Reviewed by Tony Cummings

Has it really been four years since OneRepublic's smash 'Waking Up'? Clearly Ryan Tedder and co have benefited from their time away and have returned with undoubtedly their best album. The four cuts which you'll be hearing regularly on Cross Rhythms radio in the coming months are "Counting Stars", "I Lived", "Burning Bridges" and "Preacher". The latter, with its classical string section and gospel choir arrangement, has a particularly intriguing lyric: "I took a little faith and put it in a parking lot/I drove to a strange town, full of have and have nots/And as I walked through, that story book of life/I've been looking for an angel, to chase the devil at the night." Previously known for their big orchestral arrangements, this time around the band have clearly been influenced by the rise of electronic music and their latest single "If I Love Myself" features Tedder's signature falsetto across a track that with some work from a skilled remixer would become a huge club hit. In a recent interview Tedder pointed out that 'Native' features a more raw and authentic vocal delivery. "It's the most intricate singing I've ever done on a record. For the first time, I sing the way I sing live or on demos I've recorded for songs I've pitched to other artists, whether that's Adele or Beyonce. For some reason on OneRepublic albums I've always tried to make my vocals sound neutered. [But now] I'm singing from my gut like I've never done in my life." With such passionate vocals and Tedder's multi-layered production virtuosity the overall effect is pop rock of the highest standard.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.