Looking for new music? DJs at WVAU share their thoughts on a range of recent releases.
Local Natives | Hummingbird
A dazzling album with a slight identity crisis.
On their 2010 debut “Gorilla Manor,” Local Natives drew bits from Grizzly Bear, Fleet Foxes and Arcade Fire to create a lovely, albeit not particularly unique, record.
The same issue is present on this follow-up, which continues the strong songwriting and soaring vocals, but with a few sonic differences.
These come courtesy of producer Aaron Dessner, who also serves as the guitarist for The National. That band’s love of moody chord progressions and busy percussion are prevalent here, particularly on singles “Heavy Feet” and “Breakers.”
Elsewhere, lead vocalist Kelcey Ayer delivers a falsetto on “Three Months” that possesses the emotional depth of Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon.
Therein lies the main problem with Local Natives: Everything they do can be compared or traced to another artist.
At least Local Natives is borrowing from some of the best bands of the last decade, and if they start to experiment a bit more, they might be ready to join that class themselves.
Recommended If You Like: Grizzly Bear, Fleet Foxes, The National
By Cameron Meindl, “Rhyme & Reason,” Wednesdays 8 - 10 p.m.
Thao & The Get Down Stay Down | We The Common
Crisp, energetic album brings in wide variety of influences.
You’ll get chills and feel fresh from the spectrum of warm sounds sprouting from every inch of this vibrant new release.
Thao Nguyen’s youthful vocals and witty lyrics meshed with TGDSD’s experimental folk make this record grow and grow.
Like sedimentary rock, each listen uncovers condensed intricate layers of jazzy bursts, orchestral hymns, personified bass playful synths and summery pop melodies.
Opener “We The Common” starts off strong with acoustic banjo melody, added by pulses of bass. Suddenly a crescendo to a climactic burst arrives with cymbals, fuzzy electric guitar along with everything else. The Charlie Brown piano and complementary saxophone in “The Feeling Kind” energizes like a crisp sunny day while Joanna Newsom’s duet on “Kindness Be Conceived” perfects the light hearted folk melody. Thao & The Get Down Stay Down are truly intense (“Move”) but so beautifully.
RIYL: Joanna Newsom, Born Ruffians, Tilly and the Wall, Thao Nguyen
By Molly Pfeffer, “Velvet Sessions,” Wednesdays 5 - 6 p.m.
Ex-Cops | True Hallucinations
Crisp, quasi-clear and unhurried.
“True Hallucinations” is Ex-Cops’ first full-length album to drop, and it’s a concrete foundation for future efforts.
Each song, an intricate conglomeration of wispy vocals and swinging guitar, stands out from the pack. A balance is struck from tracks 1-11, and there’s no overreliance on lyrics, drums or psychedelic guitar to do the work and carry the tune.
Brian Harding’s vocals are lackadaisical and effortless. With help from Amalie Bruun, the layers are infinite. The Brooklyn band puts out easy-going and fun harmonies, but the autumnal efforts stop before carefree becomes careless.
“You Are a Lion, I Am a Lamb” and “Broken Chinese Chairz” are deliberately light and flimsy. There’s no point in overanalyzing the tunes; they’re made for enjoyment.
RIYL: Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Beach Fossils, Wild Nothing
By Mandi Ray
