Review: The Head And The Heart – Signs Of Light

Touring can be an unhealthy experience even for the healthiest of people, as members of The Head And The Heart conceded at the end of their 2013 tour promoting their sophomore album, Let’s Be Still. Following a nonstop emotionally and physically exhausting tour schedule that included 200 shows of major and minor festivals across North America and Europe, the consensus was that they needed a break. So each member of THATH decided to take some individual downtime to live their lives beyond the demanding world on the road. In what he describes as a “rejuvenative” experience, vocalist and guitarist Jonathan Russell visited Haiti to work with Artists for Peace and Justice, then drove his van cross-country from Virginia to spend significant time in Los Angeles. Pianist Kenny Hensley learned kung fu and became a pilot, while bassist Chris Zasche spent time in the Canadian Rockies, and drummer Tyler Williams immersed himself in the local music scene of his Virginia hometown. Among other things, violinist and vocalist Charity Rose Thielen penned a song for the legendary Mavis Staples. And, in an important step towards self-care, sobriety and restoration, lead singer and guitarist Josiah Johnson has taken time post-tour to address his substance abuse challenges. The band also got a chance to write a song for and appear in episodes of Cameron Crowe’s Roadies, filmed earlier this year in Vancouver.

After the break, it feels like a new band has emerged, bringing their varied experiences from over the last few years together in the music of their third studio album Signs Of Light. With tremendous growth as performers and musicians, The Head And The Heart has settled into what they’ve always wanted to be as a band, seven years after their eponymous debut album was released independently. The time off impacted the creation of Signs Of Light and provided the impetus to write elaborate songs that point towards hope in the midst of the winding hills and valleys of life. Each member was meticulous about what they brought to the table in the process of songwriting as collaborators and incorporating musical elements that work. While Seattle is where they birthed and nurtured their sound, playing venues throughout the entire country allowed them to connect with fans in smaller cities on a personal level.

Right off the bat, Signs Of Light is superior to THATH’s first two albums in that every single song is distinct onto itself, as opposed to a continuation vibe of the song before like on Let’s Be Still. The thirteen songs represented on the new album feel like the best of each batch in that style they may have written during their creative hiatus. Signs Of Light opens with “All We Ever Knew”, which stays true to their indie rock edge with its folksy vocal harmony and a bit of soulfulness. “City Of Angels”, written in and about Los Angeles, resonates of beach city sunsets, canyon campouts, and the love of kindred spirits found across the Pacific coast. “Rhythm & Blues” and “False Alarm” are illustrative of the band’s growth as songwriters, but “Dreamer” earnestly draws you in with its Seattle-meets-Beatles-like slow ballad and measured delivery.

“Library Magic” is just that, magical in its three-part harmony of beauty, poignancy and simplicity speaking to the hope of better days. “Turn It Around”, a song Jonathan felt the message of and started writing while in Haiti, gets right down to the pulse of their artistry and development as a band. “Colors” tells the story of the light fading in one’s life during painful and difficult times, and the pensive moments when the struggle has become too overwhelming. “Take A Walk” is a great mantra song for anyone who manages to find themselves between a rock and a hard place and looking for peace of mind, which is every one of us at one point or another. Continuing on the trajectory of life’s painful moments, “Oh My Dear” is a haunting and yearnful composition that segues into its complementary counterpart, “I Don’t Mind”, which sounds like the bright morning after a dreadfully long and emotional night.

The album’s masterpiece is the title song “Signs Of Light”. Written by absent member Josiah Johnson, he bares the most vulnerable delivery of raw lyrics embedded within heavy piano chords that exhale and unravel into grand production. “Signs Of Light” is all-encompassing and wraps up the total vibe of the album. It evokes tears and emotion, powerful and understated. Sketches the darker and lighter side of what THATH has been through as a band. That Josiah has decided sit out this touring cycle with the band to manage his addictions makes the song even more heartbreaking and life affirming. There really is no better way The Head And The Heart could have ended the album.

 
Written by Mai Perkins

Originally from Los Angeles, Mai Perkins is living a genuine bona fide love affair with NYC and the music that keeps its spirit moving. While spending the majority of the last decade in Brooklyn, many of her adventures around the globe are documented on her blog: Mai On The Move! www.MaiOnTheMove.com

 
Author’s rating for Signs Of Light

Pop Magazine’s official rating for Signs Of Light

Rating key
MASTERPIECE a must-have
SUPERB for heavy rotation
EXCELLENT a great achievement
VERY GOOD a respectable result
GOOD worth checking out
FAIR an average outcome
WEAK not convincing stuff
BAD an underwhelming effort
VERY BAD quite a waste
FAIL a total failure