The album was self-funded by the band and recorded by Raymond Richards in his own Red Rockets Glare Studio, in West Los Angeles. It was produced in collaboration by Richards and the band. Gorilla Manor was named after the house they all shared in Orange County, where most of the album was written. “It was insanely messy and there were always friends over knocking around on guitars or our thrift store piano,” said guitarist Ryan Hahn.
Although recorded in late 2008, Gorilla Manor wasn’t released until 14 months later, allowing Local Natives the chance to build a strong blog buzz before their debut hit American shores. The delay wasn’t entirely beneficial, however, as Gorilla Manor sounds quite similar to a number of albums that flourished in the interim.
Local Natives’ sunny harmonies call to mind Fleet Foxes’ debut and Grizzly Bear’s Veckatimest, while the band’s polyphonic hand percussion which, at its most frenzied, is almost tribal sounding -- evokes memories of Yeasayer’s All Hour Cymbals. For all its familiarity, though, Local Natives’ first album is still an enjoyable piece of work, filled with enough pop melodies and multi-cultural quirks to make the year-long holdup fairly worthwhile.
The band pitches itself somewhere between the post-punk camp and Afro-beat village, with the musicians often yelping their verses in multi-part harmony before barreling into Technicolor choruses. Matt Frazier’s percussion is sharp, crisp, and always in the foreground, often assuming as much importance as the vocals themselves, while the album’s production courtesy of the bandmates themselves, along with fellow Silver Lake resident Raymond Richards stretches a layer of pan-ethnic atmosphere over all 12 tracks, a move that bridges any gaps in the young group's songwriting.
Local Natives may have arrived several months late for their own party, but Gorilla Manor is a refreshing example of good quality trumping bad timing.
Track listing
01. "Wide Eyes" - 4:26
02. "Airplanes" - 3:58
03. "Sun Hands" - 4:51
04. "World News" - 4:32
05. "Shape Shifter" - 5:30
06. "Camera Talk" 3:45
07. "Cards & Quarters" - 4:00
08. "Warning Sign" (David Byrne, Chris Frantz) (Talking Heads cover) - 4:12
09. "Who Knows Who Cares" - 3:53
10. "Cubism Dream" - 4:00
11. "Stranger Things" - 5:46
12. "Sticky Thread" - 3:48
All songs written by Local Natives, except when noticed.
Credits
Taylor Rice - vocals, rhythm guitar
Kelcey Ayer - vocals, keyboards, guitar
Ryan Hahn - lead guitar, vocals
Matthew Frazier - drums, vocals
Andy Hamm - bass, vocals
Producer - Local Natives
Notes
Release date: November 2, 2009 (UK)
Recorded: Studio Red Rockets Glare (Rancho Park, California), Hot Pie Studios (Pasadena, California)
Genre: Indie Rock, Indie Folk
Length: 52:40
© 2009
Label - Infectious / Frenchkiss Records
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