The Head and the Heart
Encyclopedia
The Head and The Heart is an indie folk-pop band from Seattle, Washington. Formed in the summer of 2009 by Josiah Johnson (vocals, guitar, percussion) and Jonathan Russell (vocals, guitar, percussion), the band also includes Charity Rose Thielen (violin, vocals), Chris Zasche (bass), Kenny Hensley (piano), and Tyler Williams (drums). The band signed to Sub Pop Records in November 2010.
The band self-released their debut album The Head and The Heart in June 2009, selling it at concerts, by word of mouth, and through local record stores. In the ensuing months the album sold 10,000 copies. Their music plays heavily on the trio of vocal harmonies, piano and violin melodies, and prominent drums and percussion. It was the top-selling album of the year 2010 for the independent Sonic Boom Records in the band's home neighborhood of Ballard, Seattle
. The remastered, expanded album was re-released on Sub Pop Records on April 16, 2011.
The band has toured extensively through 2010 and 2011 in both the United States and Europe, opening for Vampire Weekend
, The Walkmen
, Dr. Dog
, Dave Matthews
, The Low Anthem
, The Decemberists
, Iron & Wine
, My Morning Jacket
, and Death Cab For Cutie
, as well as headlining their own shows. In March 2011, Seattle's City Arts Magazine named them "Seattle's Best New Band", and the band made their network television debut on April 21, 2011 on Conan.
in Virginia, but moved to Seattle to be a part of the nascent Head and The Heart after hearing one demo that Russell sent to him for the song "Down In The Valley." Chris Zasche was bartending at the Conor Byrne and playing in Seattle bands The Maldives and Grand Hallway
, and was the last to be added to The Head and The Heart.
Self-burned copies of The Head and the Heart in handmade denim sleeves were being sold at shows within a few weeks, and soon local record stores Easy Street and Sonic Boom couldn't keep them in stock. After a "feeding frenzy" of interest from record labels and managers, the band signed with Sub Pop in November 2010. Sub Pop remastered the album, expanded it with a studio version of their traditional concert closer "Rivers and Roads," and re-recorded one song ("Sounds Like Hallelujah"). The album was re-released in CD format, and for the first time on vinyl LP, on Record Store Day
2011. The band is managed by Zeitgeist Artist Management out of San Francisco, and are signed with Heavenly Recordings in the United Kingdom and Europe.
The band self-released their debut album The Head and The Heart in June 2009, selling it at concerts, by word of mouth, and through local record stores. In the ensuing months the album sold 10,000 copies. Their music plays heavily on the trio of vocal harmonies, piano and violin melodies, and prominent drums and percussion. It was the top-selling album of the year 2010 for the independent Sonic Boom Records in the band's home neighborhood of Ballard, Seattle
Ballard, Seattle
Ballard is a neighborhood located in the northwestern part of Seattle, Washington. To the north it is bounded by Crown Hill, ; to the east by Greenwood, Phinney Ridge and Fremont ; to the south by the Lake Washington Ship Canal; and to the west by Puget Sound’s Shilshole Bay. The neighborhood’s...
. The remastered, expanded album was re-released on Sub Pop Records on April 16, 2011.
The band has toured extensively through 2010 and 2011 in both the United States and Europe, opening for Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend is an American indie rock band from New York City that formed in 2006 and signed to XL Recordings. The Band has four members: Ezra Koenig, Rostam Batmanglij, Chris Tomson, and Chris Baio. The band released its first album Vampire Weekend in 2008, which produced the singles "Mansard...
, The Walkmen
The Walkmen
The Walkmen are an American indie rock band, with members based in New York City and Philadelphia. The band formed in 2000 with three members from Jonathan Fire*Eater—Paul Maroon , Walter Martin , and Matt Barrick —and two from The Recoys, Peter Bauer and Hamilton Leithauser . All but Bauer...
, Dr. Dog
Dr. Dog
Dr. Dog is a psychedelic rock band from West Grove, Pennsylvania. Its lineup currently consists of Toby Leaman , Scott McMicken , Frank McElroy , Zach Miller , and Eric Slick . Lead vocal duties are shared between Leaman and McMicken, with all members contributing harmonies...
