The Naked and Famous had finished their set, but, curiously, a lot of people left the venue after The Naked and Famous played.” –Oregon Music News
June / July 2011
December 12, 2011 http://www.rollingstone.com/music/photos/behind-the-scenes-of-kroq-almost-acoustic-christmas20111212/the-naked-and-famous-0274431
Spring 2011
Spring Issue 2011
January 18, 2011
Music
Shirts and Skins: The Naked and Famous Bare All By ILANA KAPLAN
The Naked and Famous' lead singer, Thom Powers, would probably be Batman if he wasn't a musician—but luckily, it's been working out for him as the frontman of one of the bands on the rise for 2011. The band, which combines synth beats and shoegazey dream-pop, has struck gold as the first New Zealand native band in sixteen years to have a number-one hit in their homeland. Their song "Young Blood" has not only hit U.S. airwaves, but has also been heard in the promo for the anxiously awaited U.S. version of the U.K. teen soap Skins. Powers' vocals have a psychedelic quality that creates a mellow trance. The band's songs are like candy for the sugar-addicted: once you hear one, you're hard-pressed to ignore the rest. The Auckland natives' debut, Passive Me, Aggressive You, will be released throughout the U.S. on March 15, 2011, but the band has already generated buzz akin to Passion Pit and MGMT. The Naked and Famous have an upcoming supporting tour with the Foals, after having played with Nine Inch Nails, The Temper Trap and Florence + the Machine. It's hard to be passive when stardom seems to be an aggressive glance into a crystal ball away. We caught up with Powers while the band was still in the States. ILANA KAPLAN: How did you guys come up with your name? THOM POWERS: It's actually from a Tricky song. There's an album called Pre-Millennium Tension. It was like 1996, I think.
KAPLAN: You were on the BBC's "Sound of 2011" list, even though your album hasn't been released yet. How did that feel? POWERS: It was insane. The whole thing, in itself: just the idea of a New Zealand band getting out of New Zealand is, like, absurd. So, yeah I can't really pinpoint one thing. The whole thing has been a bit surreal, you know? KAPLAN: What comes to mind when you hear the words "naked and famous?" POWERS: I always thought it was just ridiculous and over the top. I thought it was fitting for us because, I don't know, I find myself being quite cynical—and I think we all kind of are—towards the idea that it's associated with being a musician; you know... the kind of rock-star attitude. So, I hope that people know it's a joke. KAPLAN: Have you or any of your bandmates woken up naked and realized you were getting famous? POWERS: The first part: every day. I did this morning. The second part: yes, actually, just probably not the first thought. To answer your question, yeah, but probably not too often. KAPLAN: One of the ways you guys became better known in the U.S. was through a promo for the U.S. version of Skins. So has that helped your fan base in the U.S.? POWERS: Are we on that? Did you just say we were on that? You must be kidding me! I had no idea. God, I'm gonna find out about this right now. It's the Skins American version. Shit. All right.... I didn't know about that! KAPLAN: There are a couple of different ones, but one of the promos features "Young Blood." POWERS: Oh my gosh, and what the fuck! I didn't know. Brilliant! KAPLAN: Who have been your influences as a group? POWERS: We're music fans, so we're constantly listening to new music. I can probably name a couple of big influences on what we do that have stuck with us for a long time. One of them would probably be Nine Inch Nails, as far as electronic rock music and using your own band, and a lot of the heavier guitar work. We're kind of referencing all kinds of different genres and all kinds of different groups when we're writing and producing, so I couldn't really put it down to any two particular groups that sort of got us into music. For songs like "Young Blood," M83 sort of influenced us on that track. When we were figuring out the bass line, we were listening to some Daft Punk and chatting about that. So, it just really changes, and we try and pull as many different things as we can into the music. KAPLAN: How did you come up with the titles for "Punching in a Dream" and "Young Blood?" POWERS: Well "Punching in a Dream" was something that I think Alisa said and we were just wondering about one day, was a good song title. It was like an idea we already had kicking around. And when we finished the actual track "Punching in a Dream," we were just... it was kind of an instant thing. We were like, "Brilliant, we can use that, we can use that name you came up with!," because it just seemed to match the song. And then it became a lyric as well. In "Young Blood," same kind of thing, except the thought came after the song. So, we had the song, we just sat around thinking about names. Yeah, I don't know. It's kind of hard to explain how lyrics kind of pop into your head. It's kind of like brainstorming. KAPLAN: What are your favorite songs on the album to perform?
