Natural (The Mekons album) explained

Natural
Type:studio album
Artist:the Mekons
Cover:Natural (The Mekons album).jpg
Released:21 August 2007
Genre:Post-punk, alternative country
Length:46:15
Label:Quarterstick Records[1]
Prev Title:Punk Rock
Prev Year:2004
Next Title:Ancient and Modern 1911-2011
Next Year:2011

Natural is an album by the Mekons.[2] [3] It was released on 21 August 2007 by Quarterstick Records.[4]

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.[5] Tom Greenhalgh and Jon Langford were the only original Mekons to play on the album.[6]

Critical reception

PopMatters wrote that the band "turn the volume down, break out the wooden instruments and craft haunting, bone-clinking songs about mortality."[4] 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.'”[7] Exclaim! called Natural "a stirring folk punk record that recalls the organic eclecticism of the Clash's Sandinista!"[6]

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)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Natural | Mekons | Touch and Go / Quarterstick Records. www.touchandgorecords.com.
  2. Web site: The Mekons | Biography & History. AllMusic.
  3. Web site: At 30, Mekons still making believers out of doubters. chicagotribune.com.
  4. Web site: The Mekons: Natural. August 22, 2007. PopMatters.
  5. Web site: Natural's in it: The Mekons celebrate 30 years. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  6. Web site: Mekons Natural. exclaim.ca.
  7. Web site: Mekons, 'Natural' (Quarterstick). September 26, 2007. Spin.