Happy Friday, everyone! I have had quite the eventful couple of weeks, full of great news and incredibly fun experiences. Two of these exciting experiences revolve around the band that I’ll be covering today, Naive Nature. For those of you that are not familiar, Naive Nature is a three-piece indie-rock/alternative band from Philadelphia. The members include:
Jackson Vincent- Vocals, Guitar
Mickey Collins- Bass, Vocals
Jim Lorino- Drums
The first of my recent endeavors with Naive Nature is that of seeing them perform at their EP release show on March 21st at PhilaMOCA, where they played the entire release front to back, along with some other bangers, and Mickey even showed off some iconic dance moves. I’ll be honest with you, I was busy every second up until arriving at the release show, so hearing this EP live was my first experience with it (I’m a fake fan, huge poser, I know) and this band gave such an incredible performance and it was a great first impression to their brand new release. I was not super aware of Naive Nature, of course I knew Mickey through my inter-review with Fuzzy Slippers, but it wasn’t until Jackson approached me (ironically, at the Fuzzy Slippers album release show) and struck up a conversation with me about my music and CD-ROM Rabbit Hole. He was such a cool guy and super kind and it was great speaking with him. Ever since then, Naive Nature has been on my radar like crazy, and I can’t wait to see how far these guys go!
You’ve all heard me ramble on long enough, let’s finally dive into the indie-rock masterpiece that is “Separation Anxiety” by Naive Nature.
alright:
This EP begins with a wall of distorted guitar droning on and briefly muffles a fuzzy intro guitar riff. As the drums and bass kick in, the guitar lick becomes more clear and prominent, breaking through the thickness of sound. The vocal performance is stoic and sardonic, a perfect fit for the type of music and tone Naive Nature is trying to convey; the vocals fit the vibe of these songs perfectly. I really struggled to find the words to explain Jackson’s vocals; they are emotionally distant or detached, monotone isn’t quite the right word, and drab makes it sound boring, and it is certainly NOT boring! There is definitely talent behind this deliberately apathetic or deadpan performance. I think it was an intentional creative choice to sing the lyrics this way; it’s almost as if the singer/narrator is so defeated that the lack of an emotional outburst in the vocals actually suggests an incredibly deep amount of emotional wreckage. It really reminds me of 2000s-era alternative music (All-American Rejects are coming to mind), it’s almost like a vibe of “I’m too cool for school” mixed with “I am so heartbroken but don’t want to show my vulnerability” if that makes any sense at all. Lyrically, I think this song represents the back-and-forth of two toxic people engaging in an unhealthy relationship together. There is a frustration with each other but also a level of codependence that can’t be shaken. Some examples would be the lines:
“With the lights out
I'll remind how
Our dynamic used to be
Lost and alone
Brash and so bold
Spending all your time with me”
“Lost and alone” and “brash and bold” yet they still spent all their time together, despite these negative adjectives being used to describe their relationship. There is also a heavy theme of guilt, regret, and blame. At the beginning there is a line that states “Don't forget how you gave me all the blame” yet later there is a repetition of “I know it's all my fault again”. This could be a genuine self-reflection, finally acknowledging their shortcomings and poor behaviors in the relationship, or it could be internalized from all the times the blame was forced on them, or a mix of both. A lyric I’d really like to dig deep into is “my name replaced your cigarettes”. Back to my initial theory that this is about a codependent and toxic relationship for both parties, I think there is quite a bit to suggest a breakup has taken place. However, this line in particular is very interesting to me for many reasons. The obvious reason being: it’s insanely catchy and memorable. The other reasons are all revolving around the many different interpretations. I think “my name replaced your cigarettes” could be a metaphor for this ex-lover quitting smoking cigarettes as well as quitting the relationship, both things being addictive and unhealthy. It could also be seen as substituting one crutch (cigarettes) with another (the speaker). Depending on how you interpret the rest of these lyrics, the concept of speaking someone’s name could be for either positive reasons or negative. With supporting evidence from the rest of the song, I believe, in this context, having someone’s name in their mouth is in more of a shit-talking way, but there is also something to be said about them not being able to let go and still spending time thinking and speaking about this person. One final thing I wanted to mention about the lyrics and how they relate to a dysfunctional, codependent relationship is “I know there’s nothing left here but you”. Perhaps, this lover has employed classic manipulation tactics to isolate our narrator; slowly pushing their support groups and loved ones away until they are the only one left, perpetuating the toxicity and cyclical codependence, manufacturing a deep sense of NEEDING this person to stay forever. Let’s get off the lyrical analysis and focus a little bit more on the musical aspects. There is a beautiful use of backing vocals that I really appreciate, some of them being distant echoing of previous words sung and I think it gives a great effect. The drums maintain a steady beat and don’t overpower the song. The bass accents the guitar well and fills out the mix, once again not too overpowering or distracting. The guitar is definitely doing a lot of heavy lifting, but I think the intended primary focus is supposed to be on the vocals. There are dynamic changes to emphasize certain lines over others, preventing any monotony. Easily my favorite part is the ending with the reprise of the lyrics
“You and all the thoughts you had
All of your friends think that you're dead
The drugs you do would make it no surprise
Alright
I know it's all my fault again
My name replaced your cigarettes
Your weeping eyes can't see between the lines
Alright”
The latter half repeating multiple times until all the instruments screech to a halt, leaving just the double vocals to compliment each other a cappella.
