Naked Walrus

Since forming around their funky (and slightly Beatles-conjuring) namesake back in 2010, the boys of Naked Walrus have been coming on strong. Name a club in S.B., and they’ve played it, either headlining or opening for buzzable acts like Alberta Cross and The Silent Comedy. On their self-titled debut, the quartet seamlessly moves its onstage antics to the studio and comes away with eight tracks that are in-your-face without ever sounding over-the-top. Here the guitar licks are highly crankable, calling to mind the crunch of early Queens of the Stone Age. Vocally, Dakota Ray Duffy Gartner’s effected speak-sing plays well alongside the band’s driving bass tones and subtle psych flourishes. In short, if it’s bruising garage rock you’re after, these four youngsters have the tusks. Naked Walrus plays a CD-release show at Velvet Jones on Saturday, November 5. Call 965-8676 or visit newnoisesb.com for tickets.