But I'll Wait for You explained

But I'll Wait for You
Type:	studio
Artist:	Local Natives
Cover:	But I'll Wait for You Local Natives album cover.jpg
Alt:	Rounded letters L and N in a grassy field; the album title is scattered across the cover in blue.
Length:	34:56
Label:	Loma Vista Concord
Producer:	John Congleton Michael Harris Local Natives Danny Reisch
Prev Title:	Time Will Wait for No One
Prev Year:	2023

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."^{[1] [2]}

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.^[3]

Release

The album's lead single, "April", was released simultaneously with the album announcement on March 25, 2024.^[4] "Alpharetta" was released as the second single on April 5, 2024.^[5] But I'll Wait for You was released by Loma Vista on April 19, 2024.^[6]

Critical reception

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."

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

Notes and References

1. Web site: New song/video April out now. New album "But I'll Wait For You" out April 19.. March 25, 2024. Instagram. March 25, 2024.
2. Web site: Local Natives Announce New Album But I'll Wait For You, Share New Single "April": Stream. Ragusa. Paolo. March 25, 2024. Consequence. March 26, 2024.
3. Web site: Local Natives Announce Departure Of Co-Founder Kelcey Ayer, Cover Adrianne Lenker For SiriusXMU. Breihan. Tom. April 30, 2024. Stereogum. April 30, 2024.
4. Web site: Local Natives – "April". DeVille. Chris. March 25, 2024. Stereogum. April 8, 2024.
5. Web site: Local Natives share new single, "Alpharetta". Kelly. Tyler Damara. April 5, 2024. The Line of Best Fit. April 8, 2024.
6. Web site: Local Natives Announce New Album 'But I'll Wait for You,' Share "April". LaPierre. Megan. March 25, 2024. Exclaim!. April 8, 2024.