at exactly the same time:
Track two begins with a similar guitar tone, yet a different style as to not sound exactly the same as the prior song. Something great about this EP is the fact that Naive Nature clearly found their sound and everything is very cohesive, but they make a concerted effort to make each song stand on its own. Each song has similar aspects that make them all make sense on the same release, but ultimately each of them have their own individualism to stand out as unique, memorable songs. This song has a more diluted guitar tone in the sense of the intense distortion on track one. Don’t get me wrong, the distortion is still there, it just isn’t quite as thick this time around. With this lessened distortion, the bass is able to shine through a bit more prominently, doing much more than just following the root notes and staying hidden in the mix. I was actually drawn more to the bass than the guitar on this track; I wouldn’t go as far as saying it is the focal point of the mix, but it absolutely takes more of a priority than it did previously. This time around, the vocals are much more airy and light. I really like this vocal performance in general; there is still the occasional return to the stoic stylings, but for the most part, he is projecting a bit more, enunciating, and showing more of his vocal skill. This performance feels less like the 2000s style indie-rock and more along the lines of Turnover without the reverb and other effects. About halfway through this song, there is a guitar solo that adds a slight amount of fuzz to the tone, again not too overbearing, but gives it a slight edge to not blend too much into the rest of the instruments. It has a nice distinction without being a drastic change that comes off as jarring. Lyrically, there are a lot of positive themes throughout this track that I am really drawn to. Of course, there’s a fair amount of existential fear mixed in the recipe, but overall I really enjoy the sense of self-actualization and coming into some semblance of comfort with the world, even if that does lead to some deeper questions about life and death. The opening lines are literally “I have just discovered the world is such a beautiful place” and the chorus acknowledges “you’ve got the power to change your state of mind”. Clearly, this narrator has experienced hardships but is attempting to take the steps to come out on the other side as a better person. No one ever said that growth and acceptance would be easy, but it is ultimately a healthier and more productive solution to these problems than wallowing in self-pity, guilt, and shame. They even mention that it’ll be hard work when they sing “you’ve got it made, and you have to brave everything that you’re afraid of at exactly the same time”. Now with a newfound passion for life, they have unearthed a fear of death and the unknown, leading to some back and forth between the inevitable acceptance of death yet hesitation to live life to the fullest due to the paranoia of what could happen out there. Yes, they are afraid to get hurt again, but it is deeper and more physically threatening than just an emotional pain. I’m taking this interpretation directly from the lines that go,
“And all of the structures and the towers
Will fall one day like me
There's nothing you can do but accept
That one day you'll be deceased
And I don't want to leave my home
'Cause what if I don't return?
I won't walk too far ahead
'Cause I am far too scared of going first”
I really love the poeticism in this, metaphorically and literally pushing out of their comfort zone but being afraid of not being able to go back to it. But also, they will eventually master the art of reframing their anxieties and embracing them in a positive manner, they just haven’t fully developed that ability. There is a beauty in making this change on their own, but also a security in doing it with someone alongside them, someone who can help lead the way. Overall, I thoroughly enjoy this track as far as sound and execution goes, as well as, especially, the underlying message.
