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Distinctive vocals and heavy acoustic strumming once again delight with ‘How Low’ beginning the album in gloomy fashion - “How low are you willing to go before you reach all your selfish goals”. Sharing the lyrical sombreness ‘Down the Line’ uplifts the album though its quickened energising pace. A standout tune, perhaps ‘Down the Line’ will be In Out Nature’s ‘Crosses’ or ‘Heartbeats’, I wonder if a multinational conglomerate will grab it for an advertising campaign.

I adore the slightly askew rhythms in the title track and another of my favourites ‘Time to Send Someone Away’. However, the cover of Massive Attack’s ‘Teardrop’ leaves me uninspired, though it is vastly better than the yucky effort by Newton Faulkner that has recently got mainstream attention. ‘Teardrop’ builds well with rousing qualities and hopefully its inclusion will encourage people to check the album. I would have rather heard more of González’s own compositions and hope in the future to hear him stretch his song writing talents beyond four minutes.

Having co-wrote my album of the year, the synths in ‘The Nest’ are played by Håkan Wirenstrand. Two more Little Dragon band members, Peacefrog labelmates and fellow Gothenburg residents - Erik Bodin (Percussion) and Yukimi Nagano - also contribute to In Our Nature. Yukimi sings backing vocals as well as co-penning ‘The Nest’.

Other artists have led the way Leonard Cohen, Nick Drake, Jeff Buckley, and Elliot Smith, though not yet of such legendary status, José González deserves to be viewed as a modern equivalent, gifted with a voice that when combined with his rapid strumming can generate the emotive intensity of the great Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Quite whether In Our Nature hits the heights of Veneer is hard to say, how does one match a masterpiece? I doubt it will sell as many copies but it is certainly a worthy sequel.

Foolishly I missed José González’s UK tour dates though he will be performing live across the USA in November.

Links:
José González
Peacefrog