The Head and the Heart w/ Rose Windows at the Paramount Theater Seattle, WA

This past weekend's line up at the Paramount was not only a tip of the cap to the Seattle music scene but also a showcase for what Sub Pop has to offer to an ever changing world of music.

Preluding The Head and the Heart's first night at the Paramount, Rose Windows broke out with a robust and soulful presence. Rose Windows is no longer a band only for the "cool kids". Their unique sound, hard work, and energy has set them far apart from the rest of the herd.

The Head and the Heart is never surprising yet always wildly impressive. Their catchy songs and on-stage disposition makes you feel like you are watching a band that has been together for 10+ years. The H&H have been on tour pushing their sophomore album "Let's be Still" like a drug and everybody is an addict. 

Coming full circle, and back in their home town, they were warmly welcomed by their biggest fans in one of Seattle's most beautiful venues. 

*READ PAST REVIEW OF "LET'S BE STILL"*

Rose Windows

The Head and the Heart

The Head and the Heart - "Let's Be Still" Album Review

Sophomore albums can be fraught with peril as artists strive to thread the needle between replicating past successes and redundancy. For the Head and the Heart, following a whirlwind unknown-to-indie-darlings debut, their next step would be examined especially closely.

Recorded in their hometown Seattle, Let’s Be Still accomplishes the rare feat of recapturing what made their self-titled debut memorable, while still moving the band forward in interesting directions.

Let’s Be Still opens strongly with “Homecoming Heroes” and “Another Story” capably striking the sweet spot between folksy and familiar. The band sounds full, polished and ready to take their folk-pop sound to huge stages.

The bright, flowery “Springtime” smartly transitions into the lovelorn “Summertime” before the live-show staple “Josh McBride” kicks things up again. The album’s back-half is a bit slower, with the title track and somewhat-psychedelic “10,000 Weight in Gold” leaving enough space for both sweet harmonies and wistful reflection. The record closes with “Gone”, a resolute (and knowing) number that leaves the listener confident in the band’s next step - whatever that may sound like, wherever that may be.

Overall, the record is perfectly pleasant upon initial listening, but its when you let the sounds sink in, the storytelling and nuance fully come to life and you are left with another great record. Let’s be still and enjoy.

Let's Be still is on itunes and in stores everywhere!

Please enjoy our exclusive photos taken in the recording studio during the making of "Let's Be Still"

Words // Brian Hodge

Photos // Adam Richert

Damien Jurado - Jon Russell - Tomo Nakayama at Neumos -Seattle

This was an amazing singer/songwriter's night at Neumos!

Tomo Nakayama (of Grand Hallway) kicked off the night  with his unique sound and powerful blasts of energy! Usually people will skip the first artist and come for the headliners…what a huge mistake that would be when Tomo is playing! Some may have come for Damien Jurado and Jon Russell but quickly fell in love. Tomo will also be in an up and coming movie with Ellen Page called Touchy Feely.

Damien Jurado doesn't speak to the crowd very often during performances, nor does he need to. He is the kind of musician that you would rather him keep playing so he can fit as many songs in to his set as possible. Damien was joined with a group of women who sang in choir form to complement his new songs. It was a beautiful performance and a treat to watch him. 

Jon Russell (of The Head and the Heart) is as consistent as "consistent" gets! He is a true singer/song writer and performer. He does not put on a show that makes you look forward to a specific "favorite song" since every song fulfills on all marks! A few members from The Head and the Heart (including Josiah Johnson, Charity Rose, and Chris Zasche) joined Jon on stage for a few songs which was very well received by the crowd.

Tomo Nakayama (of Grand Hallway)

Jon Russell (of The Head and the Heart)

Damien Jurado

Jon Russell - The Head and the Heart

By Adam Richert

Head and the Heart’s Jon Russell at the All Pilgrims Church in Seattle left the audience fulfilled in the soul with his understated enthusiasm. Everyone that was sitting in a pew felt as if there was a secret being told and only we could hear it. Jon admitted during the show that this was the first time in a long time that he was actually nervous to perform even though it was normally second nature for him.

During the performance he sat down at his baby grand piano to play a song that he had not quite honed. With a piece of ripped paper set in front of him with the lyrics written in marker he began to sing…then began to sing again…and again until it was right. After the show I asked him the name of the song that he had played on the piano and he said that he had not thought about what he was going to call it yet. But after some time of thinking about it he decided to call it “Texas Swing.” I’ve decided to leave in the beginning of the video where he is trying the song out a couple of times because I think it shows a little bit of vulnerability and thoughtfulness that you rarely see from a musician of his caliber.