POWERS: It depends. At the time they were being written, I think my favorite was always the one we were recording. It's like trying to pick your favorite child. A couple of moments I'm really proud of instantly, I always know are "The Sun" and "Jilted Lovers." I think those two are the darkest moments on the record. I'm inclined to show people those. I also am very proud of "Young Blood," you know, the type of song it is. Now, after everything, it's kind of carried the band, you know what I mean? It's kind of become our legs. It changes week to week. KAPLAN: What was the most interesting touring experience you've had so far? POWERS: Well, being huge Nine Inch Nails fans, we actually got to open for them when we started in 2009, back home when they played in Auckland. I think that probably, if anyone said, "What's your favorite show," it would still be that. We sort of felt like retiring after that tour. It would have been an amazing career: to release two EPs, support your favorite band, and call it quits. Right now, doing our own shows... we were able to do our own big album tour back home, and that was amazing. That was, to me, the pinnacle of what I always thought live music was about—which was, you hear about a band, you listen to the album, you buy the album, you love the album, you know it intimately, then you go and see the band live and it's just an immaculate kind of re-creation of what was on the record, with a couple of surprises and I don't know... just a really well put together, elegant performance. The idea of your own tour as a band is pretty thrilling. THE NAKED AND FAMOUS WILL RELEASE THEIR DEBUT ALBUM, PASSIVE ME, AGGRESSIVE YOU, STATESIDE ON MARCH 15. FIND OUT MORE AT THEIR WEBSITE OR MYSPACE.
The Naked and Famous' lead singer, Thom Powers, would probably be Batman if he wasn't a musician—but luckily, it's been working out for him as the frontman of one of the bands on the rise for 2011. The band, which combines synth beats and shoegazey dream-pop, has struck gold as the first New Zealand native band in sixteen years to have a number-one hit in their homeland. Their song "Young Blood" has not only hit U.S. airwaves, but has also been heard in the promo for the anxiously awaited U.S. version of the U.K. teen soap Skins. Powers' vocals have a psychedelic quality that creates a mellow trance. The band's songs are like candy for the sugar-addicted: once you hear one, you're hard-pressed to ignore the rest. The Auckland natives' debut, Passive Me, Aggressive You, will be released throughout the U.S. on March 15, 2011, but the band has already generated buzz akin to Passion Pit and MGMT. The Naked and Famous have an upcoming supporting tour with the Foals, after having played with Nine Inch Nails, The Temper Trap and Florence + the Machine. It's hard to be passive when stardom seems to be an aggressive glance into a crystal ball away. We caught up with Powers while the band was still in the States. ILANA KAPLAN: How did you guys come up with your name? THOM POWERS: It's actually from a Tricky song. There's an album called Pre-Millennium Tension. It was like 1996, I think. KAPLAN: You were on the BBC's "Sound of 2011" list, even though your album hasn't been released yet. How did that feel? POWERS: It was insane. The whole thing, in itself: just the idea of a New Zealand band getting out of New Zealand is, like, absurd. So, yeah I can't really pinpoint one thing. The whole thing has
been a bit surreal, you know? KAPLAN: What comes to mind when you hear the words "naked and famous?" POWERS: I always thought it was just ridiculous and over the top. I thought it was fitting for us because, I don't know, I find myself being quite cynical—and I think we all kind of are—towards the idea that it's associated with being a musician; you know... the kind of rock-star attitude. So, I hope that people know it's a joke. KAPLAN: Have you or any of your bandmates woken up naked and realized you were getting famous? POWERS: The first part: every day. I did this morning. The second part: yes, actually, just probably not the first thought. To answer your question, yeah, but probably not too often. KAPLAN: One of the ways you guys became better known in the U.S. was through a promo for the U.S. version of Skins. So has that helped your fan base in the U.S.? POWERS: Are we on that? Did you just say we were on that? You must be kidding me! I had no idea. God, I'm gonna find out about this right now. It's the Skins American version. Shit. All right.... I didn't know about that! KAPLAN: There are a couple of different ones, but one of the promos features "Young Blood." POWERS: Oh my gosh, and what the fuck! I didn't know. Brilliant! KAPLAN: Who have been your influences as a group? POWERS: We're music fans, so we're constantly listening to new music. I can probably name a couple of big influences on what we do that have stuck with us for a long time. One of them would probably be Nine Inch Nails, as far as electronic rock music and using your own band, and a lot of the heavier guitar work. We're kind of referencing all kinds of different genres and all kinds of different groups when we're writing and producing, so I couldn't really put it down to any two particular groups that sort of got us into music. For songs like "Young Blood," M83 sort of influenced us on that track. When we were figuring out the bass line, we were listening to some Daft Punk and chatting about that. So, it just really changes, and we try and pull as many different things as we can into the music. KAPLAN: How did you come up with the titles for "Punching in a Dream" and "Young Blood?" POWERS: Well "Punching in a Dream" was something that I think Alisa said and we were just wondering about one day, was a good song title. It was like an idea we already had kicking around. And when we finished the actual track "Punching in a Dream," we were just... it was kind of an instant thing. We were like, "Brilliant, we can use that, we can use that name you came up with!," because it just seemed to match the song. And then it became a lyric as well. In "Young Blood," same kind of thing, except the thought came after the song. So, we had the song, we just sat around thinking about names. Yeah, I don't know. It's kind of hard to explain how lyrics kind of pop into your head. It's kind of like brainstorming. KAPLAN: What are your favorite songs on the album to perform? POWERS: It depends. At the time they were being written, I think my favorite was always the one we were recording. It's like trying to pick your favorite child. A couple of moments I'm really proud of instantly, I always know are "The Sun" and "Jilted Lovers." I think those two are the darkest moments on the record. I'm inclined to show people those. I also am very proud of "Young Blood," you know, the type of song it is. Now, after everything, it's kind of carried the
band, you know what I mean? It's kind of become our legs. It changes week to week. KAPLAN: What was the most interesting touring experience you've had so far? POWERS: Well, being huge Nine Inch Nails fans, we actually got to open for them when we started in 2009, back home when they played in Auckland. I think that probably, if anyone said, "What's your favorite show," it would still be that. We sort of felt like retiring after that tour. It would have been an amazing career: to release two EPs, support your favorite band, and call it quits. Right now, doing our own shows... we were able to do our own big album tour back home, and that was amazing. That was, to me, the pinnacle of what I always thought live music was about—which was, you hear about a band, you listen to the album, you buy the album, you love the album, you know it intimately, then you go and see the band live and it's just an immaculate kind of re-creation of what was on the record, with a couple of surprises and I don't know... just a really well put together, elegant performance. The idea of your own tour as a band is pretty thrilling. THE NAKED AND FAMOUS WILL RELEASE THEIR DEBUT ALBUM, PASSIVE ME, AGGRESSIVE YOU, STATESIDE ON MARCH 15. FIND OUT MORE AT THEIR WEBSITE OR MYSPACE.
