As an avid music listener, I am always on the lookout to support local bands. Lately I have found a band I cannot stop listening to: The National Parks, out of Provo, Utah. The band consists of: Sydney Macfarlane (lead vocals), Brady Parks (guitar, lead vocals), Megan Taylor (violin, vocals), Doug Patterson (trumpet, vocals, other), Anna Meacham (drums, vocals), Garrick Meacham (bass, vocals) and John Hancock (electric guitar, vocals).
Formed in 2013, this band has experienced much success in the music industry. Their first album, “Young,” finished at number 13 on the iTunes singer/songwriter chart. They spent most of 2014 touring as opening acts for musicians such as Andy Grammer, LeAnn Rimes, The Black Lillies and The Moth & The Flame, to name a few. They have also spent time writing their newest album, “Until I Live,” set to release in August 2015.
The band classifies their music as “electric folk,” but I find their variety to be more than that. As a person who isn’t a big fan of folk music, I was delightfully surprised at how much I enjoyed this band. Their songs are smoothly pieced together. Between the soft sounds of violins and the intensity of electric guitars, flawlessly combined with the lead singers’ finely tuned voices, they make some of the most unique music I have heard. What I find intriguing about this band is that they aren’t afraid to have variety in their music. Their sound can easily go from folk music to acoustic and slow, and finish with an up-beat, happy song that is bound to have everyone dancing along.
Their most popular song on iTunes and Spotify is “As We Ran,” a single released in 2014. It is one of the most folk-like songs they have. The song has an adventurous feel to it, and the music video is fun to watch, as it is a promotional video for their tour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TOoJxc43Ps
Combining both unique instruments and talented lead vocals, The National Parks make a rich and one-of-a-kind sound. The song “Wind and Anchor,” is a prime example of this. Both the lead vocals compliment each others’ voices nicely. I included both the live version and edited version, and would suggest listening to both.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u5Y0ffYN0E
Another song that I instantly fell in love with is “I Never Let You Know“, off the album “Young.” The song is slower, but has a deep meaning behind it. It is equally heartbreaking and beautiful, and is one of the best songs on their album. It is captivating from the beginning to the end.
Finally, a more up-lifting song, “Ba Ba Ra,” is off the album “Until I Live.” It’s a song that is nearly impossible not to sing along to. The song is relateable, and has a good “life is meant to be lived to the fullest” message behind it.
I am hoping and expecting that this band will be huge within the next few years. With their major success in the music industry, I have no doubts that they will soon become a household name. Please help them out by supporting their albums and sharing with friends or family. If you would like to know more about the band, including updates on their music and tours, you can check out their website at: http://thenationalparksmusic.com/
@TheChrony