, Dave Matthews
Dave Matthews
David John "Dave" Matthews is a South African–born American musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band...
, The Low Anthem
The Low Anthem
The Low Anthem is an American indie folk band from Providence, Rhode Island, formed in 2006. The band consists of multi-instrumentalists Ben Knox Miller, Jeff Prystowsky and Jocie Adams, and rose to prominence with the re-release of its third studio album, Oh My God, Charlie Darwin, in 2009.In...
, The Decemberists
The Decemberists
The Decemberists are an indie folk rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States, fronted by singer/songwriter Colin Meloy. The other members of the band are Chris Funk , Jenny Conlee , Nate Query , and John Moen .The band's...
, Iron & Wine
Iron & Wine
Samuel Beam , better known by his stage and recording name Iron & Wine, is an American singer-songwriter. He has released four studio albums, several EPs and singles, as well as a few download-only releases, which include a live album...
, My Morning Jacket
My Morning Jacket
My Morning Jacket is an American rock band from Louisville, Kentucky.The band consists of Jim James , Tom 'Two-Tone Tommy' Blankenship , Patrick Hallahan , Carl Broemel , and Bo Koster .-History:My Morning Jacket was...
, and Death Cab For Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Ben Gibbard , Chris Walla , Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr ....
, as well as headlining their own shows. In March 2011, Seattle's City Arts Magazine named them "Seattle's Best New Band", and the band made their network television debut on April 21, 2011 on Conan.
History
The band met and was formed through a series of open mic nights at Seattle's Conor Byrne pub. Josiah Johnson had moved to Seattle from Southern California to pursue graduate school, and Jonathan Russell was a recent transplant from Virginia. They met keyboardist Kenny Hensley, who had also moved to Seattle to pursue musical score-writing, and Charity Rose Thielen who had recently returned from a year studying abroad in Paris at the Sciences Po. Drummer Tyler Williams had been in the band Prabir and The SubstitutesPrabir and The Substitutes
Prabir and The Substitutes is a pop-rock band from Richmond, Virginia. The band has released multiple recordings while touring alongside Dr. Dog, The Silver Beats, The Parties, and The Old Ceremony. Although still an independent band, the Substitutes have received accolades from such national...
in Virginia, but moved to Seattle to be a part of the nascent Head and The Heart after hearing one demo that Russell sent to him for the song "Down In The Valley." Chris Zasche was bartending at the Conor Byrne and playing in Seattle bands The Maldives and Grand Hallway
Grand Hallway
Grand Hallway is an orchestral chamber pop band from Seattle, Washington. It was founded in 2005 by singer/songwriter Tomo Nakayama , guitarist Jeramy Koepping , bassist Erik Numann, and drummer Bob Roberts....
, and was the last to be added to The Head and The Heart.
Self-burned copies of The Head and the Heart in handmade denim sleeves were being sold at shows within a few weeks, and soon local record stores Easy Street and Sonic Boom couldn't keep them in stock. After a "feeding frenzy" of interest from record labels and managers, the band signed with Sub Pop in November 2010. Sub Pop remastered the album, expanded it with a studio version of their traditional concert closer "Rivers and Roads," and re-recorded one song ("Sounds Like Hallelujah"). The album was re-released in CD format, and for the first time on vinyl LP, on Record Store Day
Record Store Day
Record Store Day is an internationally celebrated day observed the third Saturday of April each year. Its purpose, as conceived by independent record store employee Chris Brown, is to celebrate the art of music...
2011. The band is managed by Zeitgeist Artist Management out of San Francisco, and are signed with Heavenly Recordings in the United Kingdom and Europe.
Albums
- The Head and The HeartThe Head and the Heart (album)-Personnel:*Charity Rose Thielen - vocals, violin, percussion*Josiah Johnson - vocals, guitar, percussion*Jonathan Russell - vocals, guitar, percussion*Tyler Williams - drums*Chris Zasche - bass*Kenny Hensley - piano-Charts:...
(self-titled, 2010) - The Head and The Heart (remastered, Sub Pop, April 16, 2011)
Compilations
- "No One To Let You Down" (Sub Pop Records, Please To Enjoy: Terminal Sales Vol. 4 Sampler, 2011