Natural (The Mekons album)

Last updated

Natural
Natural (The Mekons album).jpg
Studio album by
Released21 August 2007
Genre Post-punk, alternative country
Length46:15
Label Quarterstick Records [1]
The Mekons chronology
Punk Rock
(2004)
Natural
(2007)
Ancient and Modern 1911-2011
(2011)
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 77% [2]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [3]
The A.V. Club B− [4]
Robert Christgau B+ [5]
musicOMH Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Pitchfork Media 7.9/10 [7]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Tiny Mix Tapes Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]

Natural is an album by the Mekons. [10] [11] It was released on 21 August 2007 by Quarterstick Records. [12]

Contents

Production

The album was recorded in four days in the Lake District, England, the band's first album to be recorded in their homeland in 16 years. [13] Tom Greenhalgh and Jon Langford were the only original Mekons to play on the album. [14]

Critical reception

PopMatters wrote that the band "turn the volume down, break out the wooden instruments and craft haunting, bone-clinking songs about mortality." [12] Spin wrote that the Mekons are "at their red-eyed best here, skirting the edges of chaos on ragged-but-right tunes like the harmonica-fueled tall tale 'The Old Fox' and the fractured reggae shuffle 'Cockermouth.'” [15] Exclaim! called Natural "a stirring folk punk record that recalls the organic eclecticism of the Clash's Sandinista!" [14]

Track listing

  1. "Dark Dark Dark" – 4:57
  2. "Dickie Chalkie and Nobby" – 3:05
  3. "The Old Fox" – 3:50
  4. "White Stone Door" – 3:58
  5. "Shocking Curse Bird" – 2:41
  6. "Give Me Wine or Money" – 3:19
  7. "Diamonds" – 4:06
  8. "Burning in the Desert Burning" – 3:44
  9. "The Hope and the Anchor" – 3:36
  10. "Cockermouth" – 5:03
  11. "Zeroes and Ones" – 3:47
  12. "Perfect Mirror" – 4:19
  13. "Old Fox Lu Version" (mp3 only bonus track)

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References

  1. "Natural | Mekons | Touch and Go / Quarterstick Records". www.touchandgorecords.com.
  2. "Natural by Mekons" via www.metacritic.com.
  3. "Natural - The Mekons | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" via www.allmusic.com.
  4. "Mekons: Natural". Music.
  5. "Robert Christgau: Album: The Mekons: Natural". robertchristgau.com.
  6. "Mekons - Natural | Album Reviews". 19 August 2007.
  7. "Mekons: Natural". Pitchfork.
  8. "The Mekons: Natural : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". 14 May 2008. Archived from the original on 14 May 2008.
  9. "Music Review: Mekons - Natural". Tiny Mix Tapes.
  10. "The Mekons | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  11. "At 30, Mekons still making believers out of doubters". chicagotribune.com.
  12. 1 2 "The Mekons: Natural". PopMatters. 22 August 2007.
  13. "Natural's in it: The Mekons celebrate 30 years". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  14. 1 2 "Mekons Natural". exclaim.ca.
  15. "Mekons, 'Natural' (Quarterstick)". Spin. 26 September 2007.