No Jams is the second full-length album dropped from Naked Gods, a band of merry men from the woods of North Carolina. No Jams is simple; there are no gimmicks, and that is a delightful reprieve from most rock albums released this year. The North Carolinians culminate influence from many places, keeping the vocals, instruments, and production stripped of pretentious over-editing and experimentation. No Jams is an album of classy indie songs without the trappings of big-label production.

The album gives its listeners a look at what is important to Naked Gods: keeping things easy. The lyrics are blunt, “Not a hair from the head of a billionaire, have we used to prop us up” from the track “Jeff October”. “Teenage Colony” keeps the same spirit of honesty alive with its mention of teenagers holed up in caves with t.v.’s and promise rings, a critical yet correct summation of today’s youth.

Each song has it’s own unique sound, but the album remains a collection of mountain-rock-indie-folk-pop. “Hoods Up” employs more synth beats than other songs of the album but Naked Gods keep the synth as an undertone to accent the pop melody and guitar solo. “Shaq & Diane” explore more complicated guitars while featuring background vocals from the other members of the band that are honest and eager if not amateur. As an ender, “Waggin Well” wraps up the simplicity and beauty of the album, incorporating a soothing guitar part, and simple lyrics like “Vanity and ivory they move me the most of all”.

No Jams makes for great background music at a party or for house-cleaning-day. It calms and entertains simultaneously, much like the lifestyle the band members lead in the forests of Boone, NC. Naked Gods have created an album worth putting into the rotation for lazy Sunday fun-days or long drives through the mountains. Buy it, like it, share it.

Last Words: Get naked, listen to the gods, and find yourself on a mountainside with a fire and friends.