separation anxiety:
We have reached the middle of this EP and also made it to the title track! I have a good amount to say about this song as well as some external experiences I have revolving around it. Let’s start with the basic overall review and then I will share some of my personal stories about it. The guitar seems to have gotten progressively less distorted as each song begins, possibly a way of reflecting some mental fog clearing up in the narrator’s head. This track has a basic pop-punk style chord progression and execution, sounding almost like a Green Day song before the distortion was added. This time around, the drums seem to hit a good amount harder, still nothing too groundbreaking or complex, keeping a steady beat and serving its purpose with absolutely no complaints from me about it. I like that, so far, every instrument has had time to be prominent; after all, it is only a three-piece band, so why not give everyone their moments? Lyrically, the surface-level interpretation is exactly as the title suggests, separation anxiety. However, the way Naive Nature goes about it, it is very poetic and heartfelt. The song revolves around a fresh, newly budding romance; the narrator is falling in love for the first time and is overwhelmingly obsessed with this person. The word “obsession” can come across as off-putting in certain contexts, but if you fully read between the lines you should be able to find out that these extreme words are just the speaker's internal monologue and their own intense level of anxiety. They might not be the dictionary definition of “obsessed” but it is more of how he feels. It comes from a place of fear of coming across suffocating or too intensely attached, or whatever it may be. This is a person that is not used to healthy relationships of the feelings of love. Love can be debilitating, infatuating, overwhelming, and so many other things. This person does not want to mess things up accidentally and doesn't necessarily know how to behave appropriately without seeming overbearing. All they can think about is this person, it's like a drug, they are fiending for another hit, wondering when and where they are going to get another dopamine rush, waiting around until the other person is ready to see them again. I think this is a very vulnerable yet universally relatable concept; it's when you begin fully swooning over someone, completely head over heels, and your logical mind can acknowledge that it is kind of cringe-inducing or embarrassing, but your emotional mind can't shut off these feelings. It's the same brand of anxiety that comes from first asking someone out, or debating when to call them after a first date, getting hung up on miniscule things like the frequency of your texts.
“Unhealthily obsessed
With every word she says
I'm losing my goddamn mind
Just tell me we're alright”
In the beginning of relationships, there is a weird purgatory of determining how open is “too open” while simultaneously wanting to share vulnerability and honest communication. The narrator is airing out this personal dilemma via the song but begging for some reassurance from the other person that they are still interested and aren't pulling away. I spoke with Jackson privately about this track specifically, and he directly said to me that it is “strictly about falling in love and wanting to do the opposite of creepy. Wanting to make sure you do right by this person and not harm the potential future relationship.”
Now that I've done a quick summary and review of this song, I'd like to discuss something that I was honored to be involved in. A few weeks ago, Naive Nature sent out a “casting call” of sorts to find extras for a music video. Unfortunately, the turnout was not what they had hoped for, however, I was one of the extras who had shown up. This lack of people required them to rework their concepts for the video, and all of a sudden, I became a much bigger part of it than originally anticipated. I am INCREDIBLY grateful to Naive Nature and Fataday for giving me permission to share this music video before its official release date! Under this section, you will see the music video has been embedded into this post, and if you're watching it, I hope you know that you are one of the first people to ever witness this EXCLUSIVE EARLY ACCESS to the music video for "Separation Anxiety" by Naive Nature. In addition, I'll give a brief synopsis of the video and tell you about some of my experiences behind the scenes. The music video begins with the members of Naive Nature walking in the park (but they’re really cool and badass, of course). They pass by me (wearing a Fuzzy Slippers band tee, shout out), prompting me to steal an apple to eventually use as a weapon. I, not-so-stealthily, sneak by them and climb a tree that they are going to be performing in front of. While this performance takes place, I am menacingly waiting atop this tree, ready to pounce at any moment. As the chorus kicks in, I chuck the apple right at Jackson’s head, presumably killing him. Mickey and Jim see Jackson’s corpse and pay it no mind, and once the coast is clear, I hop down from the tree to steal Jackson’s guitar and signature blazer. Jim and Mickey meet back up with me, now masquerading as Jackson. I join the band, doing a very poor job at mimicking the guitar playing (this was the first time I had ever heard this song and kind of needed to learn it on the spot), and all is well. Jim and Mickey are visibly enjoying themselves much more now that I’ve taken over Jackson’s life. That is, until Jackson magically springs back to life, taking me out using a twig as a garotte, removing me from the rest of the video. Luckily, just in time for him to grab his guitar and hop back in the tree to finish their performance. This music video was filmed and edited by Fataday Korngor (a future featured artist of CD-ROM Rabbit Hole, shout out Fataday). We filmed this entire video in one day and conjured this impromptu concept the day of, in the moment. At some point, Jim offered, “I have a couple apples in my car that we could use as props.” but who would’ve guessed that would end up being such an important part of this video. I still actively laugh about our day “on set”. Obviously, I had known Mickey for quite a few months at this point, I had met Jackson very briefly maybe a month prior to filming, and I had never met Jim or Fataday until that point. They were all very friendly and kind dudes and I had an absolute blast hijacking their music video. I love the campiness of it, I love this song, and I am so grateful that they let me join in and be a goofball with them.
