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Jeff Moehlis: No Rest for the Local Natives
During their concert Monday night, Local Natives guitarist/vocalist Ryan Hahn said it was nice to be back in Santa Barbara. The last time they were here was when they played at a fraternity party in Isla Vista.
Things have certainly changed for the band, which also consists of Matt Frazier (drums), Andy Hamm (bass guitar), Taylor Rice (vocals, guitar) and Kelcey Ayer (vocals, keyboards). They were now playing for a sold-out, adoring, singing-along crowd at SOhO Restaurant & Music Club in support of their buzzed-about new album, Gorilla Manor, named after a house they used to share in Los Angeles.
The music of the Local Natives features intricate and precise multipart harmonies over indie-folk instrumentation, and they have been compared favorably to the brilliant Fleet Foxes, who visited a year and a half ago.
But these bands are certainly different — in particular, the Local Natives songs tend to have a stronger rhythmic component than those of Seattle’s Foxes. One might say that the Local Natives are more influenced by Africa, and the Fleet Foxes are more influenced by Appalachia.
The rhythm was really pushed to the fore at the SOhO concert, with Frazier’s amazing drumming being complemented by other band members — usually Ayer — pounding along on a drum and cymbal at the front of the stage. (To me, the drums seemed too overpowering for the first few songs, but the mix got better as the set progressed.) This brought an intensity and energy to the songs, which are markedly lighter in their studio versions. And, yes, they pulled off those gorgeous Crosby, Stills & Nash-like harmonies in concert.
The band played their whole album, and nothing but their album, although in a more concert-friendly sequence. Highlights included the band’s genuine masterpieces: the album’s lead track, “Wide Eyes”; “Airplanes,” which was dedicated to a couple who recently got engaged; and “Sun Hands,” which closed the show with primitive Native energy.
Unfortunately, some audience members seemed confused, apparently thinking the SOhO show was taking place at a frat party, as they talked and laughed loudly during the songs, most noticeably during the more quiet moments. C’mon, people, we don’t expect a Joe Jackson’s Big World level of restraint here — in case you don’t know, that album was recorded live in front of an audience Jackson instructed not to make a sound, not even applause — but didn’t you come to hear the music? We did.
The future looks bright for the Local Natives, who I expect will make it onto a lot of end-of-year best album lists. It can be a good thing when the Natives get restless.
Setlist
Camera Talk
World News
Warning Sign (Talking Heads cover)
Cards & Quarters
Sticky Thread
Wide Eyes
Shape Shifter
Cubism Dream
Airplanes
Who Knows Who Cares
Encore
Stranger Things
Sun Hands
— Noozhawk contributor Jeff Moehlis is an associate professor of mechanical engineering at UCSB. Upcoming show recommendations, advice from musicians, interviews and more are available on his Web site, music-illuminati.com.
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