Songs for Wednesday // Canasta, The Head and The Heart and more

Words // Adam Sharp

'I Don't Know Where I Was Going With This'- Canasta
It's not often an opener can silence a hyped up crowd, though it's not often the opener comes armed with a song like this. (website)

'Blue Buildings'- Aunt Martha
This is the aural equivalent of the golden hour.  (website)

'The Lowlands'- Fort Frances
A short, sweet and altogether gorgeous little tune.  (website)

 

'Beacon Hill (Damien Jurado cover)'- The Head and The Heart
Scott just did a piece on Damien Jurado covers- think of this as a bonus track.  (website)

'Over the Hill (John Martyn cover for YoursTru.ly)'- Michael Kiwanuka,
Ben Howard, Ben Lovett, The Staves and members of Bear's Den
This is just ridiculous.  (website)

Your favorite live recordings of 2011

Words // Scott Pingeton

One of my motivations in starting VV almost two years ago was to share live recordings from some of my favorite bands.  Growing up I would collect as many bootlegs as I could - from Dylan to Springsteen to The Replacements to Ryan Adams - and there's something magical about capturing the intensity and intimacy of a live performance.  Especially if it's a souvenir of a show you saw live.  Here are the five most popular live recordings we shared in 2011...

#5 Middle Brother: Paradise Boston MA 3.3.11

Middle Brother - Million Dollar Bill

"As a perfectly-sloppy version of "Twist and Shout" capped-off over three hours of music, I couldn't help but think how lucky I was to be able to see this band live."

Download the full set

#4 The Wooden Sky: Lizard Lounge Cambridge MA 11.11.11

The Wooden Sky - Oslo

"The reason I started Visible Voice was to share the music that I believe in, and there is no better example than They Wooden Sky.  A sold out Lizard Lounge is a start, but they are are destined for much bigger things"

Download the full set 

#3 The Head And The Heart: Royale Boston MA 9.30.11

The Head And The Heart - Lost In My Mind 

"At times I was taken aback by the response, and the band seemed genuinely surprised as well.  In any case, I've never seen a crowd at Royale so enthusiastic"

Download the full set

#2 Lady Lamb The Beekeeper: Brighton Music Hall Boston MA 4.14.11

Lady Lamb The Beekeeper - Aubergine

"As Aly Spaltro bared her soul to a room full of strangers, we exchanged knowing glances and eyebrow raises - we were witnessing something pretty special.  A jawdropping set from a rising star."

Download the full set

#1 Jeff Tweedy: State Theater Portland ME 3.26.11

Jeff Tweedy - Via Chicago

"The acoustic setting puts Tweedy's songwriting in the spotlight - stripping densely-produced songs to their bare essentials."

Download the full set

The Head And The Heart Live in Boston 9.30.11

Words // Scott Pingeton

Since last December when I named The Head And The Heart's self-titled debut one of my favorite albums of 2010, the band has been pretty busy - they announced that they had signed to Sub Pop records, toured with both Dr. Dog and My Morning Jacket and played pretty much every major festival you can think of.  Not a bad year.  Still, before last Friday the band had never played a headlining show in Boston.  From the time they took the stage at a very sold out Royale, a rowdy Friday-night crowd made the Seattle-based band feel welcome.

They humbly announced "we're The Head And The Heart, we're from Seattle Washington...let's have some fun" before launching into album opener "Cats & Dogs".  The capacity crowd was vocal from the start, singing along with every word and screaming their approval at the end of each song - and often in the middle of the song.  At times I was taken aback by the response, and the band seemed genuinely surprised as well.  In any case, I've never seen a crowd at Royale so enthusiastic, and the band returned the favor.

As expected, the set drew heavily from the self-titled debut, but also included a few new/unreleased songs that I hope might be a preview of the band's sophomore LP.  "Josh McBride", a song that has been circulating for a while, pairs softly crooned vocals with gently-picked acoustic guitar - one of the most tender songs in the band's catalogue.  Another of the new songs (title help?) features a bouncy piano line, harmony vocals and tempo changes that recall the Dr. Dog.  Neither strays too far from the folk-pop formula that found success on the band's first record.

An early highlight came halfway through the set as the band played "Lost In My Mind" while the crowd absolutely lost theirs.  From there the show built to it's second climax, the singalong set-closer "Rivers & Roads".  A two-song encore started with "Gone, a new song played solo-acoustic by Jonathan Russell with backing vocals from everyone else in the room.  "Down In The Valley" closed the show, and provided one last chance for the crowd to sing along at the top of their lungs. 

