Braids - Native Speaker
- Written by Rob Barker
With some albums it’s clear that the band have just put together a selection of hopeful singles, joined together with a random handful of tracks to make something more than an EP. Montreal’s Braids, however, are trying to change that.
The band’s first LP, Native Speaker, is far from disjointed, with each track perfectly complimenting its album mates. The entire record has a certain consistency, with Raphaelle Standell-Preston’s soft, innocent vocals and the band’s obvious taste for looped samples tying the whole album together.
Where Native Speaker really shines is in Braid’s ability to create this cohesion without losing dynamics. Each track stands out, but builds on the album’s overall dream-like feel, adding something extra to the background of strings and simple percussion.
'Glass Deers', for instance, takes the record’s looping, ambient sounds and chiming melodies, but creates something new with the addition of Standell-Preston’s almost shrieked vocals, showing that Braid’s aren’t just about creating gentle soundscapes.
By far the best track on the record, album opener 'Lemonade' shows the band at their most melodic, with intertwined guitars and pianos creating ethereal melodies while retaining an almost pop-like feel.
While comparisons to other artists, in particular Animal Collective, are unavoidable, Braids manage to take a recognisable style and make it their own, twisting melodies and experimenting with vocals to create something that’s uniquely theirs.
With Native Speaker, Braids haven’t made anything that’s completely original. What they have done is taken a much-loved template and built upon it, with their inspiration remaining in each song’s foundations. If you’re a fan of Feels, Broken Social Scene and even the Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman’s soundtrack work as Karen O And The Kids, then this could well be worth adding to your collection.