(UK) September 2011
March 21 2011
SXSW RECAP The very best of the fest.
The Naked and Famous After lunching with this New Zealand synth-pop crew (and after listening to their debut album nonstop for the past couple of months), I was super-psyched to catch their set. Annoying I only saw the last two songs (I got a little lost), but that was enough to secure them a spot on this list. Alisa Xayalith and Thom Powers gave their giddy jams added oomph with their soaring dual vocals and the screaming synths shot through the crowd like sunshine. It’s safe to say everyone there was yelling “yeah ee yeah ee yeah ee yeah” on “Young Blood.” I’m still singing it. ---ELLEN CARPENTER
October 25, 2011 http://www.boston.com/ae/music/blog/2011/10/hear_here_the_n.html
HEAR HERE: The Naked and Famous, tonight at Paradise Rock Club
New Zealand's The Naked and Famous play the Paradise tonight.
By Maria Oliver, Globe Correspondent “It’s pretty peculiar to be seen as a popular band in New Zealand,” says Thom Powers of Auckland’s The Naked and Famous. “We don’t really have celebrity culture like you guys do here in the States.” Of course, that success is only peculiar if you’re in a band full of New Zealanders. As the first native band to top that nation’s charts in three whole years, Powers doesn’t take their success lightly. “We’d never even thought it was possible to leave the country and play around the world and we still made the album we made,” he says.
Led by Powers and vocalist Alisa Xayalith, the Naked and Famous specialize in fast paced, synth-heavy power ballads that mix dream pop, 80s teen angst, and the headbouncing appeal of bands like MGMT or Passion Pit. Its debut album, “Passive Me, Aggressive You” -- produced by Powers with bandmate Aaron Short --- garnered them six nominations at the 2011 New Zealand Music Awards, thanks, in large part, to songs like their hit, “Young Blood.” Tonight, the band plays the Paradise with Denver psych-punks The Chain Gang of 1974 and promising L.A. electro-pop group White Arrows. And as the band's momentum gains, Powers is only letting some of it go to his head: “It’s nice to make enough money to go see the dentist once in a while.” Paradise Rock Club, tonight. Tickets: $20. 18+ 617-562-8800, www.thedise.com Maria Oliver can be reached at mariatoliver@gmail.com.
December 18. 2011 (Circulation 235,000 Daily)
The Naked and Famous return to S.F. Aidin Vaziri
Universal New Zealand's the Naked and Famous played the Lollapalooza and Glastonbury festivals this year, gaining major exposure.
The biggest thing to happen to New Zealand since Peter Jackson's makeover? The Naked and Famous, a ridiculously handsome band that in the past year went from supporting small indie acts to playing major festivals around the world (Lollapalooza, Glastonbury, Treasure Island). The five-piece group, whose first CD, "Passive Me, Aggressive You," bursts with giddy electro-pop tunes such as "Young Blood" and "Punching in a Dream," returns to San Francisco for the first of two shows tonight at the Independent. We spoke to band member Aaron Short. Q: So it hasn't been a bad year, huh? A: I think it's been quite the opposite. At the beginning, our manager told us, "It's going to be the busiest year of our life." It's living up to our expectations in that area. Q: You were still working a day job at this point last year. When did you quit? A: It was when we signed our deal with Universal. We realized things were going to get a lot bigger. So we prepared to live in hotel rooms and buses. Q: It sounds like you miss the normality. A: I occasionally think back to it. It was comforting getting up at 8 and coming home at 5. When touring life is so hectic and crazy, you take comfort in those thoughts, but I certainly wouldn't trade it for anything. Q: Do you guys fight a lot over the stereo in the van?
