Indigenous - Things We Do (1998)

The original Indigenous were a young, blues-rock, family band who released Things We Do, their national debut album, in 1998.

The lineup included two brothers, their sister, and a cousin. They grew up together on the Yankton Indian Reservation in South Dakota and are members of the Nakota tribe. As a unit, they made four more albums and two EPs before calling it quits in 2006. After the split, singer and guitarist Mato Nanji continued using the Indigenous name with new sidemen while his family pursued other endeavors.

On this excellent disc Nanji was supported by his brother, Pte, who played bass. Their sister, Wanbdi, was the group's drummer, and their cousin, Horse, added color with his percussion work.

The quartet's musical career was heavily influenced by the siblings' father, Greg Zephier, who was a musician in the 60s and 70s and later became an advocate for Native American rights. He also served as his kids' music teacher. Zephier was a big fan of the blues, and he played the music of the genre's giants for them. After B.B. King became a fan, he asked the group to join the lineup of his Blues Festival Tour.

It has been said that the band's music is heavily influenced by Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix and Carlos Santana, and you can hear the legacies of all three legends on Things We Do. Nanji's axe work is superb. His baritone vocals aren't outstanding, but they're a perfect fit for what the songs require.

The album won three trophies at the Native American Music Awards for Album of the Year, Group of the Year, and Best Pop Group.

"Now That You're Gone," became a single that peaked at #22 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart.

It appears that Indigenous is still alive today under Nanji's leadership, but there haven't been any new releases since 2017. Their website is gone, but I did find a Spotify playlist and a Facebook page.  

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