Records – The Nude Party

In 2018 The Nude Party put out their debut album. That cloud and go-go boot graphic via Terry Gilliam style stood out to me on the shelves at Rough Trade. I was exactly judging a record by it’s cover when I took that sucker to the till based on the art and the song titles alone. I’d never heard a note but with song titles like Water On Mars and Astral Man I figured it was worth a punt.

Now that’s an album sleeve

Hoo Boy! Did I get exactly what I wanted when I heard Records? Yes. Yes I did. There’s an Exile On Main Street worshipping vibe to the intro. By the time we’re bending notes like Keef’s in the back silently judging our choices it’s only a matter of time until the Mick of this particular scenario pips in.

“Well I’m back in the used section, back browsing through old rejections”

That’s it, that’s the vibe we came for. The metaphor is not a subtle one but it works. It cuts to the quick of the types of folk who spend their hours crate digging in places like Rough Trade instead of spin classes or speed dating or whatever else it is we vinyl nerds are supposed to do.

“While you’re somewhere playing someone new that’s alright, I never really needed you”

Not that I’m regularly turning up dejected and rejected but you remember things like this when the songs go to the places. And I once left a bag of new vinyl on a pub table before getting the tube home so, we’ve all suffered.

“I don’t need your love, I just need my records”

It’s a tale as old a SteveForTheDeaf itself. A song about songs and a record about other records. From Todd Snider to Corinne Bailey Rae. From Spin The Black Circle to To The Ramones. It is a fine tradition. Rock and roll has three core topics Love, Heartbreak and Rock and Roll itself. The Nude Party know this. They cover the big three on that debut album. They get to a couple of the peripheries too with Chevrolet Van and Charlie’s Sheep. So y’know, Love, Heartbreak, Rock And Roll, Cars and erm.. Sheep.

Calm down Mastodon. Nobody wants any trouble.

“I’m jiving in my own groove now, I’m driving, free to move now”