Album Review - Let's be Still - The Head & The Heart

Lets face it, Seattle has had more than their fair share of amazing bands. The list is way to long to go into here, but on that list is the indie folk-pop group The Head and the Heart.

I got their first, self titled record in mid 2012 and have listened to it probably, at least, a hundred times. I fell in love with several of the songs: Down in the Valley,Coeur d'Alene (the line "you're in my soul now, you've gotta waste away with me" is one that I'll keep with me forever), Rivers & Roads, Sounds Like Hallelujah. When I saw that the band was releasing a second record, I was thrilled. After listening to it many times thought, all I can say is "wow. that's a damn good record." Coz well, it is.

Released on Seattle's famous SubPop records, The Head and the Heart's second record, Let's Be Still, is everything that a sophomore record is supposed to be: a open letter to the masses saying that, "yes, we're still here! And here we are, better than ever, with new and exciting music that you WILL love!" 

Josiah Johnson (vocals, guitar, percussion), Jonathan Russell (vocals, guitar, percussion), Charity Rose Thielen (violin, vocals), Chris Zasche (bass), Kenny Hensley (piano), and Tyler Williams (drums) have taken the indie folk-pop genre to new levels. While Let's Be Still is slightly less folky and a bit more poppy than their first record, it still has all of what I love about The Head and the Heart. The vocal harmonies, the simple instrumentation; this is what music is supposed to sound like. 

The record starts out with the poppy, jaunty, melodic Homecoming Heroes. This song hooks you into the record, it gives you a preview of what is to follow. Summertime features lead vocals from Charity Rose Thielen, and kinda reminds me of something that you may find on a She & Him record (that's a compliment, kids.) It's bouncy and has a throwback pop feel. Thielen has a very unique voice, it's not a sound that can be easily described, but it fits so well into the songs from The Head and the Heart, fits well into the mood of the songs she sings. This plays well into the slower mood and lower feel of These Days are Numbered, another song Thielen also takes lead vocals on. Her mildly haunting vocals and the sad harmonica make you feel all the hurt and longing in the song, as if you're right in the song with her. 

I was excited to see a song that I knew from the Head and the Heart's Daytrotter session on this album. The song was called Seat Beside Me on Daytrotter, but Josh McBride here. It's a sort of love song, but the love it tells of could be any kind of love you want it to be, it's just love. 

You are in the seat beside me

You are in my dreams at night

You are in grandmother's wisdom

You are in grandfather's charm 

The current single from the album is Shake. A brilliantly catchy, poppy song, with just the right amount of Americana folk thrown in. I couldn't find where I read it, but I'm pretty sure someone likened Shake to something early Lennon & McCartney-esque, and I'd have to agree.

The record's title track, Let's Be Still, is my favorite song on the record. I love the melodies, I love the harmonies, I love the music, I love the lyrics. It's an all around perfect song. It really doesn't get much better than this:

you can get lost in the music for hours, honey

you can get lost in the room

we can play music for hours and hours but sun'll still be coming up soon

the worlds just spinning a little too fast

if things don't slow down soon, we might not last

so just for a moment let's be still

I really LOVE this song. It says all the things I ever want to say about music and how much it means to me. I don' t know if that was the songwriter's intention, but that's what I take from it. Slow down, be still, feel the music, breathe it in.

Other songs to check out on the record, well, all of them, but Cruel and Gone. You can stream the whole record before it's October 15 release thanks to Rolling Stone. But also go pre-order it from your music distributor of choice (you can get it on vinyl from Amazon, if you're like me and totally dig that kind of thing. Whatever format you get it on, just get it. Support local (Seattle) music. Support GOOD music. I can't say enough good words about this band, their first album, or this album. See them on tour if you can. Go to theheadandtheheart.com for all your Head and The Heart needs. Because, frankly, you need them.

.