When you attend an open-mic night, you never really expect to see the beginnings of the next great act. Those expectations might rise once you have a listen to the Seattle sextet The Head and The Heart. A group of Washington transplants who first came together at a coffee shop open-mic, their self-titled, self-released debut was a major success in the Northwest corner of the country last year. Now the alt-Americana band is seeking success across the map, and Subpop Records is helping in the quest.
The Head and The Heart is available today at Subpop.com and all major digital retailers. The CD and LP versions will be released as part of the Record Store Day celebration on April 16th. All formats of the remastered re-release will include a new recording of “Sounds Like Hallelujah” and the addition of live staple “Rivers and Roads.” One album track, the folksy “Down in the Valley,” can be streamed on the band’s website, or you can download it plus the never before released “No One to Let You Down” by joining their mailing list. The tracks’ textured harmonies, driving pianos, and melodious strings are just a sampling of what makes this highly buzzed band Seattle’s new favorite export.
Word has it that their live shows imbue the songs with musicianship and fervor that transcend their recordings, and the rest of us will finally get a chance to witness it all as they trek across the America and the UK (and Berlin). After some solo gigs in and around Washington state, they’ll head to England to support The Walkmen for shows in Birmingham and London. They’ll make a stop in Berlin before coming back to the States to open for Dr. Dog in DC. From there, it’s off to Atlanta, Asheville, Philly, New York, and Boston before they rejoin The Walkmen for a stop in New Orleans and three in Texas. The whole thing winds down with gigs in Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico. Complete tour details are down below.
The Head and The Heart 2011 Tour Dates:
01/13 – Bellingham, WA @ Green Frog Acoustic Tavern
01/14 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos
01/15 – Spokane, WA @ Empyrean Coffee House
01/19 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir
01/23 – Birmingham, UK @ Glee Club *
01/24 – London, UK @ The Lexington
01/25 – London, UK @ Shepherd’s Bush Empire *
01/26 – Berlin, DE @ Privatclub
01/28 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club ^
01/29 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club ^
01/31 – Knoxville, TN @ Bijou Theatre ^
02/01 – Memphis, TN @ Minglewood Hall ^
02/03 – Charleston, SC @ Music Farm ^
02/04 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade ^
02/05 – Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom ^
02/07 – Birmingham, AL @ WorkPlay Theatre ^
02/08 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel ^
02/09 – Charlottesville, VA @ Jefferson Theater ^
02/11 – Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory ^
02/14 – Woodstock, NY @ Bearsville Theater ^
02/15 – South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground ^
02/17 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Small’s Theatre ^
02/18 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5 ^
02/19 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club ^
03/02 – New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks *
03/03 – Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s *
03/04 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Bar-B-Q *
03/05 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater *
03/07 – Lawrence, KS @ Jackpot Saloon
03/11 – Englewood, CO @ Moe’s
03/13 – Albuquerque, NM @ Low Spirits
* = w/ The Walkmen
^ = w/ Dr. Dog
