Seattle, the birthplace of grunge music, is an unlikely city for the pop, rock, and country influenced indie folk group, The Head and the Heart to call home.  The six member group converged on the Emeral City and formed The Head and the Heart in 2009 and released their self-titled debut album in 2010.

Flush with x and y chromosome three part  harmonies, vibrant pianos and sharp percussion, The Head and the Heart is expansive and full yet maintains a warmth and intimacy that keeps the album from feeling overloaded or too heavy to connect to.  The band’s talent is taking several powerful musical elements and finding a balance which showcases each one without drowning out the overall sound.  The piano’s emphatic, playful melodies have a heightened role in this debut, helping the momentum of each song build up and then take off.

Best Tracks:

Cats and Dogs starts with clock-ticking drumsticks.  Jonathan Russell’s deep, rustic vocals usher in the pulsating piano while soft vocals croon in the background.  The song’s appeal stems from it’s ability to start off slow, then build and brush us away with a sweeping piano.

Ghosts is a fitting title thanks to the haunting harmonies.  The band is able to blend the lurching vocals with a vaudevillian, winding piano melody while Russell sings about the dire need to escape the constraints of his hometown.

Down in the Valley is one of the album’s more reminiscent, slow songs.  Lyrically, it is a heartfelt anthem for the working man whose simple life is defined by sweat, tears, and the joy of surviving.

When and Where:

When trees change from green to orange and the air becomes crisp and sharp, curl up in front of a fireplace and let The Head and the Heart cover you like a blanket.

Cats and Dogs

Ghosts

Down in the Valley

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