forever yours:
Almost getting to the end of the EP, the fuzzy guitar and emotionless vocals have made a comeback. This song seems to be written from the perspective of a ghost of some sorts, or some kind of over-watching specter. The music, tone, and vocals represent this vibe with their gloomy sounds and haunting background hums. I really like the concept behind this song, and the ambient sounds in the distance really set the scene and allow the mix to fill out in a ghostly way. “I am just a ghost within your walls” obviously, this line could just be a depressing metaphor, but there are other lyrics that contribute to the theory of a ghost narrator, such as:
“I watch you every morning
As you wake
And I wait by the door
While you're away
I watch you from the corner
As you sleep
I'd bet on everything
You forgot me”
This ever-present being that is forever watching and waiting, just floating through a liminal space and purgatory, doomed to witness the infinite progress of time fleeting. Pairing nicely with some of the existential dread that was present in previous tracks, this song's overarching theme is all about a lost lover, whether it be a metaphorical passed life or a literal death of a loved one. If you read my previous review, you'll know that I am a huge fan of the concept of sad ghosts, so I am choosing to continue with my interpretation of this song being written from that perspective. The speaker conveys a lingering, silently devoted obsession Perhaps, this ghost narrator is not newly passed, and has been coping with the reality that their one true love has started healing and moving on. This ghost is being tortured by its tether to a passed lover, but it is unrequited, this tether does not go both ways. While the ghost is stuck in this depressing in-between, their lover is still free to wander the world and have new experiences, meet new people, live life and do everything that comes with that. The only hope is that someday this significant other will too die and they can finally spend eternity together. However, there is a bitter-sweetness to this as well as a fear of the unknown. The narrator would, presumably, not wish death upon its past lover, but is also worried that they will find someone new and forget about the speaker. Overall, the lyrics blend love, longing, and an unsettling presence, leaving open the interpretation of whether the speaker is a devoted admirer, an obsessed stalker, or a literal ghost.
glass:
As the finale of this sixteen-minute EP, “glass” is the shortest song, not by much, but only clocking in at two minutes and forty seconds. This song is a great successor to “forever yours” as well as a great ending track. Musically, it is just a lone guitar with solo vocals. The abrasive fuzzy guitar depicts a frustration as many of the themes and anxieties of this EP have come to fruition. This song continues with some of these ghostly concepts and perspectives; there are references to death and possibly an admission that this lover has not been faithful or honest. The first verse suggests that the subject’s loved one is dying, which could imply emotional turmoil or a confrontation with mortality. The line "you'll confess to all your lying" introduces a sense of dishonesty or hidden truths, hinting at regret or unresolved tension. The speaker, however, appears indifferent, repeatedly stating "I don't care," which could either be genuine apathy or a defense mechanism against deeper pain. The repetition of “behind the glass” suggests a physical and figurative barrier between these two people. It could represent a division between life and death, a mirror reflecting someone or something foreign, or perhaps a hospital window, amongst other possible interpretations. Despite the potential that this glass could just be a thin barrier, it is unbreakable and makes the distance feel never-ending and eternal. It might even represent a filter of all the flaws in the relationship between these two characters. While one is living, staring through the glass, they are met with the reflection of their dishonesty, poor behavior, and sins. Whereas the person on the other side, the narrator, is only aware of their absence in the same physical space, but is acknowledging that they are watching from a distance. There is an invisible barrier preventing them from occupying space together, but it is also in question whether or not this viewer would choose to break the glass if they were able to. There could be a lack of trying, a lack of wanting or needing, a lack of incentive to be with them and protect them. An interpretation that fits the continuation of this ghost story, in somewhat of a prequel sense, suggests feeling like an outsider, watching life go by without being able to engage. It might reflect themes of depression, dissociation, or even guilt.
