Toronto – This is going to be a fairly lazy review, I will probably pull a Jamie Foxx and name drop a bunch of things here, hoping somehow that in the process, a review will somehow percolate subconsciously in your head and you’ll come away from the article thinking this was a good review. Local Natives are a 5 piece band from Los Angeles, California. I thought Local Natives in California were known as Mexicans. HAHA. Maybe that’s a sensitive issue, I am not sure. Anyways, they have an album coming out on February 16th, it’s called Gorilla Manor.

The band relies on 3 part harmonies, layered with a chilled out Caribbean cruise ship rock vibe and thus, has drawn comparisons to bands such as Grizzly Bear, Vampire Weekend and Fleet Foxes. I also think you can draw comparisons to bands like My Morning Jacket, Passion Pit and a happier Band of Horses as well. They are signed to Frenchkiss records, who are on a absolute roll these days, having had the Antlers and Passion Pit break through into the blogosphere last year. I am 100% sure Local Natives will do the same this year.

Gorilla Manor is a solid chilled out affair. As with any Vampire Weekendish sounding record, it’s something you can always put on, because of it’s mellow weekend vibe. There’s a cover of a Talking Heads song (“Warning Sign”) on there and I can already sense that songs like Airplanes, Sun Hands and Wide Eyes are going to be popular, and will probably be in some movie soundtracks.

Overall, if you like any of the bands I have mentioned, and want to listen to say, a more upbeat, more Californian version of them, then definitely check out Gorilla Manors. It would probably be in your best interest to see a show when they tour the first time, because the next time they come around, it’ll be at a way big venue and packed.

 

 Local Natives - Sun Hands: Play Now