LOCAL NATIVES
ALBUM:
GORILLA MANOR
KEY TRACKS:
WIDE EYES
WHO KNOWS WHO CARES
SUN HANDS
WORLD NEWS
"oh to see it with my own eyes"
This will probably be the easiest post I will ever write. Why? Because I've played this album so much in my car that I'm amazed the album art is still visible. I love this band, and I love this album even more. It's an exquisite triumph of musical harmonies and bombastic percussion. The most distinguishable, and delightful, style of Local Natives are their ability to blend their vocals into the actual background instrumentals. Never have such spritely harmonies sounded so beautifully cohesive in music.
Much like my life, this album is all about embarking on an uncertain journey. You're frightened to start, and you don't know where the road will take you, but you take it anyways. "Wide Eyes" , the album's opener, is a jaw dropping stunner. This is hands down bar none, the most stunning four minutes and 26 seconds on the album.
"Airplanes" is a wonderful follow up for "Wide Eyes". Where "Wide Eyes" is exciting and aggressive, "Airplanes" a heartfelt ode to a loved one who taken too soon. "I love it all, so much I call: I want you back". Kelsey's dynamic falsetto is so emotional that it sometimes brings chills up my spine. It's a lovely track, especially if like Kelsey, someone you loved was taken too soon. You never got to know them, never had the chance to ask those important questions. There's a sense of peace when I hear this song, because it acknowledges the fact that he'll see this person again: "I bet when my body meets the sky, the wait will be worth it."
"Sun Hands" is a fantastic track that really showcases the band's heavy percussion usage as well as a knack for drama. This is frequently the band's closing song at shows and it certainly does not disappoint. "World News"is what I like to call my 'road rager'. It's all about being stuck in traffic with your mom blowing up your phone. This is what my commute to Nashville is frequently like and I sometimes find myself laughing to it:
"the lane next door is always faster
and you wait so long until you're so bothered
but right after you complete your merge
the lane you started in gets going"
It's just too perfect! Now granted, this is probably about Los Angeles traffic since Local Natives are based in Silver Lake but Nashville traffic can be pretty horrific sometimes.
Lastly, "Who Knows Who Cares" is one of my favorite tracks on the album. When asked about the lyrical content, lead singer Taylor Rice is quite honest in explaining that it was about the difficult decision to really pursue music versus a more traditional (and safe) career. Although this is a song rooted in career choice, it really comes across more as a song about life decisions. Daily decisions are easy, what to wear to work, what to eat for lunch, coffee or tea, cream or sugar. It's the life decisions that are tough: am I ready for a career change? Am I living life to the fullest? Am I ready to fall in love? All complex and difficult decisions to contemplate. "Easy as it's said, it's never quite as easily done" Local Natives answer. It's true.
But, in the defense of fate. These decisions aren't ones you ultimately make, they happen and, like the resilient creatures we are, we adapt. You don't decide to live life to the fullest, nor do you just 'decide' to fall in love with someone. They just happen. It's frightening, but it's great.
LISTEN: WIDE EYES | WHO KNOWS WHO CARES | SUN HANDS | WORLD NEWS
NEXT WEEK: BJORK | BIOPHILLIA
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