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On October 4, 2024, Seattle-based trio Naked Giants will release their highly anticipated third album, Shine Away via Devil Duck Records (pre-order). Today, the band is excited to share the album's lead single, "Apartment 3," accompanied by a captivating music video which was directed by Heather Garcia. The track debuted at Glide Magazine is now available on all major streaming platforms for any playlist shares.

Reflecting on the inspiration behind "Apartment 3," the band's vocalist/guitarist Grant Mullen shared, "This is one of the first songs we wrote for the album, shortly after finishing The Shadow in 2020. It captures that early-20s 'growing up' energy—searching for a new home, experiencing first-time living arrangements, and the influence of peak quarantine solitude."

Naked Giants are also announcing several Pacific Northwest shows including a hometown performance on November 7 at The Crocodile. All upcoming shows are listed below. 

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When Naked Giants formed in 2014, the Seattle trio—vocalist/guitarist Grant Mullen, bassist/vocalist Gianni Aiello and drummer Henry LaVallee—were all 18 years-old, and full of the reckless, restless energy of youth. A decade on, both they and the world have changed immensely. Shine Away—the band’s third full-length, following on from 2018’s SLUFF and 2020’s The Shadow—is very much an acknowledgement of that. It’s an album that doesn’t just reflect on the personal life and times of the three of them and the world at large, but casts a discerning, self-reflective eye on what it’s like to be in, and be, Naked Giants. It’s the sound of a band coming into, and becoming, themselves. Of course, that’s a never-ending process, but for the first time in their career, Naked Giants are taking stock of their journey—who and what they were, are, and want to be.

“Our first record was still running on fuel from starting the band as 18 year-olds with a rock’n’roll dream,” says Mullen. “Since then, life has changed. We all got day jobs or went back to school, and really grew into ourselves individually. Before, we were anxious to express ourselves in whatever way we could through music. Now, we have more to say, and I think we’ve made a record with more meaning and purpose.”

Produced by Dylan Wall at Seven Hills Studio in Capitol Hill, Seattle—the same studio where their journey began— Shine Away retains Naked Giants' signature impetuous urgency while exploring new depths of musicality and intentionality.

“I’ve realized that being an effective communicator is such an important part of being a musician,” adds Aiello. “We’re carrying the typical garage-rock ‘throw it at the wall and see what sticks’ ethos with us to this new phase of life. This time around, there’s room in the music (and in ourselves) not only for the young raucous kids we used to be, but also for the fully emotional people we’re becoming - people with hearts that love and break and ache and all that kind of stuff.”

From the angular awkwardness strains of opener “Apartment 3” to the lackadaisical catchiness of the title and closing track, Shine Away demonstrates the musical chemistry the trio have, as well as their shift into making music with more meaning, consideration and intention. In between, these songs take the listener on a journey of emotional (self-)discovery via a slew of sounds that range from deliberately awkward indie-rock that takes influence from (among many others), the likes of Jonathan Richman, (good era) Weezer, Joyce Manor and even Daniel Johnston. At the same time, these songs sound less like anyone else than just the current iteration of Naked Giants, and of where and who they are these days. It’s certainly a more positive place–even on the more delicate and gentle anti-ballads, these songs radiate with a fuzzy, sunlit warmth. Indeed, even just the concept and image of shining is in direct contrast to the overriding themes of the previous record, and the troubles the band encountered both in the run-up to making it, and after.

That self-aware epiphany feeds into this album’s next layer of meaning, and the one at its core—the death and rebirth of the rock’n’roll dream, and the distance between what that dream was when the band started compared to today.

Speaking about the album's themes, bassist Gianni Aiello adds, "These songs reflect our journey in music and in life. We're embracing both our youthful exuberance and the emotional depth that comes with maturity."

Shine Away is not just an album—it's a testament to Naked Giants' resilience and commitment to authentic rock music. As they navigate the complexities of artistic expression, the band invites listeners to join them on a journey of self-discovery and musical exploration.

Naked Giants Tour Dates:

11.07 - Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile (Cloudbreak)
11.14 - Vancouver, BC @ Fox Cabaret
11.22 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios