After cutting their first two albums as a lean but muscular power trio, the Heartless Bastards have grown into a somewhat different creature on their third LP, The Mountain. Vocalist and guitarist Erika Wennerstrom is the only survivor from the group's original lineup, and after leaving behind her hometown of Cincinnati, OH for Austin, TX, she's assembled a new version of the Heartless Bastards. Along with new members Billy White on bass and Doni Schroader on drums, The Mountain features violins, pedal steel guitar, mandolin, and banjo as well as a few guest guitarists, and though this music is still rooted in Wennerstrom's full-bodied vocals and thick, no-frills guitar work, The Mountain is a more introspective and rootsy sounding album than this group has released to date. Wennerstrom has a voice that can shake apart a room when she's of a mind, but she takes a more subtle approach here, slipping in a few acoustic tunes that allow her to explore the softer side of her instrument, and "So Quiet" and "Had to Go" could pass for a new millennium version of the sort of music Harry Smith would dig up on a regular basis. But if The Mountain is a more diverse set than the old Heartless Bastards gave us, it's still rooted in the same emotionally direct songwriting and performing that is this band's trademark, and for all that's changed with the band, Wennerstrom has held on to her core virtues -- this is fierce, heartfelt ock & roll that tells stories you can believe in and lets the music sing out with a power that's all the more compelling for being firmly rooted in the real world.
Erika Wennerstrom moved to Austin, picked up a new rhythm section and yesterday just released her best and most ambitious album to date. I have been infatuated with the Heartless Bastards since first hearing Stairs and Elevators in 2004. Erika's voice has the perfect combination of power and fragility that keeps you hanging on every [...]
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Fresh from Heartless Bastards comes Erika Wennerstrom's solo acoustic version of "Searching for the Ghost" off of 2006's All This Time. It's a great song and the acoustic version adds extra highlights to Erika's beatiful and unique voice.Listen: Searching for the Ghost (acoustic) mp3Purchase The Heartless Bastards The Mountain
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New WaxCincinnati trio Heartless Bastards are almost always described as "bluesy." It makes sense considering lead singer Erika Wennerstrom's smokey yet booming vocals and the band's association with Fat Possum labelmates The Black Keys. Combining elements of Americana and garage-rock, the band is back with a new album entitled The Mountain. The aptly titled release is like a mountain range: it...
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Heartless Bastards recently released their stellar new album The Mountain (review here). Now we're getting a little extra bonus material. You can get a free MP3 of lead Bastard Erika Wennerstrom doing a solo acoustic version of the track "Searching for the Ghost" here.Heartless Bastards also recorded a session for NPR's World Cafe which will be airing March 19th. Better mark that date becau
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the new Heartless Bastards album drops Feb 3. Here's the first single, The Mountain. My buddy Matty saw these guys in LA last year and was blown away by lead singer Erika Wennerstrom. More info about the new album and the band:http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/01/heartless-basta.html#more
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I rarely post any kind of bluesy number up here but I mentioned this title track in my Day and Night column this week and it’s worth an extra highlight here. It’s from Heartless Bastards’ new album and has been warming up my brain farm lately. The album is out on Fat Possum now.Erika [...]
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Heartless Bastards have just confirmed tour dates in support of Wolfmother this fall. Fresh off a summer of non-stop touring, the band is anxious to stay on the road in support of their newest record, The Mountain. The Wolfmother dates will kick off in Dallas, TX, on October 29th and come to a close on [...]
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Oh mog, how long its been.Well since last time.I co-coached a group of 5 high-school kids to an national improv competition in Denver. We were all first timers in our respective roles and they took 1st place. I couldn't have been more proud. I'm doing it again, this time with 2 teams of 5. Having to cast one of the original 5 in the secondary team was one of the hardest things I've ever had to ...
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Erika Wennerstrom moved to Austin, picked up a new rhythm section and yesterday just released her best and most ambitious album to date. I have been infatuated with the Heartless Bastards since first hearing Stairs and Elevators in 2004. Erika's voice has the perfect combination of power and fragility that keeps you hanging on every [...]
More >
Cincinnati's Heartless Bastards are all set to release their third album, The Mountain, on February 3rd via Fat Possum Records. The album is said to have the powerful howl that fans expect from the Heartless Bastards, but also weaves in mandolins, banjos, and strings. Erika Wennerstrom could sing the phone book and I'd listen. [...]
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 "The Mountain")
