Newborn Naturals - Newborn Naturals

Newborn Naturals

Newborn Naturals
​self-released; 2021

3.8 out of 5

By My Nguyen​

Newborn Naturals is NYC’s Newborn Naturals long-awaited self-titled debut. The album was recorded on the Lower East Side and East Village of New York City and in Williamsburg, Brooklyn between 1998 and 2004. Spanning 20 years between recording and release, this retrospective collection gives us an inside look into the evolution of this punk and rock n’ roll band. Heavily fuzzed out with wailing vocals and driven guitars, the band consists of Alex Feldesman (guitar), Mark Henry (bass), Rod Hudak (guitar/vocals), Dan Morales (drum) and Bil Shannon (drums). 

Newborn Naturals gets rolling with “Ghosts of Ludlow,” where fuzzy guitars turn the recording up another notch. As some jangly guitars come in, the music really starts to come together once Hudak’s gritty vocals arrive. Filled with tons of punk rock energy, this is rock n’ roll at its most raw and unfiltered state. The band leans into a great rock sound, throwing themselves into the music. I thought they sounded a lot like The Strokes here. In fact, I thought Hudak had a very similar cadence to Julian Casablancas. Jaunty rhythms arrive on the start of “Price Of Candy.” I thought the wall-to-wall guitars had a bit of a spaghetti western vibe. The music and vocals had a great punk rock energy overall. Some melodic guitars grab hold of listeners’ attention at the very beginning of “Night Goes On.” Hudak’s vocals felt more subdued here as he half mumbles and sings the lyrics. The guitars were definitely the highlight of this song. Once again, The Strokes reference was obvious. I was also getting some The Raconteurs vibes as well. 

Catchy and melodic guitars turn up the fervor on the contagious pop rock number “Shame On You.” The contagious tune and bright sound proves the band is back at it with another dance-worthy number. With a sultry drumming beat as the guitars lean into a happening indie rock sound, once Hudak’s vocals arrive, you can feel the punk rock energy of the band coalescing to great effect on “Wood.” Hudak shouts out his vocals with tons of feeling. Starting off with little to no hesitation, the band gets going right away with the revved “Mama’s Boy.” The band sounds catchy and upbeat.

On “Too Tired Too Tight,” the jaunty rhythms point to a ‘50s and ‘60s doowop sound. There were tons of reverb on this track as well. Drums and guitars join in for a retro-styled rock sound. On “Reputation,” Hudak’s vocals ignites the start of this song. Guitars and drums back him for an energized vibe. The rock riffs here felt contagious. Some rumbling bass starts off “Crane.” As percussion and drums enliven the vibes in the background, Hudak really delivers. The band closes with nine minutes of recording time on this song. 

A collection that definitively shows us what the Newborn Naturals are all about, this is a good introduction to the music they make. The performances on this album is a great indicator of what the band would sound like live. Gritty and in-your-face, the band is on the right track though it took them a good 20 years to do so. The band’s sound will be sure to resonate with a lot of audience members.

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