Local Natives

Mon 8th Mar, 2010 in Features

Local Natives are worth the hype. Their infectious debut album Gorilla Manor coated with striking harmonies, stunning arrangements and lush chords, has won praise from all quarters and they’re at the top of many an “Acts to Watch in 2010” list. Their jovial drummer Matt Frazier took some time out from his frantic schedule whilst on tour in Berlin to chat to FasterLouder.

The band was originally called Cavil at Rest, but they changed their band name a year and a half ago to coincide with their change in career paths. “The name change was provoked by our change in lifestyle, we needed a fresh name to symbolise a new beginning,” Frazier explains. “For a while playing music acted as a part time job, but when we realised we had enough material to fill an album we thought we should give it a chance to succeed. Music is our passion so we took the leap of faith and hoped our hard work would pay off and follow through.”

Though admitting that it has been hard to adjust to the new lifestyle, Frazier is adamant that they wouldn’t have it any other way. “We spent ages trying to find our sound, but once we did we ran with it and we haven’t really stopped. It is a different lifestyle and it wasn’t easy to begin with, but we are all there for each other and we all love what we do.”

With rave reviews and gushing publicity surrounding their debut, it is hard to believe that Gorilla Manor is the band’s first album. Funding the album themselves, the band took their time to make sure it sounded ‘perfect’. “The actual recording was a quick process, but the album had been in motion for some time. We were constantly working at it and adding songs to make sure we had the right combination and the right edge.”

As for the album’s title, “It’s really just a silly name that we coined for the house we all lived in together, but it’s very symbolic and it means something to us… We did all the art for the album and it was great fun. A lot of our art is quite spontaneous and captures a moment or feeling, and its fitting cause that’s what songs are like.”

The effort seems to have paid off for the five piece from Los Angeles, leading to a slot on the NME Radar Tour in 2009 with other hotly tipped acts such as Marina and the Diamonds and Golden Silvers. According to Frazier, the tour was a pivotal moment for the group, “It was an important step for us because it was like our introduction, and after the UK being the first place we released our album we got such a warm welcome, so it was nice to have that recognition for our hard work.”

Though slightly overwhelmed by the past twelve months, Frazier is keen to bring the Local Natives show Australian audiences around the end of the year. “We have never been to Australia and we think it would be wonderful! We are hoping to get to you guys before the year is through.”

Watch this space for a tour announcement!