Finally a full length. Been waitin’ for this forever… and I don’t know how I feel. I have a rule about saying I’m disappointed about a record, book, movie, whatever. I try to have low expectations of everything I buy and if it turns out to be awesome, I’m that much more pleased with my purchase. Plus, I’ve always thought critics claiming they’re disappointed about something they’ve barely gotten to know sounds douchey. I sound douchey enough as it is! Anyway, I was expecting more upbeat rockers like on Natural Child’s two preceding 7”s, but most of the songs are slow ‘70s-ish jams, more in the vein of “White Man’s Burden” from the second 7”. There is plenty of good, though. 1971 keeps the gang sing-a-long vibe, it’s recorded loud as fuck, and the bass is very prominent, almost to the point that I thought my speakers were crapping out. I hope my speakers aren’t crapping out… I built my stereo cabinet to the exact dimensions of them! The sound is kinda Southern rock-ish, some Sabbath riffs, and some Stones (Let It Bleed, but not because of the name). Sleazy in the rock’n’roll as a metaphor for sex way (“It’s Natural”). Natural Child want to keep the good times rolling. A soundtrack for the existential crisis that is everyone’s twenties? I don’t know if I’d call it stoner rock. There are a bunch of pot smoking references, but I don’t know if it’s part of their shtick or what. A quick search of the internet shows several pictures of the band members with some MJ. Yes, they do like to smoke pot. Natural Child is probably best witnessed wasted at a house party. The band and the crowd, that is.
–Sal Lucci (Infinity Cat, infinitycat.com)