The Head & The Heart “The Head & The Heart”
For fans of: Fleet Foxes, Mumford & Sons, Bon Iver
For our music pick this week we’ve chosen a Seattle folk pop band who has risen in the ranks recently thanks primarily to word of mouth. The band sold 10,000 copies of the first version of their self-produced-and-funded album, which is impressive to say the least. It’s always a good sign when your album is the one that fans tell their friends about, and we’re not surprised that so many have fallen in love with The Head & The Heart‘s charming debut album. The songs combine strong folk vocals, thumping piano, lilting guitar and violin, and most importantly, the best kind of slow and strong song build that leads to foot stomping and singing along.
Those who love the stunning harmonies of Fleet Foxes or the raw soul of Mumford & Sons might find a soft spot for this newcomer band. The Head & The Heart has good amounts of each of those qualities. Their album isn’t the most innovative or creative we’ve ever heard, but it’s full of the kind of feel-good folk songs that have you singing your heart out alone on the freeway. As one would expect on any folk album, there are references to winding roads, rivers, whiskey, lovers, and leaving home. Somehow, the crooning of lead vocalists Josiah Johnson and Jonathan Russell still seems authentic. Violinist Charity Thielen chimes in harmoniously on choruses and builds as if it wasn’t scripted, but just felt right. Time will tell if the band can continue to gain traction, but for now we’re happy listening to their uplifting and heartfelt songs on repeat.
