Local Natives - Gorilla Manor

Welp, it's another Frenchkiss Records love affair. The Dodos, The Antlers, Passion Pit, and now Local Natives. I'm not quite sure what they're doing right, but they keep releasing refined, thorough albums with unique sounds - an excellent recipe for music love-affairs.

Gorilla Manor, the new album from Los Angeles-based Local Natives, is fantastically catchy and emotional. The lyrics, sometimes vague, sometimes incredibly blunt, always flow incredibly well. To describe their sound, think something like an upbeat, drum-driven band (kind of like The Dodos in that sense) with the occasional vocal Fleet Foxes Effect. Throw in some Dirty Projectors-like harmonies, a little Grizzly Bear-like ambiance, and a bit of older Say Anything roughness (…Is a Real Boy), and you've got something close.

As far as the album itself, I absolutely love the feel of it. A fantastic mix of upbeat, raw emotion along with that touch of realism that makes listening to it more of an experience than just picking out a song or two. The flow is easy to fall into, and turning it off halfway through leaves you missing it immediately.

My favorite songs on the album are the opening track, "Wide Eyes", "Airplanes", "Wold News", "Who Knows Who Cares", and "Cubism Dream". But like I said before, the album doesn't feel like single songs - the songs just fit so damn well together. Bits and pieces of everything blend shockingly well, creating that unique sound that makes you know Gorilla Manor is something special. Check out their myspace here, and the music video for "Airplanes" below.

The Antlers w/ Holly Miranda @ UPenn Rotunda 10/2

Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. End. The sense of longing. You can feel it in your chest. Right where the crashing cymbals and haunting vocals used to be. And it spreads. Down to your gut. Up to your shoulders. And extends to the tips of your body. The Antlers have invaded your soul.

Last night, I finished up my classes, grabbed my girlfriend, and hurried to see the band I've been obsessed with since the beginning of the summer. The Antlers delivered a passionate, intimate show unlike any I've seen recently. The show started with "Bear" - destroying all qualms I had about a 'lost in translation' transition from album to live show. And after an excellent opening act by Holly Miranda (think My Brightest Diamond meets Heartless Bastards vocals on top of Au Revoir Simone type ambient guitar riffs), I knew my date was going to be a great one.

As the show progressed, I could feel the mesmerized crowd experience every note, every crash, every moog-induced wave. "Kettering", "Two", and "Epilogue" (the set-ender) were absolutely unbelievable. The Antlers captured every awesome aspect of their album and added a brilliant projection of reality. I was in awe.

The Antlers have gained so much hype lately, I feel like I've watched them explode. But following their tours and twitpics was nothing compared to experiencing their live show. Go. See them live. And buy their album, Hospice. For an album review, check out my previous post. On Frenchkiss Records (along with some great up and coming bands: Passion Pit, The Dodos, The Hold Steady), The Antlers truly made for a fantastic night.


Check out their myspace, or follow them on twitter to listen for yourself.

The Antlers - Hospice

Okay. If I tell you the concept of this awesome, awesome album, you may end up missing the point that, Jesus, this album is fantastic. Definitely one of my top 5 of the year. And it's by a band that, unless you've followed my obsessed-laced Facebook statuses or Twitter updates, you probably have never heard of. The Antlers, headed by Peter Silberman, have released a lovely tragedy entitled Hospice. At times depressing, at times fleeting, at times surreal, at times a weird mix of The Arcade Fire meets Radiohead. But always an aura of completion, beauty, and humanity. My favorite tracks, "Kettering", "Bears", and "Two" have been sent to every friend I've ever talked music with. The vocals are haunting, the journey is necessary, the concept, I'm keeping to myself. Do yourself a favor. Keep an eye out for these guys.

And be sure to hit up their myspace, or last.fm for free downloads. Or follow them on Twitter.