Produced by Kevin Maloney and Robbie Adams, Naked released their debut record in 1997 and gained immediate attention with the radio track "Mann's Chinese." Over a driving musical bed of guitar rock, lead singer Jonathan Sheldon gives husky voice to the tale of urban decay with Los Angeles as the backdrop. Unfortunately, "Mann's Chinese" is both the opening track and the best one. Not that
Naked is a bad record; it's just a rather pedestrian one. With a sound that is like a harder-edged
Wallflowers, the members of Naked offer melodic and even insightful elements at times, but they never really sets themselves apart from a lot of other bands. However, the unbridled optimism of "The Road Home," with its tumbling drumbeat and ringing guitars, and the dramatic, passionate "The Great Escape" are worth checking out. ~ Tom Demalon