Sounds on the Ground #10: Local Natives
By: Dan Monsell
What's The Deal? And the prize for the biggest buzz at SXSW this year goes to...Local Natives. This was supposed to be one of those columns that was out there on its own, diverting people to weird and wonderful sounds, not latching onto what everyone else talks about. But sorry, you got me - here comes the hype machine again, and you'd better watch out: this is some universally likeable, big-song filled, lovely stuff. Not unlike Cleopatra, it'll be coming atchya, on the radios, TVs, twitter, carrier pigeons, blah blah blah and all, pretty darn soon.
Local Natives are four sunshine-filled chaps making very joyous, harmony-filled guitar-pop full of orchestral flourishes. They originate from Silver Lake in the United States (that's in LA, fact fans) and bring to the table a weighty bag of incredibly infectious songs - of the type not only hugely accessible, but immediately hugely likeable too. In fact, guitar-pop as immediately agreeable as this probably hasn't come our way so strikingly since those other yanks Vampire Weekend or Canadians Born Ruffians first graced out ears way back in '07/'08. There's a video of the band doing a Simon and Garfunkel cover on their MySpace, and from the rootsy soul-pop of the songs we've heard, similar influences are clearly on display as these aforementioned. We've told you this before, but we'll repeat it again, you want people to like you, emulate Paul Simon.
Perhaps more obviously, there's a strong folk element here, complete with soft layered-harmony-from-the-heart passion, meaning the clearest similarity on display is that with those Canyon living Foxes of the Fleet variety. The dramatic orchestral pomp of big single 'Airplanes' (not really a dainty flourish in the Vampire Weekend tradition) also definitely owes a debt to the Arcade Fire way of doing things. The comparisons to the big bands are perhaps a little obvious, as we can also see shades of Sufjan Stevens and maybe even a bit of Grizzly Bear here. They do quite a fun blog here - outtasightblog.blogspot.com - that also mentions that they are pretty into some of those bands, so we're clearly on the right lines.
We could of course be intensely cynical and call these fellas an A&R man's wet dream (although we've seen those, and they do look really quite different to these guys), as Local Natives have somehow managed to find a happy mid-point between three of the biggest bands to come from across the pond in recent years. We're not suggesting for a second that this was a contrived plan - more likely a generational coincidence - but it certainly won't do them too much harm commercially.
Strangely they remain currently - but certainly not for long - an unsigned proposition. With songs as big as the ones we've heard, leaving us unable to get these hooks a plenty dislodged from the brain, expect this to not be the case for long. We'll wait expectantly for the many hordes of new fans to be greeting then adoringly when they make it over to the UK. Rest assured readers, we'll be there to check out the fuss.
What can I listen to: These fellas are so goddamn fresh it's all kinds of crazy. No releases yet, so head on over to the MySpace to listen to three great original tracks and a great cover of Talking Heads' "Warning Sign".
When can I see them: Well you bloody can't, unless you live in the US, in which case you've a tour around California to look forward to this month. However rest assured, they shall be in the UK soon enough. Because this is the Britain, and when people talk about a band a lot, they end up here eventually. "If you build 'em up, they will come..."
We all know music peaked in 1994, so give me a sound-bite about how we could compare them to some kind of obscure Britpop band: Ooh, bit of a challenge this month. Smash The Las up against Kula Shaker. Give them a few summers in the LA sunshine so they look a LOT healthier and less northern and shabby. Give them more of an American sheen, vocal lessons and definitely keep them well away from India (we all remember 'Govinda', and we don't need to go back there again). Also keep 'em off the Liverpool crack, and just let 'em get high on life. Hell ya! LA's new finest are upon us - Local Natives have arrived.