The Nude Party, from Boone, North Carolina, are mountain men. They don’t believe in shirts, or pants, or any clothes, for that matter. What they do believe in is the Velvet Underground, The Rolling Stones and The Kinks, and really, when aiming that high, what else is there? Their 2017 cover of The Kinks’ “Sittin’ On My Sofa,” is a spaced-out garage tune about getting baked and chilling on the chaise, because who says rock ’n’ roll needs to be political or a deep dive? Sometime it’s just the party wherever you find it.
The Nude Party’s bluesy grooves wouldn’t be out of place on a Rhino Records “Nuggets” compilation, but also feel sort of refreshing in their ability to make the mundane sound fun. “Poor Boy Blues,” from the band’s 2016 EP “Hot Tub,” appears to be a defense of underachievement. That’s ironic considering the real cognitive labor that goes into sharp songwriting. Or maybe it’s apt considering the band’s scant discography after five years: “Hot Tub,” a 2014 album, “Forbidden Fruits,” and scattered singles. (A new album is reportedly on the way, but they said that last year. The upshot was a single, “Water on Mars,” that came and went as mysteriously as its subject matter.)
People take rock too seriously, anyways. Like, really? You need a band to come pull you out of your doldrums and save the genre? Maybe your personal validation lies in football or NASCAR. Sometimes making music is about seizing the moment, or not, which is kind of what being young is all about. Remember when you couldn’t buy beer, had nothing to do and no money to do it with, even when there actually was something to do? I know, it’s been a while; reach waaay back to those days of teenage ennui. Expectations were low, hormones were raging, and all anyone needed to know was where to be and when to be there because the party was always promised.
The Nude Party haven’t forgotten. These guys know that a joyful, soulful racket can get booties shaking and panties dropping. Isn’t that plenty? Carry on, gentlemen: You’re doing good works.
The Nude Party, Glove, DirtBike and Mo’Booty play March 29 at Voltaire in West Palm Beach. ADVANCE TICKETS $7 ~ Tim Moffatt
