Vámonos – Naive Thieves

Vámonos  from the three-year gap and into a new era of Naive Theives!  This is the idea behind the new album “Vámonos,” which was released this year . The ten track compilation brings so much more since the last  self-release  EP from Naive Thieves, Le Sheik Rhat (July 2011).

Ever since I saw them perform at DBA, I fell in love with them, and  I decided to thoroughly listen to them. I enjoyed every single track off of the Vámonos album but had to narrow it down to some favorites which was extremely hard.

“Anxiété,” the first  single that was released, along with a video, is an amazing track that clearly defines the sound of the band. Unlike Le Sheik Rhat, that had in my opinion, three standout tracks that weren’t generic sounding, Vámonos  emits more of themselves, which is a great thing to hear from a band when their sound emerges and evolves.

The bass in the beginning of “Anxiéte” pulls you in, paired with an incredible catchy guitar riff, it’s clear why this is the first track you should listen to.

The video though makes me incredibly thirsty but a little skeptical about drinking milk these days.

The next single to be released, “Tragic and Magic,” has an early Strokes sound to it, which is thanks to the crooning of Cameron Thorne and his raspy voice. Thorne makes it look so effortless to emit this distinct sound, especially when hitting higher notes, and is able to pull it off in a leather jacket.  Kyle Garcia’s bass slapping skills can clearly be heard on this track which is refreshing. All in all this is a song that makes you feel good at the end of the day regardless of what happened. “Tragic and magic will  come and then it will go… letting go of regrets cuz that shit is all in my head…” is the anthem and overall feel of the song. The video to be paired to this song fits it perfectly. It is just the band in Vegas having a good time with their own “Tragic and Magic.”

“Dead bones” is a song that I feel has a lot of meaning despite its upbeat demeanor. This is a clear reggae infused track that is well-balanced to Naive Thieves indie-rock base. Ian Maloney’s drumming is my favorite along with the lyrics, “Shoulda known better to dig up skeletons.” Clearly we all have dead bodies somewhere and for such double meaning lyrics throughout the song, the up-beatness throws it off, or possibly it does exactly what they intended it to do. Hide more dead bones?

(yeah, I can get deep).

A slower track featured on the album is “I fell.” It shows the diverse ability of the band while still holding on to themselves. One is instantly transported into an old jazz bar with a man singing his love over the horns and subtle tickling of the ivory. It’s one of my favorites and I think so well-arranged. Definitely a tune to dedicate to someone who is making you fall oh so hard.

“You’re no good,” is just good. I don’t know what else I can say about this song.  It’s a faster tempo and gets the point across, “I’m glad your mess aint mine.”

“Shakedowntown” stands out to me due to the layering in this song of guitars, and the harmonizing of vocals. There’s also this little tiny guitar chord that is lodged in my head along with Thorne’s low, sultry’s voice singing.

Lastly on my list is “Holy Smoke.” This is also a favorite because this is a track that once again is showcasing the talent, diverse ability of the band, and their rockabilly vibe and influence within the song.

Lots of people may say that they sound too much like The Strokes, since I had to tell the world about this band. While I do think that they do have similar sound and an obvious influence from them, I must disagree. There are many similarities when you break it down, then again when you break anything down you can retrace it to its roots, in the end it’s the overall performance and completion of their art.

I enjoy their constant infusion with reggae and that beach 60’s-surfer vibe. Together they are a very diverse band that are talented and can compose wonderfully. Seeing them live was also a plus. These guys can turn an empty space into a crowded room. I was lucky to see them first live  rather than listening to their albums. I heard no difference, when comparing, despite the energy I absorbed during a live performance.

This is definitely worth the listen.

While you’re at it, check out their other songs and go see them live!

Will not disappoint.

Just don’t be like me, just incase you accidentally bump into them at the bar, say hi.