Were it not for their ultra-playful take on classic blues, the male/female Brooklyn duo The Naked Heroes would be just another hipster rock outfit playing jangly fashion jams to rooms full of self-impressed creative professionals. In short, they’d be intolerable. As it is, however, The Naked Heroes are a good bit of fun. Their guitar-and-drums-only ethic gives them a rawness that the production of their first album, 99 Diamond (Drug Front Records, free download available through Powerload), only enhances, and while I’m still pretty sure I’m nowhere near cool enough to be granted entry into whatever Brooklyn bar they’re playing this or any other Friday night, I get the sense from the album that what they do they do with love and from a sincere place. That goes a long way.

Vocalist/guitarist George Michael Jackson affects a gruff throatiness in his delivery on the opening title track, which relies on a call and gang response to kick off the album in both enjoyable and memorable fashion. There is some straightforward riff rock to be had in the form of “Sheila” or “Opposable Thumb,” or maybe even “Foxy Moxy,” which reminds me of Nebula’s early and bluesiest moments. Some bass would really do well to thicken out these songs, but maybe the kids these days are afraid of low end. I don’t know. In any case, The Naked Heroes do well with what they have, drummer/vocalist Merica Lee backing Jackson’s riffs and singing with simple but effective beats that only underscores the bluesy feel of the tracks. On a song like “Double Chin,” her switch from soft to hard ride cymbal hits winds up making the difference in the track.

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