Billboard
2010 CWMA WINNER THE NAKED EYES
Spelltalk (formerly The Naked Eyes) have pretty hair— lush, flowing locks like those of Jimmy Page or Eric Clapton circa Cream. Their physical attributes are only partially responsible for the crowd of attractive young ladies who groove in the front row at each Naked Eyes show. Mostly, the Ogden boys’ appeal stems from the hypnotic storm of swirling psychedelic rock they generate seemingly without breaking a sweat. Perhaps their audience is also turned on to The Naked Eyes’ crafting abilities. Each copy of the band’s Spell Talk comes cloaked in a hand-woven jacket with painted-on text. The future is bright, and these guys have the coolest shades.
Although still young in the game
The Naked Eyes have made leaps and bounds in the local music scene. These Ogden natives started
three years ago almost by accident. With inspiration from musician friends they
decided to dive headfirst rather then test the waters having no idea of what
was to come. The original trio, which featured Andrew Milne (guitar), Jared
Phelps (bass, organ) and Sammy Harper (drums), found influences from Van
Morrison, Neil Young and Television among others to create their own original
style of Hometown Rock ‘n Soul.
Not long after the birth of The
Naked Eyes they released their first full length album Free & Easy featuring
popular songs like “7 Mile River” and “El Senorita”. The album was recorded
live at Mojo’s all-age venue in Ogden
and released fall of 2008. The release of the album sparked a tidal wave of
shows throughout Ogden and Salt Lake.
The growing recognition also provided the opportunity to play Uncle Uncannys,
an annual, local music festival.
The following year, with an urge to keep going
The Naked Eyes released a 4 track EP titled Spell Talk recorded by
Justin Langford at the Great West Saloon. The CD release was announced
during their performance for SLUG Magazine’s Localized for the
month of April 2009. With the new EP in hand the boys left Ogden and went on
their first West Coast tour hitting spots like Seattle, San Francisco and
Eureka then back to Salt Lake City where they stayed. Their recognizable
handmade merchandise left traces every where they went.
With their new residence in Salt Lake City, The Naked
Eyes experience quickly became contagious. The new location established ideas
for fresh creation and possibility. In the summer of 2009 they appeared again
on the Uncle Uncannys roster as well as the Earth Jam Festival.
Growth became inevitable allowing
The Naked Eyes to add a new member, Dylan Roe (guitar, harmonica). The addition
helped the band fill out and explore in diverse directions. The change may be
more experimental but The Naked Eyes still hold the foundation of timeless rock
n’ roll and freedom.
It is easy
to spot a Naked Eyes original poster in a local coffee shop or music store
advertising an upcoming show. There is no question that The Naked Eyes
performance will be as unique as the poster itself. The shows will sometimes
feature authentic 60’s oil and color light projections that blend smoothly with
the psychedelic theme of the music. With
the band connecting with the audience you can always find people dancing and
singing along.
The future
is bright for The Naked Eyes, who hope to continue growing as a band and as
musicians. With ideas bursting out of the seams they plan to record, travel and
continue to explore the freedom of expression through music.
