Plymouth outfit The native recently released their debut EP ‘Looking Back’ via This Feeling Records. It comes off the back of the Reading & Leeds Festival and appearing on Soccer AM. It was produced by John Cornfield (Oasis / Stone Roses) and mixed by Grammy Award-winning Adrian Bushby (Everything Everything).
Some bands thrive on the fringes. They can tear up the rule book and conjure a new scene from thin air. Then, there are bands like The Native. They come fully formed destined for the centre ground. Not enough for the punks but, everything to who believe in headline togetherness of The Killers or a Coldplay.
The Devon band have real intent on creating something epic before their time is up. On the latest single ‘Looking Back’, they race to the centre ground of indie-pop. They condense down the euphoria of Embrace and try to motor skywards. Whereas, ‘Blindside’ tunnels into hearts with bombastic drumming keeping it on the right side of credibility.
There is a brief moment on ‘If Not Now, Then When?’ where they strip it all back and stray into the world of acoustic guitar blandness. Without the age behind them to crash into life’s failures, it doesn’t land the depth this kind of song needs to succeed.
However, when they let their youthful exuberance of the leash on ‘All Or Nothing’, taps into the emotive power of Starsailor and eloquence of the DMA’s. Similarly, to Snow Patrol’s breakthrough, few will be able to ignore its beauty and Edge-esque solo
You'd be forgiven for rolling your eyes if this was a band three albums deep. The fact is, this is a debut EP and The Native have emerged with a decent swing at mainstream indie. With the chancellor on a path to destruction, mercifully, The Native offer a flicker of light as they hint at Editors’ haunting qualities, Blossoms pop instincts, and The Railway Children’s rueful melodies.
*Images courtesy of Fear PR