The Record Crate

In a world filled with dub step, remixes, remixes of remixes and remixes of dub step remixes of 80s power ballads, it’s always refreshing to see a real rock band to their thing live. Even more so, when said rock band, can pull off their repertoire note-for-note but decides that even that’s not good enough, it’s safe to say that the band’s a keeper. This rings especially true for California band Local Natives, who put on a mind blowing show this past Saturday at the Paradise in Boston.

Following the release of their debut album Gorilla Manor, the boys in Local Natives have toured the country relentlessly, including three stops in Boston alone in the past year. Their music’s unique blend of gloom and lust - in addition to a full band of guys who can not only play their instruments, but nail their harmonies - provided this humble music snob with one of the most enjoyable concerts I’ve seen in quite some time.

Playing to a sold out crowd, the band owned the Paradise that night from their first note. Playing just about every song on their album (including their cover of The Talking Heads’ “Warning Signs”) it became increasingly clear to me that there is still such a thing as an honest, hard-working band.

It’s hard to pick out a single defining moment of their set, as everything was pretty darn spectacular. As a testament to how truly diverse and expansive their sound can be, they offered up a few gems that deserve special recognition. An already mellow song, “Cubism Dream” was truly taken to new heights. Swapping out the brush technique on the drums for swelling harmonies and illustrious instrumentation, the Natives showed everyone in the tiny Paradise how to take something that isn’t broke and make it better (yup, it’s possible). 

Lastly, for what I will from this point forward consider to be one of the greatest encores ever, they pulled out “Stranger Things.” So often is the case that bands create these vast arrangements on record and fail terribly when they try to translate it to a live setting. What could possibly take the place of a full string section in a song like “Stranger Things?” Better vocals than the proverbial fat lady could ever belt out. Truly a life changing experience.

As their tour begins to wind down, one could wonder where the band will go with their sound next. I live in constant fear that many of my current favorite bands will die out before they have the opportunity to release their sophomore slump. Take this as my solemn word: Local Natives will take the aforementioned slump and dropkick it off of the San Francisco Bay Bridge. There are huge things on this band’s horizon. Huge things. And that’s just a fact.

(Photo credit: The timeless picture phone skills of Scarlett Wilson)