Four years ago, NAAM released their debut self-titled album and in no time the band gained a strong fan base. Now they are ready to open another chapter in their music career with the release of their second full-length album, Vow (by Tee Pee Records). So what’s with the massive gap between albums? Well the four-piece psychedelic rock act wasn’t sitting idle that’s for sure. During their four-year gap, they released 7” of Nirvana covers; they also reissued two of their debut EPs, Kingdom and Ballad of the Starchild as well as touring extensively across US and Europe. It makes you wonder where this PINK FLOYD/BLACK SABBATH influenced band find the time to produce their album.
The Brooklyn rocker’s latest offerings are eleven tracks bursting with psychedelic rock combined with the strong presence of heavy synthesiser, dark and dense melodies and tripped out bass line. The album greets you to the intro Call , followed by Vow where the strong presence of the bass guitar set the whole dark, depressing tripped-out production – which leads you an out-of-body experience and somehow takes you on a trip without taking any happy pills. With Vow the dark creation is slightly lightened by the vocals. The album begins to lightened up in Pardoned Paradise, the slightly mellow Laid to Rest and ultra light and soothing Brightest Sight – and it’s only in these tracks (which half way in the collection) that you begin to notice the vocals.
This is the point where I sum up an album- but I have to say that this is the first for me – I’m lost for words. I really don’t know what to make or how I feel about this album. At a push (and this is a very big push), I would say that after the first listening, the heavy bass line and the dense guitars really weigh me down and after listening to the album several times, it made me want to jump of a building! However I suspect it will make an enjoyable listening to those who truly appreciate the whole dark moody psychedelic production created by this upcoming band.
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Naam