Last Thursday an amigo of mine suggested that I head down to Fontana’s in the Lower East Side to check out a CMJ showcase featuring Local Natives.  Not one to turn down a free show, I donned the closest clean shirt (a task more time consuming for me than most) and meandered down Eldridge Street.  Standing in the dimly lit basement at Fontana’s I had no idea what to expect – I mean, it’s CMJ so the chances of some indie-pop songsters coming on are just as high as a rap-funk duo hitting the stage to spit rhymes about Satan (that actually happened later in the week).  Anyway, the boys from Silverlake, CA finished their setup and burst into their first song, and just like that, a fan was born.  “I want you back, back, back, you baaaack” sang Local Natives in the cascading harmony-laden ‘Airplanes’, and I heeded their call, seeing them again at Pianos for the BrooklynVegan CMJ party, and then once more for an acoustic session set among the trees and PBR littered landscape of the Delancey’s rooftop.  My previous record for seeing the same band multiple times in the same year was shattered at this point, and my ears could not have been more delighted….

But enough about me, let’s get to the good stuff.  Local Natives hail from the Left Coast and are made up of Taylor Rice, Kelcey Ayer, Ryan Hahn, Andy Hamm and Matt Fraizer.  Most (if not each) of the Natives share in singing duties which results in each song being coated with layers of wonderment and melodiousness, and which, given the vocal dexterity of the band, made the acoustic set an auditory pleasure for those in attendance. In sans-acoustic mode, the fellas were not afraid to blast out some infectious beats and bass lines, and showcased their percussion IQ by employing the use of dueling drums in a few songs.  Great stage presence, tight compositions and an ability to command NYC crowds’ (in)famous attention spans…I think it’s obvious that I was impressed.  Now, I could make things easy for you and describe Local Natives as sounding like a little bit of ______ mixed with ______ all topped off with a dash of ______ , but I want you to listen to the songs for the first time with no expectations, just like I did, and draw your own conclusions – you won’t be disappointed.

Included below are two songs from their upcoming album, Gorilla Manor, out next month in the U.K, and hopefully hitting headphones stateside early next year.  You can catch Local Natives on tour this fall with Muffin favorite’s Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes…but for now, crank those speakers (especially around the 3:00 mark of ‘Sun Hands’) and jam to the sounds of your new favorite band. Local Natives: Train Tested. Muffin Approved.

Local Natives – Sun Hands

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Local Natives – Airplanes

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

English Muffins can stream Gorilla Manor in it’s entirety HERE and pre-order the album HERE

Tweet, tweet! Local Natives on Twitter