Overall, I really enjoyed this EP. They did a great job performing at their release show and I am so happy to see them having the opportunity to tour and promote their work. “Separation Anxiety” is cohesive, well thought out, and tells a unique yet relatable story. I had some private conversations with the band about it as I was typing this write-up and I really hope I did this EP justice. Jackson alluded to it being somewhat of a concept EP but also open to interpretation; if you have a different interpretation or think you cracked the code of what they intended to say when originally writing it, please let me know in the comments! Super huge thank you to Jim, Mickey, and Jackson of Naive Nature for letting me review their newest release, and keep reading down below to learn more about the band and “Separation Anxiety” in our interview together!
Interview:
Hey homies! So happy to have you here. Thank you for taking the time to chit-chat with me about your brand new EP. I was fortunate enough to see you perform the entire EP front to back for your EP Release show at PhilaMOCA on March 21st. How did you feel about your performances? Did you have a blast? It was a great turnout, are you happy with how it all went down?
Jim: The PhilaMOCA release show was insane! The energy was off the charts the entire night, and I feel like every band really brought it, including us! Definitely the high mark of naive nature gigs in my book.
Jackson: I think everything about it was perfect! I truly don’t think it could’ve been any better of a night! I’d dreamed of playing PhilaMOCA for years and it fully lived up to my expectations. We put together a really fun setlist to play, hitting all of our fan favorites, performing the “separation anxiety” EP in its entirety uninterrupted, and covering a classic indie rock banger. I feel very honored to have had such an amazing turnout. The room was packed and everyone was very engaged and respectful. I was kinda surprised by the amount of people that sang along to the songs, especially the new ones. Hearing a room full of people sing the lyrics to “alright” back to us on night one of our first tour was a really emotional moment that I will never forget!
Mickey: I honestly think it might have been the best we've ever sounded. I guess I'll have to wait and see the footage from the show to confirm that, but I felt really confident about our performance. The turnout was great, the sound was great, I got to check off PhilaMOCA from my list of venues I've been dreaming of playing. All in all it was a great night!
When this inter-review is posted, it will have been one week since the release of "Separation Anxiety", how has the reception been so far? Do your fans seem to be enjoying the new songs?
Jim: I've seen high praise from many corners of the new EP, from people I see on a daily basis to people on socials, so it seems to be going over very well!
Jackson: Yeah it’s been great! Streaming-wise it’s had the biggest first week of anything we’ve released to date, and it has had more physical sales in this one week than our previous physical release has had in the last five months! Our fans seem to be really enjoying it, and that really feels great.
Mickey: If our release show itself is any indication, I think people are really digging these tracks. I saw people in our crowd singing along to our songs as we played them, which is always a great feeling. And the turnout to shows since its release have been great. I'm really stoked to see people connect with what we've released.
Do you each have a favorite track on this EP? Why are they your favorites? Or maybe you have a least favorite, would you like to share any information about that?
Jim: I think it really is a great cohesive EP. My favorite would either be “alright" or “separation anxiety.” The song “separation anxiety" is probably my favorite naive nature song to perform live. I've loved it since the first time Jack played it for me early last year.
Jackson: They’re all my babies. No least favorite, they all work together as one cohesive unit in my eyes. I would have to say that I’d consider “at exactly the same time” to be my favorite right now, though. It’s one of my favorites to play live and the lyrics are some of the most personal on the whole EP for me.
Mickey: My favorite is definitely “forever yours.” I love the chord progression and the bass line that Jackson wrote for it. It has a particular ambiance that I can't quite describe but find really attractive. It has this kind of shoegaze/post-rock feel to it that I'm obsessed with.
How long did it take you to write, record, and release this EP? Do you have any fun behind-the-scenes stories from the process?
Jim: The actual recording part was a pretty quick process, we knocked it all out in just a couple studio days. As far as the writing of the songs, that would be more of a Jack question. The song “separation anxiety" was floating around for some time, but the rest were demos we started hashing out in the fall before hitting the studio.
Jackson: In total I’d say a little over a year. It all started with home demos I made starting in January of 2024. That’s when I met my girlfriend and began writing the title track after one of our earlier dates. I wrote the rest of the demos in the coming months, as well as dozens of other tracks that didn’t make the cut. Jim and I started performing separation anxiety live as early as last March, so it had about a year of live performances before release. We officially entered the studio in November and recorded it all in just two days! I think my favorite story from the process would be that my girlfriend’s first time hearing the title track was during a show last March and she didn’t believe that someone would write a song about her and got upset thinking I was writing love songs for other women after we had just gotten together! I explained it that night outside the venue, and the rest is history!
