Local Natives does the near impossible on their debut, Gorilla Manor. Combining well crafted pop gems with blistering hooks, anthemic choruses, harmonies, tribal breakdowns, cathartic releases and a multi-pronged instrumental attack, the band delivers a fully realized album that never stalls or runs out of ideas. It’s a great album and a signal that Local Natives will be a band to we will watch compulsively.
Within the first three tracks of the album, you know you stumbled onto something amazing. “Wide Eyes” puts forth a rousing start with rhythmic drumming, plenty of crashes and great use of all parts of the drum kit, including the rims. The distant feeling or worldly influences are just on the periphery. It hangs on the sides, giving the songs shape or an added layer but it is never the driving force. A strong love for pop and the delicate structure that gives a song the backbone it needs seems to be what compels the music forward. “Airplanes” will definitely be a contender for indie ballads of 2010. It has an intense chorus with some great drums that march forth. The vocals soar and pulse with vitality. It is hook heavy but never dependent on them and some rousing musical segues.
We now come to the standout track that got Local Natives plenty of attention. “Sun Hands” is quite the track. It’s immediate and indulges more in the tribal/worldly influences. The comparisons to Yeasayer on this track have been made and they are apt but this similarity is only in passing and are due to the different focal points of the respective bands. The song has a great breakdown and cathartic end are developed thanks to the slow teasing of tension. Teetering on the verge of release, the band adds layers until the payoff is delivered with a dizzying and intense outro.
The songs are fully realized and the band is not just satisfied with the big sound. There are vulnerable parts as well as quiet parts that try to ground the songs, but just barely. The band is going to be right at home on the larger stages of festivals.
local-natives-sunhands.mp3
Local Natives – Sun Hands
Even if the rest of the tracks were only OK, the band would have made a pretty successful debut. Luckily for us, the band keeps pushing forward and adding layers to an already textured record.
“World News” adds a playful sing-along while “Shape Shifter” adds some great interplay between the bass and keys while throwing in some harmonies for good measure. If you think things might settle down, “Camera Talk” adds some direct drumming and the noisiest guitar parts yet on the album. It’s a driven song anchored on a “pull the brakes” style chorus.
The interplay and developed nuance between instruments is my favorite aspect of the record. Either the back and forth between drums and guitar, keys and bass, harmonies and drums, it’s done well and adds a shifting and dense layer of sound that never feels muddled or claustrophobic. It’s also great when these components get to wander around, not necessarily tied down to the other aspects of the music. The lyrics work well painting some great visuals and using symbols to great effect.
“Warning Signs” adds some nice Arcade Fire style outbursts which are even more striking amongst the deliberate style of Local Natives. The band uses these shouts as a sort of chant, breathing life into a cold body. “Who Knows Who Cares” is a great romp of a track with veering drums that are not tied down to anything else going on in the track without being a distraction. It is plenty of fun and a great moment of the band letting their guard down.
The final track of this great ride “Stranger Threads” is a little more straightforward but still blends in some great flourishes like strings. It’s a fitting way to end.
Gorilla Manor and Local Natives deserve to be discussed when 2010 ends. The band created a finely honed piece of record that dazzles, inspires and acts like candy to the ears. This just may very well be your favorite discovery of 2010.
