k i l l e r POP

On July 4th 1776, the Philadelphians first heard the official news of our nation’s independence. 230 years later, The Heathens released their full length, Big White House, on Post*Records. In the Orlando music sphere, it’s a similarly momentous occasion.

The 15 track alt-country romp takes off with the band’s hometown serenade, “Stickin Around”. “Starting to put my roots down, ‘cause the soil is rich here,” the sauntering ballad goes on to say. The benignly confused vision the band paints of Orlando is so convincing and endearing that it successfully blurs your memories of Disney, downtown and the sprawling mess of Colonial and replaces them with miles of farmland. From there the sonic theme of the album is set, but the pace does take a turn for the rowdier in enough places to keep your interest.

The Heathens most certainly wear their influences proudly on their sleeves, masterfully breezing through early-Wilco tinged twang with Colin Meloy-esque vocals/engaging and imaginative narratives while calling to mind a host of other folk/country leaning indie acts. Their strength, however, lies in ultimately managing to maintain their own identity, keeping The Heathens’ retelling of the age-old alt-country story fresh.

While they easily succeed in proving their indie cred, the band also pays homage to traditional Nashville country’s inexplicable penchant for witty titles and punch-line choruses. “Two Chimneys” approaches the subject of divorce (can’t get much more country than that) from the perspective of a little boy worried about how his parents living in separate houses might effect Santa’s Christmas Eve run. The break-up anthem “Sweetheart (I Don’t Hate You)” boasts a chorus so brilliantly blunt I’m sure there’s a thousand country singers grinding their teeth for not thinking of it themselves: “Sweetheart I don’t hate you, I just hate seein’ you around.”

As far as the production/engineering by Rob McGregor, mastering by Roger Siebel and mixing by Sean Moore goes, the team successfully juggles a veritable orchestra of instruments (banjo, violin, pedal steel, piano, trumpet, even sleigh bells) into a final product that doesn’t feel the least bit overwhelmed.

Really, the album doesn’t suffer from a lull until the penultimate track, “Let’s Shake On It,” and by then it’s easy to forgive. Besides, it comes right after a tough act to follow, the grand “Busy Nights At The Meatmarket.” All in all, the album proves to be quite a rewarding listen, easily worthy of the anticipation leading up to its release. It’s a confident step towards a promising future for this Orlando band.

review by Jack Cusumano