It’s If You See Kay-ing great!
The Naked Apes came about from lead singer and guitarist Mikey McCleary, a New Zealander, no less, who after moving to London, brought a few songs that he had penned with his mate whilst travelling around the world. ‘Something In My Genes’ was mixed by Dan Swift (Snow Patrol) after the band had successfully appeared at many Extreme Sports events, as well as having a number of their songs played on the soundtrack to many television shows.
The Naked Apes, (who got their name after Mikey found two books in a cheap motel, the Bible, which apparently was already taken by another band, and ‘Naked Ape’ by Desmond Morris) play infectiously catchy pop/punk very much in the vein of Schism, or Blink 182 at their juvenile best. You can’t help but enjoy it, with a great big cheesy smile slapped on your face, and a hand on the volume in case your mum hears.
First song, ‘Wasted’ is a fine example of the band, starting with Blink-esque “Na-na-naa”, before we have the story of what happens when we drink too much and your new attractive lady friend appears to have fallen from the ugly tree, hitting every branch on the way down and getting lost in the forest of the babooned face women, the morning after. The chorus goes, “Wasted // Last night she was a stunner // Wasted // Wake up, she’s an 18 tonner // Wasted // I’ll guess I’ll do a runner- again”. This goes from lad humour, to more lad humour in the next song, ‘Little Nympho’ which once again has many great lines concerning why females don’t appear to have such a sexual appetite as males, like “They say sex makes you thinner // She’d rather just eat less dinner // Why do I, meet a lot of girls like that?” and “I don’t want to sound like I’m whining // I’d rather be 69-ing // I wish she wanted to too…”
‘Life’s A Beach, And Then You Dive’ is a happy summer pop/punk tune, with the catchiness never letting up, giving another song that has the winning formula of melodies that you will be humming for the rest of the day whilst chuckling like a school girl with a popsicle at the childish humorous lyrics. ‘If You See Kay’ has about as many innuendos as you can hanlde in one song, even the title which of course is F.U.C.K. is one, and even better than Bloodhound Gang’s ‘Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Tango’. The song surrounds the premature ejaculation issues of a male, with the choice lines of, “I was so excited // it was over before it began!”
The classic 3 minute blasts of silliness carry on with ‘Fantasy Girl’, and the stupidly great chorus of, “Blah, blah, blah, I can’t hear you // Blah, blah, blah, I’m not listening // Blah, Blah, Blah, all I hear is // Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah!” in ‘Grow Up’, whilst there are more heavier guitar riffs in ‘Party Naked’, and ‘Extreme’ whereby Mike sings, “I want to live my life more dangerously // I wanna be on Jackass TV” which probably sums up the band to a tee!
‘Me, Me, Me’ is another one of those songs whereby the chorus is a bit like a defiant playground chant in, “I wanna do what I like // I wanna do what I like!”, and ‘Uncomfortable Trousers’ is pretty obvious at what the content might be about. There are chugging guitars in, ‘When I get Some Cash’, and many of those questions that we’ve always wanted to know the answers to are asked in, ‘Bumping Into Stuff’, and ‘Teflon Man’ brings an end to a very enjoyable album indeed.
The Naked Apes will never win a Grammy, which on the one hand is a shame as they have a real talent for 3 minute songs that are original, albeit juvenile, but that are catchy, funny and memorable. So what else makes up a good song? It’s also great that they are based in London, even if they sound about as English as a Mexican getting a Brazilian at a Thanksgiving party whilst speaking Russian…
Having appeared on stage along side the likes of [Spunge], Reef, Athlete, Fun Lovin’ Criminals, Steriogram and Wheatus, whilst getting airplay on MTV, Scuzz and Chart Show TV, they are certainly causing waves. These guys should be really big, and if they don’t rise up to our expectations then it would be a shame, or of course, just something in my genes…