I was honored to take over your music video for "Separation Anxiety" (Sorry, what can I say? I'm a natural star!)
How was the filming of the video for you all? What were your original concepts? What was your favorite part from filming? Do you enjoy how the finished product turned out?
Jim: I do miss my apple! But it went to a great cause! You nailed it (literally)! I love how the video turned out!
Jackson: That was a lot of fun! It was great to work with you and Fataday on the project. Fataday had reached out to me a while back offering to make us a video for one of our new songs so I let him take pretty much total control of the whole idea. There wasn’t too much of an initial plan other than us going to this park for a day. I think it’s pretty funny, like a low-budget B-movie kind of satirical thing. It’s definitely a big switch up from the normal seriousness we approach this band with. It reminded me of being in college and acting in all of my film major friends’ shorts. I was a big fan of you throwing the apple at me. Good arm!
Mickey: I went into this process feeling pretty nervous about how it would go, but I think we really adapted to the process and came up with a really fun and goofy idea. I was saying while we were filming that some of my favorite music videos from small bands like ours are these ones that just lean into being silly and stupid and don't worry about being pretentiously artistic.
You're currently on tour to promote this EP, would you like to plug some of your remaining show dates? How did you go about booking this tour? Have you guys ever been on tour before, whether it be with Naive Nature or any of your other bands? Have you enjoyed playing these shows so far? What can you tell me about them? Is there a specific city or venue you all have been dreaming of playing that is still on your bucket list?
Jim: Never been on tour before, and it's not something I thought I would ever do, but it's been cool so far. We're a little less than halfway through so far, so there's still a lot of uncharted territory. But NYC was great, and obviously the release show was insane. We'll see what the rest holds!
Jackson: We’ll be playing Iris Garden Bar in Burtonsville, MD tomorrow night! This will be our first time in Maryland so that’ll be super fun! Next Friday we’ll be headlining a free show at SqueezeBox Records in Wilmington, DE, so anyone in the area that day should swing by and hang out! We’ve also still got shows in D.C., Atlantic City, Lancaster, and Montclair on the horizon! I did pretty much all of the booking for the tour. We came up with a list of potential places to visit and dates we were available to play together and I just would work for hours every night last fall to get things going! I’d say for every one show we have booked I reached out to at least a dozen venues, so it definitely wasn’t easy but it has been so worth it! This is my first ever tour for any project and I’m super stoked! These shows have been some of the best I’ve ever played! PhilaMOCA was a dream one, and it definitely lived up to my expectations. I’d love to hit anything on the west coast, like some shows in LA or Seattle would be great. Once we get a bit bigger, Union Transfer in Philly is on my bucket list. I’m putting it here in writing so when we get there we can all look back to today!
Mickey: These shows so far have been incredible. It was my first time playing New York and that was a really cool experience. But I can't wait to play Maryland and DC since I grew up in that area. I haven't played down there since I was in a death metal band in college. I'm also stoked to play Launch Music Fest. My college sponsors it and we're actually playing on the York College Stage! It's gonna be a cool opportunity to reconnect with my college buds who still live in the area!
I hope you all take the time to breathe and bask in the glory of this release, BUT...do you have any ideas of what's next for Naive Nature? Any exciting plans you can share with us?
Jim: That would be a Jack question!
Jackson: After this tour I’m sure it won’t take long for us to return to the studio. I’m always writing new music and we love playing live, so I can’t foresee any extended breaks coming up anytime soon. I mean, I know what I’m planning on doing next but what’s the fun in telling you so soon? You’ll see soon enough!
What inspired this EP? What do you think are the core themes? What other music were you listening to when writing and recording?
Jim: I can really only speak to what inspired the drumming, but for me, I usually play things pretty straight and hard with the occasional fill. Dave Grohl's drumming with Nirvana is usually what I think of when I'm playing naive nature songs. As for themes, from a listener perspective it does feel like there's a heavy theme of growing up and acceptance.
Jackson: This EP, like most of the material I write, was written kinda naturally in response to my current life/headspace. There’s a lot of hints to themes of permanence, acceptance, and love. The EP, in my eyes, discusses the feeling of watching the world around you change as you learn to adapt to that and accept that you can’t stop that from happening. Falling in love with others, learning to love yourself, and trying to enjoy life before it’s over. I was listening to a lot of Motion City Soundtrack and blink-182’s self titled album (or untitled, depending who you ask) while writing this EP.
