Review | Heartless Bastards – Arrow

Heartless Bastards – Parted Ways

Austin’s Heartless Bastards release their album Arrow the follow-up to ’09’s The Mountain, which found their way deep into my library and became an album that I enjoyed for its folk rock meets punk noise sort of aesthetic. What Heartless Bastards have done with Arrow is quite similar, an expansive folk rock effort that really puts Erika Wennerstrom on display.

Essentially, Wennerstrom’s voice is the heart and soul of this band and this record. She’s got the passionate sound of Joplin, and a bit of Joan Jett in her voice and style as she lights up this new album. At its core, this is a Folk Rock album, one that seems entirely 70’s influenced. The music is guitar driven, and although there are a few down tempo folk songs like “Marathon,” or “Low Low Low,” there’s a lot of rock and roll here. Rockin’ songs like “You Gotta Have Rock & Roll,” “Parted Ways,” & “Late in the Night” are adorned by heavy riffs and hard driving rhythms, the album strikes a good balance as far as musical style, and luckily always features Wennerstrom’s incredible voice. The album’s arc and storyline sort of creates a feeling of loneliness in travel as I imagine a group of vagabond musicians find their way across the country, connecting with people, going their own way, and finding themselves in the process, and I imagine that’s sort of the way the band feels as they have matured and found their way through their career.

Songs that stuck out to me were the hard driving, “Gotta Have Rock & Roll,” a song that sounds as though it was pull straight from the 70’s era, the ambling, “Only For You,” which to me really defines this band, and Wennerstrom as she stretches the vocals to a fantastic level; and finally, the closing track “Down in the Canyon,” a 7 minute epic rock track with huge crashes, grungy guitars, a dirty, heavy feel, and a soaring finish, its a great feeling track, and the WAY you should finish an album like this.

It’s a great album, the furthers the lore of this bands eclectic energy and spirit, and will make you fall in love with it.

Buy Arrow

Tour Dates: (HUGE FREAKIN TOUR)

2/14 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
2/16 – Columbus, OH – The Basement
2/17 – Covington, KY – Madison Theatre
2/18 – Indianapolis, IN – Radio Radio
2/19 – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Café
2/20 – Toronto, ON – Horseshoe Tavern
2/23 – Boston, MA – Middle East Downstairs
2/24 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
2/25 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer
2/27 – Baltimore, MD – Ottobar
2/29 – Charlottesville, VA – The Southern
3/1 – Chapel Hill, NC – Cat’s Cradle
3/2 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl
3/3 – Nashville, TN – Mercy Lounge
3/5 – Knoxville, TN – Square Room
3/6 – Birmingham, AL – Bottletree
3/7 – Memphis, TN – Hi-Tone Cafe
3/8 – Fayetteville, AR – George’s Majestic
3/9 – Fort Worth, TX – Lola’s
3/10 – Houston, TX – Warehouse Live
3/30 – Tucson, AZ – Club Congress
3/31 – Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom
4/2 – San Diego, CA – The Belly Up
4/3 – Los Angeles, CA – Echoplex
4/5 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
4/6 – Eugene, OR – W.O.W. Hall
4/7 – Vancouver, BC – Media Club
4/8 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theatre
4/9 – Seattle, WA – Crocodile
4/11 – Boise, ID – Neorolux
4/13 – Aspen, CO – The Belly Up
4/14 – Denver, CO – Bluebird
4/15 – Santa Fe, NM – Santa Fe Brewing Company
4/17 – Tulsa, OK – Caine’s Ballroom
4/20 – Austin, TX – La Zona Rosa
5/11 – Baton Rouge, LA – Spanish Moon
5/12 – New Orleans, LA – One Eyed Jacks
5/15 – St. Petersburg, FL – Orpheum
5/16 – Orlando, FL – The Social
5/17 – Gainesville, FL – Double Down
5/18 – Athens, GA – 40 Watt
5/22 – Chattanooga, TN – Rhythm and Brews
5/23 – Lexington, KY – Cosmic Charlie’s
5/24 – Bloomington, IN – Bluebird
5/25 – Columbia, MO – Mojo’s
5/26 – Iowa City, IA – Gabe’s
5/29 – Lawrence, KS – Granada
5/30 – Norman, OK – Opolis
5/31 – Ozark, AK – Wakarusa Music Festival