Review: Local Natives, Hummingbird

I can't say much about Local Natives as an opening, simply because they've been on and off my radar since their debut. I loved Gorilla Manor, but I'll admit I forgot about the for a while. But just from the buzz flying at the end of last year, I knew Hummingbird was going to be one of the first major releases for 2013 that I'd be covering. It's a pleasant surprise to forget about a group that comes back full force and reminds you of why you fell in love with them in the first place.

Much of what made Local Natives interesting and fun the first time around was the harmonies and fun aspects of songs like "Sun Hands" and "World News." Gorilla Manor featured a lot of full band elements, heavy on percussion and introspective lyrics. It's worth noting that Hummingbird is different in its approach. Less raw, and more refined in its ambient moments, it's a different beast from Gorilla Manor. Where climaxes like the bridge of "Shape Shifter" would abound in many of Gorilla Manor's songs, Hummingbird focuses more on the softer moments.

The climaxes and strong moments are still there, particularly in tracks like the opener "You and I", featuring powerful vocals and an intricate piano backing track. "Heavy Feet" is another one in the same vein, with its hand claps and soft guitar parts towards the end. Some might say that songs like "Ceilings" tend to sound like everything else on the record, but take one listen to the next track and you'll be proven wrong. "Black Spot" is a definite gem, with Taylor Rice's vocals emotional words ringing out over an engrossing tune, featuring almost a minute of instrumental breakdown. This track will definitely take you places. "Three Months" is another stellar track worth pointing out, along with the late track "Colombia", featuring introspective lyrics from Rice: "Every night I ask myself / am I giving enough? / am I loving enough?"

I found this photo shoot to be pretty interesting. And COLD!

"Breakers" is the single that led the charge, and probably showcases the least amount of change. The track can definitely fit in with the songs we know and love from Gorilla Manor. But Hummingbird shows a lot of growth for the band, and that's something I always like to see. Breakers proves they could have made a Gorilla Manor Part 2, and kept all the same elements. Instead, they took a risk and incorporated new elements that prove they know what they're doing. Much of what we love about them still exists, but the album has an aura about it that not many indie bands can successfully tread well. Hummingbird is an album I'll likely be spinning well into the summer this year.