For thirty years now, the Mekons have re-invented punk and indie rock as well as themselves from their home base of Leeds. The release of Natural shows that they are continuing the trend.

With Natural, the collective outfit sought to harness a more ancient and organic sound. So off to the woods they went, where they sat about and “drank whiskey all night, listened to the rocks and the Stones [sic], and tuned into strange frequencies”. Hippie bullshit or not, it works because the Mekons have turned out a great album with a decidedly hippie feel to it that isn’t far from the work of Devendra Banhart.

Despite opting to change directions at times, this is a band that ultimately knows what it is, which translates in its music as confidence but maintains the vulnerability needed to make the listener care. Perhaps the band was influenced by the resurgence of collective hippie music that has given rise over the last few years to acts like Banhart, but even so, Natural seems just that — a natural progression for these musicians which has resulted in one of its finest works to date.

- Chris Smith
Mekons (Quarterstick Records)