After putting out at least one new record a year for three years in a row, Loggins And Messina took 1975 off, returning with NATIVE SONS, their final studio release, in early 1976. In many ways this is was an atypical record for the duo; for one thing, it was the first time they had released a record that didn't garner any significant radio play. Additionally, the pair seem to be working more as solo artists than as real collaborators. One can hear the two moving in different directions.
NATIVE SONS opens with two Messina compositions: the uncharacteristically slick pop confection "Sweet Marie," and the straightforward, gentle love song "Pretty Princess." Elsewhere, Messina veers into tongue-and-cheek political territory with "It's Alright," while on "Boogie Man," he harks back to the bubblegum '50s pop style that the pair had so much success with earlier. Loggins contributes a love song, the schmaltzy, waltz-time "My Lady, My Love," the light jazz workout of the title track, and the record's most upbeat number, "Peacemaker."
