I've had Local Natives' album Gorilla Manor pretty much on repeat since June. I deem it to be one of the best albums of 2009/10. It's hard to accurately describe (without doing the worst and comparing them to all other contemporary bands I love) what they're about, and to sum up quite what is so appealing about their music.
BUT -I fucking adore them.
Their sound is ever relevant, and very current, despite releasing their debut a good year ago now. The use of beautiful, swelling harmonies (though regaining popularity in the general music scene) is best left to them. Especially when taken in conjunction with the emotional, but harmless, lyrics - Gorilla Manor offers anecdotes about Grandfathers past, Parisian adventures, spending days in one room with a lover... I could go on.
Perhaps it's the sentimental, yet very approachable, way that these guys choose to write and perform their work. They take it seriously, but are not embarrassed of the evident pop influences in their music.
In the Guardian Music, Journalist Andrew Purcell put it perfectly when he wrote 'Local Natives are a focused unit, aspiring to a much more controlled euphoria' while comparing them to the likes of Broken Social Scene, Fleet Foxes, Grizzly Bear, and [GOD FORBID] Vampire Weekend. They are true artists.
I now want more than anything to be going to see them live some time soon. Just look how glorious they are in performance! Definitely worthy of taking The Shoes for an outing...
They're playing the Constellations Festival in Leeds this weekend and despite the fact that the likes of Sleigh Bells, Gold Panda, Four Tet, The Vaccines, Liars and Broken Social Scene will be sharing the stage with them over the event, I'd probably write off all others to see these boys play a set. Have missed too many opportunities all summer to witness it. So it's even more gutting that I have work at The GenericWidelyRecognisedCoffeeShop all weekend, innit.
POST SCRIPT
What a beautiful, beautiful gaggle of fine young gentle men.
I guess it's just a added bonus that they're all bloody pengerz, innit ;)
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