Free My Animal

NOMADS

Independent release, 2014

http://www.crash-avenue.com/current-roster-2/nomads

REVIEW BY: Vish Iyer

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 03/28/2014

The very first thing that stands out about Free My Animal is how rough it sounds. In this digital age of Pro Tools, where smoothening out jagged edges is a norm even in the most hardcore of rock music circles, the sound of this debut by this Brooklyn-based duo might seem a bit odd and foreign to some. But to others, this might be a new and exciting adventure in getting dirty, smelly, and sweaty in this current clean and sanitized musical ecosystem. It’s much like the experience of urban gardening in the midst of a cityscape lined with sleek lines of concrete and glass – a metaphor that’s apt for the hometown of this band.my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250

The second facet that grabs your attention about this album is how sparse and stripped down it is. Free My Animal is like a rusty pickup truck that to some is more appealing than a sleek sports car. And with these two very talented musicians at the helm, their rusty pickup truck of a musical machine is a totally appealing indeed. Most rock bands develop their roots playing in a garage and end up in a recording studio. But it seems as if NØMADS not only developed their roots but matured and flowered in a garage and has no intention of graduating out of it. In a true rock n’ roll sense, Free My Animal is an album that sounds as if it was recorded in a garage in all its animalistic rawness.

Soon after the first two observations of this impressive debut have sunken in, the third – and the most lasting – aspect that is striking about this album is how good the music is. NØMADS has an absolute mastery over their music, which is an uncomplicated blend of stoner and psychedelic rock. The music is simple, but the musicianship is revelatory. This album is as organic as contemporary rock music can get.

Primal is what rock music is supposed to be, and Free My Animal is an unapologetic testament to this.

Rating: B+

User Rating: Not Yet Rated


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