But I'll Wait for You

But I'll Wait for You
Studio album by Local Natives
Released	April 19, 2024 (2024-04-19)
Studio	Sargent Recorders Valentine Recording Studios 64 Sound Willoughby Recorders Balboa Recording Studio Big Bad Sound Gold Diggers Sound (Los Angeles) [1]
Length	34:56
Label	Loma Vista Concord
Producer	John Congleton Michael Harris Local Natives Danny Reisch
Local Natives chronology
Time Will Wait for No One (2023) But I'll Wait for You (2024)
Singles from But I'll Wait for You
"April" Released: March 25, 2024 "Alpharetta" Released: April 5, 2024

But I'll Wait for You is the sixth studio album by American indie rock band Local Natives. It was released on April 19, 2024, through Loma Vista Recordings and Concord.

The album comes nine months after the band's fifth studio album, Time Will Wait for No One (2023), and is described as its companion or "sister" album. It was preceded by the singles "April" and "Alpharetta". It is the final album to feature co-lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Kelcey Ayer, who announced his departure from the band on April 29, 2024, ten days following the album's release.

Background

Recorded during the same sessions as Time Will Wait for No One, Local Natives described the album as "the second half of a large body of music we made together, the first half we shared last year with Time Will Wait for No One. It's a companion piece. A sister album. Maybe not an answer to a question, but an exhale to an inhale. So little is in our control, but among all this chaos we can choose to be there for each other. Thank you again to John Congleton, Michael Harris, and Danny Reisch, the incredibly talented producers who helped us bring these songs into their fully realized selves." ^{[2] [3]}

On April 29, 2024, ten days after the album's release, Local Natives announced the amicable departure of founding member Kelcey Ayer, who will, however, remain with the group for the last phase of their touring in support of Time Will Wait for No One and But I'll Wait for You. ^[4]

Release

The album's lead single, "April", was released simultaneously with the album announcement on March 25, 2024. ^[5] "Alpharetta" was released as the second single on April 5, 2024. ^[6] But I'll Wait for You was released by Loma Vista on April 19, 2024. ^[7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[8]
Far Out	[9]
God Is in the TV	7/10 [10]
Under the Radar	7/10 [11]

Writing for AllMusic, Matt Collar rated the album three-and-a-half out of five stars and wrote, "The fact that Local Natives are able to pull a wholly separate, not to mention catchy and emotionally engaging, album from those initial Congleton sessions speaks to the high level of quality and artistic inspiration they were working with." ^[8]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Kelcey Ayer, Nik Ewing, Matthew Frazier, Ryan Hahn, and Taylor Rice, except where noted; all music is composed by Ayer, Ewing, Frazier, Hahn, and Rice.

But I'll Wait for You track listing

No.	Title	Lyrics	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Alpharetta"		Local Natives	3:47
2.	"Throw It in the Fire"		Local Natives Michael Harris	3:50
3.	"Neon Memory"		Local Natives	3:33
4.	"Camera Shy"		John Congleton	3:42
5.	"As Soon as You Arrive"		Congleton Ryan Hahn	3:09
6.	"Ending Credits"		Congleton	3:09
7.	"Raincoat"		Congleton	3:32
8.	"April"	Ayer, Ewing, Frazier, Rice	Local Natives	2:59
9.	"Walk Before You Run"		Hahn	4:01
10.	"But I'll Wait for You"	Ayer, Ewing, Hahn, Rice	Harris Danny Reisch	3:14
Total length:				34:56

Personnel

Local Natives

• Kelcey Ayer – vocals, guitar (all tracks); piano (tracks 1–3, 6, 9, 10), synthesizer (1, 4), keyboards (2, 6, 9), bass guitar (6), organ (8, 10)
• Nik Ewing – synthesizer (tracks 1–3, 5–8, 10), bass guitar (1, 2, 4, 7–9), piano (1, 2, 5, 7, 10), samples (1, 5, 6), keyboards (1, 5, 7, 8), Mellotron (2, 4–6), Moog bass (2), vibraphone (7, 8)
• Matthew Frazier – drums (tracks 2–4, 6–10), percussion (2, 4, 5, 7, 8), drum machine (5), conga (8)
• Ryan Hahn – guitar (all tracks), electric guitar (tracks 1, 2, 4–10), acoustic guitar (1, 8); conga, Moog bass (2); bass guitar (3–5, 10), percussion (4, 5, 8), synthesizer (5, 8); keyboards, samples (8)
• Taylor Rice – vocals, guitar (all tracks), acoustic guitar (tracks 1, 2), bass guitar (1), electric guitar (2–10), samples (2); piano, synthesizer (7); organ (10)

Additional contributors

• Ruairi O'Flaherty – mastering
• Dean Reid – mixing (tracks 1–3, 8)
• John Congleton – mixing (tracks 4–7, 9), engineering (4, 7), choir (9)
• Michael Harris – engineering (tracks 1, 2, 8, 10)
• Tyler Nuffer – engineering, pedal steel, steel guitar (track 1)
• Danny Reisch – engineering (tracks 2, 3, 10), string arrangement (2)
• Sean Cook – engineering (tracks 5, 6, 9)
• Budapest Scoring Orchestra – strings (track 2)

Art

• Nik Ewing – art direction, design
• Ramón Coronado – art direction, design
• Marshall Rake – art direction, design
• Jonathan Chu – photography

References

1. But I'll Wait for You (liner notes). Local Natives. Loma Vista. 2024. LVR04079.
2. "New song/video April out now. New album "But I'll Wait For You" out April 19". March 25, 2024. Retrieved March 25, 2024– via Instagram.
3. Ragusa, Paolo (March 25, 2024). "Local Natives Announce New Album But I'll Wait For You, Share New Single "April": Stream". Consequence . Retrieved March 26, 2024.
4. Breihan, Tom (April 30, 2024). "Local Natives Announce Departure Of Co-Founder Kelcey Ayer, Cover Adrianne Lenker For SiriusXMU". Stereogum . Retrieved April 30, 2024.
5. DeVille, Chris (March 25, 2024). "Local Natives – "April"". Stereogum . Retrieved April 8, 2024.
6. Kelly, Tyler Damara (April 5, 2024). "Local Natives share new single, "Alpharetta"". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved April 8, 2024.
7. LaPierre, Megan (March 25, 2024). "Local Natives Announce New Album 'But I'll Wait for You,' Share "April"". Exclaim! . Retrieved April 8, 2024.
8. Collar, Matt. "But I'll Wait for You - Local Natives | Album". AllMusic . Retrieved August 26, 2024.
9. Palmer, Elle (April 18, 2024). "Local Natives – 'But I'll Wait For You' album review: over-polished and outdated indie". Far Out. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
10. Etheridge, Loz (May 3, 2024). "Local Natives – But I'll Wait For You (Loma Vista)". God Is in the TV . Retrieved August 26, 2024.
11. Gard'ner, Daniel (May 13, 2024). "Local Natives: But I'll Wait For You (Loma Vista) - review". Under the Radar . Retrieved August 26, 2024.