BAND WE LIKE: SACRED PAWS ((Scottish jingle jangle jams))
((The Natural History)) Band Profile and Upcoming Chicago Concerts - Oh My Rockness
The Natural History
Rivaling Ted Leo in terms of sheer volume of area shows played, NYC's The Natural History have been rocking out Startime-style since 2001. Startime International, of course, is the ever-prescient label that brought you The Walkmen, Brenden Benson and The French Kicks. With labelmates like these you know you gotta be pretty good. And while they do emulate the aforementioned bands with their strong melodies and catchy hooks, vocalist Max Tepper's raspy voice makes the band sound eerily like Spoon. If you like Spoon, then that's a good thing.
The band formed as a way to draw upon the members' mutual appreciation for math-rock (and because Tepper wanted to play with his bass-playing brother, Julian). But slowly influences of their past crept up and altered their sound with leanings more towards artists like Elvis Costello, XTC, and The Beatles.
A few years later, and several hundred shows past, The Natural History are settling into their groove, writing soaring, concise songs that are strong enough for any era.
The band formed as a way to draw upon the members' mutual appreciation for math-rock (and because Tepper wanted to play with his bass-playing brother, Julian). But slowly influences of their past crept up and altered their sound with leanings more towards artists like Elvis Costello, XTC, and The Beatles.
A few years later, and several hundred shows past, The Natural History are settling into their groove, writing soaring, concise songs that are strong enough for any era.
Published August 26, 2004
