Local Natives Return With ‘Just Before The Morning’

Local Natives have returned with a joyful slice of indie pop entitled “Just Before The Morning,” which they recorded at three different LA studios: Valentine Recording Studio, 64Sound, and Sargent Recorders.

“‘Just Before The Morning’ came from a burst of creativity after we finally reconnected in the studio,” the band said. “The song explores the cyclical nature of life and the many ways in which we begin again.”

Local Natives have been relatively quiet since they returned in 2021 with a new four-track EP, Music From The Pen Gala 1983 (though the group released two new singles, “Desert Snow” and “Hourglass” earlier this year. The aforementioned EP features covers of Roxy Music’s “More Than This,” 10cc’s “I’m Not In Love,” Gerry Rafferty’s “Right Down The Line,” and Michael McDonald’s “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near).” All of the songs were featured in the Apple+ TV series, The Shrink Next Door.

Lending their music to the series was not the LA indie rockers’ only contribution to the new series, however – they also appeared in one of the episodes. They performed as a cover band in an episode where Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell attend the titular Pen Gala, providing the music to the glitzy event where Rudd betrayed Ferrell’s trust.

The band also shared a statement on social media about their involvement with the project writing, “Getting to watch legends Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd film in person was incredible, let alone be alongside them in a couple of scenes. Thank you Michael Showalter for inviting us into your 80s dream world and getting us to cover Michael McDonald.”

Local Natives released their most recent full-length album, Violet Street, in 2019. It was followed up with the EP Sour Lemon last year, which featured the Sharon Van Etten and Kareem Ali collaboration “Lemon.” More recently, they released a remix of Manchester Orchestra’s “Bed Head,” and collaborated with Classix on the track “Weekends.”

Buy or stream “Just Before The Morning.”