Album Review
Local Natives - Violet Street
4 StarsA tale of affection deeply rooted in the realism of love, not just in romance but in life.
A full ten years on from their debut, Local Natives have never been shy of committing to a theme. If ‘Hummingbird’ was a dedication to loss and ‘Sunlit Youth’ a mediation on politics, then ‘Violet Street’ is an album about heart, albeit one battling with the mind’s tendency to wonder exactly when things are all going to go wrong. ‘When Will I Lose You’ is the centrepiece, a remarkably poppy and hummable number for a lyric so embedded in fear, but then, that has always been Local Natives’ best talent - setting harsh realities against lush melodies, recognising ruin but enjoying the good nonetheless.
This time though, there seems even more at stake. With a notable energy that recalls their debut, the ‘all in one room’ technique of the album’s recording pays off in spades. ’Shy’ is anything but with it’s pacing, industrial percussion, while ‘Tap Dance’ makes for a lovely closer, sweet, slow harmonies and nostalgic lyrics that build ladders towards the great stadium in the sky, guitars threatening to hurtle right into the ground but pulling up right at the last minute. For those who tend to see the glass half empty, it can be difficult to enjoy even the purest of happiness, but with ‘Violet Street’, Local Natives deliver a tale of affection deeply rooted in the realism of love, not just in romance but in life.
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Local Natives announce new single ‘Paradise’
The track comes from the LA-based band’s forthcoming album ‘Time Will Wait For No One’, out on 7th July.
27th June 2023, 2:01pm
Local Natives announce new album ‘Time Will Wait For No One’
The band have also dropped a new single ‘NYE’ - and announced tour dates!
9th May 2023, 10:08am
Local Natives announce October UK tour dates
New album ‘Violet Street’ is released later this month.
16th April 2019, 12:00am
Local Natives offer up new track ‘Tap Dancer’
The song gets taken from the band's forthcoming new album 'Violet Street'.
11th April 2019, 12:00am
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