This was The Head And The Heart's first UK gig having recently signed to Heavenly Recordings and for a debut show, it was pretty damn good. The Lexington was full to the rafters of industry and indie kids alike and I left feeling we were onto something with this band, a bit like when I saw the Fleet Foxes for the first time. We went in a little blind, having only heard a handful of songs online before the gig, but were won over by their excellent poppy-folk harmonies. The three lead vocalists, Josiah, Jon and Charity indulged in banter between songs and were obviously very excited to be on these shores (they were over supporting The Walkmen at Shepherds Bush Empire the following night). The songs are really well written and live their performance is surprisingly polished considering they've been together not long over a year.
Highlights were: Down In The Valley; Sounds like Hallelujah; Rivers & Roads and Winter Song. Really looking forward to the release of their self-titled album on 18 April and I might have to break my 'no duplicates' rule, as I'm quite keen to see these guys again this year. They're playing another gig in London in the spring supporting The Low Anthem at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. The fact I can't stop listening to them since the gig must be a sign they were good!
Support came from The Mariner's Children and The Fancy Dress Party. I've seen The Mariner's Children a few times and really enjoyed seeing them again although the sound was a little dodgy which meant a few of the nuances in their music got lost but on the whole a very enjoyable performance. I've got an EP of theirs but I'm really looking forward to seeing a full album from this lot soon. The Fancy Dress Party weren't bad, quite a young studenty folk band from Essex. Their songs were pretty simple and again the sound for them wasn't fab, they didn't really do it for me, but as they're just starting out, perhaps they'll be ones to watch.
Overall it was a really enjoyable gig and I was pleasantly surprised at how good The Head and The Heart were - definitely one for a sounds of 2011 list.
8/10
Listen
The Head and the Heart Myspace
The Mariner's Children
The Fancy Dress Party
Official sites
The Head and the Heart
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