Abby Gordon Featured Image by: Jasper Graham
The Head and The Heart’s upcoming album, Aperture, drops May 9, 2025. We recently joined an °1824 press conference to chat with the band about their self-produced new record. Here’s what we gathered while listening in and engaging with them about the inspiration, process, and emotion behind Aperture.
The album’s title, Aperture, reflects themes of light and dark, representing the transition from post-pandemic struggles to a place of hope and renewal. Band members described the album as an exploration of loss, grief, and ultimately, resilience.
Drummer Tyler Williams highlighted guitarist Matt Gervais’ lyric: “It’s about reuniting and expanding what these six can achieve together.” The band sought to “let the light in” and embrace vulnerability throughout the creative process.
The Power Of Collaboration and Vulnerability
Aperture marks a shift for The Head and The Heart, who self-produced the record for full creative control, thereby fostering both challenges and deeper connections among the band members.
Gervais compared the band dynamic to a marriage, emphasizing the importance of working through personal and creative differences. “When you enter into a band, you’re entering into a multi-way marriage. Years ago, we realized we had to work through each other’s issues to stay in tune.”
Vulnerability played a significant role in the songwriting process. Vocalist Jon Russell opened up about his initial hesitation to share a song he had written years ago. With encouragement from bandmate Matty Gervais, Cop Car came to life. Russell described the song as “a collage… raw, grappling with choices you’ve made and how it’s affecting people around you.”
Spontaneity in the Studio
The band embraced spontaneity during the recording process, allowing mistakes to happen and letting creativity flow organically. Gervais recalled violinist and vocalist Charity Rose Thielen conducting the band like “Mickey Mouse in Fantasia.” This improvisation resulted in a song forming out of thin air.
Pianist Kenny Hensley reflected on this experience, sharing how he and Russell watched the moment unfold at the piano before jumping in to contribute. Williams added, “You can hear the individuals on this album. It’s the way these pieces are added up to create this body of work.”
Mental Health, Community, and the Rivers and Roads Foundation
Beyond music, The Head and The Heart are dedicated to supporting the artistic community in Seattle. Their foundation, Rivers and Roads, provides resources for local musicians, including mental health outreach.
One of their key partnerships is with SMASH, a nonprofit offering free and low-cost healthcare access to musicians. “It means the world to us to be able to provide some of the things that have benefited this band for other people out there,” Williams stated.
The band also spoke about the importance of mental health within their group, noting that group therapy has helped them strengthen their relationships and creative collaboration. Gervais reflected on how therapy “allowed us to find connections and be vulnerable. It reignited our shared mission.”
Excitement for the Aperture Tour
As the band prepares for their upcoming tour, they expressed enthusiasm for performing the new material live. Williams is particularly excited to play “Jubilee“, a song with a pop-punk edge, saying, “I can relive all those memories of playing along with bands that I loved back then.”
Hensley will also step into the spotlight, providing lead vocals on “West Coast” for the first time. Though initially nervous about recording it, he now embraces the thrill of performing it live. “Even just the thought of if and when the time comes that we perform that song live sends goosebumps down my spine,” he shared.
Thielen anticipates the energy of “Aperture” in a live setting, saying, “Lyrically and sonically, I’m so excited to just see how that feels performing for the first time.”
Gervais summed up the excitement of the tour, noting, “When you’re playing it for the first time, it helps bring new light to the other songs.” Russell added, “I haven’t been this excited for a new record in a long time.”
The Head and The Heart’s full album, Aperture, drops on May 9, 2025—pre-save it now to be the first to hear it.
Singles “After The Setting Sun,” “Time With My Sins,” and “Arrow” are all available singles from the album to stream now on your preferred listening platform.
The Aperture Tour begins May 31, 2025. Get your tickets now!
You can learn more about their foundation and make a donation here.
Intrigued with this article and want to read more?
We have plenty of non-show related articles, including our thoughts on music, mental health articles, tips & more.
Get new content delivered directly to your inbox.
