The Head and the Heart's folk rock anarchy
The Seattle-based band aspires to something more timeless.
Sold-out arena shows, festival headlining spots, No. 1 debuts. Did anyone think a decade ago such accolades would apply to folk rock in the 21st Century? It's perhaps the most lucrative genre to dive into for emerging artists, and the invasion doesn't seem to be slowing down. The Head and the Heart drummer Tyler Williams say his band doesn't ride anywhere near that bandwagon, and the group will try to prove that Wednesday at Tipitina's.
"We don't do an old time thing where we're dressing in suspenders," Williams says, laughing. "We would throw ourselves in with more timeless bands — the Beatles, Crosby Stills and Nash." Williams threw around the word "timeless" a couple times in conversation, but it doesn't come across as big-headed. The Head and the Heart's dissociation with folk rock isn't condemning acts like Mumford and Sons and the Avett Brothers, Williams says; The Head and the Heart simply doesn't want to limit itself. Its latest record Let's Be Still takes a more pop route rather than travel down the dusty old folky road. It's not overstuffed with archetypical banjo plucks and hick stomps. Tracks aren't bundled into radio-ready, three-and-a-half-minute jingles. They stretch out, taking on more interesting structures. Electropop was an influence for Williams, as well as the National's Trouble Will Find Me.
Falling into to folk rock wasn't a choice as much as a natural fit for the Seattle six-piece, Williams says. He describes the self-titled debut as "hopelessly optimistic," more in line with folk rock's blissful songwriting. "Growth has come through on the new record," he says. "We're taking more risks, and we're more comfortable with our skills. We aren't the same people. It wasn't a conscience decision to draw away musically. We just don't see ourselves among [other folk rock bands]."
Still, the Head and the Heart is riding the same wave as its peers. The festival circuit is more than friendly to the genre, and landing on lineups is essential for success. "Festivals are great because there are so many bands you can check out. It's not just about one genre," Williams says. That openness is the reason why folk rock is embraced across generations, he adds. Williams feels at an advantage playing live, since live recording sessions play part in both the Head and the Heart' records. How a song translates to a live setting is always on the group's mind, though crafting festival-ready sing-alongs comes naturally to them. Extensive touring means the band has to adapt, employing a "write, record, write, record" process for Let's Be Still once the Head and the Heart finally found studio time. Whether that product was the "timeless pop music with dance rhythms thrown in" described by Williams, or something a little bit closer to folk rock than he'd like to think, the Head and the Heart has paved a promising route thus far.