What does your writing process look like? Does one person write all the lyrics and presents them to the band or is it a communal and collaborative writing session? How does it all unfold for you?
Jim: Usually Jack will send us demos, and we will learn them and adapt them to our playing styles. The cool thing about naive nature songs is that they have a lot of breathing room in them, so there's lots of room to add little touches with the drumming, which is very fun.
Jackson: I do most of the initial writing. A lot of the lyrics are written as my way of comprehending or letting out the thoughts in my head, like a way of journaling. I’ll typically make demos at home where I play all the parts and send them to the guys once I feel that I’ve added all that I can think of. Then they’ll add their touches to their respective parts and suggest any additional ideas they have to help the song evolve. Over time they become more collaborative, but they almost always start with me alone in my room.
Mickey (that bastard) has already snuck his way onto CD-ROM Rabbit Hole with his other band, Fuzzy Slippers, but would anyone else like to plug their other musical projects?
Jim: I play guitar and sing in a newly formed Power-Pop/Punk band called DelCobras. We have a handful of shows coming this summer, one of which I hear is at The Fire with some artist named Strangeness in Proportion? Huh, weird! I also of course will always have Scoopski as my wife and I's Pop-Rock recording project. Even though we're definitely taking a break from it at the moment, we put out an album at the end of last year called "Time is a Thief" that we're very proud of.
Jackson: None for me. I’ve been involved in a lot of projects over the years but currently I’m enjoying just being in one. naive nature is my truest passion and I’m doing everything in my power to get this band as far as I can. I think it’s best for me currently to put all of my creative energy into this project. In the moments I was divided into several groups, none of them really went anywhere. Maybe one day I’ll branch back out and do something else as well, but naive nature is too busy right now for me to want to do anything else.
Are there any other bands in the scene that you would like to give a shout out to? Here's your chance!
Jim: We'll probably all have some overlap here, but in addition to all the bands who played our release show, I'll shout out Sacred Monsters, Bees!, Jima, Fataday Korngor, Log Flume, Granddogs, The Blackburns, The Mack Brothers, Snap Infraction. I'd like to especially shout one of my favorite local artists since 2006, who is making a live comeback this year, and that would be Team Goldie. Everyone needs to check out his music, it's incredible.
Jackson: In no particular order I’m gonna give a shout out to: Quiet Time, Some Ghosts, Longfriend Timefriend, The Mack Brothers, The Hollow Truths, Dan & Joe, Jima, Bees!, Fataday Korngor, Lagoon, Fuzzy Slippers, and Pine Barons. There’s so many bands I love and I’m grateful for all of them, but those are the first that come to mind right now.
Mickey: The bands we played with at our EP release show all deserve a huge shout out for making the night a gigantic success. Quiet Time, Some Ghosts, and Longfriend Timefriend. Some of my favorite bands in our scene right now!
One final question to send us off. I know Mickey is an avid Pokémon fan, I'm not sure about the rest of you, but...
Who are your favorite and least favorite Pokémon? Which Pokémon would each of you BE, and WHY?
Jim: Oh my friend, I once wrote a song with a chorus that goes "I'm a 20 year old disaster and I still wanna be a Pokémon master"... Not willing to date myself here, but that was a pretty long time ago! I've always been a fan of Articuno, one of the legendary birds from Gen 1. Not quite sure why, just remember smoking lots of people at sleepovers on our Game Boy Color through link cable battles with that bird!
Jackson: I don’t know nearly enough about Pokémon to have a least favorite, but I rock with Squirtle. I guess I’d be a Squirtle because he plays a mean saxophone (that’s also 90% of why I like him).
Mickey: Dude this is an impossible question, I have way too many favorites! Shedinja, Lapras, Duskull, Haunter, Luvdisc, and Absol all make the list. I have tattoos of some of those, along with my Beautifly and Dustox tattoos. My first Pokémon I ever chose was Squirtle. If I could pick any Pokémon to be, I think I'd pick Grovyle. I've always loved its style, you just know they're a huge chiller.
Thank you so much for being here to discuss your EP "Separation Anxiety", thank you so much for submitting your music and reaching out to me, thank you so much for allowing your music video to be an EXCLUSIVE EARLY RELEASE on my website, and thank you so much for being you!
Now, thank YOU to the audience who has made it this far! Please go check out Naive Nature and show some love. You can find all of their snazzy, super cool and super important links HERE!
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