Local Natives, an indie rock group based in L.A., released their third album this past September. Let me be the one to tell you, Sunlit Youth is a revolutionary record that needs to be listened to over and over. This record is the first from Local Natives to use electronic and digital melodies. This fantastic group uses vocals and beautiful synths to dictate much of this album. This record tests how synths and digital patching can influence a different sound. Many artists today are falling into this style, and I'm not complaining. I think this is showing a change in music as time goes by. Sunlit Youth is definitely a change in sound for Local Natives opposed to their usual raw, organic Cali-vibes.
This record reflects a lot on change. What I take from this record is that people need to stop feeling so restricted from what they want to do. "Fountain Of Youth" reflects a lot on this topic in particular. The entire song is questioning that if we, as millennials, don't become our own selves, then there will be no change at all. We can't just sit around and do nothing. We need to get out in the world and do what we want, with no cares. There can't be any diversity or uniqueness in the world if the millennial generation doesn't step up and do something, which I think we're handling pretty well.
Local Natives gets really political with this album, especially on the track, "Masters." The plucking guitar pierces listeners, much like the topic of political and racial issues today. I'm sure Local Natives were aware of these topics while writing this record which makes it so fitting for the present. "The masters want change, but we're our masters now"; this line itself epitomizes how our generation thinks. There are so many around us that want to go back to old ways, but us millennials are always progressing.
My personal favorite from this album is "Past Lives." I think this track reflects on the fact that even though everything is always changing, some aspects of life get stuck on loop. Some of us tend to live our lives in a repetitious way, and this leads to realizing a certain fate. The world doesn't work this way though; nothing is for sure. Life is constantly changing, and we can change it into whatever we want.
I enjoy this album mostly because of how melodic the music itself is, but the lyrics are also so powerful and relatable for many of us today. Sunlit Youth is a beautiful portrayal of the vibrancy for many millennials coming of age to make a change in their lives and the world itself.
