The Mekons are steeped with history in the annals of punk rock and seminal independent music. With Natural, they shroud their lore with the pagan spirit of sacrifice and ritual from ye olde England’s country side. It's tough to imagine that this band was at the forefront of punk’s history. But as anyone who can look past the style of sound will tell you, it’s the spirit and not the form that truly defines punk. In the case of Natural, the sound is simply inspired by the natural world and the mythology associated with that world.
In the spirit of paganism, “The Old Fox” is a fable of the animal’s struggles that are human in nature. “Shocking Curse Bird” is performed in a celebratory jangling manner, yet tells an ominous tale of a bird that stands between our heroes and the sun. “Burning In The Desert Burning” sings of human sacrifice, visions, religion, and love. “The Hope And The Anchor” is the most beautiful song on the album, featuring Sally Timms singing a lullaby of faith. It is the centerpiece of an exploratory record that delves into dark and mysterious places while reaching back far into the original idea of folk music and tradition. It's really not so far from a group of townspeople coming together to share in song.
