Contacting
NATURAL SELECTION- JULY 20th at Larimer Lounge
MySpace URL:
http://www.myspace.com/thenaturalselection
NATURAL SELECTION- JULY 20th at Larimer Lounge: General Info
Member Since
11/30/2005
Band Members
Samuel Glover and Nick Jost---------------------------------------------------------------
Influences
in no particular order: beck, cake, led zepplin, talking heads, paul simon, andre 3000, michael jackson, gnarls barkley, fleetwood mac, chromeo, stevie wonder, ac/dc.and..many...many....others.....
Sounds Like
once upon a time,
after disco died in a heart-shaped daydream:
there were creationists twiddling their thumbs
inside small apartments, building things out of thoughts
and pulling sounds from their ears.
and then to put it on a stage to see and hear
Alright, stop whatever you're doing right now. No. Seriously. Stop. Right now. Great, now that I have your attention, click here and give a listen to the Natural Selection, a new local act my boy Bitz turned me onto. Let's see, there's really no real delicate way to put this...on first listen, these kids fucking smash it -- This is the freshest shit I've heard in a while, particularly "15 Up to Colfax," which does a TV on the Radio flyby.
-- Dave Herrera Westword: Backbeat Online. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"...Natural Selection is a funky kind of soul. While their songs are driven by Glover’s punchy melodies, they are driven just as hard by Jost’s bass playing. Passionate and highly skilled, Jost is an animal on stage – physically and sonically. But even thousands of miles away from him, I can not only feel and hear his danceable, complicated melodies – but I can see them. In neon.
Just like Jost, on-stage Sam Glover is larger than life. Off the stage however he is often quiet, almost shy. Off the stage and on the street, Glover is careful where he steps. And while he is young in age, he is also old in spirit. To be writing the material that he is, he would have to be. Evidence of this can even be found in the rough tracks that will form the basis for the band’s next studio album: In this, Glover’s writing and compositions are even more mature, more powerful." ------ Jonathon Bitz- www.denversyntax.com-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Natural Selection, a Pop-Rock outfit currently based in Denver, takes the name of their latest album, Lasers in the Jungle, from a Paul Simon lyric. The album on which the phrase appeared, Graceland, was highly influential and tremendously successful – two things that The Natural Selection has a very good chance at being if they play their cards right. As the traditional structure of the music industry disintegrates, it’s comforting (not to mention exciting) that people like Sam Glover and his cohorts are making music on their own terms, and with such thrilling results.
One of the Lasers in the Jungle’s major strengths is its straightforwardness – a lack of pretense that is genuinely rare in today’s alternative scene, or what’s come to be collectively known as Indie. It almost seems inappropriate to call The Natural Selection “indie music,” although that’s what they are in the strictest sense – self-produced, promoted, and distributed, without financial support or guidance (artistic or otherwise) from a label. But unlike a lot of what’s going on out there in indie-land, the Natural Selection’s sound is actually deserving of the term “fresh” – and not just because it makes you want to shake your booty.
The beating heart of the Natural Selection is when they’re in the groove, you can feel it right through the seat of your pants: stripped down to the bare necessities, it’s just you and the band. Part of this owes to the musicianship, which is consistently high caliber. But, just as crucially, it’s always in service of the songs; there isn’t an ounce of instrumental excess on the entirety of the album’s 30 minute running time. It’s a breath of fresh air to hear this kind of economy on a contemporary album, just as it’s nice to hear such consistently upbeat music. Lasers In The Jungle has plenty of funky inflection, but it’s essentially a pop album. This kind of approach has its pitfalls (such as repetitiveness) but the band is able to avoid them at every turn. Pretty much every song is danceable, but it’s the subtle variances in tone and mood, as well as rhythm, that make this album really fly.
It’s got its share of four-on-the-floor drivers, songs like the “Paper Plane,” “Down Elevator” and “When It’s Over” that emphasize the rock in The Natural Selection’s genetic makeup. On the other side of the beat are tracks like the laid back and blissed-out “Go Go Go” – the most unabashedly bubblegum track on the album (and just as sticky) and “Only One,” a superlative horn-inflected shuffle that exhibits the closest thing to true funk-soul I’ve heard in a long, long time.
Tracks like “15 Up To Colfax,” “In Our Programmed Dreams” and “The Spirit Of The Machine” highlight Glover’s behind-the-curtain skills (he produced all of the album’s ten tracks), with just the right mix of synth vamps on top of the drums, guitar, and bass. There’s a heavier texture to these songs, and they verge into the bittersweet side of the spectrum, albeit only slightly. It would be nice to see this element fleshed out – Glover doesn’t linger on the moodier aspects of the music as much as he could, but it’s entirely forgivable in light of Laser’s strict focus. Also worth noting is Glover’s voice, which seems here to both more confident and more comfortable than on The Natural Selection’s previous album, Shovels and Brushes.
Perhaps the best thing about Lasers In The Jungle is the way it faces squarely into the future. Besides being a fully satisfying helping of tunes, it suggests the various directions that Glover and Co. could take their music in. Talent like this has a lot of resilience, and I suspect that any forthcoming explorations won’t lose sight of their secret ingredient: a truly unique melodic and rhythmic sensibility. But even more exciting than the prospect of additional music from these dudes is the thought of seeing them live. Every single song on Lasers In The Jungle has serious concert potential, and I say that with the authority of seeing previous shows – they are every bit the roof-raising live outfit that this album asserts. Lads, the world is ripe for your invasion – don’t let us down now.
-ZACH TARAS bollywood----------------------------------------
NATURAL SELECTION- JULY 20th at Larimer Lounge's Friend Space (Top 16)
NATURAL SELECTION- JULY 20th at Larimer Lounge has 1790 friends.
Hey, thanks for the add! We really appreciate it. Now check us out this weekend at the Larimer Lounge. We won't dissapoint! We go on at 6pm and you can print off tickets from our site to save yourself some cash. You could promote your show on the 20th if you come the day before. ROCK ON! The Carnie Bums
The 1st ROUND of the PROGRESSION Battle of the Bands is coming to a close. The best bands of the 1st Round are playing the Semi Finals for a spot on our upcoming 2 Compilation CD’s. The Semi Finals are on July 13th, 20th & 27th with the $10,000 Finals shortly after!!!
Come be a part of the 1st round with the remaining shows on every Sunday in June. Tickets are good for both stages in this unique event @ Cervantes Ballroom & Quixotes True Blue.
Advance tickets can be purchased @ www.TicketsWest.com
haha yeah we were. you guys were so awesome, I downloaded some of your songs and if you guys get noticed I think you could be really big. Best of luck, next time you are playing live let me know. -chris
Great to see you play finally. It was amazing! And the sound was great too. You should come watch me bump the hi-dive Saturday if you don't have to work. Hope to see ya.
Tomorrow night might warrant a new kind of dancing. Forget British television and German discotecas. It will be a night for posterity to remember. Dance dance dance...
Hey you, There's plenty more where that came from. We'll have to get together soon or get you some CD's, yea? I have an idea for a show. Maybe I'll run it by Jonathan. I know just the place for you. :) ...oh and, I see chest hair braiding in your future. Watch your back...errr, front?
