Local Natives, an indie/folk rock band out of Southern California, released their sixth studio album this past Friday, “But I’ll Wait for You.” The record is a sister album to their last release, “Time Will Wait for No One,” and consists of tracks recorded in the same sessions as that album. The result is a beautiful 10-track record that tells a compelling story.

The album begins with “Alpharetta,” a slower track about being stuck in limbo trapped between two moments. It was released as a single two weeks before the album was released, and I cannot stop listening to it. The harmonies are perfect, the lyrics are touching and it truly works in every way.

“Throw It in the Fire” follows, and it is currently my favorite track on the album. It is quite simple lyrically, but the instrumental backing is so unique compared to anything else on the record. The theme of frustration comes through in the lyrics as well, just wanting to burn everything down.

The third track, “Neon Memory,” is one of the more pop-sounding songs, centered around how life always moves too fast. It leads into “Camera Shy,” home to the best harmonies on the album. It also ramps up instrumentally as the track goes on, culminating in a fantastic final chorus.

Another slow track follows in “As Soon as You Arrive,” which paints a picture of wanting to leave a situation the moment you enter. “Ending Credits” kicks off the second half, with the band’s great songwriting showing once more. The imagery is very clear, with a mysterious ending to the song leaving listeners pondering.

Track 7 is “Raincoat,” the weakest song on the album to me. It’s just a bit too slow with not all that much going on. “April” follows and was the first single released for the album. It brings the energy back after “Raincoat,” adding in a catchy refrain with more smooth harmonies.

“Walk Before You Run” is the slowest song on the album, telling a heartbreaking story of regret. The title track then closes the album, and it is another favorite of mine. It is a very personal song about togetherness, and one that slowly builds as it plays. The outro completes the story of both albums, repeating, “Time will wait for no one, but I’ll wait for you.”

“But I’ll Wait for You” is a calmer album compared to “Time Will Wait for No One,” but the storytelling is much tighter, and the theming is more consistent. While it lacks the more rock-forward tracks of the prior album, this newest release still has plenty of touching tracks and all the harmonies you could want.

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