Music / Reviews
Review: Local Natives, Motion
Local Natives are one of those bands who should be bigger than they are. The band has drawn comparisons to Vampire Weekend and Arcade Fire but they have yet to enjoy the commercial success of those contemporaries. After the release of album number three, Sunlit Youth, the LA five-piece are back in the UK and on this evidence the UK crowd is ready to embrace their melodic weave of guitars and synths once more.
Opener Past Lives sets the tone for the evening – a sultry start of delicate synths and harmonies building to a climax with co-frontman Taylor Rice crying out “save me, from the prime of my life”. But this is a band coming into their prime – they pepper their set with old favourites but the relatively new material is given just as good a reception. Some of the intricacies of their music is lost in the mix tonight, but it’s replaced by a pounding effectiveness not always present on their records.
It’s the final three songs that stick in the mind. First is Colombia, a song about the passing of co-frontman Kelcey Ayer’s mother. As he starts the background noise from the crowd is audible but all this drops away. People realise they are watching something special. Ayer sings “Every night I ask myself- am I loving enough?”. This is not a bland eulogy – it’s a heartfelt tribute that Ayer delivers with great courage.
Second is Fountains of Youth– a song that (despite presumably being penned some months ago) feels frighteningly relevant tonight as Rice bellows “We can say whatever we mean, I have waited so long Mrs. President.” The line brings a cheer from the audience, and one can only imagine how that line resonates with the band’s home fans – this is a band with something to say. Ending on album one favourite Who Knows, Who Cares the harmony refrain is repeated by the crowd long after the song has ended.
There’s a real charm about Local Natives on stage – Rice and Ayer use their relaxed west coast patter to great effect. This charm extends off stage – £1 for each ticket tonight is going to a charity supporting gender based violence and discrimination. The set ends with crowd favourite Sun Hands from their debut. It is a triumphant end for a band back on form with their latest record. If only we were in a world where Local Natives could sell as many records as the 1975.
Our newsletters emailed directly to you