A: A majority of the time the van is in complete silence because every person has their headphones on. We see and hear so much of each other, it's a good opportunity to drift off into our own worlds. Q: How is your singer, Alisa Xayalith, surviving life on the road with four guys? A: Deep down, she loves it. Q: Really? Are you sure you're not putting words into her mouth? A: It's positive reinforcement. If we all say that enough, she'll believe it. No, we're not disgusting males or anything. We keep it polite when there are ladies around. Q: You played Oakland last week, then San Diego and Santa Barbara before heading back to San Francisco. Is someone just messing with you? A: Yeah, I'm sure our tour manager is having a ball on those nine-hour drives. He loves it. The Naked and Famous: 9 p.m. Today-Mon. $20. The Independent, 628 Divisadero St., S.F. (415) 771-1421. www.indepen dentsf.com. To hear the Naked and Famous' music, go to thenakedandfamous.com. E-mail Aidin Vaziri at avaziri@sfchronicle.com. Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi? f=/c/a/2011/12/15/PKTR1M9E40.DTL#ixzz1h0565kqC
December 16, 2011 (LIVE REVIEW)
(Circulation 182,000 Daily)
The Naked and Famous proves a fine import at the Observatory By GEORGE A. PAUL / FOR THE REGISTER An intriguing yin-and-yang dynamic accentuates the music of the Naked and Famous. It’s opposite what you’d normally expect from male/female bandleaders: guitarist Thom Powers tends to sing in a quiet, hushed fashion, while keyboardist Alisa Xayalith often leans toward a more exuberant, Björk style. Their debut album title Passive Me, Aggressive You is totally appropriate as a result. The New Zealand alt-rock band formed in 2008, but that captivating debut effort didn't emerge Down Under until last year, when it reached pole position, spawned a No. 1 single (“Young Blood”) and helped the young Auckland natives snag seven trophies at the New Zealand Music Awards, equivalent to our Grammys. Passive Me, Aggressive You arrived stateside in spring and was also well-received: “Punching in a Dream” is currently Top 20 on Billboard’s modern rock radio chart; “Young Blood” sits atop the KROQ/106.7 FM playlist.
Although the Naked and Famous toured America consistently in 2011, I never had the opportunity to catch a Southern California show. After seeing them on the Almost Acoustic Christmas webcast last Sunday and being mightily impressed, my attendance at the local gig was suddenly imperative. Another good reason: Thursday night’s packed Observatory (formerly Galaxy Theatre) appearance was relatively cozy, compared to when the group steps up to the much larger Wiltern in L.A. on March 21. (Tickets, $27-$34, went on sale today at 10 a.m. via Live Nation.) Opening its hour-long set with the brief, atmospheric cut “The Ends,” the group instantly showcased the smoothly-blended pipes of Xayalith and Powers (whose handsome looks are reminiscent of Haircut 100’s Nick Heyward circa '84) before transitioning into the near-industrial assault of “A Wolf in Geek’s Clothing.” Fans who filled the pit area immediately went bonkers upon hearing the initial sleek, plinking synth lines of “Punching in a Dream,” then danced around, while Xayalith followed suit singing lead on the exhilarating tune. (The pristine mix was another fine example of the Observatory’s recently upgraded sound system; I almost felt like I was listening to a CD.) Both singers’ monotone delivery on “The Sun,” plus Aaron Short’s sedate keyboard work, set an ominous tone. The LED screen behind them projected select pixilated images related to the song’s risqué music video, banned from YouTube but available on the band's official site. The pair’s vocal phrasing steadily increased with Powers’ slicing electric guitar building tension before deflating into a slow, Radiohead-esque piano finish.
Another highlight found Jesse Wood’s crashing drums bolstering the dramatic “Frayed,” during which the sensual male/female vocal interplay recalled Berlin’s “Sex (I’m a ...).” A majestic wash of '80s synths (a total of four were used at different junctures) gave off a mid-period New Order vibe during the frantic, dancey electro-pop of “All of This”; the soaring “Eyes” was more dense, à la M83. The crowd clapped along during the enticing main-set closer “Girls Like You,” an emotional showcase for Powers that easily could have been slotted onto an old John Hughes soundtrack like Pretty in Pink yet still comes across entirely modern. Finally, the Naked and Famous capped off their encores with a high-energy “Young Blood.” The band's enthusiasts went mad for it, pogoing and singing along at maximum volume as Xayalith (a real spitfire) danced around some more. All told, an excellent concert from the promising Kiwis. Photo, from Night 2 of KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas 2011, by Kelly A. Swift, for the Register.
December 14, 2011
(Circulation 92,000 Daily)
Naked and Famous riding high on success By: Tom Lanham | 12/14/11 7:00 PM Special to The SF Examiner
COURTESY PHOTO Overwhelmed but happy: Busily touring members of The Naked and Famous are pleased to enjoy acclaim in their native New Zealand and across the world.
