The first instinct upon listening to a new band is to draw comparisons to established artists on the scene—to see if it fits into your canon, justify your love or indifference, or even just satisfy the nagging suspicion that you’ve heard the arrangement before. Indie newcomers Local Natives make that practice frustrating, if not impossible, with their first full release, Gorilla Manor. You can hear Spoon in the piano used on several tracks, the introduction of string instruments is reminiscent of Ra Ra Riot, and the vocal arrangements almost immediately point to the influence of Fleet Foxes.
But somehow Local Natives manages to combine all of the above and create an album that is surprisingly cohesive despite its variety. The consistent, driving forces of the percussion and bass guitar, harmonized vocals, and melodies crafted in true laid-back Californian style all tie the album together and refuse to allow listeners to drift off in a haze. “Who Knows Who Cares,” for example, begins with the quiet simplicity of a ballad, only to build into an almost cacophonous roar of instrumentation before quieting back down once more.
But Local Natives owe their recent increase in popularity to more than just creative compositional methods. The band demonstrates a tireless dedication to their craft. They impressed audiences by performing an astonishing nine shows at the 2009 SXSW festival, and completely self-financed their debut album.
Put simply, Local Natives are much more than the sum of their parts. Gorilla Manor is a declaration of prowess and an excellent debut into the music scene.
You may have heard something that sounds like this before. But the synthesis within Gorilla Manor is something entirely new.
Voice’s Choices: “World News,” “Airplanes,” “Sticky Thread”
