MP3: Heartless Bastards - The Mountain
MP3: Heartless Bastards - Could Be So Happy
I can't imagine the Heartless Bastards' band name is literal. They seem like some genuine, large hearted humans. I'm sure they chose it because, as bad asses, you need a bad ass band name. I get that. Their newest effort "The Mountain" does seem like it can be taken literally, however.
When listening to the record, you climb higher and higher. Though you aren't starting from the bottom: you get to cheat a little. It's like that episode of the Simpsons where Homer climbs that mountain hopped up on Powersauce and he thinks he makes it to the top, but really there is plenty more. We start from there, and it gets better and better. Songs like "The Mountain", "Early In the Morning" and "Out to Sea" soundtrack the determined climber, with a goal in mind to dredge past the shit that is below to make it towards the Sun's warm glow. Then, when you're ready to eat your packed lunch or wait out the heavy breeze, you can spin "Could Be So Happy" or "So Quiet".
It's damned near impossible to find an album with no duds in these hard times. Why are we spending our rent money on records anymore when only a handful of songs are subpar? It's worthless, but maybe now people will work harder for your money. Or it may come naturally: this album seems pretty fucking natural. This, to me, is exactly what I want to see more of in 2009. It's an attitude and a style that should catch on - and why not? It's infectious. You listen to this record and you want to be a better person, you want to do better things. You want to earn the right to be a listener and fan of the Heartless Bastards and I want to do what it takes to be worthy of them. "The Mountain" is not be missed, and is officially the first great record of 2009. Let it be heard.
"The Mountain" is out now from Fat Possum.
They play Letterman on the 10th and recently did a phenomenal Daytrotter session which could be found here.
TOURTASTIC:
02.04.09 - Maxwell’s - Hoboken, NJ *
02.05.09 - Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA +
02.06.09 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY +
02.07.09 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY +
02.11.09 - Gravity Lounge - Charlottesville, VA *
02.12.09 - Bottle Tree - Birmingham, AL *
02.13.09 - Government Street Grocery - Ocean Springs, MS *
02.14.09 - Last Concert Café - Houston, TX *
02.26.09 - Sam’s Burger Joint - San Antonio, TX *
02.27.09 - Longhorn Saloon - Fort Worth, TX *
02.28.09 - Hailey’s - Denton, TX *
03.15.09 - The Pageant - St. Louis, MO @
03.16.09 - Liberty Hall - Lawrence, KS @
03.17.09 - Cain’s Ballroom - Tulsa, OK @
03.18.09 - SXSW - Austin, TX
03.19.09 - SXSW - Austin, TX
03.20.09 - SXSW - Austin, TX
03.21.09 - House of Blues - Houston, TX @
03.23.09 - The Lyric - Oxford, MS @
03.25.09 - Madison Theater - Cincinnati, OH *
03.27.09 - Webster Hall - New York, NY #
03.28.09 - Trocadero - Philadelphia, PA #
03.29.09 - Mr. Smalls - Pittsburgh, PA #
03.30.09 - Newport Music Hall - Columbus, OH #
04.01.09 - St. Andrew’s Hall - Detroit, MI #
04.02.09 - Turner Hall - Milwaukee, WI #
04.03.09 - The Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL #
04.04.09 - Varsity Theater - Minneapolis, MN #
04.07.09 - The Warehouse - Calgary, AB #
04.08.09 - The Starlite Room - Edmonton, AB #
04.10.09 - Plaza Club - Vancouver, BC #
04.11.09 - Crocodile Café - Seattle, WA *
04.13.09 - Berbati’s Pan - Portland, OR #
04.15.09 - The Boardwalk - Sacramento, CA #
04.16.09 - Slim’s - San Francisco, CA #
04.21.09 - The Clubhouse - Phoenix, AZ #
04.22.09 - Launchpad - Albuquerque, NM #
04.23.09 - Black Sheep - Colorado Springs, CO #
04.24.09 - Gothic Theater - Denver, CO #
04.25.09 - Beaumont Club - Kansas City, MO #
04.28.09 - Granada Theatre - Dallas, TX #
04.29.09 - Antone’s - Austin, TX #
05.02.09 - The State Theatre - Tampa, FL #
05.03.09 - The Social - Orlando, FL #
* Heartless Bastards headlining
+ Show with The Black Keys
@ Show with Andrew Bird
# Show with Gaslight Anthem
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