The Head and the Heart Returns Home with New Album

The indie folk band discusses the feel of their new album and song, “Arrow,” ahead of their October 16 performance at Boulder Theater

American indie folk band The Head and the Heart finished mixing their new album this month, marking the band’s sixth album since its conception in 2009. The band has collected multiple Grammy nominationns and platinum records over the last 15 years. Their new single, “Arrow,” debuted this past week.

When asked about their new song, John Russell, vocalist, and songwriter, believes that art does not need to be explained but rather interpreted by the listener. But Russell cannot help but describe the song as an ode to empowerment.

“When I perform the song Arrow, I feel like I am 10 feet tall – I feel confident, grounded, and proud of where I am at. It is almost like an exclamation point. A superhero costume for your mind to celebrate your achievements”, said Russell. “Maybe like a…brain cape.”

“Yeah, maybe that is the new album title – brain cape,” added piano player Kenny Hensley.

The band seems to be taking some personal liberties with “brain cape.” Hensley explained that for the first time in three albums, the band created this one without outside noise.

“It just feels like this album had equal slices of the pie between the six of us. Everyone’s hands were together in the making of the record – probably the most since our first record,” said Russell.

After 14 years and many “Rivers and Roads,” the band is returning back to their debut sound.

“In this record, we have kind of gone back to our roots in the sense, where it was just us in the studio.

We self-produced [the record] and called all the shots. I think our fans are really going to enjoy it because – at least the fans of our earlier stuff – it is going to feel like they have their band back. We have returned home in a sense,” Hensley said.

Since finishing their tour, the band spent the past two months “neck deep in mixing and finishing the record,” making the final tweaks and edits to each track. This process is highly collaborative for The Head and the Heart, as every band member has a say in all business and creative decisions.

The completion of the album itself comes with many emotions, but mainly feelings of accomplishment and relief.

“It is so cliche, but [the record] really feels like our baby. We have this deep connection to it, and we want it to be loved and nurtured – it is a weird thing,” said Hensley.

The band’s first event since concluding their album creation was last week at the Boulder Theater, where they collaborated with Teton Gravity Research at their film screening.

For more information on The Head and the Heart’s schedule, visit their website here.

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