Saturday, April 30, 2011

The Head and the Heart - The Head and the Heart (2011)

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Seattle sextet The Head and the Heart might be one of the most talked about folk bands (other than Fleet Foxes) right now and that's no coincidence. One listen to any song of their self-titled debut will make a fan out of you. Their songs are infectuously well-crafted featuring lovely three-part harmonies, fun foot-tamping melodies, and a fresh style of songwriting.

The Head and the Heart use their larger than average size to great effect, underplaying a lot of their members talents until magical moments where they seem to just spontaneously burst forth like Charity Rose Thielen's soulful vocals on "Rivers and Roads" or showcasing Kenny Hensley's impressive piano chops on "Ghosts" all anchored by guitarist Johnathan Russell's delightfully raspy voice.

The Head and the Heart shares a quality that many of my favorite album often do. A sort of interconnectedness of all the songs. Sure, each song is wonderful in its own right but heightened by its place in between others or just a direct continuation (like how "Cats and Dogs goes directly into Coeur D'alene ). It's a feat that's hard to master and yet The Head and the Heart do so effortless on their debut. Their songs are the kind that make you want to get up and dance and crave to see them live.

Get a taste of The Head and the Heart's incredibly energetic soul-rousing style of folk rock with "Lost in my Mind" performed live for KEXP:

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