What a difference a year makes. At the close of 2010, members of Auckland rock combo The Naked and Famous were innocents abroad, wide-eyed Kiwis who – thanks to sudden international interest in their debut “Passive Me, Aggressive You” – finally were being invited to tour the world. They come back to San Francisco for two sold-out concerts as seasoned vets, underscored by a recent triumphant return to their homeland, where they won five New Zealand Music Awards, including Album of the Year for “Passive” and Single of the Year for the synth-frothed smash “Young Blood.” Nonstop touring is a mixed blessing, says Laotian-descended vocalist Alisa Xayalith, who cofronts TNAF with guitarist Thom Powers. “It’s all so overwhelming,” she says of their hectic 2011 schedule. “But there’s not one day that we ever take for granted, and we’re constantly telling ourselves that we’d rather be sitting in an airport, waiting around for hours to hop on the next flight, instead of going in to our old crummy jobs in Auckland, where I was just a shop girl. We’re so lucky that people around the world have fallen in love with us and want us to play their country.” Xayalith is so inured to touring, she has developed a checklist of road rules. First, upon arriving in a strange city, locate the nearest laundromat. “It’s my day off today, I’m in the seaside English
town of Portsmouth, and I’m literally standing in front of the dryer, just watching it and waiting for the time to run out,” she says by phone. “We’ve met other bands out there, and they tell us ‘You’re not a group on tour! You’ve got clean hair, fresh clothes and clean underwear on!’ They can’t believe that we’re actually quite a tidy outfit.” Other prime directives? No fast food, only Japanese cuisine, if possible – not easy when all you pass are freeway truck stops and McDonald’s, Xayalith says. Also, lots of tea drinking and no postshow pub carousing. “I go to bed early because I’m extremely conscious of taking care of my voice, and I want to give myself 100 percent to our live show,” she says. There’s one more tenet that’s become the most crucial. “If somebody farts in the tour van, they have to accept responsibility and put their window down,” says Xayalith. “But I, of course, am polite – I don’t do it around other people!”
IF YOU GO The Naked and Famous Where: The Independent, 628 Divisadero St., San Francisco When: 8 p.m. Sunday-Monday Tickets: $20 (sold out) Contact: (415) 771-1421; www.ticketfly.com Read more at the San Francisco Examiner:
http://www.sfexaminer.com/entertainment/music/2011/12/naked-and-famous-riding-highsuccess#ixzz1h066KK6M
May 5, 2011
Concert Review>The Naked and Famous @Pianos, NY: So Pop Perfect It Hurts BY: Suyeon Kim Last night at midnight, Pianos was on lock-down. Knots of long-haired girls in Molly Ringwald hats lined up outside its roped-off entrance, but the doormen just shook their heads. The Naked and Famous were about to play to a packed crowd just short of a fire code violation.
Photo Credit:MTV Iggy/Suyeon Kim The New Zealand dreampop sensation is playing its first North American tour, opening for The Freelance Whales and The Foals, and ever since we profiled the
band a few months back, MTV Iggy has suspected that TNAF is on its way to dethroning MGMT as the go-to dancepop sound for the digital age. Their first single “Young Blood,” was a synthpop anthem for 2010, and their debut album, Passive Me, Aggressive You, garnered praises (including from us) for its magpie combinations of genres and eras. Referencing very recent music history like Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TNAF collages the different genres into a sound that’s both sweet and new, wise and old. But always a dance riot. And our first look at the band has confirmed it. Twentieth-century pop pantheon, welcome your latest member. Co-vocalist Thom Powers was the band’s mouthpiece, and had the crowd at hello. Flicking back his asymmetrical bangs, he held up a tie-dyed sweatshirt and joked that he’d bought it for $47 at “American Hipster,” and the American Apparel-clad hipsters in the room roared with him. Every one of TNAF’s hits sounded better live: the vocal interplay between Thom and co-vocalist Alisa Xayalith was much richer in performance. Thom’s clear tenor voice, sometimes lost in the recordings, easily matched Alisa’s operatic warblings in person. Drummer Jesse Wood was stellar, and layered beautifully with the beats from Aaron Short’s deft knob-turning. Alisa’s frenzied movements onstage turned “Young Blood’s” wistfulness into punk energy, but it was “All of This” — a dance number about the confusion of young love — that drove the crowd wild. The entire front row – two couples hugging, two guys in polo shirts, and gaggles of skinny-jeaned blonde boys and girls – were singing along to the staccato chorus: “All-of-this-is-tear-ing-us-a-part.” I only saw one guy madly texting on his Blackberry during the entire show.
Photo Credit:MTV Iggy/Suyeon Kim And yet, it was a fragile, almost bittersweet thing to see a hyped young band take the stage and blow the audience away. You could see in their assured moves and the audience’s rapture that they’ve already catapulted towards stardom and have changed. When Thom introduced “Serenade,” the first song they ever recorded, he said it was from “back when we were a real indie band.”
In addition to the 25 dates on their North American tour supporting The Foals, they have a press junket that includes a storm of media appearances. Yesterday’s Pianos gig was the day’s fourth, after a college radio show in the morning, a digital radio show in the afternoon, and an opening set at Terminal 5. Not only did they play the four shows, they tweeted about them afterwards. And the next day they blogged. The Naked and Famous might feel regret for the innocence they’ve lost, but for now they’re too busy having the ride of their lives.
