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<\/p>\nOne of 2018’s most eagerly-anticipated Asheville, NC-related releases is the debut album from Natural Born Leaders. Even in an era of countless cross-genre mashups and hybrids, the music of Natural Born Leaders is difficult to describe, and it resists piegonholing. The group’s sound starts with a relatively conventional rock instrumental lineup: guitarist Rex Shafer, bassist James Eddington and drummer Kevin Murtha. Jazz and r&b textures are provided by saxophonist Ben Survant, while lead vocalist (and lyricist) Mike Martinez brings folk, soul and hip-hop flavors to the group.<\/p>\n
But the resulting music made by the five musicians sounds nothing at all like rock-rap hybrids Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys, Faith No More or Rage Against the Machine. \u201cThere was no blueprint\u201d in putting together Natural Born Leaders, Martinez says. \u201cWe all come from different musical backgrounds, and we just try to make it work.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The \u201cprog-hop\u201d label is a useful a way of defining Natural Born Leaders’ music, and the group itself sometimes uses the term (along with many others) in its own promotional material. The four songs on About Time<\/i> are a varied lot. \u201cDo You Mind\u201d starts off with a melodic brass line that conjures visions of Northern Africa; the supporting bass figure has its foundation in funk. When the whole band kicks in, there are elements of reggae, but they’re delivered in an ambitious, progressive rock style. And Martinez’s vocals alternate between sharply-crafted rap phrasing and soulful, melodic singing.<\/p>\n
The complicated mix of styles works together musically far better than any description could suggest. And Martinez says that the group develops its material in an unhurried, collaborative manner. \u201cNothing we’ve done has been hard to come by,\u201d he says. \u201cEverything’s been really natural: the way we started was organic; the way we got all our members was organic. We put our intention out there with everything we do, and just hope that it comes back,\u201d Martinez says. \u201cAnd generally, it does.\u201d<\/p>\n
Natural Born Leaders’ music is dense and layered, and Martinez’s lyrics share those qualities. \u201cI only write lyrics to songs that I absolutely vibe with,\u201d he says. The lyrics to each of About Time<\/i>‘s songs were written in one sitting. \u201cDo You Mind?\u201d \u201cThe Return of Jafar\u201d and \u201c’Time Flies By\u201d all began as jams, he says. \u201cI’ll blast a jam through my speakers at home, and write the lyrics quickly,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
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An early lineup of Natural Born Leaders included MC Austin Haynes out front with Martinez. Having two MCs meant that the group’s music was more hip-hop oriented. But once Haynes left, Martinez’s folk-blues background revealed itself more in the group’s new material. And once the group entered Artcore Studios, producer Patrick Doyle helped Natural Born Leaders channel their jams into concise songs.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe wrote the songs,\u201d Martinez emphasizes, \u201cbut Patrick really helped us figure out what our music meant and what directions we should go with it.\u201d Even in the space of four songs over 20 minutes, the group’s improvisational character still comes through.<\/p>\n
Live onstage, Natural Born Leaders build upon the songs’ foundations, following their collective muse wherever it leads them. \u201cI improvise lyrics a lot, too,\u201d Martinez says. He half-jokes that he does so because he can’t remember his own words. \u201cAnd a lot of time, I’ll freestyle rap. I’ll end up changing words around, putting this line here, moving something elsewhere.\u201d So while About Time<\/i> is an accurate audio document of Natural Born Leaders, it’s also a snapshot of the band in a given moment. \u201cEvery show is different,\u201d Martinez says.<\/p>\n
There remains a relationship between the studio versions of the group’s songs and the way they’re played onstage. \u201cI don’t like making songs I can’t play live,\u201d says bassist Eddington. \u201cBut what’s fun is that when you work on a song in the studio, you end up changing it.\u201d And then in concert, the songs change yet again. \u201cThere’s a give and take, a back and forth between the two,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
Natural Born Leaders are currently focusing on promoting their new EP, but the band is already at work on new material as well. \u201cWe kind of like the idea of just putting out a few songs at a time,\u201d Martinez says. \u201cIdeally, we’ll put out a new EP every six months.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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