Live, the band plays each song as a near note-perfect recreation of the studio version, but what might be lacked in spontaneity is more than make up for with enthusiasm.  It's obvious that the band is having a great time on stage, led by Charity Rose Thielen who dances and smiles her way through every song, and the energy is contagious.

The full set is available for stream/download below in fantastic sound.  Huge thanks to the staff at Royale and The Head And The Heart - if you download the recording please support the band and buy their music.  Check back for recordings from Thao with The Get Down Stay Down and The Devil Whale.

The Head And The Heart
Royale - Boston, MA
September 30, 2011

Cats And Dogs
Coeur D'Alene
Ghosts
Honey Come Home
New Song (untitled?)
Heaven Go Easy On Me
Josh McBride
Lost In My Mind
Winter Song
Sounds Like Hallelujah
Rivers And Roads
Gone
Down In The Valley

Full set download:  mp3 zip

Cover art

Newport Folk Preview: The Head And The Heart

I've written before about how I first fell in love with The Head And The Heart, bleary-eyed and head-aching after a long flight followed by a longer night in a rainy Seattle.  I listened to this local band that I remembered hearing about the night before and made it my mission to learn more about them.  They happened to be playing an opening set at a tiny bar the very next day - alas, it was sold out.  So, I made it my mission to track down one of the city's last remaining copies of the self-released debut before the Sub Pop rerelease (unannounced at the time) that would surely launch them to stardom.

Well, fast forward 9 months, and they are well on their way to stardom.  Their trademark catchy, bouncy folk-pop has won them a national following - no doubt with help from the Sub Pop marketing machine, major festival appearances and opening slots for Dr. Dog, My Morning Jacket and more.  Their first national headlining tour is still a few months away, but they play Newport Folk late on Sunday.  While they drew a tough timeslot up against Elvis Costello and Middle Brother, I know I'll be carving out time to see some of their set.  They're an energetic and captivating live band - check out our recording from their opening set at the Paradise in February for proof:

The Head And The Heart
Paradise Rock Club - Boston, MA
February 20, 2011

Cats And Dogs 
Ghosts
Honey Come Home
Heaven Go Easy On Me
Lost In My Mind
Winter Song
Sounds Like Hallelujah
Down In The Valley
Rivers And Roads

Full set download: mp3 zip

Review: The Devil Whale - Teeth

  

I'm stating the obvious here, but I find that my favorite bands often lead me to some of the best musical discoveries.  In the case of Utah's The Devil Whale, I'd probably still be in the dark if it weren't for The Head And The Heart.  Now, it wasn't the fact that they toured together recently, nor the fact that members of the Seattle band sing on The Devil Whale's "Magic Numbers" that tipped me off.  Nope, it was a lucky click on The Head And The Heart's myspace "Friends" section about 6 months ago that led me to The Devil Whale's bandcamp page where they were streaming an unmastered version of "Teeth".  I sat slack-jawed, hanging on every word, anticipating every note - the way you listen to an album when you know that one day you'll think back and remember the first time you heard it.  A few days later the stream was removed, and all I had was fading memories of this mysterious album that captured my attention and left me waiting for May 24th when the album would be released.

After one spin of Teeth I remembered why I was so floored the first time I'd heard it.  Shimmering psych-pop that bounces with 60s/70s nostalgia, folky grit and rock n' roll swagger.  The album opens with "Golden", a sunny and soulful tune; all sugar-sweet melody with a hint of crunchy guitars (hmm sounds like a cereal ad).  "Indian" starts in murkier psych territory before exploding into a soaring chorus that pulls you along for the ride.  On "Werewolf Army" songwriter Brinton Jones dials up the introspection, with a chorus of "Honey you're too closed off / I can't come in".  "Magic Numbers" puts it all together and with that, I'm sold.  Bouncy piano psych pop, sweeping melodies and introspective, powerful songs.

The Devil Whale - Magic Numbers

The record gets stronger as it goes - picking up momentum and solidifying its strengths.  The relentless stomp of "Earthquake Dreams", the radio-friendly playfulness of "Barracudas" the tossed-off campfire singalong "The Road To Hell".  A complete album in both concept and execution and one of my favorite listens of the year so far.

Head to the band's bandcamp page to grab a free download of "Golden", and get the entire album here.