Photo Credit:MTV Iggy/Suyeon Kim
Lollapalooza 2011, Friday: The Naked and Famous Posted in Audio File blog by Brent DiCrescenzo on Aug 5, 2011 at 5:17pm
Lollapalooza 2011: Day 1: The Naked and Famous Photo: Rory O'Connor So far nothing has reminded more of 1991 (not even the 20th birthday cake presented to Perry Farrell at the pre-Lolla press event) than Thom Powers's hair. I was totally rocking those bangs in 10th grade. The Naked and Famous singer rocked the preppy look, alongside his metal dude bass player, emo keyboard player and spunky co-singer, Alisa Xayalith. Before jogging on stage, the five huddled for prayer or maybe a group hug. That demographic diversity and camraderie comes through in the New Zealanders' music, a perky, giddy electro-rock that occasionally veers into friendly noise or throbbing, moody drones. The super hooky stuff, "All of This," "Punching in a Dream," "Young Blood," "Girls Like You," sandwiched the material that sounds more like M83. Though the artier moments may boost their credibility, by gosh the neonclad teens in the crowd freaked out for the pop nuggets. One side note: My first official siting of a kid planking atop the crowd. What the hell is up with that?
December 8, 2011 (Circulation 70,000 Weekly)
The Naked and Famous Assert Themselves Thom Powers of the Kiwi indie-electro-pop outfit rises above his embarrassing hard-rock past By REYAN ALI Thursday, Dec 8 2011 Details The Naked and Famous perform at the Observatory. Thurs., Dec. 15, 8 p.m. $18. All ages. By his own admission, Thom Powers—guitarist/vocalist in the Naked and Famous, a fresh-faced five-piece who have effectively become New Zealand's great white indie-rock hope—has been part of several "terrible, terrible bands." "Everything that was terrible about '90s rock music—I did that," the Auckland-based musician says, sounding a bit embarrassed as he references his defunct metal and hard-rock projects (which he declines to name). He estimates he has been in more than 20 groups, as the friends he grew up with were into music, but all of his projects were just for screwing around—the sort he now collectively dubs a "learning experience." By the time he helped to form the Naked and Famous in 2007, his creative tastes had changed considerably. After leaving high school, Powers says, he grew interested in "alternative music and new artists," listing playful New Zealand power-poppers the Mint Chicks and TV On the Radio's Young Liars EP as being major points of inspiration.
Passive Me, Aggressive You, their debut full-length, came out in New Zealand in September 2010 and in the States this past March. As you'd guess, the album contains no hints of metal or hard rock; in fact, Powers' current act drifts between indie rock and electro-pop. Passive Me is a grab bag of musical concepts: synths build bouncy dance-floor melodies; synths go scratchy and angry; clipped beats mingle with a solemn piano; guitars revel in earthy, wide-open choruses. Powers shares vocal duties with Alisa Xayalith, creating malleable he/she, low/high dynamics. The record did gangbusters business at home, entering the New Zealand charts at No. 1. Reviews have been kind, even if they've repeatedly doled out comparisons to MGMT and Passion Pit—two key indie-pop names in contemporary America. Powers says he was aware of both bands before writing Passive Me but didn't pay particular attention to either until after the record was finished, though he's quite comfortable with the frequent comparisons. "It's wonderful for us, especially [since we're] from a place like New Zealand, to be compared to something that isn't in our own industry. So very few New Zealand bands seem to have something other than New Zealand bands [associated with them]. It's really flattering," he says. "At the same time, I do think those bands don't have the hard edges we have. I don't mean that in a critical way; I just think that there are definite emotional differences."
Powers thinks the band stray from the "fun and kind of euphoric" quality of Passion Pit's wellknown Manners and MGMT's interest in sprinkling psychedelic sounds and '70s references into their records, but evidence of that isn't entirely conclusive. At this stage in the Naked and Famous' career, not having a particularly original or solid identity isn't so bad. Passive Me, Aggressive You is very much the product of a band in flux, with much of the appeal coming from guessing which ideas they will cling to and take forward.
