by Michele Zipkin
Local Natives (from their Myspace page)
After what seems like an eternity but only amounts to about two and half years, indie/alternative band Local Natives will release their sophomore album, Hummingbird, on January 29th 2013. This is a band that took the indie music scene by storm when they released their first album Gorilla Manor in 2010, which have made it onto a ton of year-end lists. They are kings of unique percussion grooves, abrupt time signature and rhythm changes in songs, and clear and present vocal harmony. From what I’ve heard from the song “Breakers”, it looks like Local Natives has continued with their previous devices on this latest record. They will be going on tour and hitting Philadelphia’s Union Transfer in April.
Erin McKeown (photo credit Merri Cyr)
Another album that I am eagerly awaiting is Erin McKeown’s Manifestra, which comes out the second week in January. This songwriter has already released six albums, showcasing her blues-rock-saturated instrumental work and poetically insightful lyrics. Some of her previous output is folk and even swing-oriented, like “Rhode Island is Famous for You”, and some of it sounds more characteristic of ’00s indie rock, like the songs on We Will Become Like Birds. In Manifestra, vintage combines with cutting-edge, as synthesizers unite with strings, and loops and live percussion work in tandem. Some guest vocalists on the album include Polly Paulusma, Ryan Montbleau, Anais Mitchell, Sean Hayes, and David Wax Museum.
