Local Natives
Local Natives' Gorilla Manor album cover
Hands down, my favorite act at the CMJ Music Marathon this year was the Los Angeles-based quintet Local Natives, who hail from Silverlake. After seeing them perform live, I decided that some online sleuthing was in order.
Much to my dismay, I found out that although their album Gorilla Manor had already been released in the UK, it won't be out in the U.S. until February (on Frenchkiss, also home to Passion Pit and The Antlers). When Local Natives swept through New York again, I invited them to visit The Alternate Side for a Studio A performance and interview.
The guys in Local Natives - drummer Matt Frazier, bassist Andy Hamm, guitarist/vocalist Ryan Hahn, vocalist/guitarist Taylor Rice and vocalist/keyboardist Kelcey Ayer - are a charming and personable bunch. They're eager to talk about their music, artwork and their personal relationships with each other. They even shared some childhood memories too. Check out the live performances of tracks like "Wide Eyes" from their TAS visit last month.