December 12, 2011
The Black Keys, Mumford & Sons, Foster the People at KROQ's Almost Acoustic Xmas: Concert Review 5:11 PM PST 12/12/2011 by Emily Zemler
Chris Godley The Bottom Line Alt-rock lite is alive and well. Venue Gibson Amphitheater Los Angeles (Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011) Here’s how you can tell you are at a radio show: The crowd only rises from their seats when the artist onstage plays a single. This is a surefire tactic, at least according to last evening’s second night of KROQ Almost Acoustic Xmas. Universal City’s Gibson Amphitheatre, packed up to the top of its balcony with radio listeners, became a boisterous setting for performances by eleven artists often featured on KROQ, the overtly drunken crowd surging with enthusiasm for bands like The Black Keys, Foster the People and Mumford & Sons. Certainly these were true music fans, but one question still lingers: Do music fans who find tunes on the radio ever make it past an artist’s single? -- a shot-fire experience of as much music as possible with few lulls and brief interjections by the station’s DJs (including Dr. Drew). The stage revolved, flipping between each set to prevent any pauses in the musical experience -- a technique you may have seen before at the Hollywood Bowl. The artists’ sets were terse, expanding beyond 30 or 40 minutes only for two “headliners,” The Black Keys and Jane’s Addiction. The abbreviate sets meant one of two things for each artist—either they followed the prescripted (although we assume unofficial) radio show guidelines and bookend a few album cuts with singles or they eschew any sense of obligation to this format and just play. For the most part, the bands last night, a notably more nuanced collection of artists than Almost Acoustic Xmas’s first night (Blink-182, Chevelle, et al), stuck with the former tactic, although that doesn’t necessarily mean their sets weren’t as potent. The Naked and Famous, whose “Young Blood” is
currently No. 1 on KROQ, appeared early in the evening, following a quick
opening performance by Los Angeles’s own Grouplove. The Naked and Famous, who fall somewhere in between Blonde Redhead and MGMT, don’t seem like a group who might produce a No. 1 radio hit. And, although singles “Punching In a Dream” and “Girls Like You” joined “Young Blood” in the set list, it was the presence of “Frayed” (from last year’s debut album Passive Me, Aggressive You) that revealed the layered gradations in the band’s skillful psychedelic pop sound. Other notable sets included Florence and the Machine, probably the most popular performance of the night, which married hits like “Dog Days Are Over” and new singles “Shake It Out” and “What the Water Gave Me” with cuts from new disc Ceremonials like “Never Let Me Go” and “No Light, No Light.” What did the crowd clamor out of their seats for? Hint: It wasn’t the achingly lovely rendition of “No Light, No Light.” Same deal for Mumford & Sons, who performed several brand new tracks (to a subdued audience). “The Cave” and “Little Lion Man” drew the grandest responses (was this the first time anyone in the crowd had heard the latter without a radio edit?), but it was the haunting croon of new song, “Ghosts That We Knew,” that truly resonated as frontman Marcus Mumford howled, “I will hold on with all of my might/just promise me we’ll be alright.” On the other end of the spectrum was Death Cab For Cutie, who treated this radio show like they would a headlining slot at The Greek. The foursome, led by a bearded and notably gaunt Ben Gibbard, leaned heavily on new disc Codes and Keys. But while single “You Are A Tourist” did appear (as did “Soul Meets Body”) the group used its 40 minutes are a rock-heavy jam session, giving expansive, urgent voice to tracks like “Doors Unlocked And Open.” This was, unfortunately, when most of the intoxicated crowd went to the bathroom. What does it say about music fans when they dance wildly for “Tighten Up” but won’t budge for “Milk and Honey,” a brand new number from The Black Keys’ El Camino? What does it reveal about an artist when an audience shrieks at the opening chords of “Wonderwall” and “Don’t Look Back In Anger” but sigh with apathy for Noel Gallagher’s current (and remarkably compelling) musical endeavor? Perhaps it means that the radio industry can still dictate musical taste. Maybe no one has the patience to sink deeply into an entire album, or maybe we assume the single is as good as an artist is going to get. Still, though, when tracks like “Young Blood” and “Shake It Out” can top the rock radio charts, hope remains
CHICAGO MUSIC GUIDE
August 5, 2011
http://www.chicagomusicguide.com/interviews_2011_naked_and_famous.htm IN TE RVIEW WI TH TH E N AK ED AN D FAM OU S August 5th, 2011 By: Amy Aiello
I’ve found that most good conversations that I’ve had in life end up talking about the Simpsons. When I asked Jessie from The Naked and Famous what it was like to find out the band would be playing Lollapalooza, I smiled at his answer: “Pretty cool. The first impression I’ve ever had of Lollapalooza was the Simpson’s episode where Homer gets shot in the stomach with a cannon. I just thought that [the news of us playing] was amazing.” Jessie and Aaron chatted about everything from their House of Blues show with Crystal Castles last Thursday night, to living out of a suitcase, to mixing politics with music: CMG: What’s your opinion on using your platform for politics and such, or do you feel you should just stick to music? TNAF: I think for us specifically just music. We’re not very good at politics and stuff, so we’re not going to go sharing our opinions on [it]. We stick to what we’re good at. It’s always been about the music for us. We’re not interested in celebrity, limelight or anything. CMG: With the changing state of the music industry, what are you hoping to do to reach out to more fans and to stay afloat? TNAF: We try to keep our social networking quite concise and consolidated so that there aren’t like 100 videos or anything, that way when we do release something, it’s a special thing that people notice. When we put something out, it has proper meaning to it. It’s like that down to every single tweet we make on twitter. CMG: Do you have any practical jokes and stuff to share? TNAF: Oh there there’s a constant roll of gags on each other, but I don’t think it’d be funny to anyone outside of the circle. CMG: If you guys could play with any one band/musician that would round out your career, who would it be? TNAF: Nine Inch Nails. We’re all big fans. We actually got to support them when they came to Auckland in 2009.
