The Heavy Hearts Release New Album

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There’s a lot going on in Birmingham tonight. We’ll have some big shows in town. Clapton’s playing at Oak Mountain. That’s awesome, but there’s one special event at Bottletree that I want to bring to your attention.

 The Heavy Hearts are due to release their first full album tonight, and it’s going to be a great one. The project has been a long time coming, but the finished product is bound to be one of the best records to come out of Birmingham this year.

The band, comprised of singer Lauren-Michael Sellers, guitarist Zac Baldwin, and newly recruited drummer Brian Hippensteel, have collection of songs that are fun for a listen, but can reach the listener on incredibly deep levels. Sellers’ lyrics don’t just tug at heart strings- they make them resonate. Her voice is extraordinary. Powerful, smooth, I’ve heard it a hundred times, but it’s always amazing.  

As a lead/accompaniment, Baldwin has a feel for joining in and laying out. From the muted riff in “Darling” to the harmonica on “The Boy From Iris Glenn,” he’s the perfect complement to Sellers’ melody. It’s natural chemistry.

Before Hippensteel joined, it could’ve been hard to fully understand what percussion could really do for the duo’s sound. He’s found his place in the band, though, and it’s resulted in a brilliant evolution. Hippensteel never oversteps his bandmates. His drums are subtle when they need to be, blending with understated segments, but can really liven things up when the need arises.

Folks, I’ve been fortunate to watch the journey of these musicians for several years now. I remember seeing Lauren go solo at open mic nights at Moonlight on the Mountain. Everyone in that listening room could see her potential. Here’s where it’s led. The Heavy Hearts will no doubt go on to do great things, and they’ve just arrived at a tremendous milestone.    

Don’t miss it.

The album release show begins at 9 p.m. The Heavy Hearts will be joined by Adam Faucett. Tickets are available on Bottletree’s site.

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