New Bedford, MA’s Half Hearted Hero and Animal Style Records are excited to announce the band’s new LP, entitled Isn’t Real. The album will see an official release on5/27/16 and is available for pre-order now.
You can check out a the second single from Isn’t Real now. “Same Old Same” is premiering exclusively on Chorus FM.
When a band spends a decade on the DIY circuit, playing an unrelenting barrage of shows in basements, backyards, and bars, it’s not unusual for its members to hit a wall. It’s a familiar story – burnout grabs hold, cracking the group’s foundation and leading to disbandment. But in rare cases, something magical happens.
Half Hearted Hero refuses to fold under the weight of the responsibilities and pressures that come with adulthood. Instead, determined to continue, they started over. Employing a from-the-ground-up retooling of their approach, the band focused on the spontaneity and excitement so many artists lose over time. These qualities can be the difference between a good band and a great band, and Half Hearted Hero has expertly tapped into that with 2016’s Isn’t Real.
Isn’t Real is a true album, tied together by a consistent energy and voice. In an era of singles and short attention spans, it’s remarkable to find such a commitment to the album as a work of art in and of itself. Stylistically, Isn’t Realmarks a shift for the band. Where 2013’s Whatever and 2011’s Running Water were more aggressive, relying on speed and heaviness, Isn’t Real displays the band in a more refined manner. There are still high-energy passages full of driving drums and huge distorted guitars that suggest influences from Bayside and Polar Bear Club, take album opener Throw It Away, for example. As Isn’t Real progresses, nods to bands like Saves The Day and Motion City Soundtrack emerge. Same Old Same, All of Me and What Light stand as fantastic examples of this.
Not many artists can continue to capture the youthful energy that comes with being a new band. Half Hearted Hero has done the impossible, not only in song, but also in spirit. Here’s to their new legs.
