Rivers and roads, rivers and roads… rivers til I reach you

I’ve spent the last five days immersed in green forests and small cafes, breathing the salty seaside air, and quenching my parched insides in the Pacific Northwest. The dampness clinging to my skin as I stood at the foot of these waterfalls and harbors and rivers made me glow fresh, in the same way the joy kinda got put back into my soul.

My completely fitting soundtrack for this last-summer-hurrah adventure was the new album from Seattle’s The Head And The Heart, which is quickly becoming one of my absolute favorite albums this year.

I wrote about how they “sound like hallelujah” at the beginning of the summer, included another song of theirs on my summer mix, and then happily ran into the band on my birthday last Thursday night on a Seattle street corner. They gave me a physical copy of their insanely catchy album, and I listened to it about eight times through this weekend on the road. When I unlocked the door to my still and quiet house tonight, I found myself hungrily googling any new songs that they might have for me, not on the record (since I’ve kind of already worn a digital groove into it).

What I found was this.

It hit me in a profound way. I’ve heard that The Head and The Heart are complete supernovas live, but this – this felt like a moment almost too iridescent to be privy to by secondhand video. An aftershow in a Tacoma parking garage, it’s everything I love about music and about them.

At three minutes in, the spotlight hits directly opposite the camera, and in a flash they are illuminated all around, lit as if from within — as if this pure music they are pouring out of their hearts and hands and stomping feet is making them (and all of us) shine like the last lightning bugs of summer.

Rivers and Roads (parking garage mix) – The Head and The Heart

I feel kinda speechless.

THE HEAD AND THE HEART TOUR DATES
Aug 27 – KEXP’s Mural Amphitheater Show [w/ Mt St Helen Vietnam Band], Seattle, WA
Aug 28 – Tractor Tavern [w/ Grand Hallway], Seattle, WA
Sep 11 – Berbati’s Pan [for MusicFest NW], Portland, OR
Sep 15 – Downtown Crossing, Sandpoint, ID
Sep 16 – Empyrean Coffee [w/ Denison Witmer], Spokane, WA
Sep 18 – Urban Lounge [w/ The Devil Whale, Future of the Ghost, Matt Hopper], Salt Lake City, UT
Sep 23 – The Crocodile [w/ Fences & Campfire OK], Seattle, WA
Sep 24 – Mississippi Studios [w/ Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives & Fences], Portland, OR
Sep 25 – The Green Frog [w/ Fences], Bellingham, WA
Sep 27 – The Biltmore Cabaret [w/ Fences], Vancouver, BC
Oct 4 – Silverlake Lounge [w/ Fences], (early show), Los Angeles, CA
Oct 6 – The Rickshaw Stop [w/ Fences], San Francisco, CA
Oct 7 – Sophia’s Thai Kitchen [w/ Fences], Davis, CA
Oct 8 – Sam Bond’s Garage [w/ Fences], Eugene, OR



They are also announcing more dates in the coming months, including — a show at Moe’s in Denver on November 5th (next to the Gothic), which will be presented by Fuel/Friends! Stay tuned here for more information and a ticket giveaway.

My stars — get this album.

EDIT: Another version here.

For the first time, it sounds like hallelujah

The Head and The Heart is from Seattle, and make a breed of infectiously catchy pop music with a good backbone. It’s a classic sound that never gets old – think of Paul McCartney with a violin and three-part harmonies. This tune could even go on my Stomp/Clap Mix. Enticed?

I listened to them because of a very persuasive friend in the Pacific Northwest who has seen them so many times she’s a bit concerned about achieving stalker status, but they are just that good, according to her. After being immediately grabbed by this song, and then putting it back on repeat for a dozen times more, I believe her.

I’m already singing along; I bet you will too. 1, 2, ah-1-2-3-4.

Sounds Like Hallelujah – The Head and The Heart

They’re currently unsigned, and self-releasing their debut album this week. The CD release party is this Friday night in Seattle, and they’ve got a few more shows up and down that gorgeous green coast in the coming weeks. If you go, watch out for my rabid friend Michelle. She’ll be the one singing along to all the words; do ask her about the time we met Charles Barkley for drinks. No, really.

Bonus video:

[photo credit Robertsen Ashman]