CMG: Very cool. Well, I know your time is limited, so I'll let ya go. Thank you very much for your time with me today! TNAF: You're most welcome! Take care! Incase you missed them at Lollapalooza, the band will be back in Chicago on Friday, October 2nd at the Metro. The most recent updates can be found at their website (www.thenakedandfamous.com) and other social networking platforms.
http://perezhilton.com/2011-03-03-the-naked-and-famous-young-blood Site Uniques: 25 Million/Month
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Perez Hilton
November 11, 2011
February 18, 2011
April 2011
December 18, 2010
TimeOut reviewers' albums of the year
THE NAKED AND FAMOUS
Passive Me, Aggressive You thom powers - vocals, guitar alisa xayalith - vocals, keys aaron short - synth/electronics jesse wood - drums david beadle - bass Everyone knows that the very best music can meddle with your mind, plunging you into the opposite extremes of both happiness and sadness all at once, in intense three minute bursts. It can transport you temporarily to a realm where anything is possible and nothing is out of reach. The latest key holders to that illusive turf are New Zealand's The Naked And Famous (TNAF). These five young Aucklanders have at their disposal a seemingly effortless ability to capture the giddy fun and relentless hooks one has come to expect from the very best electro-pop, while at the same time striving for something grander, more brooding and atmospheric. It’s this special proposition that has landed the band triumphant success on their native soil (their single ‘Young Blood’ debuted at number one in the NZ chart, as did the album Passive Me Aggressive You on its recent release, both on the group’s own Somewhat Damaged label), and has meant that containing their sounds to their homeland has been something of an impossibility. One of 2010’s genuine organic buzzes has already yielded results that overshadow most hype-bands. Over the past six months the antipodeans’ fantastical glitching gems have scorched through the blogosphere like a hot knife through butter, culminating first in the international release of ‘Young Blood’ on none-other than the most notorious poppicking label on planet earth, Neon Gold (Marina And The Diamonds, Ellie Goulding etc) and then with the group finding a home away from home on Fiction Records. Now, with Down Under virtually conquered, and Passive Me, Aggressive You readied for full international release, the band’s sights are set far and wide. And in keeping with their music’s edifying powers, anything seems possible... Thom and Alisa met at music college in 2008 and formed a songwriting partnership that would become the life force of TNAF. Aaron, a high school acquaintance of Thom’s, was also studying at the same college and soon became a production foil to the duo as they toyed with song and recording ideas after hours in the college studio and various bedrooms. These eventually became TNAF’s first releases, the twin EPs No Light and This Machine. Forming a live band was secondary to the studio for Thom and Alisa. After the couple’s first tentative steps using backing musicians, they coaxed Aaron out from his role as their live sound engineer to assume suitable knob-twiddling duties onstage - as a sort of electronics overlord - and eventually the perfect rhythm section was found in the shape of another two of their high school mates, Jesse and David. Working furiously throughout 2009 on developing a new live set and dozens of demos, TNAF embarked on an expansion of their sound, as together they experimented with the epic turns and cinematic moods that define them today. "I feel like a lot of the greatest pop music is the stuff that taps into the really powerful
memories or emotions," ponders Alisa. "Just because it's music that can be fun and you can party to, doesn't mean you can't touch upon stuff that can be challenging or heartwrenching." As early domestic radio love and international cult status began to snowball, a kinship with the widescreen fairytale dance-pop of Empire Of The Sun, MGMT and of course, the ongoing evolutions of LCD Soundsystem, became evident. Passive Me, Aggressive You, the debut long-player from TNAF came together at scattered small studio locations around Auckland. Operations, as ever, were overseen by self-confessed 'control freak' Thom, the song ideas colored by Aaron’s input as he and Thom shared production duties on the album, and constantly guided by Alisa's unique melodies. Singles 'Young Blood' and 'Punching In A Dream' could well do for 3-D synth anthemia what 'Time To Pretend' and 'Kids' did for new psychedelia a few years back. On the record, at its most mountainous, the likes of vacant leviathan 'No Way' and urgent throbbing ascent 'Eyes' work a strange kind of magic. 'Jilted Lovers' wrestles with an unruly synthetic discordance in the vein of the group’s greatest shared and acknowledged influence Nine Inch Nails, while 'A Wolf In Geek's Clothing' takes that same stormy heart and cranks it to near doom-laden bulldozer effect. From fleeting sound-scapes like 'The Source' to 'Spank's urgent swamping surge of glitches and fuzzedout refrains, TNAF never shy away from deconstructing normal indie comfort zones. It stands proud, in a time of quick-fix singles culture, as a genuine album. But anyone who's witnessed TNAF emerge from what they like to call their natural studio habitat to step onstage – where their songs become a truly enveloping experience – will testify to the sheer epic proportions of album closer 'Girls Like You'. Perhaps TNAF— at their most realized—is a complete collision of swooping, chanting hook-lines and otherworldly expanses of sound. This is a band set to blow a crater in 2011’s musical landscape, a young group of warped sound merchants making do-or-die, heart-inmouth, chart-bound pop to invest your heart and soul in.