Raygun...Naked Raygun

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Naked Raygun

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I think this is a bad ass Raygun cd no matter what. Its not as fast as any of the others obviously but its still definitley them with a more solid rock sound. The sax isnt that bad either its fits the sound of the music. Best tracks are "Prepare To Die, "The Grind" "Home" and "Holding You". This album is true punk rock and all thier albums are good especially "All Rise" and "Jettison". If you own older Raygun albums but dont have this one, get it. Its awesome.....and on one more note, The album cover is their best one...take this cd shaken, not stirred.

No, nothing will match the emotion of I Remember, the energy of Backlash Jack or the ferocity of anything on Throb Throb but this album still has some classics. Home and The Grind remain among my all time NR favorites. All the whoah-hey-ho-ing is still here, it's just against a new, slightly less gritty backdrop and cleaner production. Now is "cleaner" better? Not in my opinion; the old albums seemed to drip axle grease and city dirt. The big problem here is definitely the saxophone, an instrument that just wasn't ever meant to be "low-fi" and should never try to find a home in punk music. It just has that sound that makes you say "What...is this!" as soon as you put it in. One thing they do differently here is song writing. Sure, you can't argue with the sheer weirdness of Roller Queen, but songs like Strange Days, Terminal, and In My Head all have lyrics that are on a whole new level. I wouldn't go so far as calling them deep but they're a little more grownup than they used to be. Again, is this a good thing?...

Big fans don't need to read this because they already own it. If you like old Naked Raygun, buy this too. It doesn't have the immediate appeal of their older material but it it's worth the purchase. If you're still teetering, download an MP3 of "Home" and I guarantee you'll be sold.