Naomi Punk
The Feeling
Captured Tracks Records [2012]
Fire Note Says: Naomi Punk is at the forefront of shoegrunge on their debut lp!
Album Review: If you have ever wondered what you would get if you crossed shoegaze with grunge, take a seat, I have a band for you to check out. Their name is Naomi Punk, and they have a new lp that is being rereleased on Captured Tracks, entitled The Feeling. The Feeling is 35 minutes of buzzing, wobbly guitars and woozy melodies, that are guaranteed to catch your ear and make you take notice.
The best part of Naomi Punk’s debut lp is that it sounds instantly familiar, without ever really sounding like anybody or anything else. Sure you can hear Nirvana, Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine in their DNA, but they are more than just the product of their influences. They are wholly original. They mix their catchy mind-bending blend of rock with experimental sound collages to great effect, and create a sound that is both disorienting and entirely welcoming. If the melodies weren’t so catchy, this would be a difficult task to pull off, but because they are so adapt at crafting pop songs, it comes off remarkably well for such a young band, incidentally ranging in age from 20 to 23.
“Voodoo Trust” gets the album started, and immediately it strikes the listener as something different. Perhaps it as simple as the bending a note on the guitar, which sounds like the whole neck is being bent to the point of snapping. Or maybe it’s the stomping drumbeat, or maybe it’s the way the vocal lays behind it all, not quite out in front, but deeper, more like it’s just another instrument. Whatever it is, it’s unique, and pulls you in right off the bat. “The Spell” picks up right where “Voodoo Trust” leaves off, following the same sonic template, and then segues directly into the sonic collage “CLS + Death Junket” which in turn then flows right into the hard hitting “Trashworld”. An Impressive run of album sequencing from the young band! The record closes with the 6 minute epic “The Buzz” which reminds me of the psychedelic stew that Screaming Trees used to kick up in their prime. All in all, an impressive debut from these young Northwest upstarts. They are definitely a band to keep an eye on!
Key Tracks: “The Buzz”, “Voodoo Trust”, “The Spell”
Artists With Similar Fire: Nirvana / Sonic Youth / Screaming Trees
Naomi Punk Website
Naomi Punk Facebook
Captured Tracks Records
-Reviewed by Kevin Poindexter
Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, I am extremely proud of the area I grew up in and the influence it has had on the world at large, from the Wright Brothers to Robert Pollard, the area has been a center of innovation both technologically and artistically. During my college years at the University of Dayton, I found myself becoming more and more immersed in the local music scene, a period of time in the early to mid 90's that coincided with the rise of bands like Guided by Voices, Brainiac, and The Breeders, who added to the rich musical legacy of the area. Dayton is also the hometown of many giants of funk in the 70's and is also the birthplace of Jazz greats Billy Strayhorn, John Scofield and Bud Shank. I wrote extensively for The Fire Note, a great online magazine focused on indie rock, in the 2010's while simultaneously being a partner in Rockathon Records, before retiring from both in 2018. In 2024, my thoughts turned back to helping at Rockathon and more importantly to pick back up on my writing, and more specifically to write about my love of jazz. I'm always listening, always searching for something new, something great. It's been a lifelong journey, and I still feel like there is so much out there to hear.
- Kevin Poindexterhttps://thefirenote.com/author/kpoindexter/
- Kevin Poindexterhttps://thefirenote.com/author/kpoindexter/
- Kevin Poindexterhttps://thefirenote.com/author/kpoindexter/
- Kevin Poindexterhttps://thefirenote.com/author/kpoindexter/
