Every time I hear the guitar solo in "Stranded/Poor", the eighth track on the Naked Gods' debut full length Welcome Home, I feel like the that melody is the most important thing happening in the world. I hum it for days. Welcome Home is full of moments like that, and the record almost comes close to the live energy exuded by Naked Gods.
The first time I saw the band, and consequently downloaded their EP It Ain't Just Cold Outside from their website, I was hooked. Short and sweet. The full-length is not as immediately catchy, but after spending several days listening, the songs don't leave your head. Naked Gods play rock and roll to put it simply. There are country and folk influences and touches of The Band and The Boss. Live comparisons to Akron/Family are less present on the recording, and the punk rock energy of former bands is manifested more in a small room with live instruments than on the small plastic disc, but it makes for two different experiences.
"Mothersun" and "Blah Blah Blah" have both morphed from early sing-along stompers to a beautiful sparse arrangement and soulful Rhodes- and bass-led tune, respectively, which makes the record flow smoothly. "Slow Dogs" and "Mountain Smashing Song of Joy" are standouts, but nothing beats "Stranded/Poor". It has the quickest tempo of the collection and plays itself off as a simple major key pop song until it slows into the simple and effective guitar solo and wordless group backup vocals. Welcome Home is an exciting, and even cathartic, rock and roll record from Boone's best band, and I'm excited to see where they go from here, they could do big things if they wanted to.
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