After parting with
Warner Bros.
, their label of nearly a decade, Seattle folk-rock stalwarts
the Head and the Heart
made a conscious shift to revisit their indie roots. Their breakout success amid the wave of early-2010s indie folk bands led to a sonic transformation when they entered the major-label system. Greater exposure and bigger shows led to a bigger team and an inevitably slicker sound on albums like
Signs of Light
(2016) and
Living Mirage
(2019). It's a common enough story for many successful bands, and one that often leads to a mid-career reconciliation.
Aperture
is
's sixth studio album and marks the first time they've produced themselves since their
Sub Pop
debut back in 2011. The back-to-basics move is a cliché for good reason -- it usually works. While not as scrappy as their early output,
effectively revives the warm, collaborative group feel that is the life blood of this rangy six-piece. Recorded between Seattle and Richmond, Virginia -- the band's two home bases --
benefits from a glowing collective energy rather than a manufactured mainstream sheen. Organic instrumentation and sprightly harmonies are the rules here, and they give songs like "Beg, Steal, Borrow" and "Jubilee" an organic appeal that was lacking on some of their later releases. Add to this the unexpected vocal contributions from drummer
Tyler Williams
("Cop Car") and pianist
Kenny Hensley
("West Coast") and you have something more spontaneous and free. While
are still attached to a major label -- this is their first release for
Universal
-owned
Verve Forecast
-- they've regained some of the satisfying D.I.Y. spirit of their early days. ~ Timothy Monger